Gladys DeJesus Smith-Mangan

Gladys DeJesus Smith-Mangan

3.7
Rating: 9.4

Licensed for 17 years

Family Lawyer at Orlando, FL
Practice Areas: Family, Divorce & Separation, Child Custody, Child Support

1801 N. Econlockhatchee Trail, #679414, Orlando, FL

About Gladys

Biography

Practice Areas

4

Practice Areas

Family 25%

Includes divorce, paternity (child custody), child support, alimony, modifications, separation, domestic violence, adoption, temporary custody/guardianship, guardian ad litem work, dependency (DCF) actions and more.

25%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

Looking for an attorney? Avvo can help.

search module image

Search our directory

Quickly connect with top attorneys through our legal directory to get help with your legal issue.

chat module image

Avvo's live chat agents can help coordinate a consultation with a local attorney.

Chat with a live agent who can match you with the right attorney for your legal needs.

Chat with

Licenses

Licensed in Florida for 17 years

State: Florida

Acquired: 2008

Member in Good Standing

No misconduct found

Location

DeJesus Smith-Mangan, P.A.

1801 N. Econlockhatchee Trail, #679414, Orlando, FL, 32867-2612

Ad

Transform legal challenges into solutions.

Connect now to review your situation.

The Avvo Rating explained

display-bg

The Avvo Rating explained

Gladys DeJesus Smith-Mangan's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

3.7 /5.0

9 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (9) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 5 of 9 reviews

Posted by Lisa | May 18, 2015 | Lawsuits & Disputes

Highly recommended

Before I hired Gladys, I worked with several attorneys in two different counties. I thought they were great attorneys until I hired Gladys. She has made maneuvering through the legal system understandable and a lot less painful to deal with. She spoke to me in terms I could understand and helped me m...ake informed decisions in my case. She even told me that some of the things I asked for needed to be fair to both sides and even some of the suggestions were not exactly how I would have moved foward with, she explained the most ethical paths and, taking her advice, both sides of the case ended up pleased with the outcome. If you want an excellent attorney, you must hire her. I didn't regret it and I know you wont either.

Gladys Smith-Mangan

Replied last May 18, 2015

Thank you for your kind words. It is an honor to be able to help clients during these difficult times in their lives. Thank you for the opportunity to assist you with your case.

Posted by Isabel | May 18, 2015 | Divorce & Separation

Total and Complete Scam!

Do not waste your money on this attorney. She is going through a lot of personal and medical issues and will only take your retainer for personal gain. I was referred to her by another attorney office, whom supposed to collect part of the retainer in case Ms. Mangan was not available. It is even ment...ioned on the initial contract, but such referral law firm NEVER received that part of the retainer paid. So for starters she gave me a false contract, which tells you a lot of what kind of attorney she is. She wil NEVER answer texts, phone calls, or voicemails, the only way she will answer is if you call her or text her from an unknown number, and when she does she gives you a million medical and personal excuses of why she couldn't answer. Also, just days after giving her a $3,000 retainer she moved out of her office to work from home without giving me any heads up. I think that moving from an office to work from home is a very important fact to tell a client that is handing $3,000 at once, but no, she did not. Again, it says a lot about her ethical behavior. She will never keep you updated on the billing and the retainer magically dissapears without any details on what it was spent on. She will deliberately ask for another retainer without explanation, or detail invoicing, of what happened to the first one. I read the previous review and it is exactly the same situation, every time is an excuse of why things were not done and she is always at the hospital some how. Also, do not expect for her to return any papers from your case file, I am still waiting for months now for her to return my file, even though she knows I am expecting to go to a trial soon. In conclusion, this lawyer uses the retainer just for her personal benefit and will give you a thousand excuses on why things are not being done. I worked with her for about two years and nothing got achieved, zero, my case was still standing in the same place it was since I hired her. She also text to request information on the same mornings that hearings were held, and worst of all, information that was already previously given to her. A complete lack of organization in something as important as a divorce. She will continuesly talks about her personal divorce proceeding which threw me off guard every time, making comments like "my ex-husband told me to take a Xanax," completely unprofessional. I decided to represent myself and in only one single hearing half of the issues were resolved without the need of her services. Again, do not waste your money in this lawyer and unfortunately these kind of scammers is what give the lawyer community a bad rep. Will report her to the Bar Association because she has broken every ethical rule in existence. Again, be ware and do not give any money to this scammer.

Gladys Smith-Mangan

Replied last May 18, 2015

I regret you had a negative experience with my representation. It is true I have been dealing with extensive medical issues, evidenced by your comment that I'm "always in the hospital." I dread going to hospitals, and do so only when necessary to keep myself alive. Prior to becoming ill, I received only glowing reviews. Further, the few recent negative reviews to which you refer, all refer to my health condition. I am dealing with a very rare disease that took over two years of medical appointments with numerous specialists to finally be diagnosed, and the disease is an autoimmune condition that may be terminal if treatment is not immediate and successful. For this reason, referring attorneys have been kind enough not to enforce referral fee clauses. Due to my health, I've been transparent with my clients, and cooperated with the few clients who chose to find alternate counsel, transferring their files to the new counsel. Most clients stayed with me and accepted the delays in order to benefit from the quality of my work. I absolutely disagree that I have ever taken a retainer without earning it. Even when I was not ill, if I worked on a case and completed it without doing enough work to justify keeping the retainer, I have been known to refund portions of retainers, even when they were non-refundable. Further, since I became ill, I stopped taking cases, despite needing the income, as I felt this was the only appropriate thing to do until my current cases were caught up and my health was back in order. As a further effort to minimize the impact of my health on my clients, I began providing my personal cell phone number in the event I was at medical appointments or ill, and not able to be reached on my office phone. Unfortunately, a few clients took advantage of this by texting excessively and calling at all hours, including evenings and weekends. While I often take the calls if able, if this becomes excessive, I limit the calls absent an emergency, and usually return calls within 24 business hours. Due to the backlog caused by my health, I have been forced to prioritize my time and have had to make working on files a priority over administrative tasks, such as billing. This has resulted in clients receiving my services despite their retainers being used and no new payments made. While most clients have appreciated this, it is unfortunate that when finally asked to replenish a retainer for trial, a very common practice, one client might accuse me of not doing work on the case, despite a court record reflecting my presence at various proceedings, and extensive correspondence I've had with the client and opposing counsel. While I have worked with clients as to payment, due to the circumstances, I cannot simply represent clients at trial without payment. Of note, the only negative reviews I have received were immediately after my informing said clients I could no longer represent them, even when the reasons were, in addition to non-payment, clients' repetitive refusal to follow my advice or the court's orders, resulting in negative impact to their own cases. Finally, I am a family law attorney and work primarily on divorces and child custody cases. These cases often involve highly emotional issues for clients, including infidelity, fear of losing their children, domestic violence, and embarrassment about financial issues. I often share my own life experiences with clients who are having a difficult time, in an effort to make sure they know I understand what they are going through. Most clients have thanked me for my openness and willingness to exceed my responsibilities by showing genuine concern for their well-being, rather than coldly doing my job, without regard for the very real and difficult emotional toll the process takes on clients. While I regret that you consider your experience a negative one, I won't apologize for caring. The day I stop caring is the day I will stop practicing law.

Posted by anonymous | October 22, 2014 | Divorce & Separation

Worst attorney I have dealt with!!!!!!

Gladys is a awful lawyer! Do not take your time, money and legal issues with her. She was a BIG waste of time and money I have ever spent on an attorney. I hired her to represent me for a divorce and she was unresponsive, hard to get a hold of ( takes weeks to get back to you) and on top of it did ab...solutely NO work on my case. I wasted $3500 and I'm in the process of hiring a new attorney due to her negligence. She didn't even know how to set up mediation properly. She told me she scheduled it but then gave me multiple excuses as why it wasn't scheduled. I even had to put in my own financial information in her system that I previously gave her multiple times. She always had an excuse as to why something/nothing was happening involving my case ( her own divorce, health problems and etc...) Awful customer service skills and would NOT recommend her to anyone.

Gladys Smith-Mangan

Replied last October 22, 2014

I'm sorry to hear you were disappointed by your experience with my firm. While I am not able to address most of your concerns specifically, as I am careful to respect attorney/client privilege, I will respond vaguely to your concerns. First, If a person is not satisfied with his/her attorney, he/she should not wait more than three years to resolve the issues. If speaking directly with the attorney does not help, a client should immediately seek counsel he/she is satisfied with. Generally speaking, if a client does not feel a case is progressing, some common causes are: if the client doesn't provide me with the information I need in a timely manner (some clients have taken a year or more); if the client has me tending to other cases or matters instead of the one I was initially hired for (which I am usually kind enough to try to include, rather than force an additional retainer for each separate case); client's information fluctuates, so that the information has to keep being changed, as in a case where a client changes employment status or positions, or otherwise changes his/her income. While absent circumstances such as the above, there should be no reason for delay, I will acknowledge that I personally have, indeed, had to deal with extensive medical issues which have caused some delays. I have, however, been open and honest with my clients in this regard at all times, including offering to assist in transferring the case to another attorney if their matter was urgent and they so desired. I have also stopped taking on new clients, as my health continues to be at issue, and the matter has been referred to a research hospital. While I was also honest with my clients when I filed for a divorce, because I am a family law attorney and thought my clients would appreciate that I'm gaining additional personal experience that will help me to better understand their positions, my divorce has been largely amicable, as has been relayed to my clients, and has not been a source of delay in any client's proceedings. Regarding your concern about knowing how to schedule mediation, while no special knowledge as an attorney is required to schedule one, I can tell you that each department has its own procedures for scheduling. For example, one county here allows you to coordinate a date with the opposing side and then call to coordinate it. Another county, however, requires you to leave a message, and returns your call within a few days. If that county wants more information prior to scheduling, rather than return a call, they often send a letter stating what information they want, and no mediation is scheduled until those things are complied with. I assure you, if there was any delay in scheduling mediation, it was due to one of these circumstances, and I'm sure I would have made that clear to any client. Finally, with regard to my software program, I would very happily confirm that I did offer several clients the opportunity to try a new software program I had, which allowed them to directly access the financial program I use to enter information for my review. This allows clients more control and knowledge over what information is being entered, helps them organize the same, allows them to ask questions, and allows me to review what they have entered so that I can clarify information and/or make corrections prior to finalizing actual documents for filing. Most clients who used this feature appreciated the opportunity, and if any client had stated they did not wish to use it, I certainly would not have asked them to. I often try to avail myself of and/or recommend software programs and any other tools which will help my clients and their cases. This is usually an asset to the firm and to the respective clients. I regret that you felt burdened by the opportunity to try the software. Again, if you have additional or specific questions regarding your case, I am happy to answer them directly.

Posted by anonymous | October 25, 2013 | Lawsuits & Disputes

Not reccomended

This lawyer was unable to answers three questions right, I have to called the court and read through the constitution to find my answers. If I email her she takes a week to reply, phone did not work for weeks and no communication from her at all. In times with all the evidence I had on my favor she t...urns and defend the other part, really. And on top of all, she doubt about the proves. What a waste of time and money.

Gladys Smith-Mangan

Replied last November 04, 2013

Thank you for your feedback regarding your experience with me as your attorney. I'm sorry you were so disappointed by my representation, and would be happy to discuss your concerns with you. You are paying for services and should be happy with the services you are receiving. I have handled over 100 family law cases and have consistently received positive reviews, so I'm unable to determine who you are, or to address your concerns directly, unless you discuss them with me. Please feel free to let me know how I can better meet your needs. Most importantly, please let me know what information you believe I have provided that is not correct. This is not a concern that has ever been raised by one of my clients, and I would like to discuss the issue, and clarify any misunderstanding or misinformation, if any was provided. Regarding your concern about my doubting evidence or proof you have provided, it is sometimes the case, unfortunately, that I have to explain to clients that the other party has a better position, or that the client's own position or evidence isn't likely to succeed. If I tell you that the evidence you are providing is not likely to help you obtain the relief you desire, it does not mean I am taking the other party's side, though it may feel that way. It is my job to give you legal advice based on my experience, and I have significant experience in family law, having worked in this field for most of the 15 years I've been in the legal field and the five years I've been a practicing attorney. At times, clients are disappointed when I explain something, especially if the explanation is not the answer they hoped to receive. While I understand it is disappointing to hear that evidence you believe will prove something is not likely to do so, or that it is not likely to be admitted by the Court, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't tell my clients this in advance, and try to prevent the presentation of evidence I know will harm their position, or will not be accepted. Presenting it anyway not only makes the client's position appear poor, but it also gives the appearance that the attorney wasn't already aware of what evidence was admissible or appropriate. This is not a position you or I want to be in. Often there is evidence that WILL prove a particular point, and the point is important to a client for a variety of reasons, one of which is often the emotional element of family law. However, proving the particular point may not accomplish anything from a legal perspective. Sometimes clients simply want their "day in court" and want the other person to have to admit they did something terrible, and this is understandable. However, courts do not approve of presenting evidence that has no legal basis or remedy, as it takes up time that serves no legitimate legal purpose and could have been used for another hearing, at a time when the courts are already significantly backed up due to financial cutbacks. Finally, it is true that in moving offices, I had some technical difficulties with my telephone lines. This lasted one day the first week, and was resolved by the end of the day once I was notified by another attorney via email that the new line wasn't working. There was also a problem over the weekend that was resolved by 10:00 a.m. Unfortunately, transitions such as moving offices will cause temporary difficulties such as these, and since this was my first move after four years in the prior office, it was a new experience for me. I apologize for any delays caused by the move and assure you the new office is up and running with the new numbers you should have been provided as a current client. Again, the new telephone number is (407) 960-5688. If there is anything more I can address, or you want to discuss your specific case, please feel free to contact me directly so that I can determine how to better meet your needs.

Posted by Gabriel | April 27, 2011 | Lawsuits & Disputes

Stop looking...you just found your lawyer

i'm very fortunate to have found Gladys. first off, she was able to work with me on a price that fit my budget which is always important. i dont know a lot about the judicial system except what ive seen on Law and Order, so Gladys was great because she told me exactly what was gonna happen and what s...he was gonna do step by step. i tell her what i want and she puts it into legal words and gets it done. i never feel nervous going to court because shes always prepared with something up her sleeve. Gladys' assistant Jill is awesome. Jill is always nice and helpful and has a soothing voice which is nice because these cases can get stressful. long story short, ive gotten everything i wanted out of my case, thanks to Gladys, and im still working with her to work out the kinks.

See All Client Reviews

Gladys DeJesus Smith-Mangan's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Gladys
A. Marie Felsen headshot
A. Felsen

Child custody lawyer | Mar 18

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. She's great! I highly endorse her!"

Daniel David Archer headshot
Daniel Archer

Divorce and separation lawyer | Apr 30

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer."

Daniel Robert Blundy headshot
Daniel Blundy

Family lawyer | Aug 23

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I highly endorse Attorney Gladys Smith-Mangan. She honestly cares about her clients and their problems, and will do everything in her power to make things right for them. If I ever came across a family law case that I didn't want to handle myself, I'd refer it to her."

Sean Patrick McCormack headshot
Sean McCormack

Family lawyer | Aug 15

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Hector Pagan Jr. headshot
Hector Pagan

Family lawyer | Jun 09

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I highly recommend and endorse Mrs. DeJesus Smith-Mangan for all your Family Law needs; she is definitely the attorney you want in your side."

Donna Hung headshot
Donna Hung

Family lawyer | Apr 18

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Natalie Jean Martin headshot
Natalie Martin

Family lawyer | Apr 18

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Attorney Smith-Mangan cares for each one of her clients. She is passionate and researches every detail. I am honored to call her my colleague as well as my friend."

David Lee Jancha headshot
David Jancha

Family lawyer | Apr 13

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. She has the knowledge and experience handling a variety of issues. While a caring and compassionate in her approach; she is also a very strong and zealous advocate for her clients."

Megan Cloninger Sladek headshot
Megan Sladek

Family lawyer | Apr 12

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Gladys is able to help her clients not only clarify and articulate their goals, but to work productively toward achieving them. She is always courteous and respectful, but at the same time she knows how to keep conversations on track and as brief as possible, something that is essential in the practice of family law."

Corey Ira Cohen headshot
Corey Cohen

Divorce and separation lawyer | Apr 12

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Hard worker and cares about her clients."

View All Endorsements
Elizabeth Castro headshot
Elizabeth Castro

Family lawyer

Daniel Robert Blundy headshot
Daniel Blundy

Family lawyer

Sean Patrick McCormack headshot
Sean McCormack

Unknown lawyer

Hector Pagan Jr. headshot
Hector Pagan

Unknown lawyer

Natalie Jean Martin headshot
Natalie Martin

Business lawyer

David Lee Jancha headshot
David Jancha

Criminal defense lawyer

Megan Cloninger Sladek headshot
Megan Sladek

Real estate lawyer

Abigail Marie Johnston headshot
Abigail Johnston

Family lawyer

Cheri Lynn Hobbs headshot
Cheri Hobbs

Family lawyer

Donna Hung headshot
Donna Hung

Family lawyer

Corey Ira Cohen headshot
Corey Cohen

Criminal defense lawyer

Experience

Rating:  9.4 (Superb)

Honors

2012

Pro Bono Award, Orange County Legal Aid Society

2011

Pro Bono Award, Legal Aid Society of Orange County

2010

Oustanding Pro Bono Award, Orange County Legal Aid Society

2009

Pro Bono Award, Legal Aid Society of Orange County

Work Experience

2010 - Present

Owner/Attorney, DeJesus Smith-Mangan, P.A.

2006 - 2010

Associate Attorney/Law Clerk/Paralegal, LaGamba Law Firm, P.L.

2004 - 2005

Paralegal, Rotech, Inc.

2003 - 2004

Law Clerk, Egan, Lev & Siwica, P.A.

2000 - 2003

Legal Secretary, Gray Robinson, P.A.

1998 - 1999

Receptionist/Scheduling Secretary, Wendy L. Aikin, P.A.

Associations

2012 - Present

Central Florida Family Law American Inn of Court

Associate Member

2012 - Present

Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers

Member

2012 - Present

Orange County Bar Association, Professionalism Committee

Member

2010 - Present

Orange County Bar Legal Aid Society, Guardian ad Litem Program

Guardian ad Litem

2009 - Present

Orange County Bar Association

Member

2009 - Present

Orange County Bar Association, Family Law Section

Member

2008 - Present

Florida Bar, Family Law Section

Member

2008 - Present

Florida Bar

Member

Education

2005

Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

1998

University of Central Florida

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2012

Criminal Justice Ethics Class

Attorney Ethics

2010

Gay Adoption Upheld... Now What? Gay Adoption

Languages

English

Spanish

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution