Ronald Roman Petroff

Attorney Ron Petroff and Erika Smitherman (along with the entire staff) at Petroff Law Office provided excellent and quality service. My husband and I always felt that our needs were met and that the firm was invested in us, our children and our custody case. They were easily accessible, aggressive, ...got back to us in a timely manner, and got the results that we had hoped for. Their responsiveness, knowledge and authenticity during a complex case kept us stable and successful. Petroff and Smitherman were always engaged when needed and always made good value of the retainer by utilizing the right staff member for the right task. Not only are they top notch professionals, they are sharp strategists that truly care for their clients. Petroff and his entire team made a very difficult situation much easier to deal with and produced the highest quality that anyone would want when hiring a family law/litigation attorney. Highly recommended.

I don't even know where to begin... I suppose I will start at the beginning, and in doing so, will also do my best to be as succinct as possible. I will say that when I decided to finally move forward with a divorce - which is something I delayed as long as I could - I was beyond lost. No one knows h...ow to "do divorce." Furthermore, it's one of those things where you have to learn as you go -- and it starts with finding someone with the integrity and acumen that can help you navigate what is by far one of the most emotionally-impactful, life-altering (perhaps shattering at moments) transitions you may ever experience. That said, there are things you should know. Hire a family attorney. You should seek out someone who understands the complex nuances of family law -- which, incidentally, to this mom of three young children navigating this process, were completely foreign... There is no instruction guide for this - you just figure it out -- or you are fortunate enough to find someone with the integrity and industry-knowledge who will be the catalyst in that learning curve -- and bring you up to speed in the most efficacious (and hopefully cost-effective) manner. Because that is the other thing that one isn't prepared for going into this... the price tag attached. Sure, you hear jokes about the cost of divorce - movies immortalizing the truism of the expense of divorce (Think Billy Crystal in "When Harry Met Sally" - karaoke scene.), but nothing really prepares you for what it means to really squeeze blood from a stone. Platitudes aside, again, you hope that when you are at your most vulnerable, you can defer to someone who will help you make sense of something that really doesn't make much sense at all. Ron Petroff IS that person, but I had to experience the consequences of a wrong choice, before I finally found his firm. I reached out to friends and colleagues for referrals, when I finally decided to file for divorce. I learned quickly that I had not chosen wisely. When I had that epiphany, I changed counsel. I saw just how much my general attorney should have known -- and yet did not, given how specialized an area that family law was. That is when I scheduled a consultation with Ron. Ron was direct. Ron was professional. Ron was the response to the list of things I outlined above... and then some. I remember sitting in his office during that initial consultation, thinking to myself that I absolutely could not believe that I had not found him three months earlier. Yet no one knows how to "do divorce." Who should? No one goes into a marriage thinking that divorce is an option. (At least, I hope people don't.) Instead of continuing to feel like I was at the mercy of how things played out, I suddenly felt like I was on the offensive. I owe this to Ron. The truth is - to reference something I mentioned earlier, divorce really isn't like it is in the movies. Everyone loses. It is just the way it it. However, what the process becomes, it trying to minimize just how much each of you loses. And that is why I would shout from rooftops that Ron Petroff is the person you should hire to help you get through this transition. I was beyond clear about what I had wanted... and what I had hoped for... And as I said earlier, Ron was direct. He was sympathetic, yet pragmatic. He had an intensity and a spectrum of knowledge that were unrivaled (as far as I can tell)... that motivated him to consider all of the possible outcomes of each choice, and to move strategically on behalf of his client. He listened, and responded decisively. He was a tenacious advocate for his clients - and knew the landscape of his profession to the end that it fostered a powerful rapport and respect among others in his area. Having finalized my divorce in July, I am beyond grateful to Ron and everyone in his firm for making strides no one else could – and for being the advocate for me and my children that I should have hired from the very beginning.

Ron and his staff represented me as a defendant on a CPO case and plaintiff on my divorce case. Both cases were very complex and involved detailed data gathering and in-depth fact collection. Although they are located in Franklin County, they are very knowledgeable of Ohio law and other county cour...t rules. Plainly speaking, they did everything possible to leave no stone un-turned. They stay up-to-date on legal revisions and apply them when other attorneys were not aware of such changes. They are clearly skilled and talented litigators but more importantly they are compassionate. My ordeal has been going on for over 18 months now and has been a very difficult journey. Ron and his staff, particularly Ben Nyhan, have showed concern for my feelings and well being and have showed sincere compassion the entire time. I am grateful for not only their excellent professionalism and high level of legal excellence, but their humanistic approach, empathy and benevolence. Their attention to detail and genuine sympathy for each case make them an excellence choice for representation.

I recently went through a very emotional, contested divorce case and I feel extremely lucky that I had the guidance and counsel of Attorney Petroff throughout the entire experience. I felt like he truly understood my situation and that of my children. He took the time to explain the complex proced...ure involved in these matters. He cared about my case and treated me with respect. I would highly recommend Attorney Petroff to anyone in need of divorce or other family law representation.