Carla Leslie Hartley

Before hiring Ms. Hartley to assist me in a divorce case, I interviewed three other attorneys in the Ventura County area. From the moment I placed the initial call to her office, I felt like I had come to the right place. I spoke with a gentleman named Mike who was very encouraging and thorough and... I knew immediately that I was on the right track. I was able to get an appointment with Ms. Hartley fairly quickly, which was important to me considering my whole life was crumbling before my eyes. Her office was very warm and welcoming. At our initial consultation she was attentive and supportive but also set realistic expectations for my case. Her office staff was kind and compassionate especially Charis, who was her paralegal at the time, and Donna, who provided prayer support, if desired. Once I hired her, she wasted no time in getting things moving, which gave me an overwhelming feeling of security knowing that I had proper representation. She was easily accessible and always responsive to my concerns. She allowed me to make decisions in my case based on my comfort level, and even though she advised against some of them, she respected and facilitated my wishes. Working with her was very empowering for me. She is a woman of true integrity and honesty and, even though she is tough, she is also empathetic and truly cares about her clients. She has a remarkable knowledge of family law and her insight and guidance was indispensable. She is passionate about what she does and her instincts and tactics are brilliant. She does not tell you what you want to hear but what you need to hear within the context of the law. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a highly experienced, compassionate attorney who is always open to settlement but willing to fight for your rights.

Going through a divorce is emotionally, mentally, and financially draining! I had contacted Ms. Hartley about 18 months ago with a very distressed voice. Although the office was closed that week, Ms. Hartley gave me an appointment that same day. I had prayed to God to help me find an attorney that... will have my and my children's best interest. My prayers have been answered. During the consultation, I was very impressed by her warmth and professionalism. I felt her military background gave her strength and tenacity. And although, we are from different religion, but her faith gave me the reassurance that she is honest and ethical, and possess morals. What captured me about Carla is when she said 'we build relationship like a family, not just client-attorney, and trust is very essential in our relationship'. From that day, I placed my trust in Carla, and she has never betrayed my trust. My ex is on his fourth attorney. Having Carla as my legal protector is a blessing from God; and I am thankful for Carla and her staff for their hard work, dedication and compassion. My battle is not over as my ex is creative with his motions and false accusations, but I am at peace knowing Carla has my back. Carla is tough yet compassionate, knowledgeable of every aspect of family law, organized and efficient, well prepared for court, and strategic. She is also very well respected within the court system. Her smile and her words that 'it's okay or you'll be okay' gives me strength. Carla gives honest answers to my questions even though it may not be what I want or hoped to hear. She provides realistic and reasonable advise and outcomes. She has been a proponent of enabling me to have a better life for me and my children. She is really fair to both my ex and I, and always has the children's best interest in mind. Despite my ex falsely accusing and insulting her, she was very calm and indifferent to his comments. Carla does her best to work with opposition attorney to reduce the litigation process and legal fees. She also works with my financial situation and genuinely tries to keep costs down. Thanks Carla and all staff including Ben, Victoria, Charis, Kelly, Maria, Donna, Nate, Dolores, and Tiffany (sorry if I forgot anyone!!). You are my Guarding Angels!

I was at a loss with my prior attorney, had just had a bad experience in court and so my girlfriend researched and suggested Carla. I called and had an appointment that afternoon. Carla and her staff were able to immediately put me at ease during a very emotional, confusing, and difficult time in my... life. Carla always keeps me informed, gives honest answers to my questions, even thought I sometimes don't want to hear them, but she advises me of all available options, and sets realistic expectations. I always felt better prepared than my ex-wife when going into a mediation or court session. My primary concerns are child custody, keeping my child in same school she's been attending since preschool and having a fair spousal support payment. I'm very thankful for the hard work Carla and her team have done thus far on my case. Carla's representation has allowed me to worry less about my divorce and focus more on my daughter and getting our life back together.

I went to Carla Hartley when another attorney failed to give my case the personal attention that I wanted in my divorce case. I learned more from her in our first consultation than with my other attorney in 3 months. She was always available. Her staff is also excellent. She was extremely well p...repared and looked into every detail. The process can be difficult. I felt well represented and am happy to have a settlement. I would recommend Carla Hartley to anyone with a family law concern in Ventura county. Thank you Carla.

I have exclusively used Carla as my Family Law attorney for over two and a half years. Carla came recommended by a co-worker who was also dealing with a divorce. After initially meeting with Carla, she seemed to take an honest, personal interest in doing the right thing for my case. She ensured I mai...ntained custody of my daughter (not an easy thing for a father in California) and prevented my estranged wife from taking advantage of the situation and my good graces. Carla has been with me every step of the way, always maintaining contact and offering tips and recommendations. Her office staff is second to none, Ben and Charis are always on top of their work, completing and returning everything in an incredibly efficient manner. Carla is honest, ethical, and personable. She has protected my child and I through on-going child custody disputes, my divorce, and other ongoing custodial-related issues. I am a firm believer that she is the best Family Law attorney in Ventura County, and cannot sing her praises loud enough.