Paterson & Dowding

I saw Paterson & Dowding listed on Doyles Guide as one of the top law firms in Perth. When I contacted their office I spoke to a lady who really listed to all the concerns I had about my ex and our matter. She told me that they would match me with a Lawyer who was suitable to my case. I was then booked in for a meeting the next day. The lawyer I spoke to had so much knowledge and experience and made me feel calm (for the first time in a long time). They were very transparent about their fees and explained the process to me so I could understand it. I would highly recommend this firm.

Friendly, compassionate, helpful and loyal team who go out of their way to assist their clients. Everyone is passionate about family law and what they do. One of few firms that do surrogacy and prenups.

I have had an excellent representation and attention to details in my Family Law case from Craig Taylor. I can totally recommend this firm to be the best choice for legal matters in this area. All the staff are courteous and very prompt with communications.

I would not trust these lawyers with your privacy or confidentiality. I have been provided with another parties private medical information. I assume their client has no knowledge about the fact that Paterson Dowding has released this information to a 3rd party. Very unprofessional conduct by this firm. Look elsewhere if you cherish your privacy. Thanks for your response but the readers or future clients may now be aware that I have told the truth and clearly you have admitted your breach of a client's privacy and confidentiality. Why would you admit to informing the appropriate agency's under the Act? I believe the public or future clients have a right to know about the incompetency of who they may be putting their trust in, especially when they may be signing away their rights or being asked for their consent to collect sensitive, private and confidential information. I would note that I did not pretend to be a client of Paterson Dowding. You're business is unethical and the public have a right to know how you operate.

I contacted Paterson & Dowding after the recommendation I saw on Doyles Guide, which listed them year after year as one of the top family law firms in Perth ..... On contacting them I made it clear I needed representation and advice for a very complex and serious domestic violence case and was there someone who had the relevant experience who could take on such a case - they advised yes. I immediately was asked to deposit $20k into their trust account which I did. Over the next 9 months - I paid a further $30k - They did not act on instruction as asked - They requested docs and info which was sent, then as they charged me $50 to read every email I sent, allowed me to continually chase up outcome for 5 months only to admit they had overlooked the docs info I had send months previously, had never mentioned this as I continually chased up outcome, had charged me thousands for these continual enquires and then refused to refund this amount. - Over 9 months, they failed to provide any assistance with affidavit telling me I had to write it myself and send to them. - I provided a cloud link with or organised and categorised evidence that they never looked at despite numerous requests - When I finally complained, they advised they would no longer represent me only dats before an important court date - I literally paid them $50,000 to read my emails and attend two court dates for approx an hour each. No affidavit, no action on the item I had sent them 5 months previously ... absolutely nothing. I was shocked, left without any representation and when I asked them to refund even part of the money I’d paid them as they had literally done nothing, they didn’t even reply. They has little insight onto domestic violence cases, they didn’t at all understand the trauma victims suffer, they provided no advice on how to legally stop DV occurring, never mr timed it in any communications to the court ..... it was like being in the twilight zone. How could such a prominent law firm provide such poor service and have such little expertise in something like DV that is present in many family court cases and not act when instructed when the risk to the victim has been advised to be of the most serious kind? They acted recklessly and unprofessionally and left us at risk - all they ever asked me for was money ... that’s all they were interested in. Lawyers I have seen since have been appalled when looking over what they had and had not done for 9 months and when I tell them how much I paid, one suggested I report them to the legal board as they could not see even in their professional opinion anything they had done that should of cost so much money. If you have a serious DV case - stay away from this firm. They will take your money and say all the right things but you will not be getting anything like the service and experienced insight and representation you can from others ... they might say they are the best - but they simply aren’t.. They should be ashamed of themselves, taking advantage of victims of DV for profits. Patterson and Dowding is a competitive business that is focused on revenue- the law comes second and clients come third and question them? They just stop representing you with no warning. Please - go elsewhere... the best family lawyers I have found are not any of what is said to be top tier ... Patterson and Dowding said they would help and made a bad situation, catastrophic. (And if they have an issue with this review - they are welcome to challenge me as I have proof of every single thing I have said)