Joseph Wallace Howington

Joe, Kristina, Heather, and Joe's entire team at Howington and Associates are amazing! They have exceeded my expectations and have done so much for me and my family! I am so thankful for them all. I have and will continue to refer Joe and his team to my family and friends. They actually care abou...t their clients and children. They are all very professional and efficient. Thank you Joe and his team! - Love, The Luna's

What can I say about Dr. Howington and his staff? Only that they are some of the most helpful and caring professionals that I've come across. From day one, he made us feel that we could do something about the problem at hand. A problem that I never in my life thought there was anything that could b...e done about it. Yet, with his professional experience and his caring mannerism, plus without trying to sell me anything he couldn't deliver, we went forward on this journey to try to reverse a situation that because of my ignorance and lack of people around me that could've given me some guidance at the time of my divorce, now it seemed to be something irreversible. I have nothing but the utmost respect for Dr. Howington and everyone at his office. They not only look out for their clients but they also personally care for them as if one knew them forever. In regards to his professional experience, one only has to step into his offices and see all the awards and recognitions that he has earned throughout his career. Year after year, Top Ten Attorneys in California, Most Ethical Attorneys in the State, etc., Just to name a few. And I know that those awards are not just plaques on a wall, for him they're a bagde of honor, because that's the kind of person he is. Definitely would recommend him because I know they do the same for all their clients. I have already personally recommended him to all our family and friends. He not only did a great job for us but on top of only charging me about one third of what opposing counsel charged the other party in the case, I'm getting a balance returned to me from his fees. What attorney does that? Hope this heartfelt review helps someone make the right decision as I did. Thank you all at Huntington & Associates!

I was referred to Mr. Howington after going through significant depression and anxiety from a divorce case, and an attorney that neglected my case causing it to be drawn out, and almost forcing me into bankruptcy. I met with Mr. Howington, and he replaced my previous attorney. This is the moment my c...ase started to turn around. I can not say enough about this attorney, and his staff. They were kind, efficient, responsive, aggressive and caring. My experience with Mr. Howington's office was like night and day, compared to my previous attorney. His fees were fair, and exactly what he told me they would be, exactly opposite from my previous attorney. He is professional, and gives thought and consideration to your case. He looks at multiple paths and discusses them with you. He gives you the pro's and con's and helps guide you through the process. Most importantly, he keeps his word and you can trust him. He never once tried to take advantage of my vulnerable financial situation, and in contrast, he did all he could to help. I can not end this review without mentioning his Paralegal, Kristina Politano. She is amazing. She works tirelessly, and responds immediately, while making you feel that your situation is important to her. Most of all I appreciate her ability to be an effective conduit between you and Mr. Howington. We don't always communicate in ways we need to with attorneys. She is that connection makes sure that total understanding exists between you and your attorney. Finding Mr. Howington was an answer to my prayers. I highly recommend this Attorney and his team. They are like a family and they will take your case seriously. I will always be grateful to them.

I am eternally grateful for Mr. Howington. He helped me in my custody and child support case. This was the worst time in my life and I couldn't have had a better attorney by my side. My ex-husband was sneaky and horrible and attempted to get a false restraining order against me, falsely reported me w...ith the police for harassment, filed a fake CPS report against me, reported my vehicle stolen and did so many other awful things. All of his lies were uncovered in the courtroom. I could have been in a really bad mess but Mr. Howington had it all handled and none of my ex-husband’s false claims went anywhere. Heather was the paralegal assigned to my case and she was truly amazing as well. Mr. Howington and his team are very compassionate and take the time to understand their client’s needs. He is overall a standup man and is well respected in the court room by both other attorneys and judges as well. Definitely the man you want on your side. In the end, I believe the outcome truly was in the best interest of my daughter. I was awarded 70% custody of my daughter. I couldn't be happier with the outcome.

Joe was retained over four years ago on a case involving enforcement of an old settlement, poorly written. He was chosen after the recommendation of individuals closely involved with the court and interviews with 4 other attorneys. He is a decent, honest, caring person, and a competent attorney. But ...competence did not translate into success for this case. Here are some things to keep in mind when retaining an attorney for a family law matter in San Bernardino, as they relate to our experience with Joe. The case will most likely take years to resolve, if multiple court dates are needed. Joe did his best to expedite the case, but a case that was originally thought to be resolvable in one to two years took over 4 years. This was not Joe's fault, but it has become a reality in San Bernardino that the courts are clogged, judges overworked and cases take many years longer than they should. This meant that the expense of the case grew by over 3 times the original retainer. Had we projected the case would take at least twice as long and cost over 3 times the original estimate, we would have never proceeded. It would have been clear that the risk and cost of losing would outweighed the benefits of winning. Ask any attorney you are considering to give you details on cases they have recently won, and how the cases were resolved, i.e. settlement, court decision, appeal. You need to gauge where the attorney's practice is headed, because you will likely be waiting years to see a final resolution. And those years of working on the case and waiting will impact the attorney. There may be health problems, staff turnover, and evolution of the attorney's relationship with judges, and evolution of the courts. All these factors work against those with the lessor resources. In our case, Joe overcame many obstacles to proceeding with our case , but there was a lot of staff turnover, which at times made it tough on us. The relationship of the attorney with the judges is the most important factor in the resolution of your case. Joe's relationship with the judges was said to be outstanding when he was retained. But this was years ago, and it appears that these relationships deteriorated over time. To have our case won, with a clear judgment in favor, and then to have the same judge reverse that ruling, and after years of delays, not based on law, but on equity, seemed strange. To learn of similar reversals in several other cases all around the same time speaks to some hidden issue with the judges, likely not Joe's fault, but still devastating to the outcome of our case, and presumably the other cases too. Be prepared to put in significant time yourself on your case, many, many hours. Or be prepared to spend a lot of money on staff time. The average attorney bills $500 per hour. This works out to $1,000,000 per year. Joe was fair in his rates and billing practices, but also tough. When interviewing Joe or any other attorney, ask yourself these questions. Can you afford 3 or 4 times the original retainer?Does the opposing party have greater resources than you? Where will you be in 4 or 5 years? Where do you think the attorney will be in 4 or 5 years? Lastly attorneys and judges will always push for settlements. But settlements need enforcement mechanisms and these are hard to obtain. We received a settlement offer of 20% of the value of the case. Joe's opinion was to accept. We deemed it in bad faith and had to make the difficult decision to reject it. This is not a reflection on Joe's competence as an attorney, but of a changing reality in which cases are dependent less on the law than on relationships between judges and attorneys, and very much on the cooperation of the opposing party, making receiving a fair outcome difficult if resources between parties are unequal. Joe, and all attorneys, need to be clear from the outset about the costs and time of cases, and the difficulty in getting a fair outcome absent large resources.