Stephanie Leigh Steele

This lawyer represented me in a very complicated a case of modification of visitation and was completely and totally ineffective in presenting any type of defense in this case. The attorney addressed each new witness for the prosecution with "hello my Stephanie Steele I am Len's attorney" as if it wa...s her first case. Needless to say, the results ended with me losing significant time with my children that I will never get back. I chose Ms. Steele on the recommendation from Diane Woods of Huff Woods and Hamby that happened to be employing her. It was my opinion afterwards that Ms Woods recommendation relied on the fact that Ms. Steele was a novice and would benefit from the experience received. I however paid a large fee and received a very poor defense. I'm in the process of bringing charges againist Ms. Steele and the firm for negligance and ethics violations.

I hired this attorney last summer to defend myself and my children in a divorce case against my abusive spouse who had numerous extra-marital affairs. There was tremendous documentation. However, shortly after hiring Ms. Steele, the following occurred: * Made two last-minute questionable cancella...tions of our mediation, each needing to be rescheduled to a later date. * Was late to the third scheduled mediation * Was unprepared for the mediation - could not remember my children's names, what the issues were, and what points we were willing to negotiate * Was unable to stand up to the tactics of opposing counsel * Recommended that I accept opposing counsel's 'offer' which would not only have been salt in open wounds, but would have left me penniless and without my children * Would not respond to emails, phone messages or provide updates * Would not file necessary actions * Churned fees - e.g. 3 administrative staff would communicate and send files to one another who would then send me the same message to me two-three times, charging for each. Bills were vague and could not be substantiated After approximately 12 weeks, I released Ms. Steele and Manely & company, and hired a different family law attorney. The result was achieving nearly everything that I was seeking from the beginning. Steele-Manely firm cost me over $9,000, three months of prolonged turmoil, depression, and angst, and positioned me poorly for the remainder of the divorce. Fortunately, I was able to salvage the damage, but again, at great financial, emotional, and family expense. Don't believe the introductory sales pitch - it is just that - a sales pitch.