David Payne Housel Jr.

I hired David Housel after realizing I needed a stronger, more experienced attorney to navigate a complex SAPCR. With my prior attorney, I encountered significant pushback from the other side over what should have been a straightforward agreement. I needed an attorney with the experience and support ...to move things forward efficiently and decisively. ONDA is a large firm with deep resources, and David is sharp, strategic, and not afraid of legal battle. While our initial consultation felt a bit rushed, I ultimately chose David based on referrals and reputation — and I’m glad I did. David listens carefully and acts with purpose. He keeps momentum going without unnecessary delay, and when it’s time to move, he and his team execute with precision. He doesn’t sugarcoat things — and that’s exactly what you want in high-stakes litigation. He’s not a yes-man. He’s a tactician who takes your input, processes it, and implements a plan. I liken him to the family law version of Dr. House — brilliant, blunt, and always working. He’s kept me informed at every stage — I’ve received every filing, motion, and development promptly. I’ve seen some reviews suggesting cases are dragged out — that has not been my experience. David has moved swiftly, while ensuring every step is thoughtful and effective. He also explained his billing philosophy to me: he'd rather ten clients pay him $100 than one pay him $1,000. That mindset is reflected in both his responsiveness and his respect for client costs. He’s even communicated with opposing counsel about ways to streamline and reduce unnecessary costs — unfortunately, that courtesy wasn’t reciprocated. His team — especially paralegals Emma and Ashley — have been phenomenal. They’ve worked hard behind the scenes, from identifying witnesses and preparing subpoenas to reviewing discovery and helping shape the case narrative. Communication has been seamless and professional. At this point, I feel fully prepared — based on the facts and evidence so far — to resolve this case through final negotiations or, if necessary, trial. I’ll update this review at the conclusion of my SAPCR, but for now, I’m confident in the representation I have moving forward.

Mr. Housel represented my ex-husband in our divorce processing. He was let go prior to the last hearing this year 2024. Come to find out my ex-husband disclosed to the court and Judge that Mr. Housel purposely did not follow his instructions and did not communicate why we were in court. According to ...my ex Mr. Housel was purposely delaying the entire process to bill hours. Court transcripts will confirm my review.

I hired David to represent us with problems with an ex. First of all, he sends paperwork to the opposing attorney had his old clients names on it! That should have told us what we needed to know. ***His “advise” does nothing to resolve the matter, and only causes you to continue to go through him ...which hikes up your bill. He jumps to conclusions and doesn’t listen. His actions and language toward the ex’s counsel doesn’t work to resolve or work in your benefit either. It angers the opposition and looks horrible in court! Frankly, he is arrogant and for no reason. If you are a woman, stay away from this guy. He will make promises and only make your problems worse. Scott Palmer needs to remove this guy.

David represented me in a divorce case that involved a child. I am a very detailed person and I like to be educated and informed of all of my options before moving forward. I had a consultation with David once and he was very upfront about how getting what I wanted with my child was highly unlikely g...iven the circumstances. As time went on and circumstances changed, he was quick to act and assured me that me and my child would be safe. He is a licensed counselor and knows what he's talking about. He has been forward thinking and educates me on potential outcomes in the future. My divorce was finalized in fall of 2019, and he has still been very supportive and informative of my options when I've had concerns about mine and my son's safety physically, mentally, and emotionally. I feel he truly wants to protect his clients and has their best interest in mind.

Writing this review in an effort to help others. I would not recommend this lawyer. He failed me. He failed to accurately assess and communicate to the court my spouses income. I am now left with less child support for years to come. Important details were left out on documents on multiple occasions.... He even left former client names, addresses, children's names on my documents but then had no problem charging me for the time to create the documents. It was obvious these were direct pickups of other client documents. He arranged for my child to live in specific areas during the temporary orders then told me that I could not fight for the standard living arrangement that most people receive which is DFW and surrounding areas because I had already agreed to the specific areas during the temporary orders. He and his paralegal were very nice during initial and subsequent meetings. Both became rude later on after I signed on with them. One visit to the office while I was waiting, Mykah (his main paralegal) came to get me and greeted me by pointing her finger at me and yelled, "YOU, COME WITH ME."