Casteel & Associates is neither efficient nor client-focused, and they show little interest in…read moreresolving cases in a timely manner.
They take what could be a relatively peaceful and straightforward process and turn it into an expensive, drawn-out conflict over items that often end up where they started. Excessive paperwork and poor communication with opposing counsel on straightforward matters frequently lead to increased billable hours and a more contentious case. Instead of reaching out for negotiations by telephone or correspondence, Casteel tends to file for court dates, using combative language that states "opposing counsel has been unwilling..." without ever attempting to negotiate. Like most attorneys, going to court incurs a minimum of $2,000 from your retainer. However, with Casteel, you may find yourself making multiple trips without ever actually seeing a judge. Instead, you will likely wait in a conference room for hours while the attorneys negotiate back and forth, eventually reaching an agreement that could have been proposed and accepted weeks earlier through a couple of conversations--making the court trip entirely unnecessary.
Barron is an average attorney at best and often displays laziness. Discussions with other attorneys in town will likely validate this assessment. Carter, on the other hand, is a competent attorney but has a tendency to engage in disputes over virtually anything, regardless of its significance. She prefers fighting over negotiating, making it a costly process for even the simplest items that could be settled easily. It's essential to understand that not every aspect of a case has to be contentious; finding middle ground allows for greater willingness to compromise on more significant issues.
Casteel frequently relies on temporary orders, which serve as rules of engagement until the case is finalized. More rules equate to more expenses and unnecessary tension. They will file motions requesting obscure and restrictive conditions without any supporting evidence, only to advise you later in court to concede to more generous terms. This approach is a waste of both time and money.
During mediation, which is meant to facilitate compromise towards a final agreement, Casteel tends to focus on unnecessary temporary orders instead of discussing anything final. Their goal during mediation appears to be avoiding a resolution, as final settlements would not generate additional fees for them.
Barron and Carter often swap cases, meaning that Barron could be your attorney while Carter represents you at mediation. Unfortunately, they do not communicate effectively about the details of the case, wasting time by rehashing events from months prior. Moreover, Carter may reopen previous agreements, choosing to fight for a different direction than what Barron previously agreed upon. They will request extensive discovery information from the opposing party while openly admitting that they do not review it unless it goes to court. Understanding both the strengths and weaknesses of the case is crucial in finding agreement outside of a courtroom. However, their team often spends an excessive amount of billable hours "reviewing" your own discovery response, which will ultimately be submitted incomplete to opposing counsel. This incompleteness leads to further requests and additional billable hours to respond.
While it may not be accurate to label Casteel as a bad firm, they clearly capitalize on billable hours and lack a sense of urgency when it comes to settling cases.
