Heather Murray Allan

Last year I went through the most stressful time of my life - a custody fight for my 5-year old son. I was assigned a judge that was reputed to side with the party who had the deepest pockets. This really freaked me out as I had a special request to move out of area to a town I could afford to live i...n, my son's father makes 4x the salary that I do, and his family is worth millions. Oh, and he had said he planned to run me out of money. So I did what any scared mom would do... my research. I came across Allan's name a few times, and also in conjunction with my (now retired) judge's name. So I hired her. Yes, she was more expensive than other options but, imo, well worth her weight in gold. She demolished my son's fathers in court. That sounds (and maybe) a little dramatic but the truth is, she was so careful and had so much experience with the process and judge, she seemed to know exactly what to say, when to say it, and when to keep her mouth shut. My son's father went through two lawyers in only a few months to try and compete. The judge never had to scold or lost patience with Allan as she did with the others. There were a couple of things I didn't expect and you need to be aware of. First, he Allan office didn't contact me before the court date to go over details. I now realize that's probably because some people don't want to pay their hourly rate, just to talk. Well, I did, so I had to contact them about it. I was too nervous not too. I didn't know what I should or could be doing to help. I had dug into tons of files and past documents that I thought would help and printed them all out blindly. During that pre-trial time, some extra guidance and communication from her office woukd have been nice. Again, however, I assume they don't because every email and phone call costs $$$ and some clients likely don't want it. Allan ended up using some of the files I'd printed but most were useless, other than the fact that they helped soothe me in the months before the court dates. Another two things to note is, try not to distract Allan during the actual court time. She is trying to listen for things she will need to respond to. And watch her while you're on the stand. She will give you subtle clues and let you know if you're getting too emotional. So, would I recommend Allan for family law? Absolutely... and I wouldn't hesitate to call her again if I need her in the future.

I would not hesitate to recommend anyone who needs a divorce lawyer to seek Heather to represent them. Heather came highly recommended by someone who worked in Family Court. Heather spend time understanding my case and answered many of my questions regarding alimony, assets prior to my marriage and s...he worked to understand what the opposing counsel was seeking for in the divorce. With good records and some strategizing she got me the best settlement I could hoped for. Her rates are very reasonable and she and her office staff are very efficient. My case was wrapped up in 11 months from being served with the divorce papers to divorce settlement, saving me money, time and stress. Do I recommend her? Yes, very highly.

I engaged Ms. Allan to help me set up a co-guardianship for my young son while I was undergoing treatment for a serious illness. Due to some unique facets of the case, I needed a lawyer with significant expertise in this area and Ms. Allan came recommended from a lawyer I had used previously. She and... her team worked quickly and efficiently to get the orders approved by the court, putting my mind at ease during a difficult time. Her practice is organized and professional. They kept me informed of the progress of the case and sent regular statements itemizing the work that had been done on my case. Ms. Allan gave me an estimate of the costs up front and came in within the quoted amount. Her fees are consistent with what I've paid for similar, high-quality legal help locally. Ms. Allen and her team were compassionate and helpful and above all they got results. It was a positive experience for me and I would not hesitate to give Ms. Allen my strongest recommendation.

I began receiving services from Allan & Martelle, LLP in August 2008. The firm is reliable and professional in the area of Family Law. When other attorneys refer to Heather Allan as a "shark" and compliment you for having the "best attorney", you know you are in good hands. Heather has been great and... has assisted me to obtain my goals. She is professional and easily accessible to meet your needs as well as those you refer to the firm. Heather is open-minded and explains the process each step of the way to ensure you are fully informed of what is taking place throughout your case. I highly recommend Allan & Martelle, LLP to family and friends in need of Family Law services.