Unfortunately I felt highly pressured during mediation to settle my case and after having other attornies review my case post decree there were mistakes and missteps made with an extremely lopsided agreement, I also didn't get presented with 30 days to contest the decision, I should have gone to tria...l - the outcome was presented to me to be much much worse but I have to think that was not the case, and certainly I was rushed through this process with little preparation at the final mediation hearing. I had paid for a lot of reports (over 10K) - including a business valuation (one CPA opinion), an educational evaluation and a forensic accounting report, where my ex wrecked my books- there were no financial consequences for her actions instead it was a mess and the business valuation pointed this out- but she got half the business value ?? WTF ? Because I am not a millionaire but still a business owner, with a complex business case- I was bambozzled out of over 400K of my life's work and self made, self educated - working hard prior to the marriage and I lost it all property assets, high-value items, vehicles and 1/2 my retirement - to a "uneducated loser" really ? Something went horribly wrong here. Avoiding trial may be what some lawyers like to do - and this is the case here, I should have gone to trial and switched attorney's - instead I get billed for withdrawing from my case, probably for the best. The depth of preparation and really digging into to my financials - which as I was working full time - painting the picture was not something this attorney did for me and what I expected and paid for so there was a clearcut strategy, instead I ended up having to do the heavy lifting and I no a legal mind and certainly have not been through this kind of analysis before- I did it - I made it happen with all the forms and obviously there were mistakes made here, not considering business operating expenses and I AM the business - I quit the business there is no cashflow- my income and business go hand in hand, the only thing I got out of it was the business back in my name, big whoop because my ex is still extracting a huge alimony payment per month, that is NOT sustainable and based on 1 year of income - not realistic with economic ups and down- and who knows how it was calculated ? I think that was a huge mis-step in my case, so back to court I go- again huge dollars spent here and huge dollars lost - my life's work and savings for a money grubber to take it all. Be careful when hiring this attorney and do your homework - if trial is to be avoided then perhaps this will work for you. In addition I believe - being a civil union there is less care or concern and there is an eerily similar case - another same sex couple that had the same outcome, seems to be a churn and burn, grind through the system and accept your losses. I will never accept it - and it has and is the ruin fo my life, all I can hope for is karma at this point - don't expect the legal system to help you or navigate your financial life - because accordingly - get a pre-nuptial- well of course - I expected a better outcome and instead I live with constant regret and now I know I was given a raw deal, pick your attorney wisely - if you have tons or cash or no cash perhaps this attorney is a good choice, with a simple personal asset split, but if a business is involved I think to pick wisely as I know there were mistakes made - particularly in the business valuation, there was not enough stones unturned in this case but the picture painted was certainly not the reality, like my ex was this rosey contributor- very much the opposite and racked up all the debt and spend spend spend without any consequences- yet she gets it all- the system is truly not on the bread-winners side, and it retrospect I don't think this attroney fought like a tiger to win win win- her's sure did and had a reputation of mean- that is what it takes hire mean to win.