Scott McKenzie Stevens

A Cautionary Note to Prospective Clients Our experience with Attorney Scott Stevens was satisfactory from a legal standpoint, but we were extremely disappointed with his billing practices and the manner in which our billing concerns were handled. We paid substantial fees upfront and throughout our ...engagement, including a final payment requested by Mr. Stevens for what we understood to be the completion of the remaining work. We specifically asked whether our account was current and were told that it was. More than three months after conclusion of his services, we unexpectedly received an additional "money grab" invoice for $2,346.83, with very limited detail and without properly accounting for all payments previously made. We repeatedly requested a complete itemized accounting of the dates, hours, rates, and work performed, as well as an explanation for why no billing had been provided for months. Our concern was not the legal work itself, but the lack of transparency in the billing and, in our opinion, the dismissive manner in which our reasonable requests for clarification were handled. Our advice to prospective clients is simple: you may be better off avoiding the hassle and headache we experienced. There are many equally competent attorneys who charge comparable or even lower fees and, in our experience, provide much clearer and more predictable billing practices. For us, the legal work was ultimately overshadowed by an unexpected billing issues and inaccurate accounting that caused considerable frustration and unnecessary aggravation. In hindsight, we would have chosen another attorney, and we would encourage prospective clients to carefully consider their alternatives before retaining Attorney Scott Stevens or - Howe & Associates Law Firm.

“I am extremely impressed with Attorney Scott McKenzie. His explanation of the appellate process was clearer and more detailed than anything I’ve been able to find on my own. He broke down complex issues—like de novo review, evidence requirements, and appellate deadlines—in a way that finally gave me... confidence and direction in my case. His response was thoughtful, thorough, and showed a deep understanding of Georgia appellate procedure. I truly appreciate the time he took to help me. Highly recommend him to anyone needing appellate guidance

We would have rated Scott a "Very Good" if such a rank was provided. We rate him excellent, however, in his application of the law and his courtroom performance, as well as attorney-client interactions. Why not "Excellent" overall? The invoices, both in the preparation and in the sending, is th...e only reason. For much of the case, there was no who, what, and why reflected by each charge. To Scott's credit, however, he corrected this after being made aware of our concern As for the preparation by the billing department, it was not done on a regular basis, and there were many errors. One of the invoices, for instance, did not even include dates. Sometimes it appeared that there would be three bills covering the same period. It was a constant struggle to try to figure out whether some of the charges were duplications. Also, there was no indication on the charge as to who incurred the time. We did not expect to be billed for paralegal time at the attorney's rate. Fortunately, these complaints can be easily remedied. They did not substantively mar Scott's excellent work. The Board members were particularly impressed with his courtroom manner. In short, we would certainly consider hiring him again should the need arise. The Board My Mountain Phase 1 HOA.