Carrie Lynn Strzelczyk James

Carrie represented me in a contested custody suit that was litigated over two years and wound up going to trial. In the end, we lost the case in an upset but were given minor concessions by the Montgomery County Court. I found Carrie to be an upstanding person and was happy to have her representing m...e. My only complaint would be that I sometimes wish she were more aggressive, not to be confused with being mean or 'bullying' the opponent or anything, but perhaps more willing and active in helping find legal ways to argue for the desired outcome. Probably the reason she doesn't is because Carrie knows the law well, and she knows the courts even better. That is a strength and a weakness however. Unfortunately in our court system she also has to protect her reputation before the judges, for her clients benefit. What I appreciate most about her is that she always keeps it real. She always kept the child's best interest in mind and she always favored cooperation over conflict. All throughout the litigation she strongly encouraged a mediated settlement, yet when we did go to court she worked tirelessly to represent my case. Unfortunately at the end of the day the judge sees a (skewed) fraction of what everyone else sees and has a frightening amount of discretion. Carrie James is hardworking, smart, caring, and always professional; I have and will continue to recommend her counsel.