Valerie Ann Downing Arnold

If you have a highly contested divorce case and a challenging uncoperating lawyer on the other side, you need Valerie Arnold on your side. I went through two lawyers before I discovered Velerie. She quickly assessed the situation and put the case back on the right track. I felt much more comfortable with the process after that. I was well informed thanks to Valerie's exceptional staff. Tasks were always completed and reviewed ahead of schedule. Valerie listens to all the facts, makes great recommendations and she then helps you set achievable goals. She was reachable after hours and always gives excellent and objective feedback. If your case calls for a world class divorce and custody lawyer, I would definitely recommend Valerie Arnold.

Prior to hiring Valerie Arnold at Arnold, Rodman & Kretchmer, P.A. I interviewed 3 attorneys. I knew my case would be difficult and I was determined to find not only a great attorney who knew the law and the process but also someone who would care about me, and more importantly, my children. Furthermore, I was looking for someone who would have experience with children and families on the Autism Spectrum. After meeting Mrs. Arnold for the first consultation, I realized she was the one I could trust with my divorce and custody battle. Her professionalism and very open and hones demeanor were evident -all in a very personable way. She did not speak in purely legal terms, but explained everything to me in layman's terms. Before I left the first consultation she made sure I had all my questions answered in a way I understood. What was striking in that first visit is that I truly felt that she was listening to me. She wasn't just thinking of me as just another client or case, she was interested in learning about our situation and understanding what the issues were. She was factual, very knowledgeable in all the areas my case required, very resourceful and prompt. She had a very good understanding and experience of kids on the Spectrum, their families, and the unique dynamics that the families on the Spectrum deal with. Mrs. Arnold made me feel so comfortable in our meetings that I left feeling I was talking to someone I had known for years. I felt comfortable and understood. To say that my case got complicated as it progressed is an understatement. It turned out to be a very ugly and tough divorce, and it lasted over 2 years. Throughout that time, Mrs. Arnold and all her staff showed complete dedication, professionalism, knowledge, promptness, efficiency, and compassion. There is no question in my mind Mrs Arnold went the extra mile in many occasions. In moments of difficulty, Mrs. Arnold remained focused and devoted to the case as if it had just started. She returned phone calls and emails in a very timely way. Even when my timing wasn't ideal for her, she always returned my calls/emails promptly. Her ability to communicate to her colleagues and clients is admirable to say the least. She is assertive and articulated and get her point across clearly, directly, and respectfully -a quality that not all attorneys share. No amount of money could ever compensate her diligence and effort. I've learned to this process that to be a great family attorney, one needs to be a good human being first. Mrs Arnold certainly meets and exceeds this criteria. I appreciate to no end her commitment to my children and to our family . She is a very knowledgeable, tough attorney, with great ethical and noble values. These years have been the toughest I have lived through so far, and I know I could not have done it without her professional support and true commitment. It was the constant many ways she sowed she cares that made a difference during hard times. Although I wish we had met in a different situation, I can honestly say it has been an honor to have known her.

I hired Val three times for a very complicated divorce cases. She and her team are the best! If you, just like me, dealing with a difficult ex who is not cooperating and trying to hide assets, she is the lawyer for you! She is super professional, very knowledgeable, friendly and supportive. She is superb, therefore not cheap, but you still will get more with her than with some other "more affordable" lawyer. Don't throw good money after bad. Hire her and get what you deserve, not what your ex thinks you deserve.

I had the pleasure of having Val as my divorce attorney over the past few years. She always handled my case with class, professionalism and empathy. She was extremely knowledgeable about the law and offered suggestions and solutions. While my spouse's lawyer's actions frequently caused a toxic environment, Val always kept things professional. As much as the divorce process is a painful one. I will actually miss working with her. I would highly recommend her.

Valerie Arnold has been my family’s attorney for the past year helping us resolve a very complicated international third party custody matter. We have been very satisfied with her representation. Throughout the process we remained confident in her knowledge and thankful for all her hard work she did on our case. We were very impressed by the professionalism her staff showed. As native Spanish speakers I thought the language barrier might be hard to over come, however, Valerie and her staff where very kind, patient and understanding and it was never an issue. They were always willing to make the extra effort to ensure we were fully aware of every single detail of our case and the legal options available to us. We knew everything would be handled well in the hands of Valerie and her staff. I am really glad we found Valerie’s firm. Her entire team was sweethearts to us, warm and invested in our case. We did not feel like we were simply clients to them but much more like friends and family. We were very satisfied with our representation and won our case. I would recommend Valerie and her firm to anyone in need of a good family lawyer.

Valerie helped me settle my highly contested custody/relocation case. She battled tirelessly to help me and my young child. She is extremely knowledgeable and very articulate. Valerie kept me calm during high stress, coached me through the process, and always provided a sense of urgency to my case. I never felt she was too busy to answer my calls or questions. She and her staff truly care about clients and it shows. I learned a lot from Valerie and I highly recommend her to anyone needing a smart, caring and respected attorney.

Valerie provided an "outside the box" solution to a very difficult problem. Her practical approach and level of thoughtfulness made all the difference in my case. She was able to see “the whole picture” in a way that others could not. In doing so Valerie saved me and my family a great deal of time, money and heartache. She was quick to respond to my concerns and made extra efforts to be able to meet with me (even last-minute) as my schedule permitted. I absolutely endorse her work.

I literally went through 3 attorneys before doing research and after meeting once with Valerie, she understood my case better then my last attorney who had my case for over two years. Valerie is exceptional at her job! I am writing this review not even knowing the outcome of my very highly complex case and I know with all my heart that Valerie and her assistant Kendal put everything they had into my case and I am confident they helped represent me to their fullest ability. Valerie is very organized and detail orientated. She has the knowledge of law that is impressive! I have recommended her to anyone who asks me for a great lawyer! Please do not hesitate to contact her..you will not regret it!

I sought Valerie's services when my husband decided to have our oldest daughter live overseas with him in the UK, doing so by deceiving me into believing we were moving our entire family from Australia to America. Valerie had excellent resources to place me with the best International child abduction attorneys in the world. From the moment I first met Valerie she had me feel at ease and hopeful because she knew there were things we could do - especially overseas. Despite the fact that my Case was controversial (abduction during an international move), and the State Department was not entirely confident I would see my daughter again; we went forward and won a Landmark Case that helped change The Hague Convention for International Child Abduction to include unique cases like mine. Valerie then handled the Custody of my children as well as our Dissolution of Marriage, making the ending of the entire traumatizing ordeal absolutely seamless. Valerie has a calm and professional demeanor which is a result of her Professionalism and solid understanding of family law. I am extremely grateful that I found Valerie Arnold, because without her, I do not know if I would have seen my daughter again, reunited my daughters (sisters), or had us all living together again as we were.

I can not say enough about the integrity, ethics, and expert representation provided by Val Arnold and the members of the Arnold Rodman firm. I came to her begging for help after my original attorney abandoned me at trial to conceal her malpractice and refused to preserve my case for appeal. Having been betrayed by the person whose job it was to protect my interests - I was broke, terrified, and emotionally distraught. Ms. Arnold has a special way of getting you past the emotion and forcing you to deal with facts so that she can fully understand your case and the actions necessary to protect your rights under the law. She is professional yet compassionate. She is honest and fair. She truly cares about her clients and represents them aggressively. She is a parent and cares about the impact of the case on you, your children and your finances. She is NOT the kind of attorney who cares about nothing but billable hours. She is smart and quick to come up to speed even on the most complex of cases. I remember going to court the first time with Val and being so nervous due to the terrible representation I had received from my original attorney who failed to prepare and was horribly unequipped to present my case. Each time opposing counsel made a false statement- I could not resist the urge to attempt to whisper the facts to Ms. Arnold. She turned to me, looked me in the eyes and said "I've got this!" And she did. After three years of nightmare representation by another firm - I could finally trust my attorney. I have the greatest respect for this firm and for Ms. Arnold personally. I never hesitate to recommend them to anyone in need of family law services. I will always be grateful for the quality representation I received and for the personal support received from such a quality human being.

Ms Downing helped secure an equitable divorce settlement at a time when I was still grieving for the loss of two close family members. She was very concerned for my welfare and was fearless in dealing with the opposing attorney.

I have worked with Valerie Arnold for the past 9 months as she has handled my separation / divorce case. During that time, I have very impressed with Valerie and her team. They are highly knowledgeable, professional and responsive. She stayed on top of every detail and did an excellent job of setting realistic expectations regarding the multiple aspects of my case. It was very comforting know that I was represented by such a highly competent team which resulted in a better that expected outcome.

My husband and I hired Valerie to take over our custody case involving our grandchildren who had been abused and neglected by their mother. We decided to hire Valerie after spending months and thousands of dollars working with another attorney who did not listen to our concerns or make progress in our case. Valerie took the time to understand our case and to listen to our concerns. Valerie was a confident and committed advocate for our grandchildren. We were able to settle our case and obtain custody of our grandchildren without going to trial. We highly recommend Valerie to anyone who needs help with a difficult child custody case.

My name is Jose Manuel and I am living in Spain. Miss Valerie has shown great ability to understand and carry out the necessary actions that require an international case. Miss Valerie and her team at all times kept me informed and I have always been advised to the best of intentions. Miss Valerie accepted my case on "Child Custody". The U.S. Foreign Ministry handed me a list of pro bono lawyers where she was registered and from the moment she showed interest in my case. The professionalism of Miss Valerie and her team have made ​​it possible again to see my 4 year old after two years without seeing him. Do not miss the opportunity to work with.

Ms. Arnold provided me and my case a fresh start after struggling with another counsel who was not knowledgeable or responsive. My case required knowledge of international treaties regarding divorce in different countries and the rules governing the applicability of a foreign registered divorce (including custody rules, etc.). Ms. Arnold and her staff have guided the process of registering a foreign divorce and enforcing all of its rulings in the county court. They did so with professionalism and great care. They involved me in the reviewing and deciding on each step. I was always informed of what and why a step is being taken. After the case, they followed up on all the paper work I asked for with diligence and professionalism. Ms. Arnold was able to close my case to my advantage in a short time (versus over a year and a half of several failed attempts with the previous counsel). The above four criteria are a must for a successful relationship with your Lawyer - make sure they can score high on each one. Ms. Arnold and her office absolutely did!