Kathleen Marianna Putiri

I was referred to Ms. Putiri from a referral of a referral. I was immediately thrusted into the middle of a DMVPO Case/Custody/Separation and impending Divorce all in a matter of weeks. My head was spinning as I was coming to the realization that I was truly a victim of domestic violence as I had not... wanted to see or identify myself in that way. I work in law enforcement, am a licensed therapist, and am a huge advocate for sexual violence. At the insistence of my therapist I went to Interact to begin the process of filing an Emergency Protection Order for myself and my then 1 year old daughter. Ms. Putiri, may be a family law attorney but who is not at all well versed domestic violence and is not trauma informed in her approach with victims of domestic abuse. There were many times I felt victimized in the way she questioned me or invalidated the way I behaved (i.e. I didn’t act the way a victim “should” act.) To further complicate things my case was/is extremely high conflict. She went on a planned vacation, I was a little concerned but had assumed her support staff would be doing the work while she was gone. I was stunned to find out there was none! Subpoenas hadn’t been delivered or followed up on, witness hadn’t been prepped, we had not meet to go over my testimony, and I had no idea what the plan was and she was only returning 2 days before court and I work full time. She ended up dropping me because she claimed I broke privilege by discussing my case with my mother. She literally DROPPED ME AS A CLIENT 2 Week before a MASSIVELY IMPORTANT HEARING!!! I had to get a new attorney and attempt to get her up to speed on a super complex, detailed, high conflict case, two weeks before going to court when she left me thinking we were going to at least get through that hearing. It’s as if she purposely ran my retainer out on frivolous B.S., just so she could say that it was a good ending point. It’s as if she forgot she had just told me a few days prior she had taken on several meetings with potential new clients. I feel she saw an opportunity for new clients and I believe was just overwhelmed as a solo attorney with my high conflict case, and she took an opportunity to cut and run. She left me high and dry and my case involves the welfare of a now 2 year-old girl that is in the hands of seriously dangerous person. I don’t proclaim to be perfect. I know I was needy at times, I only have one birth child. I actually begged this woman on two occasions to help me protect my child that I was indebted to her and that she basically held my life and my child’s life in her hands. That I was trusting her to give me the guidance on what to do because I am not the attorney. I even asked her at one point if she did not feel capable of handling my case or giving me what I needed to please be honest with me while I had enough time to still seek additional counsel because my child’s life was literally on the line. This wasn’t a case about money. She mislead me and assured me she had my back that she could handle things, and in the end in left my child and I abandoned 2 weeks before my permeant protection order hearing (which was disastrous.) Now, I am not saying she is a bad person or even necessarily a bad attorney. I am saying if you have a high conflict divorce especially that involves children, I cannot in good conscious recommend her. If you are a victim of domestic violence especially emotional or psychosocial I would stay clear because the likelihood that you will experience being revictimized is highly probable. I didn't give her poor because I have been told by several attorney's that the original terms she was able to get my estrange husband to agree to during the initial temporary custody order were nothing short of amazing. Which tells me she is more than capable but in my case I think she was just out of her depth.