Deanna Lynn Whitley

I cane to this firm after having 3 people recommend Ms. Whitley. She was the attorney on my cousin's very difficult case and regardless of obstacles, she won the case for them with a portion of the court costs to be recovered. Based on that, I contacted their office and was scheduled for an appointme...nt within 24 hours! I had already been through my 1st custody case in 2010 and gone through 3 attorneys that time. This round, I was being sued for custody after filing with OAG for increase and my case had started in 2016!. Ms. Dallas met with me and reviewed my info and said she had to meet with Ms. Whitley but looked like we could go forward. Now let me tell you from experience, attorney's charge between $200-$350/hr but Ms. Whitley was totally worth every penny! Her firm has great staff, most appointments are within 72 hours of your call to the office and everyone is knowledgeable and helpful. Lonnie is the Paralegal I was privileged to work with. Lonnie kept me informed and made sure I was prepared for trial. We were set for hearing within 6 months of my hiring Ms. Whitley! I had waited 2.5 years previously! On the day of our hearing, Ms. Whitley gave me instructions on where to go, where to wait and Lonnie kept me updated. When we went into the courtroom, Ms. Whitley was well prepared. We were set for a 3-4 day trial but opposing counsel threw out a settlement after the 1st day, which we declined but on 2nd day, requested a recess after Ms. Whitley basically made her look like an inexperienced law student and they quickly offered a settlement which we negotiated. Basically, I compromised very little and outcome was in our favor. I am thankful for Ms. Whitley and the staff who guided me and cared for me during this difficult case. Watching her in the courtroom was reassuring as it was evident that she was prepared to win my case. Reminded me of a Ford trying to outperform a Mercedes! As far as cost, Ms. Whitley is on the higher end but you get what you pay for. Her experience and knowledge has cost her and so it's very fair pricing when you consider the quality of her work and the quality of her staff. I've read some of the negative reviews on here and none of them seem to be valid because Ms. Whitley has expectations of her client to provide all pertinent information with reasonable amount of time for her to prepare so if you do your homework then she's just as dedicated to your case as you are. As for calls being returned, their time costs you money so you bet they'll call back and several others that I personally know that are or were clients have reported always being informed up to date on their cases. That was also my experience even as to being texted to come to the courtroom so that I didn't have to sit in the hallway with my ex and the entourage. Ms. Whitley's firm also is LGTQB friendly and very understanding when it comes to the issues we face in the courts and puts our rights first. She definitely knows the law! I will never hire anyone else since many of my attorney friends also have reported not liking to go up against her in the courtroom. My thanks to her staff for treating me like a family member.

July my life was turned upside down my soon to be ex told me I’d have no contact with our daughter, and that I was not her father and I had no rights to her. I had no clue where to start or how to make sure that didn’t happen. I am a trans father my daughter was conceived through IUI, so I had one op...tion. Find a attorney that not only supported LGBT but one that would fight like no other for my rights as a father. I was pointed in the direction of Ms. Whitley and her team. The day I called the firm a calming voice answers and we go through all that has happened. With no pause I was invited that same day for a consultation. The moment I stepped foot in that office I felt a sense of relief the atmosphere, the lay out, the staff. Everything! we maybe waited 10 if that. Once I was in with Ms.Whitley and all was on the table with my case she went into depth on her history as an attorney as a person and as a mother. I had never felt more comfortable. The way she spoke in nothing but high spirit so positive and reassuring tones. I felt so confident. I felt relief I felt assured we were going to win this case. The work started right then and there. I left knowing my family and I would be able to sleep a little easier that night. Her team was in constant contact with me via email text and phone. I loved knowing I could send a quick email and I’d have a response in minutes. I also likes how all the invoicing was done a breakdown of all that is being done and where you money is going. Because we all know money is important and to be able to see how it’s being used was helpful and honest. The day of court came around and I was put in the hot seat with a case that wasn’t in my favor due to being in a small rural town and lgbt isn’t quite understood or even accepted. And if you need someone to educate Ms. Whitely is the person you need. I learned a few things that day as well. The judge walked in that court room with her mind set so we were gonna have to work hard. And we did just that! Visitation was established, by that time it had been well over a month since I had seen my daughter. After our almost 6 hour court hearing we had good news. I was gonna get visitation and the judge ruled “standing”. Which isn’t good enough in any situation I believe. So Whitley was ready to take it to appeals and we were gonna win this. She wasn’t backing down she knew the law and knew I had rights. But luckily we didn’t have to go that far and we ended up settling. I got all that I asked for I get my child often and it has been the biggest blessing. All thanks to an amazing team. I will forever be grateful to the Whitely law firm and her partner. If you are looking for someone who is fair firm and consistent Ms. Whitley is right for you.