Natalie
Absolutely knows what she's doing!!
Natalie has helped me tremendously through a long and drawn out custody dispute. I hired her initially to appeal what was a completely uninformed decision by a judge, which we won. She then took my case back to the judge, where he reversed his initial decision (correctly, I'd like to add). Then she fought for me again when my ex tried to appeal that. It didn't even go back to court that time around.
I myself tend to be a bit of a control freak, but it didn't take long for me to realize that I could trust Natalie to truly bat for me, to know what angle to take, and to deliver exactly what needed to be done. She knows her stuff, and knows how to use that knowledge.
Do not underestimate the importance of familiarity with the local system and respect among the judges. While I do believe that most judges will make their decisions objectively and wisely with as much information as they have, I figured out that it is still human nature (regardless of who you are) to know who you can trust, and whose word you respect. Natalie has tremendous rapport with the judges in the area, as well as fellow attorneys. She commands respect, and it is readily apparent when she speaks and is heard, that her thoughts and opinions are valued. Whether or not it should, I do believe this makes a difference. It's only natural.
Beyond fighting for you, and doing so with total competence and professionalism, Natalie will truly care for the struggles you're facing, and who you are as a person.
Also - she's really good at easing the tension and awkwardness while you're sitting around in court waiting for things to happen. More than once, I REALLY appreciated that.