Gawayne A. Kelly

I retained Gawayne Kelly Law during one of the most difficult periods of my life, involving both a family law case and a domestic violence case. At the time I hired the firm, I was experiencing significant financial hardship and made my circumstances clear from the beginning. I was repeatedly told th...at the firm would work with my income and help me maintain representation despite my financial limitations. Since retaining the firm, I have paid approximately $5,600 in legal fees, in addition to out-of-pocket costs for notaries, document preparation, and filing-related expenses. Despite these payments, I have become increasingly frustrated by what I feel has been a lack of meaningful progress and a billing structure that placed constant financial pressure on me. After paying the $5,600, I received two separate billing statements within the same month. On May 5th, I received a bill for $2,500, and approximately two weeks later, I received another bill for $5,000. Given my financial circumstances, I am unable to pay these additional amounts. I was also informed that payment would be required in order for the firm to continue representing me, which added significant stress and concern about my ability to maintain legal counsel. The primary work I have seen completed on my behalf was the filing of a paternity petition and an emergency motion. Beyond that, much of my interaction with the firm consisted of being asked to sign additional paperwork, provide documents, and make further payments. It seemed that every few days I was receiving another request for money or another document to sign. The firm established payment arrangements with me on more than one occasion after acknowledging my financial hardship. However, those arrangements were later withdrawn, and I was informed that the payments were insufficient to continue representation. This was particularly upsetting because I relied on those assurances when deciding to hire the firm in the first place. Throughout this process, I repeatedly contacted the office to explain my financial situation and the stress I was under. I expressed concerns about my ability to continue paying legal fees while caring for my children and managing ongoing court proceedings. Rather than feeling supported during a crisis, I often felt that the primary focus was on collecting additional payments. I was also disappointed by what I perceived as a lack of preparation during one court appearance where my attorney spoke on my behalf. I left feeling concerned about whether my case had been thoroughly reviewed and whether the unique facts and circumstances affecting my children and family had been fully understood. At this point, after paying thousands of dollars, I am now facing the possibility that the firm may withdraw from representing me because I cannot continue making payments. The financial stress caused by the legal fees has, at times, felt almost as overwhelming as the legal issues I originally hired the firm to help me address. This review reflects my personal experience. Others may have different experiences, but I encourage anyone considering hiring this firm to carefully review the fee agreement, ask detailed questions about billing practices, obtain a clear understanding of anticipated costs, and ensure they are comfortable with the firm's approach to client communication and representation before retaining their services.