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11 Jul, 2024 by Charles c rankin
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21 Jun, 2024 by Enikanselu esther
I am extremely satisfied with the services provided by The Law Office of Stephen R. Chesley. They handled my case with care and expertise, and I felt very well taken care of.
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07 Jun, 2024 by Ron link
Mark is exceptional in his knowledge of probate, trusts and estate law.
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11 Jul, 2024 by Charles c rankin
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21 Jun, 2024 by Enikanselu esther
I am extremely satisfied with the services provided by The Law Office of Stephen R. Chesley. They handled my case with care and expertise, and I felt very well taken care of.
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07 Jun, 2024 by Ron link
Mark is exceptional in his knowledge of probate, trusts and estate law.
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28 May, 2024 by Roody marotiere
I will recommend them as one of the best in nyc
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02 Nov, 2023 by Aude m
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13 Mar, 2023 by Luis avila
Mr Eaton is an excellent We have been using his services for over 10 years
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16 May, 2024 by Rita ray school
Excellent work. This office did amazing job for my mom’ s case. Special thanks to Kristina, paralegal, who demonstrated compassion and professionalism. Highly recommend
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04 Apr, 2024 by Valeriane patsia
Great Office and staff, case got settled in timely matter
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04 Apr, 2024 by Carina buslovich
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22 Jul, 2024 by Jon laurence
Laura and her entire team are absolute rock stars. Laura was the lead attorney on my EB1 case. She was consistently extremely clear and direct in her communication, making a complex area extremely accessible, but always kind, compassionate and empathetic at the same time - with an awareness of the logistical and emotional stakes for all of us. She is a ferocious advocate for her clients, with a real 'get the job done' mentality, and a great deal of care over getting the details right as well as keeping us apprised of the big picture and the significance of developments. Her associate LT was awesome in terms of the support she provides and her shared understanding of how to translate Laura's values into action as well as her eagle eye for detail. I would recommend Laura and her firm to anyone who has immigration needs because of this truly unique combination of strategic expertise, organizational rigor and emotional intelligence. This firm will show up for you in your case like no-one else.
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09 May, 2024 by Nader rabie
The best lawyer. She always helps me. She got my case done after a long time of difficulties. She has done good for me and all my friends! 100% professional lawyer. Thank you so much Laura!
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05 May, 2024 by Claude garnier
Laura is an unexperienced lawyer. When I decided to not work with her because of her unprofessional behavior, she did not refund my money and kept $1500 from me.
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31 Aug, 2022 by Chris munroe-martyn
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23 Apr, 2021 by Salih m paker
I strongly recommend Lewis & Lin's legal services. Very professional, efficient, and friendly team of lawyers.
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03 Feb, 2021 by Anonymous
I've engaged Ed a few times over the years. He's honest, fights for his clients and very sharp. I had a very complex case several years ago, and Ed took care of me all along the way. I felt like this attorney had my back the entire time. He has all the qualities that so many attorneys lack. If you are looking for employment and labor, Ed is the best.
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25 Jul, 2021 by Anonymous
I was referred to Steve Pipenger to review a possible case for me. I wrote Steve June 23 asking for a way to pay his fee. It took a week to receive the info. July 7 I wrote asking how long the review process took. I got no response until July 12 in which he said he would review and get back to me by end of week. He did not get back to me. July 17 he wrote and said he would have a game plan by mid week the following week. July 22 in the evening I wrote for an update. I got no response. July 25 I wrote ending the review with Steve. He replies he would refund and told me he was reviewing the case and this takes time. But, you promised a date you would deliver the game plan and no response needing an extension. On July 25 he then writes 10 hours later as if the earlier conversation never happened telling me he is reviewing the documents the best he can, but he cannot find the documents I sent??? And to please send them again. I initially sent them several weeks earlier, email tracking shows he opened the email. So basically, he told me he was reviewing the case without the documents to do so and just stringing me along. Why not communicate earlier and say you cannot find them than go through all this? Very disappointed. Communication is key in this type of attorney/client situation. I am fine with delays as long as it is communicated before hand. 23 days since I paid for the review and did not get anywhere with this attorney. Edited to add this attorney promised me twice he would refund my fee. As of today I have not received the fee and status inquiry emails are ignored. j Edited per the contract he was to review the arbitration files, documents, and interview me. He did not review the arbitration files per his own words he lost them, out of 7 initial emails of evidence he opened 3. He did not interview me either. In fact, it was a disability discrimination case. He did not ask me one thing about the disabilities or for diagnosed medical evidence. One of which was an affidavit. Edited to select the option that I hired him as I did so for a review and paid a nonrefundable fee (but only if work done). Edited to reduce stars because of knowledge learned, incidents that have happened since I wrote this review.
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30 Mar, 2019 by Ceo, nottx
We hired Steve Pipenger for a breach of contract issue in the NY Courts for our UK business. He has been excellent through out and at every stage explained the process in a layman's language and his expertise has helped us to put forward a strong case. In my professional career, I have worked with legal experts from UK and West Coast and understand what it takes to deliver. Working with him, I have experienced his expertise, trustworthiness & professionalism, it only fair to say that his services are of excellent quality. Hence I would strongly recommend his services.
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21 Feb, 2019 by Nicolas
Steve Pipenger was an excellent corporate lawyer. He was very attentive and took the time to explain our options for the situation we were in. I would strongly recommend his services to anyone looking for an attentive corporate lawyer.
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31 Aug, 2022 by Chris munroe-martyn
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23 Apr, 2021 by Salih m paker
I strongly recommend Lewis & Lin's legal services. Very professional, efficient, and friendly team of lawyers.
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05 Nov, 2020 by Reinz de leon
This was my last attempted law firm that had denied me assistance against two valid slander cases in PR in which all other firms fear my cases due to them being against 2 TV media programs.
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31 Aug, 2022 by Chris munroe-martyn
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23 Apr, 2021 by Salih m paker
I strongly recommend Lewis & Lin's legal services. Very professional, efficient, and friendly team of lawyers.
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05 Nov, 2020 by Reinz de leon
This was my last attempted law firm that had denied me assistance against two valid slander cases in PR in which all other firms fear my cases due to them being against 2 TV media programs.
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10 Jun, 2024 by Anonymous
I recently hired had the misfortune of hiring Shapsi Burekovich for my legal needs, and it was a disastrous experience from start to finish. From the outset he displayed an appalling lack of professionalism and competence. Commnunications were sporatic and unhelpful, with my calls and emails often going unanswered for days on end.
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05 May, 2016 by Jim
Shapsi was very helpful during the whole process leading up to my closing. He was great at responding to my questions by phone or email in a timely manner. He was quick at obtaining any information I requested and he helped make the whole process go smoothly.
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06 Dec, 2014 by Hitesh
Shapsi, met with me and describe the opportunities and options which I had during the closing of one of my property in Williamsburg,NY. He is an excellent lawyer and I was very well informed with my entire real estate closing and closing went very smooth with his help! His guidance and my trust in his were invaluable!
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08 Jul, 2024 by Omar solis
Answered my call quickly and gave me advice about my landlord situation and was open to helping with any lawsuit if needed.
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31 May, 2024 by Trevor paccione
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26 Mar, 2024 by Floflo craftcorner
He is honest keeps things real will give you the worst case scenario that you just might feel he is against you but that is how he is won the case. Felt stress but he pulled through he knows what he is doing Just to add you are very professional and straight forward. Would definitely trust you with all my cases. For you keep it real.
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18 Jul, 2015 by Anonymous
Justin is a well-rounded and knowledgable attorney with experience both as a former prosecutor and a defense attorney. Justin's passion is to help those who can't defend themselves.
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16 Sep, 2024 by Joanne joseph
Any review on here saying they was great or helpful is fake. They don’t help they don’t show up to court and that don’t tell you what’s going on with your case my lawyer quit the job and no one bothered to resign my case or show up to court I end up losing my case and getting a paid lawyer for the fair hearing I’m fighting to keep my nursing job and they don’t even show up to court
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26 Jul, 2024 by Becc rome
Do not use this agency because they do not help you whether you're disabled or not, because it will give you a lot of excuses and run arounds, and they don't fight hard enough for your situation especially Lauren price the attorney who did nothing to help with my eviction, and she sided with the agency that's called WELLLIFE NETWORK who is abusive to disabled people by throwing them out without any guidance and no help. Brooklyn defenders do not help anyone who needed the help. They're selfish and lazy, period.
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18 Jul, 2024 by Ceven loochi
These are the worst attorneys they don’t ever do their job right plus they don’t ever answer the phone
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16 Sep, 2024 by Joanne joseph
Any review on here saying they was great or helpful is fake. They don’t help they don’t show up to court and that don’t tell you what’s going on with your case my lawyer quit the job and no one bothered to resign my case or show up to court I end up losing my case and getting a paid lawyer for the fair hearing I’m fighting to keep my nursing job and they don’t even show up to court
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26 Jul, 2024 by Becc rome
Do not use this agency because they do not help you whether you're disabled or not, because it will give you a lot of excuses and run arounds, and they don't fight hard enough for your situation especially Lauren price the attorney who did nothing to help with my eviction, and she sided with the agency that's called WELLLIFE NETWORK who is abusive to disabled people by throwing them out without any guidance and no help. Brooklyn defenders do not help anyone who needed the help. They're selfish and lazy, period.
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18 Jul, 2024 by Ceven loochi
These are the worst attorneys they don’t ever do their job right plus they don’t ever answer the phone
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16 Sep, 2024 by Joanne joseph
Any review on here saying they was great or helpful is fake. They don’t help they don’t show up to court and that don’t tell you what’s going on with your case my lawyer quit the job and no one bothered to resign my case or show up to court I end up losing my case and getting a paid lawyer for the fair hearing I’m fighting to keep my nursing job and they don’t even show up to court
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26 Jul, 2024 by Becc rome
Do not use this agency because they do not help you whether you're disabled or not, because it will give you a lot of excuses and run arounds, and they don't fight hard enough for your situation especially Lauren price the attorney who did nothing to help with my eviction, and she sided with the agency that's called WELLLIFE NETWORK who is abusive to disabled people by throwing them out without any guidance and no help. Brooklyn defenders do not help anyone who needed the help. They're selfish and lazy, period.
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18 Jul, 2024 by Ceven loochi
These are the worst attorneys they don’t ever do their job right plus they don’t ever answer the phone
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16 Sep, 2024 by Joanne joseph
Any review on here saying they was great or helpful is fake. They don’t help they don’t show up to court and that don’t tell you what’s going on with your case my lawyer quit the job and no one bothered to resign my case or show up to court I end up losing my case and getting a paid lawyer for the fair hearing I’m fighting to keep my nursing job and they don’t even show up to court
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26 Jul, 2024 by Becc rome
Do not use this agency because they do not help you whether you're disabled or not, because it will give you a lot of excuses and run arounds, and they don't fight hard enough for your situation especially Lauren price the attorney who did nothing to help with my eviction, and she sided with the agency that's called WELLLIFE NETWORK who is abusive to disabled people by throwing them out without any guidance and no help. Brooklyn defenders do not help anyone who needed the help. They're selfish and lazy, period.
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18 Jul, 2024 by Ceven loochi
These are the worst attorneys they don’t ever do their job right plus they don’t ever answer the phone
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22 Apr, 2021 by Anonymous
No nonsense, busy but worth the wait. He is one of the most experienced lawyers in landlord tenant matters. He guides the judges on the law. He was methodical and worked his way through each witness and pinpointed the holes in their testimony. Many people say he is not patient, obviously that is because he does not have time to deal with other lawyers who do not know the law or are not prepared. I saw that first hand. He will get you what you want and well worth the price . He did a much better job than my Manhattan lawyers. A consummate professional even if you do not like his bedside manner.
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15 Feb, 2018 by Andrew
He (eventually) got the job done, but he's the most unprofessional lawyer I've ever had the displeasure of working with. I hired Mr. Napoletano to remove some tenants in a holdover proceeding back in March and wasn't able to get the tenants out until the end of September. For months after hiring him, I never even got to speak to Mr. Napoletano directly - I always had to go through his assistant. When all of the paperwork was finally filed with the courts, Mr. Napoletano set a date that I was unable to make, since he never even thought to ask me about my schedule. Rescheduling took another two months. On top of this, he made me bring my 94-year-old grandmother (who owns the property) to court twice, even though she wasn't needed. If all of this wasn't bad enough, whenever I showed up to court, Mr. Napoletano was always an hour or two late. On every occasion, he sent me a curt email, telling me to let the judge know he was on his way, even though he refused to give any sort of ETA. During the last court appearance, when Mr. Napoletano was over two hours late, and the judge was asking me repeatedly where my lawyer was, I offhandedly said "oh, he's always late." Somehow, this information made its way back to Mr. Napoletano, who had the audacity to take me aside (when he finally arrived) and chew me out. He told me it wasn't my job to make excuses for why he was late (even though this is exactly what he had asked me to do in the email), and then he continued to give me the excuse that he was late because he had another court appearance in a different county that morning. My takeaway from all this is that he's a lawyer who's too busy to give any of his clients the attention or care they deserve, too disrespectful, and too unprofessional for the price he charges. He also was only able to get the tenants out after around 7 months with no ruling for them to pay back rent. I would never work with this jerk again.
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19 Oct, 2019 by Alice
This lawyer was nice, but not particularly capable. For example, he failed to understand the different between should and must. Must is a legal obligation while should is a recommendation. He told me that something was required, when relevant court document said "should" do something. Isn't that basic for a respectable lawyer to know? When I corrected him, he didn't acknowledge the mistake or try to understand why I didn't follow the recommendation and instead said he thought it would be better to do it, without offering a compelling reason (actually not offering a reason at all) -- that's a really bad sign for a lawyer, as it seems like he is willing to prioritize his ego over his client. I don't think he did it intentionally, though. I gave him an extra star, because he seemed to try so hard and didn't overcharge me. I might have been able to work with him if he were humble enough to learn and improve his legal skills. I stayed around too long, and am posting this review so others don't make the same mistake as me.
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17 Feb, 2024 by Anonymous
She demanded payment in advance. But she never did the work. When asked for a refund because there was no work done, she was no more reachable.
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23 Jan, 2024 by Nicholas
Drove almost 2 hours for an in person consultation that cost me $200 only to tell me the same information that was given on the phone. Then when I asked a few questions about the process and her retainer agreement, I was suddenly reccomended to a new lawyer and we "weren't a good fit". Super unprofessional, the whole process and operation seemed a little sketchy from the beginning, but that took it to a whole new level. You'd think that a client who was doing his due dilligence and ready to do the work would be welcomed to a lawyer not a burden. Very dissapointed overall, just want this out there so someone else doesn't fall into the same pitfalls.
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03 Aug, 2021 by Anonymous
I was contacted by a girl called Nadia from this law firm as a response to their Craigslist posting for a Secretary. She contacted me at 8:30 pm at night speaking Russian and was not even listening me while on the phone. When I asked her to speak English she started to tell me she was calling to set up an interview for Wednesday. She gave me their address and phone number as (718) 513-3145 and address as 2799 Coney Island Ave, 2nd fl, Brooklyn. That address is wrong! When I called today to confirm my appointment for tomorrow there were 4 girls who were interchanging the telephone between each other and none of them, could confirm that appointment. I spoke that girl Nadia again, who pretended that she never called and spoke with me. This is a shady business and should be reported! Everyone should be aware of this firm.
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09 May, 2019 by Anonymous
Richard was my attorney when I purchased my home about a year ago. He was incredibly hard to reach throughout the entire process, and I mostly only dealt with his aid. He waited to tell me that his fee would be higher until closing. But the worst part is that he never actually gave me any real legal counsel before closing. Now that I've closed and have on going issue with how the heating/cooling system was improperly installed by the developer, he tells me there is no recourse except small claims court. He could have given me a lot of advice prior to closing, including checking with the Department of Buildings on the specifics of the installation and making sure that I would be protected after closing for things like this. If you want to have a lawyer that is on your side, do not hire Richard.
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25 Apr, 2017 by Hunter
Just terrible. Our closing in Brooklyn went as poorly as I, or anyone I've told the story to, has ever heard of. The fact that my own lawyers, Richard's team, missed the fact that we'd have to file for non-resident NY taxes and that we had to come up with an unexpected $8,000 on the spot, discovered at the closing table by attorneys representing the other parties, is amazing. But that is only part of what went wrong with the process. For sure do yourself a favor and go with someone else.
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28 Mar, 2023 by Alexis
Waldeier has had a case since July 2022. She has failed to acknowledge a few things which makes me believe she is bias and won't be fair when a final order is made. This is the problem with some female Judges, Magistrates, and Referees, they assume the woman is always right. I am a woman AND a mother, mothers aren't always right or fair! Some bitter women/mothers use the child(ren) as a way to control the father. The case that Waldeier is presiding over, the mother took the child from its home state. She's failed to acknowledge that this is called parental kidnapping. Shouldn't she have asked if there was a custody agreement in place? If there is no custody agreement or proof of an unfit father, she could have temporarily ordered visitation rights. Instead, she constantly belittles the working father and doesn't ask the right questions to get to why the mother has taken the child from its father. When asked if they can visit their father, the mother freely and continuously tells the child, that they can't visit their father until after the case is done. THAT IS NOT TRUE and it isn't right!! Why wouldn't the mother want to work on co-parenting while this case is in limbo? It would show good faith on her part. Instead she'd rather use this to control when the child gets to speak to its father and deny visitation. Waldeier hasn't asked the mother why she told the child that he couldn't see his father until after the case. This is where Waldeier has dropped the ball! She has adjourned this case 3x with no explanation and she adjourns for 3-4mths at a time instead of the normal 4-6wks. Manhattan Family Court would NEVER do this! It's always about the best interest of the child, getting to the facts, and a fair solution. I've suggested to the Respondent that he switch Judges as thus far Waldeier has shown no effort in resolving this case quickly and her entire approach to his case has been lackluster. She has allowed the mother to do and say things when not spoken to, but penalizes the father if and when he responds to the mother's claims. She rarely asks the mother's attorney to control/silence their client, but she often yells at the father and his attorney. It almost seems like she takes dislike to men. Having someone like Waldeier handle a custody case is a recipe for disaster. There are AA and Hispanic children who grow up w/o their father because of Judges like Waldeier. Many fathers are capable of being the parents that Judges like her believe they aren't. Kids who are automatically given to the mother because that is what society believes is the right thing, grow up w/o fathers and miss out on a lot. I hope Waldeier rules fairly and takes into consideration the wrong that she is doing to kids when she adjourns these cases for months at a time, only to reconvene with the same situation, and leaving kids yearning for the other parent.
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01 Oct, 2020 by Amit gera
Howard came off as petty, extremely unprofessional, unresponsive, irate and frankly quite rude. He would not respond to countless e-mails, failed to answer countless phone calls, refused to return messages, and held hostage important files and paperwork without reason or merit. I would not recommend his services whatsoever.
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21 May, 2013 by Cora
The absolute worst, stay away at all costs. Cookie cutter answers to complex or even simple problems, they didn't read or research what I wrote them and barely even showed up in court on time (over an hour late). Poor communication and even worse client management skill.
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01 Oct, 2020 by Amit gera
Howard came off as petty, extremely unprofessional, unresponsive, irate and frankly quite rude. He would not respond to countless e-mails, failed to answer countless phone calls, refused to return messages, and held hostage important files and paperwork without reason or merit. I would not recommend his services whatsoever.
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23 Jan, 2024 by Anonymous
Ms. Adewale has handled my case for emergency assistance and was very nasty when it came to dealing with my case. She yelled on the phone and when I asked can she stop yelling at me. She responded that I needed to turn my back phone down. Ms.Adewale made me feel so little when finishing the call and all I could do is cry. Her title allows her to treat other human beings as though they are beneath her. If your case is in her hands good luck if you even get a word out. If she ever reads this. I would like her to know “ Just because she holds a high title doesn’t give her the right to belittle people who needs help.
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22 Nov, 2023 by Anonymous
Highly unprofessional!!! Doesn’t respond or push paperwork through maybe too busy or too many cases
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FAQs
Questions? We have answers

What a Litigation Lawyer Can Do for You

A litigation lawyer specializes in representing individuals, businesses, or organizations involved in legal disputes. Whether you're the one filing a lawsuit or you're being sued, a litigation attorney will advocate on your behalf throughout the entire legal process. Their goal is to resolve disputes, either through negotiation, settlement, or trial. Litigation lawyers can help with a wide range of disputes, including contract disagreements, real estate issues, employment disputes, personal injury claims, and more.

Litigation lawyers provide strategic legal advice and manage all aspects of your case, from filing motions to representing you in court, ensuring that your rights are protected and that you have the best chance of achieving a favorable outcome.

When Should I Hire a Litigation Lawyer?

You should consider hiring a litigation lawyer if you're involved in a legal dispute that you cannot resolve on your own. Common situations include:

  • Breach of contract disputes: If a party to a contract fails to fulfill their obligations, a litigation lawyer can help you seek damages or enforce the agreement.
  • Business disputes: Litigation lawyers can represent you in cases of partnership disagreements, intellectual property disputes, or business fraud.
  • Employment disputes: If you're facing issues like wrongful termination, workplace discrimination, or wage disputes, a litigation lawyer can help resolve these matters through negotiation or court action.
  • Personal injury claims: If you've been injured due to someone else's negligence and are seeking compensation, a litigation attorney can help you pursue your case.
  • Real estate or property disputes: When there are conflicts over property ownership, boundary issues, or lease agreements, a litigation lawyer can assist in resolving the dispute.

Hiring a lawyer early in the process is beneficial, especially if a lawsuit seems imminent or you have already been served with legal documents.

What Does a Litigation Lawyer Do?

A litigation lawyer handles all aspects of your case, from the initial investigation to the trial and even the appeals process, if necessary. Their role includes:

  • Case assessment and investigation: Analyzing the facts of your case and advising whether it’s worth pursuing or defending.
  • Pleadings and motions: Drafting and filing documents to initiate or respond to a lawsuit, including complaints, motions to dismiss, and answers.
  • Discovery: Gathering evidence, including depositions, interrogatories, and document requests, to build your case.
  • Negotiations and settlement discussions: Attempting to resolve disputes through mediation, arbitration, or settlement talks before going to trial.
  • Trial representation: Presenting your case in court, examining witnesses, introducing evidence, and making legal arguments before a judge or jury.
  • Appeals: If necessary, filing appeals to challenge or defend the outcome of the trial.

Litigation lawyers are also skilled negotiators and often work to resolve disputes outside of court to save time, money, and stress for their clients.

How Are Litigation Lawyers Paid?

Litigation lawyers typically use a variety of fee structures depending on the type of case, the complexity of the legal matter, and the financial circumstances of the client. Common payment arrangements include:

  • Hourly rates: Many litigation attorneys charge by the hour, with rates varying based on experience and geographic location.
  • Flat fees: For specific, predictable legal tasks (such as filing a motion), lawyers may offer a flat fee.
  • Contingency fees: In personal injury or other cases where you seek damages, a lawyer may work on a contingency basis, taking a percentage of the settlement or award if you win.
  • Retainer: Some clients pay a retainer fee upfront to secure ongoing legal services. The lawyer then bills against this retainer as work is done.

The exact structure should be discussed in the initial consultation to ensure you understand how and when you'll be charged.

How Much Does a Litigation Lawyer Cost?

The cost of a litigation lawyer varies significantly depending on the nature of the dispute and the lawyer’s experience. Factors affecting the cost include:

  • The complexity of the case: More complex litigation involving extensive discovery, expert witnesses, or multi-party suits typically costs more.
  • Time spent: Litigation cases can be time-consuming, especially if they go to trial. The longer the case, the higher the legal fees.
  • Type of fee arrangement: Hourly rates can range from $200 to over $1,000 per hour, depending on the lawyer’s reputation and location. Contingency fees generally range from 25% to 40% of the settlement or award.
  • Stage of litigation: Cases that settle early in the process are often less expensive than those that proceed to trial or appeal.

It’s crucial to ask about cost estimates during your initial consultation to avoid surprises.

Top Questions to Ask a Litigation Lawyer

Before hiring a litigation lawyer, it's essential to ask key questions to ensure you're choosing the right representation:

  1. What is your experience with cases like mine?
    Ensure that the lawyer has experience handling your specific type of dispute, whether it's a contract issue, personal injury, or business matter.
  2. What are the potential outcomes of my case?
    Ask for an honest assessment of your case's strengths, weaknesses, and the likelihood of success.
  3. What is your fee structure?
    Clarify how you'll be charged, whether by the hour, a flat fee, or on a contingency basis.
  4. How long do you expect my case to take?
    While it's hard to predict, an experienced lawyer can give you a rough estimate based on similar cases.
  5. How often do you settle cases versus going to trial?
    Some lawyers are more inclined to settle, while others may be more experienced in the courtroom. It’s important to understand their strategy.
  6. What is your approach to resolving disputes?
    Some lawyers prefer aggressive litigation, while others focus on settlement or mediation. Choose one whose approach aligns with your goals.

How to Check the Credibility of a Litigation Lawyer

To verify a litigation lawyer’s credibility, consider the following steps:

  • Check bar association records: Ensure the lawyer is in good standing with the state bar and has no history of disciplinary actions.
  • Read client reviews and testimonials: Online reviews can provide insight into the lawyer’s professionalism and track record.
  • Look for litigation experience: Review the lawyer’s website or professional profile to ensure they have handled cases like yours and have a record of success.
  • Request references: Ask the lawyer to provide references from past clients who can speak to their effectiveness and approach.
  • Research their trial experience: If your case is likely to go to trial, ensure the lawyer has a history of courtroom success.

What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?

To make your first consultation with a litigation lawyer productive, you should prepare the following:

  • A clear outline of the dispute: Provide a timeline and key details about the legal issue you're facing.
  • Any relevant documents: Bring contracts, emails, letters, or any other documentation that pertains to the case.
  • A list of key players: Provide the names of individuals or companies involved in the dispute.
  • Questions about fees and the litigation process: Make sure you understand how the lawyer plans to approach your case and how you will be charged.
  • Your goals and expectations: Be clear about what outcome you're hoping for, whether it's a settlement, compensation, or another resolution.

By coming prepared, you can ensure that your initial meeting with the lawyer is both efficient and insightful, giving you a better sense of how to proceed with your case.

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