Law Offices of Brett R Wishart

I met with Brett on June 16^th. We met for an hour and he was about 10 minutes late. I was skeptical right from the beginning because he started by telling me about his family and to convey that he’s compassionate and that he’s an advocate for marriage. I’ve been seeing a therapist for 6 months, so I knew what I wanted. What alarmed me the the most was that once I told him about my situation (I’ve been with my partner for 15 years but never obtained/​filed a marriage license), he had too look it up in the book (code 300 on definition of marriage)! Apparently, he’s unfamiliar with the situation. In addition, consider that he charged me $ 400 for consultation, he didn’t even bother to review my documents (very simple ones). He said he won’t read/​review anything until I sign the retainer. I didn’t realize how «off» he was until I shared my experience with some of my friends. A week later, I found a great lawyer. He took time with me over the phone, knew exactly what to do, and invited me for a free consultation the very next day. When we met, he’s already thought through my case and came up with a recommendation. He walked me through the other options as well and reviewed documents I brought (all off the clock!). He also charges $ 400 per hour, but gave me a fix price because he thought my case’s pretty straight forward and explained all the steps in detail with me. It was a night and day experience! I just want to suggest to everyone be aware of attorneys to charge a consultation fee. You want an attorney who’s interested in you and is not all about the money. My attorney is in Long Beach and has 35 years of experience in marriage law.

Brett and his staff did an amazing job! I always felt confident I was in good hands. When I was placed in front of the judge because my ex spouse decided to get «ugly» Brett was right next to me and 100% prepared.
It wasn’t a fun journey going through this divorce. All of my family lives back in Chicago so I was on my own. Brett and his staff took me in and always felt like I was in good hands. I’m SO happy it’s done — thank you Brett and Jeff!
I highly recommend Them!

The paralegal Yolie was awful. She was very short with me and always seemed irritated that she had to explain things. As someone who has never been through a custody case and hasn’t been to law school, I needed instruction on what she wanted from me and she always seemed put out. I didn’t care to be treated that way by someone I was paying. Also, there were a lot of errors in the agreement that she put together. Things like putting «she» instead of «he» and «petitioner» instead of «respondent». I had to proof read and provide corrections. When I pointed them out she downplayed them. She also added in to our agreement that my sons father would pay his support on the first and the fifteenth when he’s always paid on the first. I had told the office be had always paid me on the first. When I asked her about it she said «that’s standard» and said I would be billed for asking opposing counsel to change it back. The agreement was supposed to carry on what he had been doing so I was annoyed.
Mr Wishart was great when we went to court (although we never went in front of a judge). My complaint comes after that. My sons father and I came to an agreement without seeing the judge. Even though I was the respondent, he said he would draw up what we had agreed upon (at $ 400 and hour I think the petitioners attorney could have done this). He then emailed opposing counsel asking when he would have the agreement done. When opposing counsel reminded him that had offered to write it up, he then said he’d be happy to. We were in court on ¹²⁄₁₅. The agreement wasn’t sent until ³⁄₉. I had no complicating circumstances and this was a straight custody case. By mid April I was fed up as there had been no movement.
After more than $ 8k all that had been done was the initial draft of the agreement and a follow up email to opposing counsel. I can’t help but feel that billing was padded and that the ball was dropped on my simple case. When confronted they agreed to take off the disputed items on my bill if I replenished my retainer. I chose to drop him instead.
If you aren’t cost conscious he may be great for you, but hopefully he will replace Yolie. She definitely doesn’t go with the family feel of the office.

Brett was very efficient, patient, knowledgable and respectful. He is well known and liked within the court. I first hired a different lawyer for my case that was a complete disaster and Brett came in and cleaned up the mess. Thanks to him, I won on everything in regards to my custody case and couldn’t be more pleased! His staff is helpful and professional as well. If you are going to hire a lawyer — I definitely recommend Brett.

It’s never easy being in a position where you’ll need to go to a lawyer. Especially regarding family law. However, Brett and his staff have delivered beyond any review or words can express. His knowledge, tact, character and undeniable ability to perform and deliver is beyond stellar. Infinitly grateful.

Brett represented us in family court and delivered. Thank you for your outstanding service once again.

Words cannot express the gratitude I have for Brett Wishart and his staff. I came to Brett looking for guidance and wisdom and I left his office with much more. I was facing going back to court to resolve childcare issues that were left undefined in my previous agreement. He assured me that I was within the law and my expectations were realistic. He kept me very informed throughout the process while educating me along the way, placing my mind at ease knowing I was in good hands. He and his staff work very hard to return phone calls, emails, or setting up a meeting. I always felt like my case was on his desk and it was clear in his negotiations with opposing counsel that I chose the right lawyer. I would recommend the law office of Brett Wishart to anyone looking for an honest, caring, intelligent lawyer who knows the law and how it works for you.

I am so thankful that I found Brett. Right through the gate he took control of the situation. He always answered my calls or called me back right away. His staff was super friendly and I always felt as though my opinion mattered to them. Finding a good lawyer that will put up a good fight for you can be so difficult. Let me make it easy for you. Brett Wishart is as good as it gets. Thanks again Brett; God bless you!

Practical and Effective! Not only are they great lawyers but they have taken my case as if it were their own and have never left my side, even during holidays, weekends and weeknights… at anytime, they were always available.
They have even gone out of their way to check on me and make sure I was alright. I don’t have words to thank them enough for everything they have done. I am extremely grateful for the both of them.
For billing, Brett’s staff kept me up to date with detailed bills so I always knew where I stood.
Brett was patient with me, very professional and thorough and was able to make me feel at ease and well taken care of. He really gave me the serenity I needed in one of the hardest ordeals I’ve ever had to deal with. He wasn’t fighting just for me he was fighting for my two girls! He negotiated and renegotiated to make sure that my settlement was fair and also most importantly best for my two young daughters.
He helped me understand the process, the time frames involved, he helped me see «the big picture» and all of a sudden my problems seemed possible to overcome. I’m so grateful for their honesty and help!

My husband was searching for a local attorney to handle his custody case and after sifting through a few different ones, he fortunately found Brett. During our initial consultation with Brett he set realistic expectations for what the outcome may be and now that we are a year and half into the battle and coming to an end, he has by far surpassed those expectations. Throughout this entire process Brett and Holly have been extremely helpful, responsive, efficient and proactive. We never felt as though we were pushed in a corner by the opposing council and on the defense, but rather always one step ahead. As emotions ran high and frustrating situations arose, Brett was always the calming force for my husband and instantly put his mind at ease. I would HIGHLY recommend Brett and his firm if you’re facing the family court system.

Hired Mr Wishart to help me with a child custody issue where I was seeking equal time share with my ex. I previously hired another attorney that was more interested in billing me hours rather than my situation. Brett took the time to truly hear my circumstances and then was able to make realistic, accurate recommendations as to our best course of action.
He’s the kind of lawyer that doesn’t want every case for the sake of taking it. I got the sense that if he didn’t believe in you it’d be hard for him to do his job. However, if you have a case where you are geniune, and in need of sound, accurate, advice… Brett is your man!
Ps. Holly in their office is awesome too!

I hired Brett Wishart as my lawyer. I want to make this review short and sweet. I could go on and on about the outstanding service this firm provided for me.
I interviewed 4 different firms before picking Brett as my attorney. Brett is super sincere and on point like no other. I was a little hesitant about the hourly rate and it was out of my budget. I will tell you this much it was worth every penny! You get what you pay for. When you are in a jam like I was you need a race horse to pull you out of that jam. Brett Wishart is just the man to do it. I know one thing, if I ever get into another jam it will be a no brainer for me to call Brett again. Brett didn’t beat around the bush, and he was straight to the point. Holly his assistant was on point and had my back every step of the way. I was super confident going into battle with a warrior like Brett! I highly recommend this firm.
If you want to win, you better hire this guy!

So when my divorce began I felt like my world was falling apart and I dreaded the idea of even shopping around for a divorce attorney. I’m one of those people that hates going to the doctor or the dentist, and finding an attorney felt like it was going to be just as painful. I spoke with quite a few attorney’s before I found Brett Wishart. While there wasn’t anything really wrong with any of the ones I found, I just wasn’t feeling any confidence in the ones I spoke with. But when I spoke with Brett on the phone for the first time, I immediately felt at ease both in the way he made me feel like everything was going to be alright and confidence in his knowledge and experience. He made me feel like he really wanted to help me come out of this with my best interests in mind. I knew right away that he was going to take care of things as much as I needed him to. When I met him in person there was no doubt in my mind that he was the one that I wanted to handle my case.
He’s always responsive whether I emailed him or called and he was even there for me during some pretty bad situations when I needed his guidance more than anything. Whenever I had questions, regardless of how simple or complex, he had the answers I needed and he was able to help me keep my head in a few moments where I wasn’t sure how I was going to cope or get through it all. He and Holly were very thorough in making sure they knew everything that was going on and it made me feel like I had the best experts in the field at my back. Or in some instances leading the way.
If you are looking for someone that is going to take care of you and help you out, I would highly recommend Brett Wishart. I can’t tell you enough how working with him helped me get through my divorce and not feeling like I was alone. If you are shopping around for help, then you should go no further. Brett Wishart is the only person that you need on your side.

Brett and Holly did a great job for me. From the start, I felt immediately like I could stop worrying about the outcome and stop spending time and energy on trying to solve it myself.
My situation had the potential to get pretty complicated, and Brett set my expectations of costs based on the realistic worst case scenario. Fortunately Brett was able to gain the cooperation of my former spouse to comply with her obligations, and the costs to resolve everything were very reasonable.
Everything Brett said he would do, he did, right on time. Holly kept me up to date on progress, and I never once had to reach out and say «what’s happening now? what’s happening next?» I always knew.
Thanks for a successful outcome!

Brett Wishart has been helping me with a child support case and has been extremely helpful. Brett has directed me in the appropriate actions I need to take that would bring about the greatest positive outcome. I highly recommend Brett Wishart for your legal needs. He’s a professional and very good at what he does. He’s the first guy I will call if I need any legal advice or representation! Thank you, Brett!!!

Brett Wishart did an outstanding job! Before Brett took over my case, everything was gridlocked, and kept getting delayed. It was frustrating. Once Brett took the lead on my case, he moved very quickly to get things done. He is very strategic, with the ability to see the big picture, and all the moving parts. He is pragmatic, persuasive, and extremely knowledgable. Due to his legal expertise and negotiation skills, I was able to get 100% of my case settled, and I felt great about the results. He is very thorough, efficient, and knows how to structure his arguments well. He is skillful, discerning, and highly competent as an attorney. Thank you Brett!
Having gone through a very painful divorce, I think that it is absolutely necessary to have a skillful attorney. It makes a difference for the rest of your life! I am so glad that Brett was in charge, and knew what he was doing. If you are in the process of getting a divorce, I highly recommend that you hire Brett Wishart to represent you!

Attorney Brett Wishart came highly recommended by a friend, but initially I chose a different OC attorney because I felt I did not need a strong litigator during my marriage dissolution. Two attorneys later, time and money… brought me to retain Mr. Wishart, whom had the experience, professionalism, personable skills, rapport with the Family Law Court staff/​judges and confidence to get the job done fairly and firmly (when necessary). I will add that his assistant, at the time, did require follow up and document corrections-​she has many years experience, but perhaps just extremely busy-​only downfall. His retainer fees are comparable to OC attorney’s, but his value exceeds their services. An absolute respectable attorney!

Brett Wishart is great. He helped me through my divorce and made sure that I received a fair judgement. He is honest and keeps me in the loop every step of the way. He is responsive and very accessible. A few years after my divorce he assisted when child support was reassessed. I recommend Brett to anyone looking for a solid family law attorney.

Brett and his staff are amazing. They are trustworthy and honest and have gone above and beyond my expectations. I would highly recommend Brett to anyone!

Mr. Wishart helped me through a time of great crisis in my life. I felt as though my life had been flipped upside down and I had know idea where to begin sorting through the issues I was facing. Mr. Wishart gave me a new perspective on not only my rights as a parent but also hope that being a father did not automatically mean I could not have physical custody of my four boys. Mr. Wishart has a great ability to reason and calm down opposing parties and help them see things in a way that can be mutually beneficial. Overall the process of divorse was definately easier than I thought it would be thanks to the handling of it by Mr. Wishart.