Nathalie Lezama Ferro

I came into contact with Nathalie through her involvement in Step Forward Foundation, a non-profit legal organization serving low income clients with Domestic Violence (DV) issues. In the 22 years that I lived with DV, and for the additional 3 years my husband continued to perpetrate DV against me a...fter our separation, I searched high and low for an agency to help me but was unable, because the form of DV my husband perpetrated against me involved restraining me, shaking me, throwing things at me, threatening me, spitting on me, withholding assets from me, and other actions that didn't involve hitting or leaving physical marks on me that would warrant assistance from police and courts. Finally, I began secretly making videos of his attacks on me and took one of these videos to the Step Forward Foundation, where my appointment was referred to Nathalie. What a God-send that appointment was! Nathalie took my case right away. She not only represented me in the courts, but she provided the validation and support that I needed to begin to re-learn that what I was suffering really was DV, and unacceptable treatment of me - because after 25 years of calling the police and petitioning the courts and getting no assistance, I had come to believe that "maybe it was just me" or "maybe this is just normal." Nathalie's commitment to my case made me feel important again, and I began to grow stronger in my resolve to finally stand up to him. Nathalie won for me a 5 year DV Restraining Order that protects not only me, but also it protects my son until after his 18th birthday. The terms of the Restraining Order require my ex/his dad to go through significant counseling, drug screening and rehabilitation, etc., before he can resume visitation again, and it requires to visitation be supervised. This is an almost unheard of ruling, as most restraining orders are only granted for 1 year and do not prohibit the relationship between parent and child as was needed to also protect my son. After my DVRO was awarded, Nathalie continued on with me and took me as a client in her private practice to ensure that my divorce (pending in the court system and held up by the manipulation and delay tactics of my ex) would be finalized. Prior to Nathalie, no lawyers would take my divorce case. My gross income was too high to receive pro-bono services from non-profit agencies on matters besides the DVRO, but the marriage nor myself personally had any assets or savings to pay the lawyer's retainers and fees. Nathalie demonstrated commitment to ending DV for me once and for all when she reduced her retainer fee and wrote a fee agreement contract with me that allows me to pay her for her services at whatever (reasonable) monthly payments I can afford. Other lawyers refused to represent me unless I could pay $5,000 - $15,000 up front. Nathalie is allowing me to go into debt with her, which I am so grateful for that I feel like I will be indebted to her for the rest of my life - not in a monetary sense, but in the sense that without her help, I may very well have been stuck in my marriage forever, subject to abuse and torment. Nathalie bills reasonably, and doesn't penny-pick every millisecond you are on the phone with her like other lawyers do. She understands financial constraints of her clients and uses her time wisely to avoid over billing them. My case is scheduled for trail in 30 days, and I am so excited about the new life that lies ahead of me. There are some people in your life who serve such a meaningful purpose in transitioning you from one state of being to another. Nathalie is that for me. I will always hold regard for her in my heart and her success, well being, and blessing will for the rest of my life always be a part of my prayers. I ABSOLUTELY recommend her.