Kathy A Minella

Miss Minella....was very knowledgable and professional concerning my case for a recent custody and relocating my child to another state. Ms. Minellas paralegals in her office were punctual in returning my phone calls with any concerns I had regarding my case in San Diego. I would highly recommend he...r to any one in need of a lawyer,

I don't write reviews but when my world was destroyed by this attorney's under representation, I felt I had to. She talks a big game but doesn't show up when needed. If I could give this attorney a 0 rating I would. Mrs. Minella failed miserably in my case due to lack of effort and poor legal acumen.... She met with me prior to our FCS hearing but gave no advice on how to handle it. She put minimal effort towards helping draft an RFO that I should never have filed. She was routinely dismissive of my concerns and when we lost hearings dismissive of the outcome. Her office never failed to bill me but utterly failed to represent me with any semblance of compassion or effort. I was billed for menial, routine tasks such as her staff uploading documents in to their system that I had sent them! Why would they need to bill me for documents that I provided them? Mrs. Minella failed to show up for the most crucial hearing of the entire case to date and instead sent another attorney, who was not read into the facts of the case. During the hearing this attorney exerted minimal efforts to represent me and as a result, I lost custody of my children. I was given bad legal advice throughout her representation, to the point that I called a number of other attorneys who all agreed that Mrs. Minella gave bad advice time and again. When she lost, she seemed unconcerned and again dismissive. The thing I needed most in my case was care and effort and she failed to do either. I understand that attorneys need to bill for work done but I believe that I was over billed time and again in order for her to keep the lights on in her practice. Approximately twenty thousand dollars later, I have nothing to show for it but more expenses for a new attorney, losing custody of my children and a broken heart. If you use this attorney, understand that you are not her priority but billing you is.

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.