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19 Sep, 2017 by Lisa
My ex and I were told we needed to use Ricks to split our retirement funds. From the start Ricks was nothing but rude and condescending to us, he had account numbers incorrect and lied about information that was given to him that he said he never received (we had emails to back it up). He has no idea what he is doing. The financial institutes that we had funds in had worked with him before and they used the word incompetent and rude. DO NOT use this man for anything unless you love to be treated poorly and love frustration and wasting money.
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24 Oct, 2015 by Anonymous
hired to create QDRO could not ever get dates and my name correct on paper work. Extremely rude and curt when trying to talk to him about situation.
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13 Jul, 2015 by Doug
when hired i was told 30 to 45 days, when i called after 45 days the paper work hadnt even been submitted and it would be another 30 to 45 days when i asked for a discount he said no that it just slipped through the cracks, WOW thats competance and fair huh, someone dosent do his job right according to a contract and he refuses to compensate NICE. Sorry dan but this was supposed to be quick and simple and you turned it into a pain, my opinion is go to someone more competent
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02 Jun, 2016 by Nate
I hired Mr Sumner to represent me in my divorce in 2011. He missed the deadline to submit work on my parenting plan, and a different parenting plan was put in that I did not agree with. I would avoid Mr Sumner at all costs.
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13 Jul, 2011 by Anonymous
I hired this attorney for a personal injury claim and was not impressed with his ability or follow through. I hoped he would pursue my case strongly, but I didn't feel he put much time or effort into it. I would not recommend him.
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06 Dec, 2010 by Anonymous
Mr. Sumner did not impress me as having a broad knowledge of the law and I didn't feel he did a very good job in court advancing my case. I felt let down by him after spending a significant amount of money. Caveat emptor.
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15 Mar, 2016 by Anonymous
Like the other reviews on here, Kimberly was all talk when I first hired her. She referred to herself as a "bulldog", saying she would have our back and push for what was fair. That turned out to be all smoke and mirrors. She is spineless, has zero care for her clients but will be happy to take your money. I came out the huge loser in my divorce and paid an outrageous amount of money to my ex-wife when I shouldn't have. Kimberly just kept caving to my ex-wife's lawyer and saying that it was the best we were going to be able to do. She also leaves her office for weeks at a time with zero notification and takes forever to respond to phone calls or email, even after repeated messages left with her office assistant. Run as fast as possible in the other direction and find a lawyer that a friend or relative has had a good experience with. I truly regret ever hiring Kimberly.
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04 Mar, 2016 by Anonymous
Kimberly was all talk prior to me hiring her; I had what should have been a VERY open and closed case for divorce and full custody. I was told I had a very strong case and shouldn't have any problems getting the very few requests I had.
Kimberly not only rescheduled my first court date without even letting me know it had been scheduled; but also completely failed to even tell me of the SECOND scheduled court date! Had my ex not mentioned something about our upcoming court date, I would have missed it altogether!
More contact was had in the 2 days prior to the final court date than the entire year prior; I have had multiple ignored phone calls, voicemails, and emails as well. There is clearly no fight in her to back up her clients needs, even with substantial documentation, proof, and evidence. Kimberly didn't negotiate for me in the slightest - to the point it actually felt like my ex had two lawyers, but I was paying for one of them!
She was the second biggest mistake of my life; the first was marrying a person I knew was dishonest.
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20 Mar, 2014 by Marcia
Worst lawyer ever. She was totally useless and not the least proactive. She never came up with any solutions or things I should be addressing. She did not fight for me at all! Five years later I am still regretting hiring her and wish I could have done it over. So many things she did not tell me about or suggest for my divorce. I got nothing and ended up giving away all my retirement savings. And now my kids have no money to go to college. I felt like I had no one on my side. Isn't your lawyer supposed to be helpful and go to bat for you?? I got nothing for her. And then she had the nerve to request more money when it was over. She promised me when I hired her that no client ever said that she didn't do everything she could for them. Well, that was a lie. She did nothing for me or my children. I have two friends who were working with her at the same time and both of them got screwed by their ex-husbands too.
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01 Apr, 2014 by Anonymous
In my opinion Bill Keeler is one of the most evil men I have ever encountered in my entire life. I think that he is arrogant, selfish, inconsiderate, incompetent, and will do just about anything for money. I caught him lying to me on three occasions. He never kept any promise he made to me. He hunted me down like I was a wild animal, defamed my character and forced me against my will to testify in a civil case that had absolutely nothing to do with me and he knew it.
The civil case was all because someone at his law firm had written a living trust incorrectly and did not list and give money to anyone who might contest the trust. Because of that when their client died, someone previously listed on another living trust contested the trust. Everyone knows or should know that you have to list anyone on a trust who might contest the trust and give them $1 which shows you considered them and didn't want them to get any money. Any competent attorney would have listed any and all people listed on previous trusts and given them a $1. This is standard practice in the industry. Yet Bill Keeler's law firm did not do that. And one of the people listed in a previous trust contested the trust. Surprise, surprise. NOT The case couldn't be thrown out because he wasn't listed on the trust that Bill Keeler's law firm had written. So instead of owning up to the fact that they had written the living trust incorrectly, he decided to supeona anyone who might correct his mistake. A good person doesn't force other people against their will to correct their mistake. A good person corrects their own mistakes.
I was one of the people subpoenaed on their fishing expedition to correct their mistake. However, Bill told me excruciating details about the case. Attorneys are not allowed to tell details to a witness because it might sway their testimony. But Bill did exactly that to me. In my opinion he was trying to get me to lie under oath.
He also sent a process server to go to all my neighbors and tell them that I was being served papers. That process server hunted me down for over a month. I work a lot so I was never home when she tried to serve me. That gave me many sleepless nights during that month because all my neighbors were coming up to me telling me that someone was trying to serve me papers. I knew that I had done nothing wrong to get someone to serve me papers. He had never sent me a letter in the mail to tell me what was going on in advance. His first effort without giving me a chance to volunteer to testify was to serve me papers to get me to testify against my will. Again it is extremely rare for a person to be supeonaed in a civil case. Yet, because Bill, in my opinion, has no morals, it didn't bother him that he had made my life hell by defaming my character to all my neighbors.
When he finally got a hold of me, I figured out right away he wasn't owning up to the fact that they had made a mistake. And they wanted me to correct their mistake. I was so furious when I found the truth about why the process server had defamed my character for over a month.. To make matters worse, he and one of his staff threatened to throw me in jail if I didn't do exactly what they wanted. Knowing they would be throwing a completely innocent person in jail didn't bother Bill and his staff one bit. In my opinion, the person who should be thrown in jail is Bill and his staff. In my opinions they are criminals.
I sent Bill two certified letters telling them not to contact me and I sent over 50 emails telling them not to contact me. And the next day Bill would always contact me out of complete disrespect, arrogance and selfishness. I couldn't sleep for four months over a case that was 100% caused by Bill Keeler's law firm's incompetence, in my opinion. Now you know why I think Bill Keeler is one of the most evil men I have ever encountered.
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07 Feb, 2014 by Anonymous
Mr. Keeler told us we would not be liable for anything but our own attorneys fees but infact he joined us to a petition that held us responsible for over 100 grand of all the other partys fees. He filed responses we never agreed to or even signed just to rack up more charges. Mr. Keeler was all about the money rather then having a close bond with his clients or even standing up and showing compassion for a deceased individual who deserved justice! NOT TRUSTWORTHY! I do NOT reccomend and would NOT ever use again! Please research thoroughly before you just think because of his age and how long he has been practicing law he must be good at what he does.
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09 Nov, 2020 by Cheheyla
I would NOT recommend this attorney. He wasted 1.5 years of my life. He didn’t care to explain one single detail to me about my case. I had to literally ask and beg for explanation and he still refused. He didn’t take my time and concerns into consideration. He forgot to send out my demands and he also sent out a demand that I did not agree with. Every email he sent me had typos and he failed to spell my name correctly on multiple occasions. In person, he made me feel very uncomfortable and I always left with more questions and no answers. His communication skills are absolutely horrible, it was like pulling teeth to get any information at all. He would ignore my questions and pressure me into making decisions without any guidance. His office had his case files scattered all over the table and I could openly read other people’s documents. He is extremely unprofessional and was a hassle to deal with. Working with him was the worst thing that could have happened to me after my accident.
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11 Mar, 2020 by Anonymous
My experience with this attorney was quite disappointing — he misled me and failed to show me the basic respect of straightforward communication. He was initially nice enough in person, upon offering me some guidance, free of charge, insofar as how to go about filing a petition for post-conviction relief following my conviction. However, he did more harm than good — I would have been better off never having met this guy. He not only wasted my time on the small scale by not bothering to show up at his office at the time/s we had initially scheduled to meet (sans apology), but he ultimately wasted six months of the time I could have and would have otherwise spent working with an attorney (while working within a limited timeframe within which to even file aforementioned petition). He apparently decided, without telling me, that he didn't have time to help me out after all; he eventually just stopped answering my phone calls after having been in touch for a few months, and after lastly telling me to call him back so that we could "schedule our next meeting". It's only through the grapevine that I learned he decided to stop working on my case. Had I not asked others who knew the guy, I would have been left hanging, and just assumed he was swamped with work and would be getting back in touch with me as he stated, while my impending deadline crept closer and closer.
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21 Nov, 2023 by Anonymous
This lawyer should not be a lawyer. He is unprofessional, refuses to communicate, never gets back to his clients, doesn't return calls or emails, doesn't care about his clients and could care less. In a year period of representation he has spoken to me once. He files documents without permission and caused me to be falsley in prisoned. Run far away from this attorney and report him to the bar.
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29 Dec, 2022 by Anonymous
My experience with this defense was absolutely dissatisfying. I have witnesses and other clients who all saw him mis representing. He hangs up the phone walks away from you while talking. Doesnt answer questions. Never gave me progress reports. Never responded to letters. The list goes on and on. He mislead me on several occasions. Assigned me an aid and assist evaluation which was a complete waste of time. He was always making up excuses to not go to trial. He never gave me my full discovery. He never asked questions at trial that I wanted him to. He never used exculpatory evidence or subpeona any witnesses. I felt like he was the second prosecutor
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13 Feb, 2014 by Anonymous
He was all about the money and paying him alot of it. Sitting in court waiting he was working on other clients cases and charged me for the time. Never answered emails and was very condescending. After 7 months, 3 days before trial he gave me a letter saying he didnt want to represent me at trial. I scrambled and got a new attorney in the three days and he refused to release my file to my new attorney before I paid over $60,000. When I paid what we agreed to, he still refused to turn my file over saying he got a new bill for an additional $11,000 and refused to turn over my file till I paid that. This all three days before trial. I ended up paying him over $85,000 for basically nothing. My new attorney had to start from scratch. My new attorney was fantastic actually getting the case dismissed when Blackman told me plead guilty or face prison.
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12 May, 2013 by Blackmanwillripyouoffbeware!
The bizarre thing was that I feared nothing was being done so I was offerring to help any way I could and I was assured that all research was being done, etc., to further my case. However, that did not seem to be the case when the case started and went on. After the first day Mr. Blackman asked if I wanted to go to the library to do research. Apparently he needed help. At that point I was too tired and distraught to work overnight. He should have asked earlier, but maybe he thought I would fire him. I may have.
The case could have been settled, but Blackman made a big fight of it.
He probably knew that if he asked earlier I would have fired him, so constantly assured me that everything that needed to be done was being done. However, obviously it was not. Also, I suppose every time he assured me he intended to "get around to it", but never did.
In any case, mid trial I was being asked to figure my own case to help this so called attorney. WOW. That really blew me away.
The attorney permitted the constant misstating of the law by the District Attorney and failed to object. It was as if he had not cracked a book to learn anything about the law. What a disaster it was.
After the case was over I did crack those books and learned he had completely botched the case. It was simple research that a lawyer experienced, blah blah blah as Mr. Blackman claims to be could easily find in a few minutes, at most an hour, maybe a little more.
He never took the time.
He just bumbled into court all sure of himself with a factually innocent client. He also failed to make any efforts to prepare or go over testimony.
Apparently he does NOT know how to do that, or research a case.
He'll expect you to do all the work to get yourself off.
During the litigation he was still trying to issue subpoenas and things which should have been done beforehand. He was unable to do so. He was too late. However, he also did not "fall on the sword" and tell the judge he needed a continuance and why (that he had not done his job). Apparently it is more important to Blackman to keep up appearances than to serve the interests of his clients.
This lawyer is a disaster.
If you want a lawyer who thinks he is better than other people, but too dumb to realize he's not really very smart at all this is your man. And he'll charge you a HUGE amount of money as well, and when you try to go away after he screws up your case and your life he'll sue you for 10s of thousands of dollars or more, all for the incompetent "work" he performs which you'd be better off doing yourself.
Do yourself a favor and save the money and go with the public defender. If you don't qualify for the Public Defender then look for ANYBODY else.
Probably most troubling is an element of bigotry in Blackman. He thinks he's superior to everybody else and though he was superior to the brand new DA opposing him.
However, that brand new DA was able to effectively violate the law right and left with improper instructions, improper statements of what the law is not, and improper questioning and more including sheltering witnesses we needed from subpoenas. Blackman claimed the DA's actions were "unethical" but was unable to do a damn thing about them.
If I wasn't paying the price for his incompetence, it would have been quite entertaining watching that brand new DA kick Blackman.
There could be a movie about it. It might be pretty good.
Worst of all, he still thinks he's better than everybody else even as he loses.
He doesn't have a clue.
But he's all about the money -- your money -- and he will sue you too even as he ruins your case and life by being so incompetent and lazy.
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22 Jun, 2024 by Hillary
I did speak with Ms. Dubay in regards to representing me in collecting a debt. She repeatedly told me how expensive it would be. Having some legal experience I did not see how she could assert this and I was apprehensive about hiring her, which I decided not to do.
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13 Sep, 2021 by Mikkel
Eleanor is a very dishonest attorney! She lies and the follow up was so poor! I’d be happy to provide the history to anyone who wants to know what an awful attorney. I have all the proof. This attorney makes a lot to treat real people bad. Consumer beware!
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29 Nov, 2018 by Anonymous
Do not go to this guy! If he's appointed to you, fire him! He comes across as "Do whatever dhs says if you want your kids back." What about dhs shouldn't have ever taken them?? What happened to defending your client?? It took me 8yrs fighting the injustice system. I finally got full custody just in time to find out my son had a brain tumor the size of an orange on his brainstem & was close to death. Ya this "lawyer" was the first mistake. Hiring one of his parters, mistake #2. Good luck out there!!
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18 Aug, 2015 by Anonymous
I know he is a court appointed lawyer HOWEVER he is to work for the client. They are innocent unitl proven guilty. He is to believe them and represent them to the fullest. His wages are paid by the people. So why is he not for the people. HELLO defend!! Do not just agree with the dumb DA. The DA could care less about a person and what is wrong or right just about them looking good.
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29 Feb, 2024 by Anonymous
She was intimidated by opposing counsel, encouraged settling and giving more to them than was even necessary let alone fair. She is not a fathers rights attorney whatsoever. She has no experience (outside of our case) with high conflict people, and had no idea how to handle it. There were multiple instances of her giving advice, only to concede that she was wrong. She dropped the ball on multiple occasions. When she’d speak to the judge, she was too nervous to get across ideas. It was like she was a kid reading from a written speech, no ability to improvise. Hiring her and not firing her mid battle is one of my biggest regrets. I don’t mean to be cruel, but this needed to be said. It’s too important and too much money for others not to know.
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11 Mar, 2010 by Matthew morrison
He never sent us any paper work on time, and he never informed us on anything that was going on. Did not even have respect to call us or mail a letter to inform us the out come of the case. I feel he took are money and did nothing.
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15 Aug, 2015 by Randy
Really one of the worst attorneys I have ever had. Actually, the opposite of ethical. He acted enthused until he got my 5K retainer and then gave nothing but the most shallow attention to my case. His email questions were often repeated, charging me heavily anytime he would ask questions that would reflect the most shallow understanding of the case. His pedigree and the fact that he had worked in the Oregon bar made me hopeful that he would actually work on the case and not simply churn but that did not happen. In the one exchange with the opposing attorney, the opposing attorney indicated how great it had been to work with him in the past and that he was looking forward to "collaborating" with him again. This attorney was truly awful.
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01 Jan, 2009 by Anonymous
Mrs. Morasch gouged me in my divorce. She made sure everyting was convenient for her and not in her client's best interests. She would not respond timely to any of my written requests/instructions and lost my divorce case for me due to her poor representation which has cost me thousands of dollars. During the divorce hearing, she just sat there and never once defended me. She was a total disappointment.
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23 Oct, 2021 by Anonymous
I received what I thought was a reasonable estimate for a simple scope of work. The "advanced billing" as they call it was 2.5 times this amount. Which is reasonable and understandable. However in the first month they billed, within a few dollars, the entire "advanced billing" and the work was only approximately half done. I feel like they needed some place to charge their hours and my "advanced billing" was used accordingly.
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15 Feb, 2016 by Anonymous
Ms. Peterson was hired by me in relation to descrepencies on my credit report. During our initial consultation, she appeared competent and knowledgeable. After she was hired, she did not follow through on promises she made to attempt to contact the companies regarding my case, she did not return my phone calls or emails. I had to
Physically go to her office twice. The first time I showed up, she apologized for not returning my calls stating that things got extremely busy. She admitted that she had not even started on my case and it had been almost a month since she was hired. After our meeting , I heard from her via a letter she sent to the companies on one occasion and then another "letter" that actually was an invoice for time accrued. Well it's been 6 months and I have heard nothing else from her. I just recently emailed her requesting the valve of my retainer: $44.00. This attorney is awful and I am extremely surprised she has remained in business. I only stumbled upon her through my employer's EAP Program...if you need a lawyer, beware of this one....in fact, run the other way.
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28 Jun, 2024 by Bob
So so I was like hey Alicia hey girl whats up. Like what's going on. And she's all like. Um... Shut up... You're fat and ugly. And I'm all like girl what's your beef with me. And she's all like girl you need to shut your stank mouth up and I was appalled so I was like girl don't you be talking to me like that girl I can get you out of a job b*tch. So then she started throwing hands but like I totally owned her girl. Anyways. Like. She is so not a lawyer you want to have around because she is just not the vibes.
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19 Sep, 2023 by Anonymous
Mr.Querin is nothing but rude and condescending when speaking to women. I walked out of my meeting with him as he attempted to advise me that as a woman I should just take his advice.
He shakes like crazy and when speaking and he is all over the place as well as very rude when speaking.
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02 Feb, 2021 by Anonymous
Maurisa failed to do anything at all with case . She told me to listen to everyone else around me and as long as I did I would get my case won. She was wrong. She doesn't focus on or pay attention, while in the Court room or even just talking her she will work on another case of hers insted of paying attention to the case at hand. Over all wordt attorney ever.
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17 Nov, 2016 by Anonymous
I had hired Jason to assist my elderly mother with a partner dispute that involved a government, subsidized multi housing project . At first I was very impressed with Jason, until it seemed that paying his high retainer was all that seemed to matter. In my case, the opposing party had not filed any legal action and there were no subpoenas, interrogatories or requests for production at the current time; only a bunch of demand letters with empty threats and fancy wording. I wanted to "hold off" on paying Jason this high retainer until there had been a court action filed, which would have required us to pay necessary money to defend the case. During a two week period my attorney bill was escalating to close to $5000 with Jason continuously arguing with opposing council with the expectation I follow their every demand. Since the property was heading to foreclosure, it was imperative that certain paperwork was completed and turned into the government. I explained to Jason that I didn't have time to argue with opposing counsel's demands, while other serious matters were imperative with government deadlines. To make a long story short, he didn't like that I was resisting his direction and advice, and expected a $25,000 retainer for him to continue his services. I went with my gut instinct, and let this guy go and handled my mom's case myself. By October 1, I was able to regain full compliance on the property as well as a substantial rental increase, starting 2017. It was the biggest increase the property has seen since it was purchased in 1982. If you are someone who is rich and has a lot of money to waste on unnecessary litigation that doesn't even exist... then Jason is the guy for you. Otherwise, do your research and hire an attorney who works on your behalf while believing in you and your case. Stay away from those who will bleed you dry while not stopping opposing council from abusing you without a care in the world.
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19 Feb, 2016 by Anonymous
Attorney Ford was referred to me via Pre-paid Legal to write a letter to someone who was defaming my name. He sent the draft letter for me to review. I submitted the letter with changes. I then received a email from his administrative assistant with the original letter attached without the changes I requested. The name and orientation of the agency was wrong, and there were several name spelling errors. I let the office know that I was not aligned with them sending out the letter. Despite my communication of my not being aligned with the letter they sent the letter out without my knowledge or approval.
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22 Jun, 2021 by Anonymous
I engaged Caitlin for a small project. She estimated the time to complete at roughly 3 hours. Caitlin initially sent me an email stating that she would begin the research immediately and check in by the end of the week. A month later, I've heard nothing - no status updates, no work product.
I then write her an email on a Tuesday checking in to ask for a status update and to request that she have the project completed within the next 10 days. She writes back that she'll have it to me by the end of the current week. End of the week arrives, nothing.
Tuesday of the following week, she emails me to she had a multi-day emergency the previous week but that she would get it to me the following morning. She did not. She also did not send me any notice that she would be delayed by the emergency.
A few days after that, I emailed her to terminate my engagement with her and asked for a refund. Ignoring my email, she sent me the work product for the project soon thereafter.
If you're looking for a responsible, responsive attorney who will complete work in a timely manner, I strongly recommend that you look elsewhere. Caitlin exhibited a clear pattern of excuse making throughout the engagement that I would have never tolerated from any of my own employees. I suspect that if I hadn't followed up the project would have never been completed.
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12 May, 2021 by Anonymous
Brett briefly represented me in a matter. I found she had limited understanding of events, offered no insight observations suggestion or strategy, primary focus seemed billable hours and perpetuation not resolution, inconsiderate and uncreative, once Brett was removed from representation my case was resolved quickly, a poor lawyer and not client centric.
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07 Nov, 2012 by Anonymous
he didn't tell me about the nature of evidence he was trying to introduce. fortunately, the other atty objected and the judge sustained. bonaparte s/h/b sanctioned.
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12 May, 2021 by Anonymous
John represented me briefly, he never exhibited an understanding of events, never had any insight observations suggestions or strategy beyond a pedestrian approach to preparing for trial which in his own notes he expressed slim chance of success for a projected $125,000 in expenses. He employs a vague and ambiguous communication style designed to increase engagement and billable hours not towards respect or resolution. He adamantly refused to hear any criticism of his work. In my opinion a very poor lawyer indifferent to a clients input.
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11 Mar, 2016 by Wendy
DO NOT HIRE ERIN KEELER (RICKARDS) AS YOUR DIVORCE ATTORNEY.
Erin Rickards failed me in every way that a divorce attorney could fail. She failed to give me good advice. She failed to critique every level of the valuations done of shared assets. She failed to ensure that premarital assets were attributed to me. She failed to account for money that could have and should have been deducted from the equity of assets. She failed to go after my ex when we really had him with his lying and concealing of assets. She failed me. I trusted her and thought she knew what she was doing. But she did not. She had barely been out of school three years when taking my case she had NO business being my divorce attorney. She made mistake after mistake and failed to protect me from total financial ruin.
The results of Erin Rickards failure towards her client is that I am about to go into bankruptcy because of the insurmountable debt that I have incurred because of the huge divorce judgement against myself. I owe more on my divorce judgement today then I did in 2010 because at 9% interest I can barely make the interest payment each month. Furthermore, the emotional and physical stress that I have suffered since my divorce trying to run the business that I unhappily own and be a single mother and pay my ex-husband every extra cent I have has had a terrible toll on my physical health to the point that I can no longer even work in the restaurant as I am physically unable.
Please take my advice and do not use her if you want to come out on top on your case.
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11 May, 2018 by Justine
I could not be more unhappy with my experience as a client of Paul Krueger Law Firm. Specifically, I was represented by Jason Jorgensen. I found his legal team to be completely unorganized. I was given the wrong information on multiple occasions and during the three years they represented me I would not receive information or updates unless I called them. It also took about six months from the time I signed a settlement agreement to when I actually received my settlement! At one time, when I confronted them with my ultimate frustration I was then yelled at and talked down to. In the end their firm collected over $13,000 in profit while I only took home a little over $10,000 in personal compensation for the trauma I endured from a car accident that occurred while I was pregnant. NOTHING felt right about that especially after the way my case was handled. I contacted two other lawyers who assured me that they would never feel right about collecting more than their client on an injury case. Save yourself the trouble and go elsewhere for your personal injury legal needs!
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05 Jan, 2011 by Anonymous
"Whoever wrote this did not know what they were doing" said a Multnomah County Judge to me in 2010 regarding my simple bill of sale Mrs. Burns crafted expensively for me in 2009. The judge also said "This document is not legally binding" and "If I were you I'd seek legal advice against your lawyer."
After my lawsuit was thrown out I approached Mrs Burns for a return of my money. She refused, and gave me the name of her malpractice insurance company. My new lawyer told me its expensive and fruitless to go up against another lawyer like this, and it's not really worth the money that I spent already.
(As a side note, I should have known better, for at my first meeting there, there was dog poop all over her office and meeting room floors and it stank horribly. Completely unprofessional.)
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27 Jan, 2009 by Sha
Lynn mostly knew how to charge, bill and write Agreements to lock me in. She would make a super Sales Person!
You simply, 'can not like this girl'.
She would not 'stand up for me', if you know what i mean.
Lynn had a hard time allocating her time towards her clients needs. She was busy with personal business. It is hard to write this but you see, she keeps her message machine full after she is 'done' with a client. I believe her MO is talking you into a last retainer fee and then closes you out. at least this is what happened to me.
after completely loosing a hearing completely, she then talked me into 'getting the guardian off' for $2,000 more dollars. After that, i heard noting from her at all.
she locked me into a conservatorship and guardianship, when i ordered her 'not to sign those papers'. but to clear her 'desk', to finish what she reinged in, she had to complete those papers, else all was lost for her 'history'.
i have not been able to contact her 3
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21 Feb, 2013 by Anonymous
Showed up for court, without any research of the charges. Didn't discuss the case or what he was going to say to the judge, he had no notes from our previous conversations. I I would have done better going to the hearing without counsel. Extremely poor representation.
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FAQs
Questions? We have answers
Top Questions to Ask a Lawyer
When meeting with a lawyer for the first time, it's important to ask the right questions to understand their expertise and determine if they're the right fit for your legal needs. Here are some top questions to consider:
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What experience do you have with cases similar to mine?
Ensure the lawyer has relevant experience in the specific area of law pertaining to your case. -
How do you charge for your services, and what are the estimated costs?
Understand the fee structure, including hourly rates, flat fees, retainer fees, and any additional expenses. -
What potential outcomes can I expect from my case?
While no lawyer can guarantee results, they can provide an assessment of possible scenarios based on their experience. -
What is your approach to handling cases like mine?
Learn about their strategy, whether they prefer negotiation, mediation, or litigation. -
Who will be working on my case?
Find out if the lawyer will handle your case personally or delegate tasks to other attorneys or paralegals. -
How will you communicate with me throughout the process?
Establish expectations for updates, preferred communication methods, and response times. -
What is the likely timeline for resolving my case?
Get an estimate of how long the process may take from start to finish. -
Do you have references from past clients?
Testimonials or references can provide insight into the lawyer's professionalism and effectiveness. -
What are the strengths and weaknesses of my case?
Understanding potential challenges helps you prepare and sets realistic expectations. -
Are there alternative ways to solve my legal problem?
Discuss options like mediation, arbitration, or settlement to resolve the issue efficiently.
How to Check the Credibility of a Lawyer
Before hiring a lawyer, it's crucial to verify their credibility and ensure they're qualified to handle your case:
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Verify Their License:
Check with your state's bar association to confirm the lawyer is licensed and in good standing. -
Experience and Specialization:
Ensure the lawyer specializes in the area of law relevant to your case. -
Disciplinary Record:
Look up any history of disciplinary actions or complaints through the state bar association. -
Client Reviews and Testimonials:
Read reviews on legal directories like Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, or Google to gauge client satisfaction. -
Professional Memberships:
Membership in professional organizations or specialty bar associations can indicate a commitment to their field. -
Awards and Recognitions:
Honors from reputable organizations reflect expertise and a positive reputation. -
Consultation Assessment:
Use the initial consultation to evaluate their communication skills, responsiveness, and willingness to address your concerns. -
Ask for References:
A credible lawyer should be willing to provide references from past clients.
What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?
To make the most of your initial meeting with a lawyer, come prepared with:
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Relevant Documents:
Bring all documents related to your case, such as contracts, correspondence, legal notices, court papers, or evidence. -
Written Summary:
Prepare a concise written summary of your situation, including key dates, events, and involved parties. -
List of Questions:
Write down any questions you have about your case, the legal process, or the lawyer's experience. -
Financial Information:
If applicable, bring financial documents like pay stubs, tax returns, or bank statements. -
Contact Information:
Provide details of any witnesses or other parties relevant to your case. -
Personal Identification:
Bring a valid ID for verification purposes. -
Pen and Notebook:
Take notes during the consultation to remember important points. -
Budget Constraints:
Be ready to discuss your budget and any financial limitations.
How Much Does a Lawyer Cost?
The cost of hiring a lawyer varies widely based on several factors:
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Fee Structures:
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Hourly Rate:
Lawyers may charge anywhere from $150 to $500 or more per hour, depending on experience and location. -
Flat Fee:
For routine legal services like drafting a will or handling an uncontested divorce, lawyers might offer a flat fee. -
Retainer Fee:
An upfront payment against which the lawyer bills hourly fees. -
Contingency Fee:
Common in personal injury cases; the lawyer receives a percentage (typically 25% to 40%) of any settlement or award. -
Monthly Retainer:
For ongoing services, businesses might pay a monthly fee for a set number of hours or services.
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Hourly Rate:
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Factors Affecting Cost:
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Complexity of the Case:
More complex cases require more time and resources, increasing costs. -
Lawyer's Experience:
Highly experienced lawyers may charge higher fees. -
Geographic Location:
Legal fees can vary significantly by region or city. -
Additional Expenses:
Court filing fees, expert witness fees, travel expenses, and administrative costs may be extra.
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Complexity of the Case:
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Estimating Total Costs:
Request a detailed fee agreement outlining all potential costs.
Discuss any additional expenses that may arise during the case. -
Negotiating Fees:
Some lawyers may be willing to negotiate fees or offer payment plans, especially for clients with financial constraints. -
Pro Bono Services:
For those who cannot afford legal services, some lawyers or legal aid organizations offer services at reduced rates or for free.
