John Springgate

I hired John Springgate at a moment of extreme urgency and fear. My spouse had taken the children, and a temporary restraining order and custody issues were at the center of the case. From the very beginning, I was clear about my priorities:
my first priority was to challenge the restraining order and protect my ability to see my children. Divorce was not my focus.
Over time, I felt the direction of my case shifted away from that goal. Instead of aggressively addressing the restraining order and custody concerns early, the case became increasingly centered on divorce proceedings. As someone unfamiliar with family law and under significant emotional stress, I relied on my attorney’s guidance, even when decisions did not make sense to me.
The case became prolonged, expensive, and chaotic. Legal hours accumulated rapidly, communication often felt transactional, and I did not feel my concerns were being strategically prioritized. In hindsight, I believe critical early opportunities to challenge custody-related issues were missed, and the prolonged process only increased conflict and cost.
The financial impact was significant, with tens of thousands of dollars spent, much of it drawn from marital assets. More importantly, the personal cost has been devastating. Years later, I remain did not see my children, and I believe early decisions in the case played a major role in that outcome.
I trusted my attorney to guide me through an unfamiliar, high-stakes situation with clarity and focus. I do not feel that trust was honored.
legal decisions affected my relationships with children.

Very professional and personable. He's a rare quality lawyer who displays real ethics and integrity.

One of the best family law attorneys in town, highly qualified and very dedicated. Most attorneys I have encountered have their primary focus on how much money they can get out of you. John is not like that. Recently, I reached out to him thinking I needed his representation, and he could have requested a $3,000 - $5,000 retainer to take the case but after a lengthy discussion, he was honest and upfront that most likely there would be no difference in the outcome and I would spend quite a few thousand dollars. That is top-notch integrity.