Christopher David Brown

I hired Chris Brown for my divorce. I consulted with him twice before retaining him. He was very adamant that married couples should be able to work out a divorce themselves, and heavily encouraged an uncontested divorced. (This was in stark contrast to other attorneys I consulted with, who right awa...y were told me everything I could do to fight in court). My divorce dealt with adultery (where I had written and video proof and the ex admitted it) and financial abuse (I had some proof). Chris still was adamant that uncontested was the way to go. several acquaintances of mine used chris. Three had used him for an uncontested divorce, and had good experiences. One used him for a contested divorce (also due to the spouses’s adultery). That person said he was good during the divorce, which was successful in mediation, but once the divorce was over it took over 5 months to file some final papers. And in the end, that person was not happy with Chris due to that delay. I felt that I needed someone to be my voice in the divorce, and fight for me on my behalf, so I filed contested with Chris. We were also successful in mediation and didn’t have to go to court. Like my acquaintance, do I think Chris was good during for the divorce? Yes. The outcome of the divorce (my settlement from exspouse) was about what Chris thought it would be. I got exactly what I wanted for child custody. Chris argued successfully on my behalf during mediation, and ensured that our requests were reasonable while still ensuring I was taken care of. The divorce was very difficult and emotional for me. If we weren’t successful in mediation, and had to go to deposition, Chris said he would’ve suggested that I not be present when he deposed exspouse and paramour. Like my acquaintance, do I think he took forever with paperwork? Yes. 100%. After mediation, ex spouse and I immediately acted on the steps outlined in mediation. (Separation of assets, exspouse paying me spousal support, child visitation, etc.). But it took six months for Chris to file the final papers with the court. I wasn’t in a huge rush, but it delayed ex spouse’s plans with the paramour, so I received angry texts about the delay. I also experienced issues, throughout the process, where I would call and/or email for an update, and never hear anything back. Sometimes for weeks. This seems pretty common with attorneys from what I hear. However, if something was important, he did get back with me very quickly. When I emailed him early on in the divorce that ex spouse (who had moved out) was scheduling realtors to come to the house to price it for sale, Chris called me back right away. He told me we were NOT placing the house up for sale. Divorce is a life changing event for the client, but it’s just another day for attorneys, Chris included. I felt like he’d fight for me, but I could also tell that all of this was routine for him. Nothing surprised him. Recently, I met someone whose exhusband used Chris for their divorce. Their divorce went all the way to court, and she said when Chris was questioning her on the stand, he made her cry. I was glad that I didn’t have to go to court, but it was good to know that if it did go that far Chris would fight the good fight for me. (And perhaps make exspouse and the paramour cry, which would’ve been nice also).

Upon hiring Mr. Brown, I felt he was knowledgeable and prepared to represent me with complete commitment. After and during drawing up the initial paperwork, filing, and eventually receiving responses from my wife's attorney, I had the continued feeling that I was always in the dark on what was happen...ing. I would continually request information, ask the status, what's next, what can we do, and it was responded to days later, or not responded to at all. I'd follow up with a second email and may or may not have received a response, but was surely charged a fee to review the follow up email... I felt like I had to continually ask questions because I was never receiving any input or feedback. As an example I get a bill that says he communicated with the opposing attorney but was never told what was discussed. What was discussed, what are we doing, do you need information from me to respond? I inform him that the opposing side is not following the temporary order and it gets brushed aside and I'm told we'll just continue to build our case with this information, yet my daughter could and is directly affected by not following the orders guidelines. It's literally a contempt issue and it is dismissed as gathering information or ammunition on my ex. I've suggested that we request interrogatories from the opposing side to collect evidence contrary to what they are saying and have no idea if we have submitted anything! At the same time we are getting bombarded with a flood of interrogatories that potentially don't even apply and all he does is forward to me and say I need to complete these requests for information. No guidance, no suggestions on reply, nothing. Just a 'forwarded email' from opposing council. I could see when we were in the court room that his approach to representation is cookie cutter and is the same for everyone he represents because the judge was not moved by his tone, questioning, objections, body language, hand gesturing or examinations. 5 figures ($) into his representation, 6+ months of his non-guidance, 1 Temp hearing that probably could have been avoided if we would have acted timely and aggressively, and I sit exactly where I started. All I saw was non-responsiveness, ineffective representation, minimal at best communication efforts and feeling like I've been falsely characterized and have been out represented without a doubt when it could have been avoided with just an honest effort to represent me as marketed. I have found new counsel. I have to join many of the other reviewers and say I would not recommend him for counsel.

Chris got my divorce done quickly! I was a client of Chris Brown and Karen Barbour with Miller and Brown in Fayetteville, Georgia. They "held my hand" throughout the process during a difficult case involving child custody. I am relieved to say I have custody of my son, and my child support order went... into effect almost immediately. The entire divorce lasted less than four months, which may not always be possible in every case, but it's notable. Chris was an aggressive attorney, and I couldn't be happier with the outcome. I was a hard client, because of my situation, but they seemed to genuinely care about my concerns. I would recommend Chris Brown and Karen Barbour.