Kathy A Minella

This review for Kathy Minella of Minella Law Offices is long overdue. I contacted Ms. Minella in the middle of a very long divorce battle. I had to hire a new attorney as my original counsel was going out on maternity leave. The divorce should have been settled long before this period of time so hiri...ng new counsel was very frustrating. Ms. Minella was recommended to me by my first attorney. When seeking new counsel, I required an attorney who was fair yet firm. In over a year and a half, very little had been accomplished in the divorce proceeding. The opposing counsel was very difficult to get a hold of and the settlement agreement was a constant point of contention. Ms. Minella sent out an email to the other counsel within days of initially speaking with me. She had reviewed quite a bit of information in a very short period of time and started working for me immediately. I was impressed with her knowledge of the case. It felt like she had been working for me the whole time. It goes without saying; divorces cases are extremely emotional and very difficult. Ms. Minella was able to keep me on track and temper my emotions through the entire proceeding. She was honest with me and always gave me the best advice. Contacting her offices was never a problem. More importantly, we never went to trial and ended up settling amicably. I would highly recommend hiring Kathy Minella for any of your family law needs.

Kathy was terrific. My wife and I were separated by a temporary restraining order. There wasn't any violence involved but our arguments were very heated. I had no idea what to do or how to proceed and Kathy clearly explained the situation and my options. She met with me twice for brief discussion and... promptly answered emails. At the end of the day, my wife and I independently worked things out and I didn't need Kathy's representation in court. At that point, she agreed to return the retainer as she didn't "work" on the case! And yet her help was invaluable to me. I would highly recommend her to anyone - she is absolutely personable, knowledgeable and honest.

Overall Kathy was very good for my situation. Many times she calmed me down and gave me the important information in as little time as possible. I definately feel that I got my money's worth. She made the right choices every time. She knows the law regarding divroces and has a calming demeanor. ...I totally recommend Kathy Minella and her dedicated team.

When contemplating hiring an attorney for my divorce, I wasn't really sure what to do. With so many attorneys in the San Diego area, I didn't even know where to start. I set up a consultation with Kathy and we went over the entire process. She was honest about the good and bad, was aggressive, and ve...ry knowledgable. After that meeting my decision was made. She handled my case expeditiously and provided a great service. If I ever need an attorney in the future (for ANY reason) I know exactly who I will call.

I needed to find an attorney to take over a contested divorce from a previous lawyer. I read the reviews and took a chance on this lawyer. After I gave her my retainer she did nothing. I would try to contact her and she would tell her paralegal to say she wasn't available, she would talk to unauthori...zed third parties about details of my case without permission, but worst she would attempt to enter into "stipulations" with opposing council and then lie about it. I even had to suggest that she consult with her ethics attorney to get her to move on a legal issue. Her latest shady act was to withdraw from my case without notifying me or the judge after I forced her to correct and review discovery documents. As a result she left me, opposing council and the judge waiting for her at a scheduled hearing- she didn't look good in the courts eyes. I should have seen the warning signs on initial consultation when her staff tried to mislead me that she "was out of the office" working when in reality she was on her honeymoon. Why didn't they just say that? Minella has not embraced the fundamental concept of technical proficiency, honesty, transparency and customer service. I would not recommend this firm.