Patricia helped me with my trust several years ago and did an amazing and professional job…read more Recently I have had to make numerous revisions because of some life changes. She, again, has come through for me. She gave me expert advice on all of the decisions and changes I was considering, answered all of my many questions quickly, finished everything in a timely fashion, all at a reasonable price. I will continue to reach out to her if I need legal help/advice in the future.

She was great in helping a novice work through the estate process. Costly for a single mom, but…read moreworth it for the kids' benefit in the long run, I hope. I won't know, I'll be dead.

I can't say enough good things about Annette Hall Neville and her legal team. She was a tremendous…read moresource of guidance and strength through a very difficult legal process and custody battle. Annette was always informative and took the time to educate me about every step of the process so I could truly understand what was happening in an often confusing and invalidating legal system. I honestly can't imagine having navigated everything I went through without her support. She's knowledgeable, compassionate, and incredibly dedicated to her clients. The fact that she has offices in both Los Angeles and San Diego was also a huge benefit for me since I live between counties. I highly, highly recommend her and her team to anyone who needs a strong, supportive attorney who truly cares.

I want to thank you again for your support through my divorce journey. Not only did you do an…read moreoutstanding job on the legal and financial side, you showed up in a way that was emotionally and psychologically supportive for me in one of the most challenging and strange times in my life. I'll never forget that.

I can't recommend her enough. This was a high-conflict case that took a very long time to resolve,…read moreand she stayed steady, focused, and fully committed the entire way through. After a long journey, we were finally able to reach a resolution--and I truly credit her for that. She is a fierce advocate who genuinely fights for her clients. What stood out most is how much time she takes to understand the full picture--not just bits and pieces--so she can represent you the right way. She's extremely knowledgeable in the law and knows exactly how to argue her position with confidence and precision. If you want someone sharp, dedicated, and truly in your corner, she's the one you want on your side. Wouldn't be surprised if she ends up on the bench as a family court judge.

Vicki represented me in a divorce from an abusive husband, I couldn't have done it without her…read more She has incredible attorney skills I only wanted my half and she got that for me. Above all was her caring support that helped me every step of the way. She is an amazing professional with a heart of gold.

Wow. What a complete load of crap. This lawyer called me in person to spank me verbally for this…read morereview. I was over the moon... Finally, a real callback!! Since she called from her cell, I wonder just how badly I pissed her off...kinda funny, really... She tried to be intimidating . I'm not scared, sweetie. I'm smart and Latina too and funnier than you. Its important not to take ourselves too seriously. At NO TIME did she actually try to help me, only wanted to cover her ass for Yelp. I wonder if she's paying the monthly $300+ to Yelp for cutthroat advertising. .maybe theyll squelch this for her. I can create messages too. Or pay a secretary to do so. Covering bad practice by trying to instill fear? Are you serious? On the other hand, she has an impressive demeanor. If you hired her, she's probably kick ass in court for you...probably SO worth the money. LOLOLOLOL-I just think these random things.

Maria is a Gem!! I am in Georgia and really needed help with a horrible situation with a…read moreforeclosure. I had a friend who had had a Great experience with Maria and thought she may be able to offer me some assistance. Maria reviewed my case, investigated Ga Laws and offered me more help than 3 Ga lawyers did put together. Maria researched and found me a real estate broker that has now offered me a Chance!! Maria gave her time to a complete stranger. She is so knowledgeable about every angle of Real Estate! I would recommend her to anyone in the US!!! EXCELLENT real estate attorney!

Based on good internet reviews, I wanted to hire Samin to help me with my divorce, but she wasn't…read moretaking new clients. So I worked with her colleague, Elizabeth. Elizabeth provided great service and information in a timely, professional manner. At some point, she announced she was leaving the practice, for reasons I don't know. So I was transferred to Samin. Samin and I met over zoom a few times. She was friendly, informative and helpful. Then we decided that mediation wasn't working and I needed to take my husband to divorce trial. So I hired her to represent me instead of on a consultation basis. That's when things started going wrong. Over the next few months, it became harder to get in touch with her. Email responses would take 3-4 business days. Her paralegal was helping me put together forms to file (FL-150) but edits back and forth would take days to come back for my review, wheras I made sure I always returned my part within 1 business day to them. It took 2 1/2 months for her firm to complete the form and file it!!! All the while I was losing out on having the form filed for the purpose of retro spousal support. More than once when they returned the forms for my review there were errors, some glaring, which required more time on my part, more emails back and forth and -yup- more time billed to me. So one day I called the office to express my anger and frustration at the process and asked for a call back so we could talk live instead of email. I never got a call back!! Four business days later I got a stern email. Never was there an explanation or apology for why I couldn't get them to speed up or attend to my case. At one point, Samin told me it was my fault for changing my mind (for 24 hours) and telling her that I thought I might try mediation again instead of court, but then told her never mind and to proceed. Divorce is messy-it is normal to have doubts and 2nd thoughts. Instead of telling me that it's MY fault that the process is taking so long, maybe guide me through the pros and cons of each option and have a little sympathy. Plus, that mixed message only accounted for 2 business days. Not the 2 1/2 months that it took to get that form finished. After feeling ignored, underserved, overwhelmed and uncared for, I finally pulled the trigger and let Samin go. I hired Honorable Legal Services-DeAnn Salcido, who has been phenomenal. Attentive at every step, incredibly informative, educational. She gives me notes, articles with highlights an annotations for me to read. She explains my options clearly. She responds in 1-2 days every time. We've done multiple zoom calls. And her office has a marvelous online system that organizes my files, forms, correspondence and upcoming dates in a way that is clear to both of us. AND she costs LESS than Samin! If I had had DeAnn from the start instead of Elizabeth and Samin, this process would have gone a LOT smoother and faster.

Going through a divorce is one of the most painful and overwhelming experiences a person can face,…read moreand mine was especially high-conflict. I honestly don't know how I would have gotten through it without Samin Beringer by my side. From the very beginning, Samin made me feel heard, supported, and protected. Her communication was clear and compassionate, and her professionalism gave me a sense of stability when everything else felt uncertain. She told me the truth, even when it was hard to hear, and helped me face each step with realistic expectations. I always knew she was fighting for me and that meant everything. Samin didn't just represent me, she stood with me. I will forever be grateful for her strength, wisdom, and unwavering support. I would wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone going through a divorce. She made one of the hardest chapters of my life a little easier to bear.

Christine was extremely caring and very thorough in assisting me with my father's financial and…read moremedical affairs. She walked us through each step and provided advice that best suited our needs. I highly recommend her and will continue to refer her to clients, family and friends! Thank you Christine!

I am a lawyer who practiced civil litigation for 44 years in Orange County. Then I retired and…read moremoved to San Diego County. I don't do wills trusts or Estates. I needed a professional. Here's what I didn't want. I did not want a lawyer from a big high priced firm. Frequently the work is done by brand new associates. I did not want a slick lawyer who is more concerned about making money then maintaining a reputation for competence and trustworthiness. After a lot of research I selected Christine Padilla. I made the right choice. Christine prepared a complicated will and trust for my wife and I. She did a very thorough and professional job at a very reasonable fee. Moreover she is a compassionate, caring, understanding individual who will give you all the time you need.

Elena is truly the best! I went through multiple attorneys during my divorce and custody case, and…read moreworking with Elena Smolina was a completely different experience. She treated me like a person, not a paycheck. She handled my case herself, kept things moving, and didn't pass me off to a bunch of people billing without progress. I was under a lot of stress during this process, and she handled it with patience and grace. She stayed calm, explained things clearly, and made me feel supported when I needed it most. I'm genuinely grateful I found her. I would give her more than 5 stars if I could.

1 Star - Extreme Negligence, Ghosted by Attorney, Left Unresolved Liabilities…read more I hired Elena Smolina, APC for a family law case and expected basic professional competence. Instead, this firm lazy-delegated my file to assistants, completely failed to communicate, and left me exposed financially. Ghosted by Counsel & Lazy Delegation: Everything in my case was passed off to their paralegal. The managing attorney would schedule calls and completely fail to contact me. Instead, my case was handled by a paralegal who was left to negotiate terms with opposing counsel while I was charged premium attorney rates. My actual court appearance was deeply embarrassing because the attorney was completely unprepared and failed to brief me beforehand. Ignored Court Order Violations: On May 21, 2026, Bank of America pulled money from my personal savings due to a joint account my ex-husband refused to close. Their paralegal even texted me a screenshot of our own court order explicitly highlighting "Paragraph C," which mandated all joint accounts be closed ASAP. Yet, instead of legally enforcing this order, the firm told me to do the bank investigation myself. Their operational neglect left my name attached to active joint liabilities long after escrow closed. Gross Incompetence with Client Funds: The firm itemized billing to "communicate" about a reimbursement check owed to me. They claimed they never received it and abandoned my file. However, official Chase bank records from opposing counsel later proved the check was successfully delivered directly to Elena Smolina's office suite on June 4, 2026. I was actually owed $160.00, but due to their sloppy administrative record-keeping, the firm mistakenly demanded $165.00 from opposing counsel. I had to collect my own money after firing them. Intimidation Tactics: The moment I terminated them and requested a refund for lack of performance, Elena Smolina became intensely defensive. She hit me with an artificial "outstanding balance" of $1,005.40 and a Fee Arbitration notice to intimidate me, threatening to file a costly court motion if I didn't sign a substitution form within 24 hours. They treat matters as urgent only when they want a client's signature or a check. Save your money and hire a firm that provides actual diligence, baseline competency, and real client communication.

Debbie Toon provided exceptional legal support throughout our rental dispute. She was professional,…read moreknowledgeable, responsive, and always took the time to explain our options clearly. Our situation was particularly stressful because both of our landlords are attorneys, and we often felt overwhelmed navigating the legal and rental issues involved. Debbie's expertise, calm guidance, and confidence gave us reassurance during a very difficult time. She helped us understand our rights as tenants, communicated effectively on our behalf, and successfully assisted us in reaching an agreement that allowed our family to move forward peacefully. Her communication was excellent, and she consistently advocated for our best interests. Thanks to Debbie's support, we were able to secure a new home and focus on preparing for the arrival of our second child. I am truly grateful for everything she has done for our family and would highly recommend her to anyone seeking a skilled, compassionate, and trustworthy attorney.

I reached out to Ms Germani with a tenant issue after a recommendation from my property manager…read more Working with Ms Germani put me at ease with her experience and great communication. Her guidance made a bad situation feel not as overwhelming. My issue was resolved fairly quickly and I'm grateful to know who to call for future issues. I highly recommend her services!