Overall Rating
This is an aggregated review score of Avvo and Lawyers.com reviews.

3.4 /5.0

29 Client Reviews

Avvo

3.9

(27)

Lawyers.com

3.0

(2 )

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Filter Avvo Reviews (27) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.
Star rating
5 stars 18 4 stars 2
3 stars 0
2 stars 0
1 star 7
Practice Areas
Divorce & Separation (11) Child Custody (6) Family (3) Lawsuits & Disputes (2) Probate (2) Child Abuse (1) Child Support (1) Domestic Violence (1) Elder Law (1) Guardianship (1) Uncontested Divorce (1)
What Clients Mention
Case Results (14) Professionalism (13) Advocacy (10) Practice Area Knowledge (10) Character & Conduct (8) Recommendation (8) Communication Style (7) Compassion (7) Cost of Services (5) General Knowledge (5) Trustworthiness (5) Responsiveness (4) Free Consultations (1) Staff & Support (1)

Showing 26 - 27 of 27 reviews

Posted by anonymous | February 02, 2018 | Hired Attorney

Would not hire her or recommend her to anyone else

There are 3 reasons for my poor review: 1) She did not demonstrate the technical expertise in my divorce case that others attest to, with the result that I was stuck with a clause in my divorce settlement which any attorney with minimal experience should have been able to see through and advise m...e accordingly. This is what I was told when I took my paperwork to other lawyers later on. So there is either lack of technical expertise, or she wasn't giving my case the attention that she should have. 2) You can expect compassion- but only during the initial appointment when she wants your business. There's no sign of it after you sign the contract, and certainly not if you're an immigrant and unfamiliar with family law in VA because she doesn't have the patience to explain or walk you through the legalese in numerous documents. She interrupted me and cut me off very rudely on several occasions in person and on the phone, and threatened to stop representing me at least twice if I did not respond to her right away or if she disagreed with my response. 3) I agree with other reviews that she did adopt a measured and reasonable approach, which was reassuring in the beginning- that is until it got to the point where it was unclear whether she was representing my interests, or constantly caving in to pressure from the other side. When I raised this issue with after observing this over a few months, she was quick to defend the attorney representing my ex. Clearly my perspective or confidence in her (or lack therefore) was of no importance.

Virginia Haizlip

Replied last February 02, 2018

I work hard to provide all my clients with professional, compassionate representation. The complaints listed above are not an accurate reflection of my services. As many of the other reviews on my profile reflect, I strive to provide all my clients with excellent legal services. If a client has a concern about work that I have done on their case, I invite them to contact me directly to discuss their concerns. I cannot address any specific complaints without sharing confidential information. I invite this client to contact me directly to discuss their concerns.

Posted by anonymous | January 03, 2017

Knowledgeable, but I saw a bias towards helping women over men

I could be wrong but I didn't see any compassion from her in helping my case, which I eventually won with another law firm that also got my ex to pay for all my lawyer fees. I felt she was more about helping women than men and was impatient to get me out the door. She also charged me $400 for wha...t I thought she gave free consultation at the time I desperately needed and she knew it. Maybe it was also the complication of my case, I contacted about 30 lawyers and spoke to about 15 and she was the only one I didn't hire that I needed to write a review for as a precaution for others.

Virginia Haizlip

Replied last January 03, 2017

I have no bias toward either men or women. I work with clients of both sexes to achieve the best result possible for their particular case. I usually spend 1 hour with new clients, sometimes more, to get an understanding of their particular case. Our policy is to charge for one hour of professional time for consultations. We do offer free consultations for certain clients, including clients who find us through Avvo. Our receptionist works with new clients to clarify how they were referred and what, if any, charge there will be for the initial consultation. If there is any confusion, I clarify it during my meeting with the client.

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