Men’s Legal Center

As a mother, watching my son navigate a painful and complicated divorce was heartbreaking. After a very poor experience with his first attorney, Men’s Legal stepped in and immediately brought clarity, direction, and confidence to an overwhelming situation. Kristen and Nate showed unwavering commitment, professionalism, and care from the very beginning. Their hard work made a meaningful difference not only in my son’s case, but in his life moving forward. Our entire family is deeply thankful for the advocacy and dedication they provided. I would strongly recommend Men’s Legal to any father who needs skilled, determined representation during an extremely difficult time.

I came to Men's Legal after my first lawyer, a "flat-rate" lawyer, made my situation worse than if I literally would have done nothing... Legitimately not showing up at all for hearing would have been better than my first lawyer. However, I then retained Men's Legal in an emergency and ever since Kristen and Nate have been working tirelessly on my incredibly litigated divorce. Kristen and Nate have literally changed my life and moved literal mountains for me. I am so incredibly grateful to have them on my team and so is my ENTIRE family. I can't preach this enough. If you are a single father, you need Men's Legal on your side. There are literally no better options for you.

Filing for divorce after 15 years felt like stepping off a cliff. I chose Men’s Legal Center because I wanted a divorce attorney who would balance firmness with empathy. From the first call, the receptionist spoke in a calm, measured tone that stopped my hands from shaking. My lawyer mapped out property division on a whiteboard, showing me exactly how California’s community property rules applied to our house and retirement accounts. She suggested a neutral financial analyst, which kept discussions factual and lowered tension in the settlement meeting. We hit a brief stall over splitting airline miles, but a follow-up email with case law examples broke the impasse the next morning. Signing the final agreement felt bittersweet, but I thought it was fair and was happy to start the next chapter in my life.

When I first retained Men's Legal, I was told the case would not cost more than $4,000, even on the high end. That turned out to be false. I have already paid $4,824.95 and was just billed another $1,575. To make matters worse, my attorney, Francisco Batara, attended a critical video hearing from the DMV while handling personal business, not even in a private or professional setting. He later claimed the Judge never read the X factors, but if he had been competent and focused, he would have realized that $500 a month in support for four children--with me having physical custody and the respondent at 40% timeshare--made no sense. His lack of attention cost me significantly and dragged this case out much longer than necessary. Because he missed the Judge's reasoning during that hearing, he later told me he had already drafted a Request for Order to correct the issue--but said he couldn't file it until I paid the remainder of my bill, which was $825. After I paid that, I was then hit with yet another $1,575 charge once he filed. My personal opinion, This firm is not worth it. Between the misleading estimates, excessive billing, and lack of professionalism, I would not recommend Men's Legal.

My world felt upside down in early August when my former partner threatened to move out of state with our twins. I contacted Men’s Legal Center in San Diego and asked for an emergency consultation with a child custody lawyer. Within 24 hours I was in their conference room, reviewing relocation statutes and learning the difference between temporary and permanent orders. They drafted a request for a hearing that same afternoon and coached me on presenting school-community ties. The courtroom still rattled my nerves, but having an attorney at my side who knew the judge’s procedural quirks made the process bearable. We secured an order preventing relocation, and the kids started school here on time.

I walked into Men’s Legal Center two days after my ex moved out, clutching a stack of school calendars and feeling scared to death I’d lose evenings with my son. The first consultation was calm and direct. My attorney outlined realistic custody options and broke down court timelines in plain English. That clarity steadied me. Over the next month the team emailed draft orders for my review and prepped me with mock questions, so I felt ready when we finally stood before the judge. Hearing the ruling match the plan we had practiced lifted a weight I didn’t know I was carrying. If anyone needs a reliable child custody lawyer, these are the folks I’d point to. Dinner with my son that night felt lighter than it had in weeks.

Post-separation logistics had me spinning, with a shared mortgage, two cars, and a dog neither of us wanted to give up. I turned to Men’s Legal Center, hoping a reputable family law firm could corral the chaos. They assigned a case manager who organized my documents in a secure online portal I could update from work, and the lead attorney walked me through mediation prep step by step. One minor snag: a draft settlement letter arrived a day later than promised, but the paralegal phoned ahead to let me know and still filed on schedule. Mediation wrapped in three hours, the dog stays with me, and the refinance paperwork is already underway. I slept through the night for the first time in months.