Hendershot Cowart P.C.

I think it’s worth noting that I’ve left hundreds of reviews for local businesses, and it’s very rare that I leave a negative one, but I think it’s worth sharing to help others in the future.

For the amount of money you’re going to spend (likely minimum 50-100k), you’re better off hiring a top-tier law firm with more seasoned attorneys.

Throughout the process, it felt like we were outmatched by the opposing firm. While I appreciate the effort from my attorneys, the experience level didn’t seem aligned with the senior trial partner we were up against at a large national firm. It often felt like they were playing defense and conceding too quickly rather than pushing back with confidence. Additionally, it did not inspire confidence that my attorney was only a few years in going against a 30-year partner at a large firm. The experience differential showed.

I also felt like I was driving much of the strategy. There were multiple points where it didn’t seem like my objectives were fully understood or prioritized.

Communication was another concern. In one of my first interactions, I was addressed by the name of my opponent, which didn’t inspire confidence. At one of the most critical points in the case, there was an attempt to postpone a conversation until after a demand letter deadline. Given the urgency, that was especially frustrating, and it wasn’t addressed until I pushed for it.

The billing was also questionable. Even though there was no in-person court action or mediation, and the agreement was ultimately settled directly between the parties, the total cost ended up above the original estimate, which had accounted for significantly more legal work.

Additionally, a large portion of the fees were tied to documents after terms had already been agreed to and a document outlining the high-level terms had been provided.

Even after the final documents were signed and everything was complete, a short email exchange with a simple clarifying question ended up costing me $1,200. Because one attorney was out, another had to review the full set of finalized documents just to provide a basic answer. This likely would have taken a few minutes for the primary attorney to address.

On top of that, well over a month after the agreement was signed and I had paid the final invoice, as confirmed by their accounting, I received an additional bill for $1,300.

It also seemed like many routine email exchanges resulted in calls with opposing counsel involving two attorneys, adding time and cost unnecessarily.

Even when I directed my attorneys on certain points I had already agreed to, there was pushback that led to additional back-and-forth with opposing counsel.

Based on my experience with other attorneys, the fees here felt disproportionate to the work involved.

If your case has meaningful stakes, I would strongly consider a larger firm with more experienced attorneys. For the amount you're likely going to spend here, there are likely better options.

I hired this firm in November 2024 to handle a corporate legal matter for my company, Affordable Stair Parts, LLC. My initial consultation was with Simon W. (Trey) Hendershot, III, who was very polite, professional, and made me feel confident about my case. He answered all my questions and gave the impression that he was willing to fight for me.

Unfortunately, my experience changed completely after I paid the retainer.

After payment, communication became almost nonexistent. I was not able to reach him again, calls and emails went unanswered. My case was then reassigned to another attorney without much explanation, and from that point forward, the focus seemed to shift entirely toward pushing me to settle rather than actively working on my case.

What was most frustrating is that I continued to receive monthly bills, despite feeling like little to no real progress or effort was being made beyond encouraging settlement. It felt as though my case was not being genuinely pursued, and I was left questioning the value of the services I was paying for.

In the end, the resolution they pushed for was something I could have handled myself from the beginning through a simple agreement, without incurring significant legal fees.

Overall, the lack of communication, transparency, and proactive representation made this a very disappointing experience. I expected guidance and advocacy, but instead felt like I had to manage the situation on my own.

I would recommend that anyone considering this firm ensure clear expectations around communication, case handling, and billing practices before moving forward.

Affordable Stair Parts, LLC

I hired this firm to represent me in a dispute with a former business partner who had taken money from our company. When they initially took the case, I was told it wasn’t the easiest case but that it was still a doable one.

Over the course of the process I was billed around $30,000 in legal fees. By the time we reached mediation, the message I received from both my attorney and the mediator was essentially that I should consider being the bigger person and move on rather than continue fighting the case.

I understand that litigation can become extremely expensive, and my attorney explained that taking the case all the way through court could cost significantly more. However, my main frustration is that during the process I didn’t feel there was much effort to push back strategically against the opposing counsel.

At one point the opposing side threatened a countersuit. My understanding was that taking things to court would be very expensive for both sides. In hindsight, I wish we had pushed back more firmly and called that bluff to see if a better outcome could be reached.

The mediation itself was relatively short (around an hour), and the decision to settle happened quickly. Looking back, I wish I had been encouraged to take more time to evaluate my options before making that decision.

The attorneys were professional and respectful, but as a client who was already losing money due to the dispute, walking away after spending another $30k in legal fees left me feeling like the case could have been handled with more aggressive advocacy.