Page 25 - NC Triangle Vol 7 No 1
P. 25

ATTORNEY PROFILE
Steve Monks
“Getting Peace for My Clients” BY BOB FRIEDMAN
Ifthere is a word that best describes the litigation strategy of Raleigh at- torney Steve Monks, it
is nonconfrontational.  e  rm has two lawyers and em- ploys two paralegals and three ad- ministrative sta  to assist clients with family law, immigration law, criminal law, preparation of simple wills and represents client’ statewide on tra c tickets. “ at’s right, Murphy to Man-
teo.”
Monks said he helps his
clients control legal costs and avoid “nu-
Monks said he draws on his own experience from a divorce in 2015 that was contentious and expensive in advising his clients. I’ve counseled thousands of clients, but never really knew how hard it was until I experi- enced it. ‘It completely reinforced for me the signi cance of trying to do things in an amicable way. My goal for my clients is to try to get their case over fast and get them peace.”
BROTHERS IN ARMS
Steve Monks was born and
raised in Houston, Tex-
as. “My father always
tion work which constitutes about a third of our caseload.”
JIMMYVANDME
Monks has two adult children; a girl and a boy and his youngest, the son, attends NC State. Steve is currently engaged to be married.
Steve was a former deejay, so when he’s not working, he’s playing vinyl records, listening to books on tape or cheering for his beloved University of Houston Cougars.  e Cougars are best known in these parts as the team that lost to the Jim Valvano-coached NC State team for the 1983 NCAA basketball national title.  e 54–52 ending is one of the most famous in college basketball history and Steve was on the  oor that evening as a cheerleader for Houston.
“I  nd it ironic and bittersweet that I now live in Raleigh, home of NC State, that team that beat us in that buzzer beater national championship game and that my son attends school there now.”
Steve Monks and Attorney at Law Magazine have made generous dona- tions to Legal Aid of North Carolina in conjunction with this story.
MONKS LAW FIRM PLLC
3824 Barrett Dr., Suite 308, Raleigh, NC 27609,
(919) 401-1111 www.monkslawnc.com
clear war litigation” “I help people do it working together.
using what he calls themselves. Anyone can go I have two older
the “Litigation brothers who are
Coach Option.” on-lineandbuytheformsand also lawyers. I al-
It’s a form of un- bundled à la carte legal services with a menu of  xed fee services.
“I help people do it
themselves. Anyone can go
on-line and buy the forms and  ll them out on their own. We provide strategic counseling and ensure that the documents are correctly prepared and  led; a turn-key service. I primar- ily do this with child custody cases because they require mandatory me- diation; but I’ve also done it statewide and for a variety of types of cases.”
“ e litigation coach option is one of the most rewarding parts of my practice because it provides a way for people to a ord litigation. I’ve fought those battles, having tried over 100 jury trial cases. I don’t have to person- ally deal with some opposing attorney that is using scorched-earth tactics to wear down my client. I have found that the litigation coach option o en reduces the leverage of even the most well-funded opponent.”
 llthemoutontheirown.We providestrategiccounselingand ensurethatthedocuments are correctly prepared and led.”
dreamed of his son’s
ways thanked my brothers for not be- coming ditch diggers. But, had they, we would have been the best ditch diggers in Texas,” laughed
Monks.
He attended the University of
Houston and graduated with a BBA in marketing. He earned his Juris doctor at South Texas College of Law in Houston.
In 1987, he and his brothers start- ed, Monks, Monks & Monks, PC in Houston. “My brothers had already established areas of practice and fam- ily law was “le -over.” So, I started doing family law and I assisted my brothers in their areas of practice, criminal law and tra c ticket de- fense,” said Monks.
Steve moved to NC and launched his own  rm in 2002. “I love North Carolina, but I really miss “Tex-Mex” food”. Steve speaks Spanish and over half of his clients are Latino’s. “ at’s really why I started doing immigra-
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