Nicole O'Neal

I remember my first time walking into Nicole's office -- a scared mother of two, feeling alone, isolated, and scared. I had tried 6 months of mediation with my husband, trying to move towards an amicable divorce, and I was severely disappointed that mediation had not yielded more progress. In fact, i...t had made things more contentious, and I felt so drained and hopeless after every mediation visit. At that time, I felt that it was time to take it a step further and hire an attorney. From the moment I met Nicole, she was so helpful, understanding, and strong, and I felt brave and empowered knowing that I didn't have to fight this fight alone anymore. Nicole was prompt, honest, thorough, prepared, organized, diligent, determined, and helped to manage my expectations through this difficult process. She is incredibly ethical, fair, and grounded. She was able to catch a few technicalities on the opposing party's side, which helped us when we eventually went to court. My now ex-husband despised her in every sense throughout the divorce process (these situations tend to create a normal and healthy amount of resentment from one party towards the other). However, once things were finalized, he admitted to me that I definitely had the better attorney, that she did a great job in and out of court, and that he ended up despising his own attorney and wishing that he had hired someone as competent as Nicole. Due to the pandemic, many of my friends unfortunately were or are still in the process of divorce. I already knew that I had a great attorney in Nicole, but I found a higher level of respect for Nicole after hearing about their difficulties with their attorneys. It was easy to brag about Nicole, and although I hope to never work with her in this situation again, I find comfort in knowing that if I hit any other family-law-related issues, I can fall back on her to guide me through it. The situations which lead to having to find an attorney are stressful. The process of choosing an attorney to fit your personality/case is even more stressful. After going through the process of divorce for a little over 1.5 years with Nicole, I can honestly say that she drastically minimized the amount of stress which was placed on me, and she made the whole process as streamlined and straight-forward as possible. I'd hire her again, and recommend her to anyone, in a heart beat.

If you have found yourself in need of an attorney for any reason my heart goes out to you. The legal process can be confusing and daunting to the unfamiliar and uninformed. It is always suggested and recommended to have several consultations with lawyers to see who you like best. With that said, my e...xperience with Ms. Nicole O'Neal was better than I could have ever imagined (she is not the first or only lawyer I've had experience with - so this review is in comparison to my experience with other lawyers). From the moment I sat down with Ms. O'Neal she put me at ease with her knowledge and experience regarding Family Law. I hired her for my child custody/visitation case. As a father going through a custody battle facing the wildest of false accusations I felt completely helpless, and honestly, quite afraid. Ms. O'Neal was sympathetic to my circumstances and she hit the ground running on my case and immediately immersed herself into my defense by acquiring documentation and giving me "homework" of everything she needed from me to best represent me. The legal process is expensive and it can be frustrating and intimidating, so I'd like to express why I recommend Ms. O'Neal so highly. Professionalism - She is well educated and experienced. She is very familiar with the area she is practicing (courts, judges, opposing counsel). She treats her clients with respect and compassion and not only listens to your concerns, she remembers them. Her integrity is unparalleled and her legal ethics are inspiring. She is not afraid to give you "the facts" or "the truth" and she's not going to "blow any smoke" just to appease you. She is on a mission to win your case at the least possible expense. What other lawyer has that objective? Communication - This is probably the most desirable quality in your attorney while you are in the "waiting" process. Every email you send or phone call you make costs money. You don't want a lawyer who doesn't remember details of your case or past conversations you've already had, can't find documents you've already provided, is unprepared in the courtroom, or is unavailable when they scheduled an appointment to discuss something with you. Ms. O'Neal excels in her communication and surpasses any other lawyer in my experience. Her memory was amazing regarding the details of my case. I never had to repeat anything or resend any documentation. And she had a work load of 60-70 other cases. That's impressive. I never had to wonder if I mattered to my lawyer. She showed me that I did. Tenacity - If you have the misfortune of being faced with an opposing counsel that is a "bulldog" have no fear. Ms. O'Neal will not tolerate it. She will protect just as much as she will defend, whether in mediation or in the courtroom. She is not afraid to roll up her sleeves if she needs to. Attention to Detail - This quality can either win or lose your case and can have a dramatic strain on your bank account if your lawyer is deficient here. Throughout my case I sent countless emails, filled out countless forms and provided countless documents. Ms. O'Neal never lost, misplaced or forgot a single one. There is no guarantee that any lawyer can win your case or reach the outcome you desire, but I can say that Ms. O'Neal will do her absolute best to represent and defend you all while putting you at ease and keeping you informed throughout the process and respecting your bank account. She will fight for you and she will show you that you, your life, your case, and your circumstances matter to her. If you are headed for divorce or a custody battle I can't recommend Ms. O'Neal highly enough. She is the best at what she does and she proves it to you all throughout the process.

We had the pleasure of hiring the team of Nicole O’Neal, Ashley Constant and Davina Locklear. From the first meeting with Nicole we knew right away she was the lawyer that we wanted to help us with our custody case. She was always straight and to the point and very knowledgeable about the law. The... entire team was always there ready to answer questions when ever we had them and made the process easier than we could have ever hoped for. From the beginning the entire team had our daughters and family best interest at heart, which we loved. I had hired a lawyer before for a previous divorce and custody agreement that was a horrible experience with lack of communication and what was best for my kids. This was the exact opposite with Nicole and her team. We are 100% sure that if not for Nicole and her team we would not have had the out come that we did that granted us custody of our daughter.

At a time in my life when I could not be more devastated, more, unsettled, more uncertain of my present or future, I was left with no choice but to find an attorney. Virginia is a difficult state to maneuver divorce, add all that you have worked for and need to protect, fold in your emotional devasta...tion and you will find yourself in a place you just can't see your way out of. I found my way to Nicole O'Neal. Having been in the military, she understood all that I had to lose. She is a fierce fighter for her client and will not back down. She maintains your best interest while advising you, even when there are concessions to be made to move things along. At the same time, she is empathetic, compassionate and does not judge you for the behaviors or transgressions you may have dismissed in your relationship, or whatever you blame yourself for. She gives you all of your options in detail, sometimes more than once when you can't remember from day to day. She works hard with you, providing you several opportunities for communication to allow you to keep your billing within your budget. To include the hardworking paralegals that assist her. Matt Hall, was amazing in facilitating various signings and keeping me informed. While Ashley Constant was great in wrapping up the case and ensuring I had the documents I needed. Nicole stays calm and grounded as you go through your stages of grief and keeps you from going down paths that in the end will only cause you trouble. She became my most trusted confidant. She was happy with me as I achieved milestones and cheered me on as I pursued goals for myself and celebrated for me when I finally achieved my final objective, freedom, from a past of pain. I walked away with all that I achieved in retirement and benefits still in tact. She helped me know this was not my fault and through our win, we proved it to all, but most importantly, to me. I walked away with my dignity restored and my head up.

Nicole and her paralegal are the best! I hired another attorney years ago for the same matter I went to NIcole with but never got resolved. I was always kept informed, any calls or emails were promptly responded too. I never felt like i was a burden, or my questions were stupid or repative. Each s...tep was clearly explained to me and the process/next steps were always understood. Nicole and her paralegal never asked me to do "work" that I hired them for, therefore i was able to leave the matter in their hands and not worry. Since family court can be expansive, they did everything to keep costs minimal and explain why things were being done BEFORE it was done. My input was valued and acknowledged. I would go back to Nicole and her paralegal for any family matters and NO OTHER attorney. I have already recommended her to another party. Even though we just completed my case, I was hesitant to let her go because she cares about her clients.