C Sean Stephens

This is the second time that I have retained Sean Stephens for my family legal help, and I will not hesitate to use him again if needed in the future. Sean was truly instrumental in my families happiness, we could not have made it through both the emotional and legal issues that faced us without his... help. Sean knows the right people to talk to every step of the way, and that made the whole process that much easier during this emotional roller coaster.......the time saved from him knowing who to call to expedite everything saved a lot of time and headaches. Sean's professionalism was also ultra helpful during one of the most emotional times of my life.......as I tend to talk when I should keep my mouth shut. Sean was always there when I had questions or ideas, and if he was not available.....Jon Trause was always there to back him up. Jon Trause was also invaluable to the way things turned out......he was just as professional as Sean Stephens and always checked on facts rather than give false hopes. To sum this all up.....If you are looking for the best attorney in town---look no further than Sean Stephens.

For somebody who's only been divorced once, I have a lot more experience with family law attorneys than most people. First, it took almost three years from the time my ex announced that she was pulling the plug on our marriage to the time we actually got a judgment entered into the record. And second..., I went through two lawyers before finally ending up with Sean Stephens. I wish I'd started off with Sean. If I had, I'm pretty sure the divorce would have taken a lot less time and cost me a lot less money –– despite the fact that he bills $325/hour. As any lawyer you choose should be, Sean is knowledgeable about the law. He's experienced enough to be well versed in the operation of the courts and the law, but he's young enough to care. It's a good sweet spot to be in. He's also clear. When I first met him, this struck me as potentially off putting and I decided to go with someone who I didn't think would be as likely to come across as confrontational. Big mistake. Clarity is more important than niceness, especially once my ex fired her first lawyer and chose to bring on Michael McGrath. Look him up. Unless you're willing to go slime ball yourself –– and I'm not –– the best approach when dealing with someone of his ilk is to be clear and demand clarity in return. What all lawyers will promise (and few will deliver) is a dedication to your case. My second lawyer did a great job selling himself, but once I signed the retainer agreement I couldn’t get him on the phone. I had to make an appointment to ask him a question and when I came into his office, he’d spend half his time selling me on what a great lawyer he was and the other half not giving me an answer to the questions I asked. Sean was the opposite. He usually returned my phone calls within a day –– often within two hours. He answered my questions clearly (there’s that clarity thing again) and if anything, did his best to moderate my expectations. And he was prepared. Unlike Lawyer #2, Sean read my case notes (and by the time I brought him on, there were boxes of case notes) and actually synthesized the important information. He didn’t get all the details right off the bat. Who could? But he didn’t jump to conclusions, either. He worked with me to understand not only what the facts were, but what was important to me. By the time I brought Sean on, I had been out-lawyered repeatedly by my ex’s lawyer and ignored by my own. I’d spent an ungodly amount of money and had very little left. And I was emotionally drained. The entire process left a foul taste in my mouth that even now, months later, I can’t completely get rid of. What Sean did was damage control. He helped salvage what he could. He jumped in at the last minute and tried his best. Ultimately, I still got screwed. But I got a lot less screwed than I would have been.

I came to Sean after finding out that I was in need of legal council in a custody case that was very distressful. The urgency of the situation was severe and Sean/his staff made time for me to come in the following morning. I really appreciated how accommodating and supportive they were from the begi...nning before receiving any financial compensation. When I met with Sean I immediately felt that I could trust him and that he was not just any family attorney. His knowledge and expertise were evident from the start and I hired him immediately. I had worked with an attorney before and knew that Sean was a complete gem. He brought so much more to the table than the other I had seen before. From start-to-finish of a very drawn out and difficult case (lasting nearly two years) Sean has been with me all the way. Not only did he win my case for me when there were some real challenges, but he talked to me on terms that I could understand without throwing a bunch of ORS regulations at me and telling me to do my homework. I am still working with him today, after our case was completed, to wrap up a few things in order to bring even more success my way. He continues to excel in what he does, he is proactive, and we have established a great working relationship. I am extremely pleased with his expertise, confidence, professionalism, and willing attitude. He isn't afraid to advise me on his recommendations even if they are regarding "sensitive" subject matter and he does it in a way that is friendly and good-natured. I believe that more than anything if you are entering into a family law/custody/child support case you need someone like Sean who has the experience, authority, and dedication that it takes to win. He doesn't cut corners and he is willing to put in the time and energy for the long haul. I feel that Sean has educated me along the way so that I am prepared to understand the laws and rights of myself and my child. Do yourself a favor and contact Sean for an initial consultation. The money you spend will be worth it and I believe you will be convinced that he will be your advocate and he knows what it takes to win. It will be money well spent, trust me!!

Sean Stephens is an amazing attorney... I was referred to Sean by the St. Andrew's Legal Clinic in Portland, who had nothing but wonderful things to say about him. Sean quickly took action on my behalf in what has proven itself to be a highly complicated and extremely distressing situation with my ...soon-to-be ex husband. His representation of me and his ability to prevail in court is incredible. He is a man of honorable character, integrity, professionalism, and full of knowledge. When I hired Sean, I not only hired one extremely wonderful person; I hired a stellar team. Jon, Kaori, and Christina have been working tirelessly to pull all the pieces together, which is something that has also far outweighed my expectations. I will be forever grateful for what Sean and his team have done to protect the best interests of my son and I!

Sean Stephens and the entire Stephens Margolin team are results oriented. They are there for you when you need them the most. At every step, they make sure you understand all your options and are comfortable with any decision that is made. The best compliment I can give is that of a referral, and w...hen anyone I know has a familiy legal matter, I refer them to Sean.