Steven Jon Cone

Steven Jon Cone

4.0
Rating: 7.7

Licensed for 47 years

Divorce and separation Lawyer at Palo Alto, CA
Practice Areas: Divorce & Separation, Marriage & Prenuptials, Child Custody

2225 E. Bayshore Road, Suite 200, Palo Alto, CA

About Steven

Biography

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes

Hourly Rates

$ 500-500 per hour

Retainer

Always


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

Looking for an attorney? Avvo can help.

search module image

Search our directory

Quickly connect with top attorneys through our legal directory to get help with your legal issue.

chat module image

Avvo's live chat agents can help coordinate a consultation with a local attorney.

Chat with a live agent who can match you with the right attorney for your legal needs.

Chat with

Licenses

Licensed in California for 47 years

State: California

Acquired: 1978

Active

No misconduct found

Location

Di Maria & Cone

2225 E. Bayshore Road, Suite 200, Palo Alto, CA, 94303

Ad

Transform legal challenges into solutions.

Connect now to review your situation.

The Avvo Rating explained

display-bg

The Avvo Rating explained

Steven Jon Cone's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.0 /5.0

4 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (4) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 4 of 4 reviews

Posted by John | May 14, 2022 | Hired Attorney | Divorce & Separation

Experienced and level-headed guidance to victory

I engaged Steve for a financially complicated divorce from start to finish over a period of years. With Steve's guidance, I assembled an international team of forensic and tax accountants. I emerged with an astonishing settlement. This was one of the best collaborations in my career, legal and busine...ss experience. The experts who worked with us seem to have a similarly positive impression of Steve. Some reviewers say that Steve is interested only in fees. Well, I have quite a lot of experience paying Steve and I was not overcharged. He always guided me toward the least inflammatory, most economical approach; I did a lot of the work myself. I got good value for my money. In the interest of full disclosure, I want you to know that in my case only finances were contested. There were no children and no trial. My ex-wife, her attorney and I were all businesslike. Still, from what I have seen Steve has the experience and personality to guide you through a more emotional divorce. Get a consultation and judge for yourself.

Posted by anonymous | November 04, 2020 | Hired Attorney | Divorce & Separation

Pathetic Lawyer

I hired this lawyer because I saw his answers on many questions posted here. I was very apprehensive about hiring him as there were no reviews but thought may be he is old school so that's why. It was indeed foolish of me. He charged me a big retainer which he agreed could be paid in installments ...and if I didn't like his work he would return the money. Mr. Cone only indulges in emails, will charge $450/- an hour, has no team and is all about being vague with no plan for your case as a client. He has no assistants aides to help him, so even for minor stuff you will get charged $450-an hour flat. He charged me $300/- just for serving papers to my husband. His emails are vague to the extend that you will be left puzzled and more confused than ever. He had no clear idea about my case. Please be careful with this lawyer. There is a reason there are only 2 reviews for him, even on Yelp. I trusted him with my money and with my case but i was very disappointed. Ive had to hire another lawyer and this time i was careful about it. Mr. Cone didn't have a plan for me, I had to keep asking him for stuff and he just made a big bill for me for the vague emails he sent me. And later says that's how he makes money. In the end, when I switched lawyers, I've had to pay a bigger retainer to the new lawyer, but at least I have hired a lawyer with good reviews. Reviews mean a lot - there is a reason they are written. Written with intention about the character of the lawyer, his style of working and about the work ofcourse. Please don't hire reading his answers. In a career spanning over 45 yrs, he has only 2 ratings here, which mean something. I started feeling I will have to change soon after I filed and realized how much he had charged. I finally took him off my case when he emailed me, after reading a random post on AVVO which was written by someone else and not me. This showed me he didn't know my case at all. And to email me asking about some random case is absolutely absurd and ludicrous. Who has time for this ? He does, because he books clients by taking the retainer and then enjoys posting on avvo here to questions as his hobby. He refuses to pay me the amount he owes me. Upon calling him, he tell me do what you have to but this is it. I am shocked at the way this lawyer has behaved! Pl save yourself money, time and disappointment and hire someone who may be ready to take your case, puts in some effort and really has integrity and the intention to help you.

Steven Cone

Replied last November 04, 2020

The review ignores much of the history of our attorney-client relationship. Sometimes lawyers take on a client and find out that they don't connect. My client praised much of my work as it was being done, but as time went on she seemed to think I had some power to take care of getting her what she wanted without her participation or input. I would propose actions we could take and she would not respond; I would ask her for documents to use in preparing papers in her case and she would not respond. I suggested she let me go and sent her a substitution of attorney. She demanded I return all of the money she had paid me but wouldn't sign the substitution. Within a few days I received an email from her in which she praised me and asked me more questions about her case that I answered. In the course of about a month, it took 3 or 4 rounds of this back and forth before she found another attorney who finally sent me the substitution. I did not charge her for the time I spent on her case after her September bill, and returned her remaining retainer last week. I do use AVVO because I enjoy helping people make their way through family law cases. I have received over 50 best answers and numerous attorneys have agreed with my answers. I wish I could win them all but in this case it didn't happen. I wish for my client that her case will come to a successful conclusion.

Posted by Frederique Georges | July 27, 2020 | Lawsuits & Disputes

clarity and precision

I got excellent advice from this attorney. Others have remained vague and missed the information that I wrote so they did not give me precise replies. This attorney spoke from his experience dealing with courts and clerks, did not take a wild guess and I felt respected in my inquiry and now I can mov...e on. Thank you.

Posted by anonymous | August 24, 2019

SOMEONE I CAN TRUST

Mr. Cone was excellent. He gave me solid advice, explained what he felt were my best options and listened to me. I felt I could trust him and also flt my best interests were his first priority.

See All Client Reviews

Steven Jon Cone's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Steven
Stephanie Reyes headshot
Stephanie Reyes

Divorce and separation lawyer | Nov 02

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Attorney Cone provides a much needed service on Avvo. He donates his time to individuals who are in need of immediately legal answers."

Samira Amato headshot
Samira Amato

Family lawyer | Apr 14

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer."

Michael Charles Doland headshot
Michael Doland

Marriage and prenuptials lawyer | Jan 09

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"The answers of Mr. Cone are consistently accurate, analytic and customized to the needs of the Avvo askers. These are exactly the qualities that every client would look for when hiring an attorney."

Jillian K. Duggan-Herd headshot
Jillian Duggan-Herd

Alimony lawyer | Oct 22

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Attorney Cone provides a much needed service on Avvo. He donates his time to individuals who are in need of immediately legal answers."

Judd S Nemiro headshot
Judd Nemiro

Unknown lawyer | Oct 22

Relationship: Other

"I highly endorse this attorney, While maintaining excellent client service and ethics, they are a well-respected member of the legal community."

Justin Lee Gordon headshot
Justin Gordon

Unknown lawyer | Oct 09

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. I have only known of him as an excellent advocate."

View All Endorsements
Samira Amato headshot
Samira Amato

Divorce and separation lawyer

Experience

Rating:  7.7 (Very Good)

Work Experience

1997 - Present

Partner, Di Maria & Cone

1995 - 1997

Attorney, Self Employed

1985 - 1995

Attorney-Editor/Manager, Bancroft-Whitney

1982 - 1985

Associate, Di Maria & Cone

1977 - 1982

Associate, Wade Hover, Esq.

Associations

2009 - Present

San Mateo County Bar Association

Member

2003 - Present

Palo Alto Area Bar Association

Member

1997 - Present

Santa Clara County Bar Association

Member

1978 - Present

State Bar of California

Member

Education

1978

Santa Clara University School of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

1973

University of California - Santa Cruz

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution