Stephanie Ellen Powell

Stephanie Powell

Please take note that this client hired new counsel months before his scheduled trial. I had been separated from his case prior to completion of any discovery, mediation, and who knows what other significant events, as I was inexplicably replaced me with new counsel in the very early days of this divorce litigation . I also don't know why his new counsel backed out on the eve of trial -- most courts don't allow attorneys to withdraw (especially if the client objects to the withdrawal) shortly before trial. I do recall this client reaching out to me days before his trial, but I could not possibly be expected to represent him at trial having been uninvolved with the case for months leading up to that point. Trial preparation takes several weeks when an attorney has been actively representing a party from the outset. It is impossible to rejoin an intensely litigated matter and successfully try the case before a court law. I have great empathy for this client, and I'm sorry his trial went poorly. However, I do not accept blame for the poor result. I was not actively involved in this case through most of its progression, and what happened at trial is not a result of my representation.