Joan-Marie Kettell Dean

She is professional, polished, and poise. I have had long-standing issues with my son's mother and Jo-Marie was able to help resolve many of these issues. She is very clear without ever wing condescending. She is also always within reach which seems to be a luxury when considering lawyers. If you are... considering a lawyer in Alabama, look no further, Jo-Marie is phenomenal.

Ms. Sullivan came recommended to me by another attorney in town. Given the circumstances surrounding my divorce and subsequent child custody proceedings, I could NOT have made a better choice. Her knowledge of the law, her vested interest in my well being, as well as my son's, her empathy regarding m...y experiences and her stellar representation of my case contributed greatly to a very positive outcome! I would not hesitate to recommend her to any person in search of a qualified and professional attorney in north Alabama.

I hired Joan-Marie over 10 years ago to represent me in a custody dispute. The suit was filed unexpectedly and I was living out of the area at the time. I hired another male lawyer here in Huntsville first. He totally bungled my case, failing to object to irrelevant testimony, hearsay, etc. As a resu...lt of his ineptitude I ended up losing custody at my pendente lite hearing. Devastated, I began lawyer shopping. Joan-Marie was recommended to me by another attorney in town who did not have time to take my case at that point. I met with her and liked her immediately. She went right to work ordering transcripts and researching to prepare for the court date which was only 4 months away. I was most impressed with the way she put her heart into our case. It was abundantly clear that she had a personal interest in us not just as clients but as people. Her representation of us in court was head and shoulders above our first attorney and I have no complaints whatsoever about the way she handled our case. Unfortunately, the judge did not rule in my favor, leading us to file an appeal first to the civil appeals court and then to the Alabama Supreme Court. Joan-Marie really shines in written appeals. As mentioned by another reviewer, she is the editor of Alabama Law Weekly and is intimately familiar with decisions that are being written by all levels of the judiciary in this state. Her appeals arguments are extremely well written and the facts well documented. I have been in and out of court several times on this custody situation and have been forced to file multiple appeals, but it is in no way a reflection of poor representation on Joan-Marie’s part. I have recommended her to others and will continue to do so. I cannot imagine ever finding a lawyer who will put so much of her personal energy into a case. Her billing has been reasonable as well.

I first hired Ms. Dean 10 years ago, on two separate recommendations from friends who both happen to be judges. One of them spoke very highly of her knowledge of the law and said she would give me trustworthy advice in my (unexpected) divorce. The other gave me Ms. Dean's and another attorney's names..., but said Ms. Dean would do a better job for me in court than anyone else. I chose to hire her then and have not regretted it. Through no fault of hers, we have been back to court every few years and every single time she has won my cases. While we all like to believe the law is on the right side (ours), it is not alway easy to prove and I have been very grateful for her representation. I have had easier, and more difficult, attorneys to contact, but I'm not looking for a BFF. Her office staff is highly competent and courteous and she's got a lot of work; one should expect that. If you are looking for someone to stay on the phone and hold your hand, go somewhere else. If you want a bulldog in the courtroom, it is well worth the price of admission to see her in action. I would certainly not like to be on the other side.

Affiliation I am a current client of Ms. Joan-Marie Sullivan (Dean). I am also a "repeat customer" of Ms. Sullivan having had a successful outcome in a prior legal action (divorce amend). Client Assessment of Ms. Joan-Marie Sullivan (Dean) My rationale for retaining Ms. Sullivan's services ...was driven by a number of considerations, outlined below… a) Expert and Efficient Guidance: I have experienced very efficient and at times even firm guidance on issues that tend to be easily confusing due to intense emotional involvement… it is clear when working with Ms. Sullivan she is sensitive to issues like these with clients and can readily make course corrections and with clear explanation when needed. She knows clearly what goals can be achieved and how and what matters are of lesser importance. b) Efficient Communication: Ms. Sullivan has been efficient in communicating only as required to properly handle matters. This reduces the number of charges required to the client. Typically as an important milestone or deadline for a matter in a case approaches, Ms. Sullivan will respond professionally and capitalize on each communication and/or schedule consultation as needed. c) Exceptional Current Knowledge of the Law: Ms. Sullivan is the editor of the Alabama Law Weekly. This voluntary position requires Ms. Sullivan to review all current Alabama case matters, outcomes and resultant precedents on a weekly basis. This by nature keeps Ms. Sullivan's knowledge of Alabama law continuously updated. d) A Leader in Alabama State Law: Ms. Sullivan has actively engaged in challenging and updating Alabama law. Recent changes regarding forced payment of college for children in divorce settlements is one example of unjust law Ms. Sullivan has successfully challenged. It is clear she has a modern understanding of society and law and strives to bring Alabama code up to date with such. This greater understanding of society and law is a tremendous and highly unique asset she offers to her clients. e) Full Understanding and Expert Application of the Law: Ms. Sullivan not only has knowledge of the current law, she is an expert in its application (a function of not just hard work but in my opinion of exceptional ability). I have witnessed first-hand working with Ms. Sullivan her ability to in minutes capture a vast amount of information, process it with the client through careful questioning and real-time produce a legal product of high quality properly addressing and capturing all concerns of the client. This ability goes far beyond just hard work and knowledge but is an indicator of Ms. Sullivan's exceptional natural abilities and intellect. f) Experience and Motivation: Ms. Sullivan now has roughly 25 years of experience in the practice of law. What is surprising is her intensity, energy level and genuine enthusiasm for not just practicing but improving the law itself in the state of Alabama is very high and evident in her every word and action. This energy coupled with years of experience is one of the most impressive qualities of Ms. Sullivan and offers to her clients a very rare combination of knowledge, skills and abilities indeed! Conclusion I have and continue to be a client of Ms. Joan-Marie Sullivan (Dean). I have and will again recommend Ms. Joan-Marie Sullivan (Dean) to friends and colleagues who have expressed interest in finding expert legal representation. I believe Ms. Sullivan represents each of her clients in an efficient and highly intelligent fashion, making the fullest use of exceptional ability, knowledge, experience and motivation.