Elizabeth Sales Van Clief

If you’re looking for an attorney to prepare a QDRO for the Marital Settlement Agreement (MSA) that you’ve negotiated, keep looking. In my case Ms. VanClief improperly changed the terms of the MSA and divided my separate property assets that weren’t even listed as community property on the MSA. Once she generates the totally flawed QDRO that’s full of mistakes (all in the other party’s favor), California law prohibits the Judge from assigning a different (competent, fair, neutral) attorney to prepare the QDRO unless both parties agree. If your divorce is like mine, it’s unlikely the other side will agree to give up tens of thousands of dollars they weren’t entitled to receive. Your only recourse is to file malpractice to collect damages. Divorce is painful enough; you can make the final settlement part easier by paying any other attorney to prepare your QDRO. Good Luck!

Really not happy. I had over 1/3 of my pension garnished without letting me know. When I checked my bank I had $1600 less in my account! Never warned or noticed of the deduction. No phone call or letter to inform me. No communication. Absolutely ridiculous and outrageous.

My ex-husband hired Elizabeth to complete calculations done on a QDRO for us. She refused to include me in any communication, even after my personal attorney, directly requested her to do so. This is a lack of complete professionalism. I definitely do not trust her and would not recommend her at all.

Worst form of betrayal is an attorney who pretends to advocate for you, but turns out to be the one who takes advantage of your need. I had set up a FREE consultation with Elizabeth VanClief, a QDRO Attorney. During this consultation, Elizabeth listen to my challenges with another attorney. She said to me that she knew this particular attorney,stated that she did not like to see anyone being bullied, and then she OFFERED TO CALL THAT ATTORNEY TO GET INSIGHT TO MY ISSUE. SHE ADDED, DON'T WORRY YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED FOR THIS. Sounded good. About 2 1/2 weeks later she billed me. She had not been retained as my attorney at that time. When I addressed this issue with her, she yelled at me, which I was not surprised because I did read another review that she yelled and hung up on someone else. With a raised voice, she told me that she was an attorney and that she did not work pro bono. She flipped the narrative and said that I asked her to call the other attorney. Opinion is untrustworthy.

Read other reviews, wish I had! Fee charged for QDRO is more than most other Lawyers for the same service (almost double.) Unprofessional. Unresponsive. Lack of communication. Biased. Slow. Charges for unnecessary work.

Terrible experience with this firm! Spent over two years “recalculating” numbers and overcharged thousands. Once the QDRO was finally signed, Van Clief wanted thousands more before serving it on the plan. Divorce is hard enough but, then you get taken advantage of by lawyers and divorce professionals that are hired to help! Take your business elsewhere!