Close Smith Family Law

"Had Cary Close as a mediator. In my opinion she could have cared less about any resolution. No negotiation or mediation skills apparent in our 'mediation'. I do NOT recommend."

"If you're going through a divorce and you don't use Cary Close , You won't help your best possible representation. She is wonderful and works very hard for you and is reasonable for an attorney."

"Cary mediated my divorce. She did an excellent job, it was a very stressful day for me. I had been in a long marriage and did not initiate the divorce. Her efficiency, knowledge and humor made the day much more bearable. It took 9 hours but I was pleased with the final result and happy that we had avoided a court battle. The office was comfortable with lots of space, snacks and drinks. My lawyer had explained that we would not be in the same room mediating, it did make the process less emotional. Getting a divorce is the most painful experience I have been through but Cary made it all a little easier. I would recommend her to anyone who needs mediation."

"​My divorce was just finalized, and I therefore now feel that I can write this review. Cary Close represented me, and I am truly grateful to have had Cary helping me through the most incredibly painful experience of my life. I was married for more than 30 years, and I never expected to be in this situation. The past year and a half (of "separation") has been indescribably challenging for me on all levels. I didn't have a clue about any of it, including what attorney to use. My brother, who lives in another city, asked an attorney friend there to "network" among his colleagues in the legal community, and he provided me with his names of "the best" divorce lawyers in Raleigh, of whom Cary was one of his top three. I spent countless hours researching them & others (I'm a perfectionist by nature), had a brief dalliance with another attorney (a great "learning experience" for me) and ultimately ended up selecting Cary. I could not have made a better choice. In my opinion, Cary is highly knowledgeable and experienced re: divorce law. She is also really smart, fair, equanimous, strong and honest. Another critically important component for me is that she is not contentious first. She, like me, prefers negotiation if possible. This is significant because, in my view, the only people who "benefit" from being combative are the lawyers. I needed someone who could assist in keeping me grounded, focused and positive in a situation that is beyond stressful, arduous, taxing. Make no mistake, though: I have absolute confidence that if things had gotten to that point, I would want her in my corner because I believe that she can be tough, if need be. That, combined with her knowledge, experience, intelligence and fair-mindedness, made me feel secure in my decision. She has further been truly mindful of the costs involved. She tries to keep her fees reasonable by utilizing her paralegal assistant, Laurie, whenever/wherever possible. Laurie is also excellent! She, too, is efficient and compassionate. Divorce is difficult (understatement), and divorce is expensive. I feel that Cary is cognizant of that and makes every attempt to keep it as reasonable as she can. This is only my 2nd public review - ever. I'm actually quite a private person; however, I decided to do this evaluation because Cary has done such a superb job on my behalf, and I'm so appreciative! I know that this is a rather long review; however, I hope that it may help others in making a decision which was extraordinarily daunting for me. I'd encourage those searching for an excellent divorce attorney to add Cary Close to their list of those with whom to consult. The greatest compliments I can add are that I would highly recommend her to anyone who asks, and I would give her more than 5 stars, if that was possible. Thanks to Cary (and Laurie) for helping me through the most formidable and trepidatious period of my entire life!"

"Cary is an excellent family lawyer. I've been working with her for 7 years and highly recommend her. She is a very straight shooter who is focused on getting the best outcome possible at a reasonable cost for her clients."