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20 Jul, 2015 by Anonymous
We hired Jennifer to represent one of our family members to appeal a conviction. Initially, Jennifer was very informative and helpful. She has a very nice and trusting demeanor. After viewing the case file, she informed the family about the mistakes that were made during the trial including violations of his civil rights and ineffective assistance of counsel, and gave us her recommendations on how we would proceed. Then we lost contact with her for about a month or so and had to literally search for her and her partner. We were desperate. After finding her partner, she informed us that they had severed their ties with one another, and gave us Jennifer's home address and telephone number. To make a long story short, upon contacting Jennifer, we were able to pick up where we left off. Things were going great. She filed all of the paperwork and sent us copies. She kept us informed. As time went on, her contact with us became less and less. It was next to impossible to get her on the phone. I left numerous messages with her staff, I left voicemail messages and even paid a couple of visits to the office to no avail. She was paid to file paperwork that we found out was not filed. When she did file the brief for the appeal, she failed to notify us of the outcome. We got the results of the appeal by personally calling the court and inquiring. The court informed us that the decision had been made three months prior and that our attorney had been informed.. She completely failed to notify us. She stopped returning our phone calls and stopped replying to our text messages. We were so disappointed and we felt let down because we are a family with limited means and we trusted her..... We later went to pick up the briefs from her office. After informing us that she was now newly married, she said that we should tell our incarcerated family member to file for "ineffective assistance of counsel."..... She offered no apologies or explanations...
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22 Oct, 2014 by Larry v.
I hired Jennifer to handle my recent divorce. She came highly referred by a friend of mine who hired her to help his son. I was trying to go through the divorce process without hiring an attorney but my ex-wife hired a pit bull who was really trying to rake me over the coals. While I didnt want to spend the money I was told by people that this would really determine the rest of my life-- and definitely define my relationship with my children. I finally got up the money to retain and it seemed to be going a little slow at first and sometimes I had a hard time reaching her which was frustrating. I almost quit the whole process and stuck my head in the sand. Then we went to court for the temporary custody and alimony hearing and I saw her in action. All I can say is WOW. Did I underestimate her. And not to be sexist but I was also concerned about her being a kinda young female. But she completely exceeded my expectations and then some. I got joint legal and physical custody of my kids (one week on, one week off) and no child support obligation as long as we divide expenses. And NO ALIMONY!! I couldnt have asked for more! I didnt even know what rights I could get going in and she got me more than I even knew to ask for. Very thankful I spent the $$ and hung in there during the times it seemed to be going slow or was hard to reach. I highly recommend her to all folks looking to set a good foundation for the rest of their lives with their ex and raising their kids.
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30 Apr, 2013 by Joanne
She and her Partner apparently disolved their relationship. Never informed me, would not return phone calls, never learned what actually happened to the case. her former Partner was also distracted and of no help. Courtesy was all I needed. This behavior just added more stress.
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28 Dec, 2017 by Guadalupe
Thanks to attorney Piccarreto my deportation was stopped, my charges were dropped and I got out just before the holidays. I did not think I would get out. I am so thankful for his help. I told all my friends about him because he really helped me. Thank you!
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26 Jul, 2017 by Berta perez.
Thank you attorney Piccarreto for wining my case.
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04 Apr, 2015 by Anonymous
Let me begin with saying that like any lawyer I had complete full trust because of this words. We both had agreed for him to show up to my court and shook hands about a criminal case I was pursuing. Come to find out he had another court the same day and didn't show up to mine because there was "no need" Since he didn't show up I lost my case and the it was dismissed. Not only did I lose justice from my end but he took all of my money that I paid him to go to the court for.
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08 May, 2024 by Betsy
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08 Feb, 2024 by Gabo guerrier
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13 Sep, 2023 by Kas
Dropped me 2 weeks before hearing, big thumbs up
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19 Nov, 2019 by Eric jenkins
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16 May, 2018 by Chris tolbert
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23 Feb, 2020 by Mister lovley
Still waiting to be responded back to by an Attorney. Ashley P.
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22 Feb, 2016 by Jafee inga
Correct hire for da position of investors
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19 Nov, 2019 by Eric jenkins
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16 May, 2018 by Chris tolbert
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19 Nov, 2019 by Eric jenkins
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16 May, 2018 by Chris tolbert
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19 Nov, 2019 by Eric jenkins
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16 May, 2018 by Chris tolbert
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27 Jun, 2022 by Anonymous
Hasn’t returned my call to discuss the details I’m seeking an attorney to help me retrieve my personal possessions.
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11 Sep, 2024 by Shaakirah landers
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07 Jan, 2023 by Marcia sylvester
No reason to fear this place they drag out chump change cases and have newbies and interns do all the work. Big companies spend more money in litigation than they would have if they settled. Stay away!!!
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08 Dec, 2022 by Delisa shatteen
Definitely would not recommend for hire… they purposely dragged out our case. The Plaintiff was more than willing to settle for way less than they was in the beginning but the attorney never said a word. No calls, communication and very unprofessional. Wish we saw these reviews beforehand.
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11 Sep, 2024 by Shaakirah landers
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07 Jan, 2023 by Marcia sylvester
No reason to fear this place they drag out chump change cases and have newbies and interns do all the work. Big companies spend more money in litigation than they would have if they settled. Stay away!!!
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08 Dec, 2022 by Delisa shatteen
Definitely would not recommend for hire… they purposely dragged out our case. The Plaintiff was more than willing to settle for way less than they was in the beginning but the attorney never said a word. No calls, communication and very unprofessional. Wish we saw these reviews beforehand.
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11 Sep, 2024 by Shaakirah landers
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07 Jan, 2023 by Marcia sylvester
No reason to fear this place they drag out chump change cases and have newbies and interns do all the work. Big companies spend more money in litigation than they would have if they settled. Stay away!!!
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08 Dec, 2022 by Delisa shatteen
Definitely would not recommend for hire… they purposely dragged out our case. The Plaintiff was more than willing to settle for way less than they was in the beginning but the attorney never said a word. No calls, communication and very unprofessional. Wish we saw these reviews beforehand.
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11 Sep, 2024 by Shaakirah landers
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07 Jan, 2023 by Marcia sylvester
No reason to fear this place they drag out chump change cases and have newbies and interns do all the work. Big companies spend more money in litigation than they would have if they settled. Stay away!!!
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08 Dec, 2022 by Delisa shatteen
Definitely would not recommend for hire… they purposely dragged out our case. The Plaintiff was more than willing to settle for way less than they was in the beginning but the attorney never said a word. No calls, communication and very unprofessional. Wish we saw these reviews beforehand.
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09 May, 2023 by Jennifer campbell
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27 Oct, 2021 by Steve stone
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19 Nov, 2020 by Rebecca etheridge
They may need someone else to field their calls
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31 Oct, 2013 by Anonymous
Had a criminal case and I was informed throughout the entire process. I was very pleased with the outcome of my case. A very professional lawyer and knows his stuff.
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08 Oct, 2013 by Anonymous
So far he's the worst attorney's I have ever had. He does not keep you informed about anything, changes things and does things without your approval. Typical attorney "talk" but in the end you see no result. Fairly pricey for the lack of effort he puts in. Do not waste time, energy or money to deal with him. Would definitely NOT recommend him to anyone.
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26 May, 2013 by Anonymous
I highly recommend Attorney Rupal Vaishnav. He brought our family excellent results that two prior Attorneys in the Cummings GA could not. He does what he says he will do; his creditable is unmatched by others.
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12 Jan, 2021 by Anonymous
Not sure about his personal beliefs, but this is not the guy from Parler and Twitter. That psycho says in his bio that he is “not from Tucker, GA”. Check before reviewing guys!
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11 Jan, 2021 by Jimmy
He is fighting for the people who are so indoctrinated that they dehumanize the people trying to save humanity from globalism.. Trump 2020
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11 Jan, 2021 by Anonymous
Brian is spreading lies on Twitter. Among them, that American cities are being "bathed in particles", which cause massive blackouts, to prevent people from hearing Trump speak to the nation via a "global broadcasting satellite". He cannot be trusted.
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08 Sep, 2024 by Dt
Mr. Goldberg has been consistently untruthful, unprofessional, disrespectful and highly emotional. I hired him in 2021 and he has refused to use evidence in my favor in his briefs or speak with a witness. He was seriously flawed and inarticulate in a recent hearing where he could not answer questions from the judge(s) or refute the opposing attorney with information he has had for years! He has the tendency to bully. His ego doesn't allow him the capacity to listen. There is so much more... I fired Mr. Goldberg in January 2024. He accepted but has refused to withdraw himself. As a result, I can't get court info or another attorney. I fired him for a 3rd time on Sept. 5. He said he doesn't have a secretary and will do it "next week". We'll see. He is a one star attorney only because I had to give him something.
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20 Nov, 2019 by Sara
I hired Mr. Goldberg in 2017. He was supposed to file a chapter 13 bankruptcy for me. Instead without my permission or signature he filed a chapter 7 bankruptcy. He told me it could not be withdrawn. Because of him I almost lost everything. I had to hire another attorney to undo the damage he did.
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25 Mar, 2019 by Mark
Ralph handled what the judge called the most complicated chapter 13 bankruptcy case she had ever seen, and protected our home against someone trying to take it. He went well beyond the call of duty in helping us.
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02 Aug, 2019 by Erin
My son (2 at the time of the accident) and I were hit by a car while walking across a cross walk, my son landed on the hood and rolled off onto the pavement if the car didn’t stop she would’ve killed him, so I hired this guy. This accident was in May of 2017. I have been trying to reach him to figure out what we needed to do seeing as there were no serious injuries and just wanted to settle didn’t think it’d be that hard. A year passes, I had to try contacting him for MONTHS before he decided to call me back, he told me to trust him he knows how to do his job. Obviously not, last November I started trying to get a hold of him and I tried starting once a week call leave VM wait after 4 months of nothing it moved to multiple times a week, hell by May I was calling everyday. Here we are still haven’t heard anything. But at this point it’s too late. Thanks for nothing.
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15 Apr, 2017 by Anonymous
Paid for a divorce two and a half years ago, have been getting the runaround ever since. Asked for a refund with no response. After speaking with another attorney I have found that no papers have ever been filed. So to sum it up he stole my money.
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06 Jan, 2017 by James
James Key helped me with a clerical error that I had in Georgia's Superior Court that was keeping me from being able to live my life to the fullest. I had been working on this issue for almost 3 years and had spoken with countless people at the courthouse to no end. Before meeting Mr Key I spoke with other attorneys that seemed to have no real idea of how to fix my issue as it was not a very common one to have. The very first time I spoke with James Key he knew exactly what needed to be done, who to contact, and had answers I had been searching for what seemed like a lifetime for. Not only would i highly recommend him to anyone and everyone he is now my go to guy for any future issues in the city of Atlanta or really anywhere in the state of Georgia. I not only feel I got my monies worth I feel like he went above and beyond what I had expected him to do especially during the holiday season. In my opinion James Key is an excellent lawyer, a gentalman, is very fair on prices, and does excatly what he says he will do. If you have any legal issues in Georgia James Key is definitely worth talking to. Of course everyone's opinions are different but my opionion is as simple as this. "James Key is the man."
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30 May, 2014 by Anonymous
Will came on strong recommendation thanks to the practice's reputation out of Atlanta. We had very high hopes. Will is such a friendly man with an excellent staff. He knows the ins and outs of adoption, however knowledge can't trump the lack of everything else in the process. Getting a call or email back from him was next impossible. Now, I understand many people in today's day expect people to answer their calls immediately or even within an hour. I'm usually cool at the 24-48 hour mark. We went weeks without getting emails and calls returned. It took literally me calling every 10 minutes until someone answered, which usually didn't happen. Ultimately, we got to the point where we couldn't handle the no response and went with another attorney who finished everything up in a few weeks. It didn't help that I was called by his mother out of the Atlanta office when he disappeared and was pretty much dismissed, insulted and intimidated. The office is convenient and they rest on a stellar history in adoption cases. If you want knowledge, you're in excellent hands when you get them to share it with you.
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04 Oct, 2024 by Cam step
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12 Aug, 2024 by John beck
I contacted the Attorney Generals Office to register a complaint of Fraud. I did so on line. They told me it would be a fee of $5.00 for filing, so I used a credit card. But before I could be connected to an attorney they wanted me to agree to an automatic withdrawal of $60.00 a month until I cancelled. This is another form of extortion especially since the Attorney General is paid by tax payers. Do not consumers have any protection by our government without them trying to extort funds from taxpayers?
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02 Jul, 2024 by Dwayne wafford
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04 Oct, 2024 by Cam step
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12 Aug, 2024 by John beck
I contacted the Attorney Generals Office to register a complaint of Fraud. I did so on line. They told me it would be a fee of $5.00 for filing, so I used a credit card. But before I could be connected to an attorney they wanted me to agree to an automatic withdrawal of $60.00 a month until I cancelled. This is another form of extortion especially since the Attorney General is paid by tax payers. Do not consumers have any protection by our government without them trying to extort funds from taxpayers?
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02 Jul, 2024 by Dwayne wafford
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19 Mar, 2021 by Jessica
I talked to Nate in 2/2020 because I had contempt filed against me within weeks of having a baby and I had no income at the time. We set up a payment plan and I was able to pay him, as per our contract. I kept constant communication. I got notice from the other party in 1/2021 that Nate was not responding. Nate lacked in responses anyway, so I reached out to others I knew, and Nate, and finally got a response but decided to fire Nate, as it had almost been a full year and I STILL hadn't received a statement. I retained another attorney in 1/2021 and informed Nate I wanted a full itemized bill AND a refund from my retainer. It is now 3/19/2021 and I've sent multiple emails and left multiple messages with Ann, his receptionist. She doesn't even have access to where the money goes to send me a receipt. I feel he prayed on my situation and took advantage of the fact that I desperately wanted an attorney and would do any kind of payment plan. I waited two months for a refund. Anything. DON'T USE HIM. I believe he is immoral and unethical.
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21 Jan, 2021 by Amy
I hire Mr.Cochran for a case. He promised to call the following week to have me sign the filing. He did not call. I waited 3 weeks with no contact. I emailed several times and tried to reach him via phone. He did not respond until I told him I wanted my retainer back. He agreed to refund the unused portion that week. It’s been 6 weeks and I have not heard from him or received the refund as promised. I’ve tried to reach him via email and phone with no luck. His receptionist actually giggles when I call now asking to speak with him.
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16 Nov, 2019 by Anonymous
Showed up to court an hour late. Wore sneakers on court date. Did not prepare properly for my case. Refused to ask relevant questions of defense as requested. Stated he would return my personal property (as he did not prepare pleadings etc. from copies provided) and has failed to do (return) so. After losing the case, quickly sent a quote soliciting for another 3.5k for an appeals process. I cannot recommend this individual.
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17 May, 2012 by Anonymous
Mr. Burnette failed to have my ex-wife served on time. Three weeks went by before she was served with my motion to modify custody. In court, he forgot many of the pieces of evidence I gave him, so when they were introduced by my ex-wife's lawyer, Mr. Burnette was not able to properly respond.
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28 May, 2010 by Gayle
Very smart lawyer, but VERY POOR communicator. NEVER returns phone calls; questions, information etc. I felt like I was a fly on his food. Shop around.
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07 Apr, 2014 by Barry
I was referred to Mr. Daniels for a contract issue. He resurrected a canned contract that largely missed the issues of my project. After 4500 dollars I had to disgard it at the advice of someone in the field, who provided case law to support why the contract he crafted was inappropriate. The matter of law was outside of Mr.Daniel's expertise. Rather than refer to me to a colleague, he was more than eager to collect his legal fees, and then refer me out. I would not reccomend his services . While his turnaround time was fine, the workproduct was not.
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14 Apr, 2016 by Ac
We had Mr Asman file our trademarks some years ago. Out of the clear blue, he calls us up to tell us there was an infringement and that we should file suit to protect our marks. He took a ten thousand dollar retainer to start the suit. We could not reach an agreement so decided to go to court. Mr Asman advised us we would have to cough up more money as we go along since he already used up the retainer. The defendant filed a response to the judge in the case and apparently, we were supposed to respond to that (found this out though a consult with another intellectual property attorney). The judge ruled against us and threw the case out of court and Mr Asman accepted the ruling but said we would have to cough up even more money if we wanted to contest the decision. He felt at this point, we had no case though. We did consult with our business attorney who put us in touch with an intellectual property attorney in her firm. The opinion was that there were balls dropped and that I would have to talk to a malpractice attorney who would also file against other attorneys. This was not an easy task. When we finally found one, we were told that we had to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that had the errors not been made, we would have won the suit and that we would have to have a trademark attorney testify to that. Catch 22! Our reputable malpractice attorney advised us we would be throwing good money after bad. We decided to try to file an omissions and errors claim against Mr Asman's insurance company. I'll give you three guesses as to the response to our discovery letter. That's right! NO INSURANCE! To add insult to injury, after carefully reviewing Mr Asman's charges, he billed a few thousand over our agreed upon rate. When we questioned it, he said he had sent out an email a year earlier that he raised his rate. We have no record of the email nor could Mr Asman produce the email that was sent. Good luck going after an attorney in small claims court for money! it would be postponement after postponement if you did not spend significant money on an attorney to represent you. Valuable lesson learned. Next time you hire an attorney, get a declaration page from his insurance policy. By the way, we refused to pay the last few hundred dollars he billed us and when we refused because he owed us a lot more, he threatened to send us to collections. We never paid it and obviously, he never went after us.
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07 Jun, 2024 by Anonymous
I cannot emphasize enough what a scam this lawyer is. We hired him for a car accident death lawsuit, expecting professional help. Instead, he was completely useless and opportunistic. He took one-third of the insurance company's initial payout without doing any work. We could have handled this ourselves without his so-called 'services.' His lack of effort, empathy, and integrity was appalling. I deeply regret hiring him and strongly advise others to avoid this lawyer. Save yourself time, money, and frustration by finding someone who genuinely cares about their clients and delivers results. Despite his lack of help, he promised we would receive a portion of his earnings, but he failed to follow through and even claimed we were getting a deal because he wasn’t charging more. Only one star because I can't rate lower.
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28 Mar, 2022 by Heather
My son has an open case in Savannah and it has been open for almost 2 years. This man was supposed to be his lawyer who never ever tried to contact us let us know anything. The only thing he answers is text messages and it's always the same rhetorical, textbook answers. He would always apologize for the delay even though that is a very big delay of almost 2 years. Mind you my son had never been in trouble before and my son has an intellectual disability .I spoke with the district attorney they told me that my son's lawyer needed to shake things up a little bit so we can get this going I relate the message and this man's response is "don't contact me again". He should have removed himself from the case a long time ago and if I had known what type of man he was and what type of attitude he had or realized it a little earlier than I would have been fired him. I think he just didn't care because we are out of state and to be honest I think he dragging his feet because my son is of color. I have plans for this lawyer because he did not fulfill his obligations. If you want someone who's not going to drag their feet, or if you want someone who is going to work with you and not against you I would suggest you hire someone else.
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30 Jan, 2022 by Anonymous
He represented me in a Federal case some years ago. When we first contacted him, he gave the assurance he knew the Attorney for the Northern district of Georgia and he would work out a suitable plea deal, Well that never happened, especially after he was paid his fee. He could not even put up a reasonable case for a bail in a case of fraud for an amount less than $120k. while locked up, he never moved a finger to appeal the refusal of bail, he would not also take calls and didn't have an assistant to take messages regarding critical information. During the address stage his presentation was poor, lacked any persuasive strength, weak and he was almost pathetically inarticulate. I ended pleading my own case for a reduction in sentencing. Will never recommend this Attorney for any serious case.
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What a Civil Rights Lawyer Can Do for You

A civil rights lawyer focuses on protecting individuals whose constitutional rights have been violated by government authorities, employers, or private organizations. These lawyers specialize in cases involving discrimination, police misconduct, freedom of speech, and other fundamental rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution and civil rights laws, such as the Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Fair Housing Act.

Whether you've been discriminated against due to race, gender, religion, disability, or other protected characteristics, or you believe your civil rights have been violated by a government entity, a civil rights lawyer can help you seek justice, hold wrongdoers accountable, and secure compensation for any harm you've suffered.

When Should I Hire a Civil Rights Lawyer?

You should hire a civil rights lawyer when your constitutional rights or other protected rights have been violated, and you need legal assistance to seek justice. Some key situations in which you may need a civil rights lawyer include:

  • Employment discrimination: If you have faced discrimination at work based on race, gender, age, religion, national origin, or disability, a civil rights lawyer can help you file claims under laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
  • Police misconduct or brutality: If you were the victim of police brutality, unlawful arrest, racial profiling, or other forms of misconduct, a lawyer can help you file a lawsuit for violations of your Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
  • Freedom of speech or assembly violations: If your First Amendment rights to free speech or peaceful assembly have been restricted by the government, a civil rights lawyer can represent you in challenging the violation.
  • Housing discrimination: If you’ve been denied housing or faced unfair treatment due to your race, ethnicity, gender, or disability, a lawyer can help you file a complaint under the Fair Housing Act.
  • Voter rights violations: If you believe your right to vote has been unfairly suppressed or you’ve faced discrimination in the voting process, a civil rights lawyer can help you fight for your rights.
  • Disability rights violations: If you’ve faced discrimination in accessing public spaces, employment, or services due to a disability, a lawyer can help enforce your rights under the ADA.
  • LGBTQ+ rights violations: If you've experienced discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing, or public services, a civil rights lawyer can help you pursue legal remedies.

Hiring a lawyer early on can help you understand your legal options and build a strong case to protect your rights.

What Does a Civil Rights Lawyer Do?

A civil rights lawyer provides legal representation and advocacy to individuals whose rights have been violated. Their work can include:

  • Filing lawsuits: A civil rights lawyer can represent you in court by filing lawsuits against individuals, businesses, or government entities that violated your rights.
  • Advocating for policy changes: Civil rights lawyers often engage in advocacy work, pushing for reforms to laws and policies that infringe upon people's rights.
  • Representing clients in discrimination claims: These lawyers help clients file claims with federal or state agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
  • Negotiating settlements: In many cases, civil rights lawyers work to negotiate settlements for their clients before a case goes to trial, securing compensation for damages such as lost wages, emotional distress, or legal fees.
  • Defending freedom of expression: Lawyers may represent clients whose rights to free speech, assembly, or protest were violated by government restrictions or other actions.
  • Handling appeals: If your civil rights case has been decided but you wish to appeal the ruling, a civil rights lawyer can help you through the appeals process.

How Are Civil Rights Lawyers Paid?

Civil rights lawyers typically charge for their services based on the complexity of the case and the type of legal work involved. Common payment structures include:

  • Contingency fee: Many civil rights lawyers work on a contingency basis, meaning they only get paid if they win your case. Their fee is typically a percentage (usually 25% to 40%) of the settlement or damages awarded.
  • Hourly rate: For cases that require extensive legal research or litigation, some lawyers charge by the hour, with rates ranging from $150 to $500 or more, depending on the lawyer’s experience and location.
  • Pro bono or sliding scale: Some civil rights lawyers or organizations may work on a pro bono (free) basis or use a sliding fee scale for clients who cannot afford typical legal fees.
  • Flat fee: In specific cases, a lawyer may charge a flat fee for services like drafting legal documents or filing a complaint.

It’s important to clarify the fee structure during your initial consultation to avoid unexpected costs.

How Much Does a Civil Rights Lawyer Cost?

The cost of hiring a civil rights lawyer varies depending on the complexity of the case, the lawyer’s experience, and the type of legal issue. General cost estimates include:

  • Contingency fee cases: For cases taken on a contingency basis, the lawyer’s fee will typically range from 25% to 40% of the settlement or judgment awarded.
  • Hourly rates: Many civil rights lawyers charge hourly rates ranging from $150 to $500 or more, depending on their experience and the complexity of the case.
  • Flat fees: For straightforward legal tasks, such as filing a complaint with a government agency or drafting legal documents, flat fees may range from $1,000 to $5,000.
  • Pro bono work: Some civil rights lawyers or nonprofit organizations provide free legal representation in certain cases involving important constitutional or civil rights issues.

Be sure to ask for a detailed estimate of costs during your consultation to understand the financial commitment involved.

Top Questions to Ask a Civil Rights Lawyer

Before hiring a civil rights lawyer, it’s important to ask the right questions to ensure they are the best fit for your case. Key questions to ask include:

  1. What experience do you have with civil rights cases?
    Ensure the lawyer has experience handling cases similar to yours, whether it’s employment discrimination, police misconduct, or First Amendment violations.
  2. How do you charge for your services?
    Clarify whether the lawyer works on a contingency fee basis, hourly rate, or flat fee, and ask for an estimate of the total cost of your case.
  3. What is the likelihood of success for my case?
    Ask the lawyer to provide an honest assessment of your case, including the strengths, weaknesses, and potential outcomes.
  4. Have you handled cases like mine before?
    Inquire about the lawyer’s experience in cases with similar facts and legal issues.
  5. What is the timeline for resolving my case?
    While exact timelines can vary, ask for an estimate of how long your case may take, from filing to resolution.
  6. Will you handle my case personally?
    In larger firms, junior attorneys or paralegals may work on parts of your case, so it’s important to know who will handle your legal matter directly.

How to Check the Credibility of a Civil Rights Lawyer

To ensure you are hiring a reputable civil rights lawyer, take the following steps to verify their credentials and track record:

  • Verify their state bar license: Check with your state bar association to confirm that the lawyer is licensed to practice and has no disciplinary actions against them.
  • Look for specific civil rights experience: Review the lawyer’s website or professional profile to ensure they specialize in civil rights law and have a history of handling cases like yours.
  • Read client reviews and testimonials: Look for client reviews on platforms like Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, or Google to see what previous clients have said about the lawyer’s professionalism and success rate.
  • Ask for references: A credible lawyer should be able to provide references from past clients who can speak to their experience with civil rights cases.
  • Check for advocacy or nonprofit work: Lawyers involved with civil rights organizations, such as the ACLU or NAACP Legal Defense Fund, may have a strong reputation in the civil rights legal community.

What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?

To get the most out of your first consultation with a civil rights lawyer, it’s important to come prepared with relevant documents and information. Here’s what you should bring:

  • A detailed account of the violation: Provide a written summary of the events, including dates, times, and any people involved in the violation of your rights.
  • Documentation and evidence: Bring any supporting documentation, such as emails, letters, photos, or video footage that may help prove the violation of your rights.
  • Records of complaints or reports: If you’ve filed complaints with a government agency or reported the violation, bring copies of those documents.
  • List of questions: Write down any questions you have about the legal process, costs, and potential outcomes of your case.
  • Information on damages or harm: Be prepared to discuss the harm you’ve suffered due to the violation, such as emotional distress, financial loss, or physical injury.

By preparing thoroughly for your consultation, you can help the lawyer assess your case more effectively and get the best possible legal advice on how to proceed.

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