Butler Moss O’Neal, PLC

I hired RLSB for a difficult contested divorce. While my attorney was knowledgeable and the final outcome was acceptable, my overall experience with the firm fell short of what I expected from a higher-tier attorney’s office.

The biggest issue was communication. I often had to send multiple follow-ups on basic questions, and a significant number of my emails never received a reply at all. Quick acknowledgments were common, but meaningful responses regularly took much longer. Based on my email record, the average time to receive a substantive answer was often one to two weeks, and several replies took even longer. On several occasions during important moments in the case, I went weeks without an update unless I pushed for one.

Another recurring issue was follow-through. The firm would often ask for my approval to move forward on filings, letters, or scheduling, but after my approval was given, I would hear nothing unless I reached out again. It was rare to receive confirmation that something had been filed, delivered, or completed without me following up first.

I also felt the overall strategy was more reactive than proactive. I did not feel consistently coached through the process, and I often felt like I had to provide the urgency, direction, and follow-up myself. There were several deadlines I had made clear well in advance that were still not met.

Overall, the advocacy fell short of what I expected. I was not looking for unnecessary hostility, but in a contested divorce, I expected firmer representation, clearer strategic guidance, and greater confidence that my attorney was actively protecting my interests and standing firm with opposing counsel.

There were also multiple times when I had to provide corrections or clarifications on documents prepared for me. Client review is part of the process, but given the rates charged, I expected a higher level of polish, attention to detail, and consistency before documents came back to me.

Another concern was continuity. My attorney was unavailable several times during important stages of my case, including periods involving significant filings or deadlines. I understand that attorneys take vacations and have other obligations, but on more than one occasion, attorneys who were less familiar with my case appeared to prepare or handle important documentation. In my view, that led to weaker advocacy and work product that did not always reflect the full context or strategy of my case.

The delays and lack of communication made it hard to tell whether the firm was overwhelmed with too many cases or simply not prioritizing client communication, but either way the impact was the same. Billing was always timely, but responsiveness and transparency were not.

I would give 2.5 stars if possible. Since Google does not allow that, I am giving 2 stars rather than 3, because 3 stars suggests a slightly above-average experience, and that is not how I would characterize my time with the firm. While there were competent aspects of the representation, the lack of communication, proactive strategy, follow-through, continuity, and consistent support made an already stressful process harder than it needed to be.

Worked with Pagliaro on a custody case. She was focused mostly on settling out of court. I do not believe she was ready for court to begin with. By the time I started to question her competency it was too late in the game.
She was not open with me and argued mostly with me during a settlement agreement in order to get it done and move on. She did not fight for me at all. She also provided my financial information to the opposing attorney when it was not needed. The opposing council submitted incomplete interrogatories and provided outdated evidence that was not allowed. Pagliaro accepted this from the opposing attorney. I told her that they need to be held to the same standards as I am. Her response "the judge will see past that".
I have made some poor decisions under her direction.
Unprofessional behavior, poor representation, little communication, she would give advice and then she would get angry with me for taking it. Then deny giving it to begin with.
She also has a tendency make technical mistakes.
She makes the impression of someone who would stand her ground and someone who is will stand up for you. But in reality, she is all bark not no bite.
Learn from my mistake, look somewhere else.

I am writing this to share my first-hand observations of Nicole O'Neal (Butler Moss O'Neal) from the perspective of a spouse helping navigate a custody case. Based on my experience watching her in the courtroom, she employs an incredibly aggressive approach that families should be aware of.

Courtroom Conduct:
During the proceedings, I personally witnessed Ms. O'Neal repeatedly attempt to discredit my wife by claiming her name was incorrect on almost every document. In my opinion, this appeared to be a transparent attempt to mislead the court and distract from the actual merits of the case rather than focusing on the facts