Karen A Schoenau

Karen A Schoenau

3.4
Rating: 8.8

Licensed for 40 years

Family Lawyer at Scottsdale, AZ
Practice Areas: Family, Divorce & Separation, Child Custody ... +2 more

14301 North 87th Street, Scottsdale, AZ

About Karen

Practice Areas

5

Practice Areas

Child Custody 20%

40 years

20%
Child Support 20%

40 years

20%
Family 20%

40 years

20%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Hourly Rates

$ 300-300 per hour


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in Arizona for 38 years

State: Arizona

Acquired: 1987

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in Colorado for 37 years

State: Colorado

Acquired: 1989

Dismissed

No misconduct found

Licensed in Illinois for 40 years

State: Illinois

Acquired: 1985

Administrative - Not Authorized to Practice

No misconduct found

Location

Law Office fo Karen A. Schoenau PLLC

14301 North 87th Street, Scottsdale, AZ, 85260

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Karen A Schoenau's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

3.4 /5.0

15 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (15) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 5 of 6 reviews | Responsiveness

Posted by anonymous | September 14, 2023 | Hired Attorney | Divorce & Separation

ZERO

I wish i could put zero star for her. She failed to complete the job we paid her for. Karen never answered phone calls and didn't return messages in a timely matter . Do to her lack of knowledge, our divorce cost us so much more. She is just there for money. I absolutely not recommend her to anybod...y.

Posted by Matt | August 17, 2023 | Hired Attorney | Family

Experienced Family Law Attorney

Attorney Karen Schoenau at Guymon Law has done a great job in my family case. Her knowledge, relationships, and abilities were all on display in my hotly contested matter. She has been responsive to email, phone and when needed, in-person meetings. I especially enjoy her hearing and trial abilities. ...Most attorneys are good at writing pleadings and negotiating issues but it takes a special lawyer who can win at hearings. Her support staff is helpful and friendly. I highly recommend her and her firm.

Posted by anonymous | July 26, 2023 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody

Unprofessional and Incompetent (Negative Star -1 if I could)

I cannot express enough how utterly disappointed and furious I am with Karen A. Schoenau's handling of my custody case and spousal support matter. From the very beginning, it was clear that she was the epitome of incompetence and lack of professionalism. First and foremost, communication with Kare...n was virtually non-existent throughout the entire process. It felt like pulling teeth just to get a response from her, and when she did finally decide to acknowledge my existence, it was only on the day of the court hearing. I received no legal advice whatsoever leading up to the court date, leaving me completely unprepared and blindsided by the proceedings. Karen's work ethic is nothing short of appalling. She proved to be a sloppy and inconsistent lawyer, incapable of producing accurate and error-free documents. Whether it was paperwork sent to the opposing counsel or documents submitted to the court, they were riddled with typos and incorrect contact information, including crucial dates and times for parenting arrangements. As a result, important correspondence was always sent to the wrong addresses and emails, leaving me completely in the dark about vital information. The most egregious error was Karen's complete lack of knowledge about Arizona's statute of limitations on spousal support. It's utterly mind-boggling that a supposed "professional" lawyer would be so ignorant of such a basic and critical aspect of family law. Her incompetence cost me dearly, and I can never forgive her for her negligent handling of this matter. To make matters worse, Karen seemed more interested in rambling on about her personal life than focusing on my case. She wasted valuable time that I was paying for by talking about irrelevant matters, all the while racking up her bill. It was a complete disregard for my time, money, and the gravity of my situation. In conclusion, I firmly believe that Karen A. Schoenau should retire immediately and refrain from offering her services to anyone else. Her lack of competence, professionalism, and basic knowledge of the law make her a danger to anyone seeking legal representation. Save yourself the agony and avoid her services at all costs. I wish I had never hired her, and I sincerely hope that no one else has to endure the nightmare she put me through

Posted by anonymous | July 03, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody

She fixed a giant mess & I now have full custody of my kids!

I know we're directed by Avvo not to be too specific with our cases. I will respect this requirement, but I have to be somewhat specific in order for you to understand the full impact of what Karen Schoenau has done for me and my family. I'm a disabled father who has to use pain medication just to ...get around from day to day. Once a year I have spinal blocks/injections to keep the pain at bay. Karen told me that I have to release all of my medical records to the courts. I knew the court would scrutinize them and the stigma that comes with pain control. It looked bleak to me, but I did what Karen instructed me to do and she upheld my rights as a father. I ended up getting joint custody/primary residence with final decision making and a whole lot of stuff in between. That was huge! I was so grateful! Karen was everything she was cracked up to be! But, this is where the story gets nasty! If I didn't have Mrs. Schoenau I don't know what I would've done! About a year later I ended up in the hospital due to physical complications with my kidneys. This happened on the day of a hearing where my ex was asking for restoration of some of her parental rights. Mrs. Schoenau explained my situation to the judge and why I was absent. My ex wife contradicted Karen and informed the judge that I was being guarded by police at the hospital. She continued to explain that they were nursing me back to health so they could put me in jail for being a drug courier. The hearing, mind you was about restoring some of her rights that she lost because of her issues. Well, instead of verifying any of this information my ex was giving, the judge took ALL CUSTODY away from me and gave my ex wife sole custody of the children. I practically lost all of my parental rights. All the while I was unconscious in a hospital bed! Mrs. Schoenau assured me that she was strenuously objecting to the judge’s decision. She attempted to calm me down while I was in the hospital, reassuring me that there was nothing that we couldn’t fix. She said to me, “Don’t worry about it, I’ve got it!” Ha, ha, ha! I pretended like I believed her and I promised I’d rest up. All I could think was, “How could this happen!” My youngest son says to me that night on the phone (7 years old), “Daddy, when can we come home?” That was the most painful thing I had ever experienced in my life. Now, here is why I view Karen as not only an outstanding lawyer but a phenomenal human being! I went into a depression, the likes of nothing I had ever experienced before. I did not know what depression felt like and I had no idea how debilitating it could be. I could barely move because my body was wracked with physical and emotional pain! Was that an overreaction? I don’t know, but that’s what happened. Immediately Karen responded by filing a plea or motion claiming a violation of my constitutional rights. She cited cases, codes, laws, and just the plain immorality of the whole situation. It was a masterpiece. It brought tears to my eyes because I saw hope. To our surprise her pleas in my behalf fell on deaf ears. Two judges ignored her. It just so happened due to a misstep by mother, another judge had to hear our case and make some adjustments to the parenting time. It was at this time that Karen was able to present the facts in my defense and I ended up with joint custody again! That was a relief. To make a long story short, we had to go back before the court again and I NOW I HAVE BEEN AWARDED SOLE LEGAL/PRIMARY CUSTODY. The lies that were told were eventually disproved. My random urine/hair testing came always came up negative for drugs. I remember a few years ago having a big disagreement with Karen about volunteering to undergo random drug testing twice a month. It was a great idea because it cleared my name. Karen Schoenau's approach: NO MATTER HOW BAD IT IS, TELL HER EVERYTHING SO SHE CAN PUT THE PIECES BACK TOGETHER. Thank you Karen just doesn't seem to cut it, but thank you Karen!

Posted by Nolan/Brent | July 13, 2010 | Child Custody

Saved us from cost abuse

Very high customer/client considerate. We found Karen when we were forced to leave another Phx lawyer due to his bad advice and lack of interest to help us. We were in Phx for six days from Mich. with nothing happening but a high wasted expense. Karen and her firm took us in and solved our issue with... the courts etc. in two and a half days. Karens professionalism with us was very cost effective/productive. If we would have found her first, we would have saved thousands of dollars. Her interest for us was very high. She returned every call. She new every answer to our questions. She did this for us with a death in her family. She left for a funeral and made sure we were treated with the same professionalism from her firm to finish up. I recommend Karen and her firm with very high satisfaction. Our case is custody with one parent in prison. We will return to Phx someday with interests for the child and his parent. If needed. Karen will be our top choice.

See All Client Reviews

Karen A Schoenau's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Karen
Michael Joseph Clonts headshot
Michael Clonts

Family lawyer | Jun 25

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"Karen is knowledgeable, collaborative, and overall a pleasure to work with. In family law, that's a rare combination of traits. I endorse this lawyer."

Florence Bruemmer headshot
Florence Bruemmer

Family lawyer | Oct 26

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. She is a wonderful, caring person and she does great work for her clients."

thomas c. nickel headshot
thomas nickel

Divorce and separation lawyer | Aug 13

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer."

Judd S Nemiro headshot
Judd Nemiro

Unknown lawyer | Jun 26

Relationship: Other

"I endorse this lawyer for their dedication to their clients."

Tracey Ann Van Wickler headshot
Tracey Van Wickler

Family lawyer | Jun 23

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I have worked with Karen in the past, and always found her to be prepared, competent, skilled and well versed in the law. Karen served her clients well, and did not allow the emotional aspects of family law to interfere with her handling of the case. I definitely endorse Karen's skills and abilities in Family Law."

Gregory A Riebesehl headshot
Gregory Riebesehl

Family lawyer | Oct 09

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. Karen has always been a pleasure to work with in family law matters."

Rich J Peters headshot
Rich Peters

Family lawyer | Mar 07

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer."

DeShon Pullen headshot
DeShon Pullen

Family lawyer | Sep 02

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. Karen is a very experienced family lawyer. I highly recommend her."

Bruce D Brown headshot
Bruce Brown

Family lawyer | Jul 03

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Ms. Schoenau is an excellent Attorney. She also truly cares about her clients and their children."

Ronald L. Kossack headshot
Ronald Kossack

Divorce and separation lawyer | Jun 25

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse Karen Schoenau. I have known Karen for many years and have had the opportunity to litigate against her on several family law cases. She is tenacious yet fair and always has represented her clients well."

Max N Hanson headshot
Max Hanson

Family lawyer | May 21

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Karen is a very experienced and highly qualified family law attorney. She works tirelessly on behalf of her clients and is able to achieve, through her dedication and passion, more often than not significant and positive results for her clients."

Shannon Bradley headshot
Shannon Bradley

Family lawyer | Mar 23

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. I have worked with Karen as opposing counsel on divorce matters and know her to be competent, "no-nonsense", and a strong advocate for her clients."

Steven N Cole headshot
Steven Cole

Family lawyer | Jul 12

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Karen is effective and smart. I know that when dealing with Karen, I'm going to be challenged at every level."

Rebecca L Owen headshot
Rebecca Owen

Family lawyer | Jun 07

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse Karen. I have worked with Karen on legal matters and find Karen always professional and willing to negotiate."

Thomas A Morton headshot
Thomas Morton

Family lawyer | Feb 17

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer."

William P Sargeant headshot
William Sargeant

Family lawyer | Feb 14

Relationship: Co-worker

"I have known Karen for many years and was her law partner for many years. She is very conscientious and and hangs in there under the worst of circumstances. She cares a great deal about all her clients."

William Pierce Sargeant IV headshot
William Sargeant

Family lawyer | Dec 28

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"Karen Schoenau is an excellent attorney with a stellar reputation in the legal community. Karen used to be a partner in the firm I worked for and I often worked closely with her. The amount of time and effort that she puts into each one of her cases is amazing. Clients are always pleased with the personal manner with which Karen tends to her clients. Each client is not merely a case, but a person with needs that she seeks to acquire for that client."

Dwane M Cates headshot
Dwane Cates

Family lawyer | Dec 21

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Karen and I were partners for over 5 years. She is a very good Family Law Attorney. I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone needing a Family Law Lawyer."

View All Endorsements
Joel H Hoffman headshot
Joel Hoffman

Family lawyer

thomas c. nickel headshot
thomas nickel

Family lawyer

Richard W Clark headshot
Richard Clark

Family lawyer

David S Yuhas headshot
David Yuhas

Divorce and separation lawyer

Dwane M Cates headshot
Dwane Cates

Criminal defense lawyer

Ronald L. Kossack headshot
Ronald Kossack

Family lawyer

Max N Hanson headshot
Max Hanson

Family lawyer

Shannon Bradley headshot
Shannon Bradley

Family lawyer

Steven N Cole headshot
Steven Cole

Family lawyer

Rebecca L Owen headshot
Rebecca Owen

Family lawyer

Thomas A Morton headshot
Thomas Morton

Family lawyer

William P Sargeant headshot
William Sargeant

Appeals lawyer

William Pierce Sargeant IV headshot
William Sargeant

Litigation lawyer

Experience

Rating:  8.8 (Excellent)

Honors

2013

Top Pro Bono Attorney, Volunteer Lawyers Program

2003

Attorney of The Month, Maricopa County Bar Association

Work Experience

2010 - Present

Owner, Law Offices of Karen A. Schoenau PLLC

2006 - 2010

Partner, Cates, Hanson, Sargeant & Schoenau PLC

1998 - 2006

Associate, Wilson & Clark

1971 - 1981

Employee, Aspen Ski Corporation

Associations

1987 - Present

State Bar of Arizona

Education

1985

Loyola University Chicago School of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

1974

University of Colorado - Boulder

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

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Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution