Skip to main content

Patricia Ann Hendrickson

Family Attorney at Huntington Beach, CA

3.8   13 reviews
  • Licensed for 26 years
    State CA
    Acquired 1997
    Status
    Active No misconduct found

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

About Patricia

Learn Patricia’s areas of practice.

1
Practice area

After a number of years in this profession -- specifically, family law and all it entails -- I remain convinced that the best results are often obtained when the two people dissolving their union sit down and resolve their issues outside of court.  This means less stress to the parties and their children, less money spent on attorneys, and less animosity between the parties. 

 

The challenge is sometimes to determine whether a client's case is appropriate for a mediated settlement.  If your spouse was argumentative, unreasonable or abusive in your relationship, then they won't change during your dissolution.  Expect more of the same, only amplified many times; you will probably end up in court.  So if you believe you will be getting divorced and you're married to such a person, by all means, plan ahead.  Your spouse will not play fair, so find out how to protect yourself.  I provide a no-charge, one-half hour consultation so you can determine the steps you should take prior to filing for divorce.  We hope for the best, and plan for the worst.  By taking preemptive and proactive steps, you will protect your rights and make the dissolution process much easier for your entire family.

Contact Patricia

Similar lawyers nearby

Hendrickson Cooper Hughes
18377 Beach Boulevard
Suite 100
Huntington Beach, CA, 92648-1349

Reviews

3.8 / 5.0
  13 customer reviews
5 Star
 
69%
4 Star
 
0%
3 Star
 
0%
2 Star
 
0%
1 Star
 
31%
Posted by anonymous | April 21, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Life Changing!
How can I possibly convey what this woman has meant to me in my life in just 4000 words?! Patricia is one of those VERY rare attorneys that actually has a human heart. I came in to see her a little over 1 1/2 years ago, desperate and in need of someone to point and guide me into the right direction. Pat made me feel very comfortable and safe, and not in the 'just telling you what you want to hear' kind of way. She was real, she was honest and I knew that she was the woman I wanted to represent me in court. I'm not sure how much in detail I'm able to go with these types of reviews, but I will say that my case was one of those ultra sensitive termination cases. It was muddy and had lots of history attached to it, needless to say, as cut and dry as it may have seemed to me, there was a lot more proving that had to be done to solidify a ruling. This picture depicts her very well. Always smiling, always positive. It was obvious that she was very well known by her peers as she was always having to say hi or give advice to others when asked. She did her job and then some. We were hit with several curve balls during the actual 4 day trial, and Pat was able to adjust and redirect her focus unscathed. Her closing argument was long and thorough, she most definitely did not skip a beat, she left no stone unturned. And in the end, the judge ruled in our favor, not on only one account but on all three accounts. It felt to me like this was just as much of a win for Pat as it was for me. I know she lost sleep over this case, and was fighting this battle with everything she had. She is just an amazing woman, with amazing talent and I am forever indebted to her for what she was able to achieve for us (me and my child). Not enough thank yous' in the entire world to truly express the gratitude I feel in my heart.
Read less
Posted by JD | December 5, 2014
Patricia is not just good… she's the best!
Patricia A. Hendricson is not just an amazing attorney with vast knowledge of divorce and custody law, she is an icon of her profession. I say this because of her ability to literally control the pace and direction of a trial, while rendering all efforts of opposing counsel as futile folly. She's amazing to watch in action. Every time I went to court with her, other lawyers would scurry to her and ask for advice or legal precedent—much like a professor walking across campus. Another atribute of Pat's (a rare one at that) is that she truly CARES for her clients… as if she's taken you in like family. You can't buy that kind of sincere connection and level of attention. If you are in need of an attorney for a divorce, custody battle or for an adoption issue, you'll find no better champion of your cause than Patricia A. Hendrickson!
Read less
Posted by Athina | August 4, 2014
Gratitude and appreciation
Pat Hendrickson was the answer to my prayers and then some. I really appreciated how personable and down to earth she is. I instantly felt comfortable discussing my situation with her. She listens with the ear of an attorney interpreting the law and yet it feels like your talking to your close friend. She is a woman who approaches her life work with higher purpose and it comes through upon contact. She helped me beyond what I could have anticipated and I will always remember with huge gratitude.
Read less
Posted by Shauna | May 14, 2014
Expert in Termination of Parental Rights and Step-Parent Adoptions
We highly recommend Pat Hendrickson to anyone needing a true expert in Termination of Parental Rights and Step-Parent Adoptions. Pat knows the law better than anyone we spoke with prior to hiring her. We interviewed and met with many attorneys, and ultimately hired Pat after a 1-hour telephone consultation, before even meeting her. We were that confident in her knowledge of the law. When all other lawyers said it couldn't be done, Pat was confident in the outcome of our case and she was correct! Pat was definetely our "ace in the hole" and we are so thankful we hired her. She is a superb, honest, and tough attorney who has seen it all, heard it all, and is poised and ready to fight for her clients.
Read less
Posted by Melody | May 7, 2013
Great Lawyer - Very honest and knowledgeable with potential outcome!
I hired Pat Hendrickson to handle my divorce. I was in a long term marriage and had no idea what to expect. From the very beginning, she was honest and upfront as to what to expect and very knowledgeable about the court system and how to proceed. Her and her staff did an excellent job handling my case. They answered all my questions along the way and gave me excellent and accurate advice. I just received my final court order today and I couldn't be happier. I feel like the judge made excellent decisions - he absolutely got the true picture of our marriage. Thank you sooooo much - you worked really hard for me to portray our marriage and circumstances to the Court and Judge Clay Smith made a great ruling in all areas. I don't say this because I feel like the ruling was in my favor, but because I believe that my case was presented very well. It is difficult to get 20 years of stuff across in a courtroom, but Pat did it well!
Read less
Posted by Luke P | February 28, 2012
Successful
Pat was forthright from day one as to what I faced in my divorce because of a potential DV and substance abuse issues on both sides. I was able to retain visitation with my children and keep my house. Thank you Pat.
Posted by anonymous | November 19, 2010
Pat is definitely the BEST!! She will not let you down...
Patricia Hendrickson was the best attorney we could have hoped for. We had a very difficult case with a VERY difficult opposing party. Pat was honest, reliable, and stuck through it all over the LONG 2 years it took to finish the case. She worked with us and never gave up. She had no problem saying how she felt to the judge & proving that the other party was constantly lieing, and tormenting the boys. In the end, with all of her hard work and sincerity, we won the case. The boys are with parents now that love them, care how they do in school & because of that they are both doing amazing; the oldest is on the "Honor Roll". THANK you Pat for all your hard work. You have helped out in the lives of 2 boys that really needed a change and they got it..We will forever be grateful!!!
Read less
Posted by anonymous | October 14, 2010
Carrie Westen
Patricia was straight forward with me from the first day. Her honesty and forthright manner created trust in me from the beginning of my divorce proceedings. Her office staff were always professional in their dealings with me. Pat really did solve my problem in a timely fashion.
Posted by anonymous | July 10, 2010
Wonderful person to work with !
I had a very complicated case, which included domestic violence, divorce and custody battle. It lasted over 4 years and Mrs. Hendrickson was there for me every step of the way. She is extremely knowledgeable in her field and truly cares abour the well-being of her clients. I had a great experience with her and would use her again in a heartbeat. I've already recommanded her to my acquaintances.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | October 2, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Awful.
Hendrickson represented me in a child custody and divorce case. I went to a deposition and not only had she failed to prepare me (at all) she let me answer completely irrelevant questions, all while running up her bill. I switched lawyers. After that, her husband called with made-up charges which I refused to pay, leading him to call me a "deadbeat". If that's the kind of lawyer you want, choose Patricia. Everyone else, beware: this is the worst kind of fee churning bottom feeding attorney who will take you for everything you've got at a time in your life that you need competent representation.
Read less
Response from Patricia Hendrickson November 18, 2017
This is a false review proven by the “facts” within. Unfortunately, false reviews are not uncommon and are often posted by the opposing party in retaliation for us prevailing in a contested matter.
Posted by anonymous | July 25, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Paper-Pushing Firm
Firms with lawyers that are not engaging with their clients and use their "staff" to drive their cases are called Paper-Pushing Firms. Hiring Patricia Hendrickson was one of the worst decisions I've made in my life. Besides Patricia Hendrickson lost over $10,000 of my back child support, she was not able to keep up with the details of my case, she was rarely available to speak on the phone or return an email to discuss the case, she was often late to the hearings and would cater to more than one client at a time while at court, she did not represent me to the best of her abilities, she did not negotiate assertively with the opposing counsel, she did not ensure the opposing party followed the court orders, and to add salt to injury, she dropped my case just days before I had a hearing on 4 separate issues. I begged her not to drop my case at least until the 4 issues were heard, but she never responded. When I contacted Patricia seeking a refund for the attorney fees I paid her, she would not discuss it with me and advised arbitration. Sadly, arbitration is a waste of time since the arbitrator is a voluntary family law lawyer/Peer and does not deal with Malpractice matters. (Lawyers stick together.) If your case falls anywhere outside of the typical family law "box”, Mrs. Hendrickson does not have the time or knowledge to represent your case. I expect Mrs. Hendrickson will respond to my review with dismissive, dishonest and manipulative words. There are countless family law attorneys, but to find one who is your advocate is difficult. Take the time to research, interview, talk to people who have gone through the family law system, and don't bother reading "scores" on any lawyer websites, since most lawyers pay or donate to be on the lawyer website. The only parties who win in the family law system are the lawyers, not the Petitioner or Respondent. If I can save families from hiring Patricia Hendrickson on any family law matter, I feel I have served as an advocate for people who are in need of good representation. I have filed a complaint with the State Bar. Update since Patricia Ann Hendrickson’s response: The OC Bar is for fee disputes. I was warned by other lawyers and even the State Bar that it is very hard to win a case since the mediators are also family law lawyers and even though lawyers mess up, that does not mean they cannot charge for their time. The State Bar is reinvestigating my claim. Please note, the SB does not investigate malpractice, but they do investigate fraud, breach of contracts, neglect and other unethical/unprofessional behaviors. The SB needs enough clear evidence to bring charges against a lawyer. It’s very tricky and often cases are closed due to the convoluted dynamic of the legal system, especially Family Law. Obviously, if there was not enough proof and cause, the SB would not have opened and reopened my claim. Ms. Hendrickson did not handle my child support case correctly and because of that my child support case was closed. This has nothing to do with unclear communication between Ms. Hendrickson and her client, but everything to do with a lawyer who dropped the ball due to being too busy, lazy and unprofessional. Remember, your lawyer should be your advocate. They should fight for you and your rights. If they make a mistake, as your advocate, they should try everything in their power to make it right.
Read less
Response from Patricia Hendrickson November 18, 2017
Ra continues to post falsehoods. She brought her allegations to the Orange County Bar Association and the State Bar, and after a thorough review of her file, neither entity found her to be correct, particularly with regard to her allegation regarding lost support. I am sorry she continues to be unhappy because my firm works so hard for every client; we take our jobs seriously, and we explain every aspect of a case to the client. Here, it appears our explanations and actions were not explained well enough.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | August 17, 2014
Don't Be Fooled........
Ms. Hendrickson will rob you. It seemed as if she worked for the opposition. She did not advocate for me whatsoever and had me running around with busy work that had nothing to do with what I hired her to do. I provided her with witnesses and declarations that obsolved me from false allegations. She never called the witnesses or addressed the issue. It was a complete "Wag the Dog" maneauver that was transparent to a first year law student. She kept me in court all day and left me in a counsel room. It seems she went to lunch and left me in the counsel room with no lunch. They were barbaric, third world tactics to keep me compromised and susceptible to manipulations. Moreover, to use up my monies. She did not exercise her expertise in my case. I look forward to other counsel seeing the work she has done. Ms. Hendrickson can not be proud of herself. She is completely unethical, lacks integrity, and will sell her soul and sell you out for her professional relationships with judges and other attorneys, hence, the numerous lawyer endorsements. If you have hundreds of thousands of dollars in disposable income to possibly get moderate representation, Ms. Hendrickson might be appropriate for you. Be aware, you are nothing to Ms. Hendrickson. Ms. Henderson's representation was deficient to say the least. She was unresponsive, ineffective, and did not copy valuable, essential communications. Very disappointing. Expensive does not equate to good in this circumstance.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | September 16, 2011
A bad experience of loosing money
I retained Law offices of Patricia Hendrickson few years ago. I paid her $6,000 as retainer fee. After taking the fee she handed my case over to a very junior attorney who just joined her lawfirm, Derrick Taberski. He “learned” and built his “experience” as he was incompetently representing me. For a simple motion, my entire $6,000 was gone in two months. Patricia wanted another $5,000 to attend the FIRST hearing for this filed Motion. I could not afford another $5,000 and I asked the Court Clerk myself to dismiss my Motion as Patricia was ready to have me loose this Motion. There is another lady by the name of Jan Datin in her office whose job is to collect money and file substitution of the attorney form if you are late even few days from the payment. The Law Offices of Patrica Hendrickson is extremely unprofessional and the first feeling you will get right away that they are just after your money. They absolutely don’t care about you or what will happen to your case or what the outcome will be.
Read less
View less reviews

Cost

Rates
  • Free Consultation 30 minutes
Payment methods
Cash, Check, Credit Card

Resume

AVVO RATING 9.9 (Superb)

Work Experience

  • Founder
  • Hendrickson Cooper Hughes
  • 2000 - Present

Education

  • Western State University College of Law
  • JD - Juris Doctor
  • 1997

Associations

  • American Bar Association
  • Officer
  • 1998 - Present
  • Orange County Bar Association
  • Officer
  • 1998 - Present

Languages Spoken

  • English

Honors and Awards

  • Certified Family Law Specialist
  • State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization
  • 2008
  • Salutatorian
  • Western State College of Law
  • 1996

Attorney endorsements

Received (14)
Given (6)
Endorse Patricia
Family Attorney | Mar 30
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"I endorse this lawyer."
Family Attorney | Mar 08
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"Pat is a great attorney. She is professional, ethical and courtesy. Ms. Hendrickson is very knowledgeable and will give great advice to help lead her clients through the divorce process. She is excellent to work with and is able to creatively negotiate a resolution with all parties in mind. Any client is in great hands working with Ms. Hendrickson!"
Family Attorney | Mar 03
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Ms. Hendrickson is an excellent attorney with a pleasant personality. Ms. Hendrickson is an effective litigant. I have had Ms. Hendrickson as an opposing attorney on a prior matter. I have witnessed Ms. Hendrickson in court on several occasions and she has always appeared well prepared, showed a good understanding of the law and effectively represented of her clients."
Family Attorney | Jun 26
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"I endorse this lawyer."
Family Attorney | Aug 05
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"Ms. Hendrickson is an excellent attorney who is a true advocate for her clients. I highly endorse this lawyer."
Family Attorney | Apr 03
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Patricia is extremely knowledgeable and works hard for her clients. She practices with the utmost in professionalism and respect for the law."
Family Attorney | Jan 24
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Family Attorney | May 30
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"Patricia is very pleasant, always prepared and advocates for her clients. She is an admirable opponent. I have known her for many years and I endorse this lawyer."
Family Attorney | Oct 09
Relationship: Co-worker
"I endorse this lawyer. Pat is a great lawyer who obtains excellent results and cares about her clients. I give her my highest recommendation."
Family Attorney | Jun 14
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"Patricia Hendrickson is a compassionate advocate for her clients. We met on a tough custody case several years ago, and have worked together on other cases as well. Patricia truly cares about her clients, knows the law, and is aggressive when necessary. I highly recommend Patricia!"
Family Attorney | Jun 21
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"Pat is both a tough cookie and compassionate. She keeps her eye on the ball and yet does not lose sight that it is her client's goals she was retained to pursue, not her own agenda. While a formidable opponent, she never allows the potential for conflict devolve into a match of personalities. I have no hesitation in recommending Pat as one of those lawyers on my "short list" of refferals when I am unable to accept a case."
Divorce and separation Attorney | Apr 22
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"I endorse this lawyer. Patricia was opposing counsel on at least one of my past cases and she was the consummate professional, being both a vigorous and well-prepared advocate for her client as well as willing to work towards a reasonable settlement when it was in the best interests of both parties. She represents the outstanding personal qualities and ethics that make her a well-respected attorney in the family law community."
Family Attorney | Jun 02
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"Patricia Hendrickson has been opposing counsel on about 10 of my divorce cases. Don't let her charm and personality fool you, she is one tough advocate! She knows family law like the back of her hand and uses that knowledge to get her clients favorable results. In fact, I think so highly of Ms. Hendrickson, I've recommended her to my own family members."
Family Attorney | Mar 27
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"I have known Pat for several years. We have worked together on different cases. Pat is a dedicated lawyer, who advocates for her clients. She explains the process to her clients, and makes them feel at home. She is very down to earth, and I wholeheartedly endorse her as a fellow lawyer in Orange County."
View more endorsements