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22 Jul, 2024 by Chelsey flanigan
I do not want to give too much detail but it was evident she just wanted my case settled and didn’t want to put in the work although she was paid a hefty amount! I felt completely on my own.
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09 Mar, 2024 by Attitude adjuster
27 Feb, 2024 by Kathy conforti
The best defense attorney you’ve probably never heard of. Excellent lawyer.
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07 Aug, 2024 by Armando camejo
Nothing but great service is what I have experience in our real estate transactions from Dania and her staff. The closings went smoothly and had no issues.
I assume the low ratings are based on people who were doing something against their condo laws since she represents associations...
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23 Jun, 2024 by Igor baboshkin
If someone asks me Dana correlated with RICO, Yes or No?. I would rather answer YES!
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24 Apr, 2024 by Alexandra sheehy
The whole staff at Dania S. Fernandez & Associates is amazing. Everyone is very responsive and helpful. They worked very diligently to get everything solved for me. Highly recommend them!
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30 May, 2021 by Gene
He didn't have any idea how to pursue a personal injury suit. He let the expiry date come and go on subpoenaing cell phone records as the other driver was texting.
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26 Jan, 2018 by Henry
Ron, Has represented on more than one occasion and has always been personable and professional. Has always explained everything and gave an honest opinion.
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28 Sep, 2013 by Anonymous
I met this Lawyer based on a referral from another Attorney that attended an open hearing outside a courtroom as I was solicited by this person to give me the referral based on how my case turned out that day.
I was involved in a Family Law case and called set up a meeting and Mr.Waldman told me he could handle my case as he did Family Law and he would need a retainer 2,500.00
I wrote him a check and handed it to him and he promised he would take care of the matter.
During my case he was incapable of filling the proper Motions that pertained to my case.that I asked to be filed. Mr.Waldman never returned phone calls , He never did what he verbally agreed to during any of our conversations. I and my witnesses interviewed before an important hearing and he did not write down any of the information he was told when in front of the court he "fumbled through" "forgetting any important information" he confused the hearing as it is all on the CD as it was taped for purchase.
Mr.Waldman said he did family Law and after the fact it was found he specializes in Real Estate , he had no business taking a retainer and stating to me as I had a witness with me when I retained him.
My bank and I caught that the check that was written a digit and a number was changed for an extra amount as I have proof and Mr.Waldman 's signature was on the check date cashed!
I complained to local law enforcement as they are a small division which I was referred to a State Agency to research , investigate the matter further at this time.
Mr.Waldman was very hard to get a hold of and he never returned my phone calls. I have phone records as well .
My experience was a nightmare and caused detriment to my family as precious time was wasted on promises and in- experience .
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19 Dec, 2012 by Anonymous
I needed an attorney to defend me in a Real Estate Matter and he came through with wonderful game plan that end up saving me thousands. I would recommend this attorney for anyone that has any real estate issues in Tampa Florida.
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12 May, 2017 by Kimbra
When my husband died tragically and unexpectedly, his children contested the will. I called the Clarkskatof firm to seek legal representation. They gave my case to Jordan Hammer. At first, Jordan seemed wonderful. He got us in for our first court appearance quickly. The ball seemed to be moving along and, he was easy to talk with. However, when my husband's children offered a settlement that included Jordan's firm acting as fiduciary, which would earn them firm six figures, everything changed. He and the senior partner began to pressure me into accepting the agreement. This was odd since they had been convinced that going to court was the right thing to do. Previously, when I had told Jordan that I didn't have the stomach for court he would give me a lecture about "Deserving vindication." I was hesitant to sign the agreement, given his previous, very passionate advice. I also wanted a couple of days to think on it. Jordan showed up at my house that evening. )(Yes, at my house.) My daughter was doing her homework in the dining room. I was crying in the kitchen. He strong armed me into signing the agreement. I regretted it immediately and called him within minutes, asking him not to file it and give me more time to read through it and think about it. He basically said "Too bad." I had another attorney call him and ask him to hold off on filing it. He got the same, "Too bad response." It was clear to me that Jordan's focus was on representing his firm rather than his client. I don't any doubt that Jordan was more interested into bringing the hefty fiduciary fee into this law firm than acting on my behalf. I have been very unhappy with the fiduciary service his firm was entrusted to perform. His children have indicated that they are not satisfied either. A house that was under construction and is a trust asset has been neglected. Even though I only own 25% of it, I finally hired someone to mow the lawn because the weeds were taking over and no one in Jordan's firm would act. It cost me $70. and took a single hour to find someone to mow the overgrown lot. This is just one example of many of how they have failed to look after trust assets. It genuinely seems that Jordan and the firm he works for, Clark Skatoff, put their own best interest over what is best for their clients.
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10 Oct, 2013 by Anonymous
In hiring an Attorney you will not always get the partner but an associate. In contacting Clark/Skatoff I was assigned Mr. Jordan Hammer as my attorney. Due to his neglect I loss everything I hired the firm to protect. As I cannot recover from my loss due to Mr. Hammers neglect of my case my hopes is to prevent others from suffering as I had. To begin Mr. Hammer does not answer you calls even if he is in the office. He does not return calls. His conduct is unprofessional. Mr. Hammer does not provide the client with information with regard to the case no matter how vital. I was not informed of a court hearing. In discussing the hearing Mr. Hammer was unaware of the documents provided to the court which was to be in three days. He informed me to sign and retracted advising me to wait until he reviews. He provided contradictory information and was not aware of all the particulars. He had this information for 4 months, plenty of time to review. On one occasion he provide the opposing Attorney information on the cut off date. Adding insult to injury Mr. Hammer lead me to believe we were in negotiations. I received notices from the opposing attorney stating otherwise. Mr. Hammer told me to send all information as he was not aware why negotiations were not proceeding. I finally learn that Mr. Hammer did not provide paper work in the allotted time frame which lapse due to Mr. Hammer's neglect. I lost the negotiations and would have to spend money to fight the incompetent work. I tried in vain to contact Jeffrey Skatoff and his only recourse was to defend his Attorney. It will cost me a great deal of money to correct these oversight if I can at all. As an attorney it is important to know the facts, relate to the client and provide all paper work in the time frame. He was negligent on all accounts. Mr. Skatoff did not take responsibility or assist in correcting the problem. He did not intervene or provide solution but blamed the client making me a victim a second time.
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27 Sep, 2013 by Scott
I hired Mr. Hammer to handle some estate issues that had to go against my family over. He was knowledgable and constantly kept on my case. Never did he let them sit on their butts and allow them to get away with anything. He constantly keeps me informed, and does not talk down to me. He gives me straight answers and is always prompt with his responses. He is a great attorney.
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28 Jan, 2022 by Amber
I am so happy I hired Milly Athanasons team to handle my car accident I got paid out full policy and it didnt take long at all.
I cant thank the team enough !!!!
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09 Nov, 2020 by Anonymous
These same people need to check her out too
She is the worst unprofessional, theft I have ever come across.
She has been turned into the bar and caught mismanaging funds to pay off her mother’s house.
She had to pay a fine and her account was ordered to get involved.
It’s too bad because she got away with it without going to jail.
On Friday, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office charged Hugh Charles Umsted, 65, of Gulf Drive with grand theft.
According to the Florida Bar, the Florida Supreme Court issued an emergency suspension March 21 of Umsted law license for "causing great public harm based upon his misappropriation of at least $82,647 in client funds.
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13 Apr, 2016 by Anonymous
I hired Milly and I really regret doing so. The process was literally drawn out for years with her constantly not returning calls, and mailing things to old addresses and then claiming we never got back to her. it felt like once she realized we wouldn't be a huge payout for her we lost any and all priority with her as a client. We were made to feel like a nuisance if we asked questions and even in closing the case she didn't show up to closing and I had to sign with a very rude paralegal and then when I tried to call to speak to Millie to have things explained better to me and have my questions answered since she WAS NOT THERE at the time to answer them, the paralegal was very rude and would not set me up an appointment and claimed she couldn't promise anything and maybe shed be there around this time and what exactly did I need to speak to her about. I was astonished by the boldness and rudeness when i was paying for the service and the right to ask my questions to my attorney not her secretary. She completely blew off my concerns and just told me to tell her a date to come in and pick up my check and we would be done. When i went to pick up the checks Millie was also not there, the woman was again rude and did not greet me, and I had to take her word for it that my bills and doctors would be paid and covered and request 3 times for the print out of the money distribution which she insisted she had given me and she had not. I basically just ended up giving up on pursuing my case since I was sick of it being drawn out so long and just didn't want it hovering over me anymore and I had a really disheartening experience with both Millie ( who seemed very professional and courteous in her office at first) as well as ALL of her staff. Before she moved locations and had a different woman as her help that woman stood there complaining to me about how much she wished she didn't have to work here as she was copying information for me which should have been a sign to get out I suppose. I do understand you can't always know what your staff is saying and also that these things take time and some of the time issues were on our side as well however I was left with such a bad taste in my mouth from feeling really dismissed and out of the loop the entire time that I would never recommend her to anyone else.
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29 Sep, 2018 by Terry
I hired Attorney Daniel Pilka to represent me in a lawsuit filed against me for HOA Attorney fees. I told Attorney Pilka since day 1, that I have limited resources, as a homeowner. Each month, Mr. Pilka send me billings that show excessive phone calls, that he says he made to the Plaintiff and the other defendant's attorneys. Mind you there was practically no activity on the case for the entire year I retained his services. I send him emails telling not to waste my resources on phone calls. In frustration, I terminated his services after I exhausted $4300+ and he informed me that he couldn't guarantee me a win unless I pay him more resourses$$. As it turns out, after I terminated Attorney Pilka, he sent me an email advising me that during his Motion to terminate as my Attorney, the judge advised that I was not at fault, and did not owe the Plaintiff any attorney fees as they claimed. Attorney Pilka is very knowledgeable in HOA matters, but I wouldn't recommend him to individual homeowners who have limited resources, as his billings are extremely high, he would be a better fit with a Community Association.
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02 Mar, 2015 by Anonymous
We were never asked before amended complaints were filed, appeals filed. All very costly for us the clients.
Worse than that Mr. Pilka neglected to use any Statutes or case law in his pleadings, hus giving the judge nothing to go on but rumor and heresay.
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04 Apr, 2024 by Truth
Joe Boles is a Liar as is the rest of his staff Joe Boles and his staff never returned my property which was worth $40,000. Then they all lied to the Florida Bar at which time I proved they lied three times. If you revered hired this firm l would suggest you review everything closely.
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26 Oct, 2016 by Carolyn
Mr.Boles was the trustee of my deceased mother's estate. He failed to communicate with me and my sister and chose only to communicate with my(estranged) brother to the financial detriment of me and my sister. He was paid approximately $25,000 and did not do his job. I recommend that you don't hire him.
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23 Jan, 2016 by Betsy
I will just reiterate the last review. The firm was very nice to my mother as she set up their estate but when she died and left my Alzheimer's ridden father and me to find our way through the next few years I can only describe it as a nightmare. Mr Mazzeo was largely unavailable and midway through Shelley his paralegal quit so it extended things further. When my father died I tried to keep a better handle on things but it took a year to close an estate worth less than 20k!!
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30 Sep, 2013 by Susan
My review is simply in regards to the settlement of my parent's estate. While my parent was happy with the advice they received in regards to their elder care needs, my family was very dissatisfied by the time and effort made in finalizing the estate. There was poor communication and mistakes due to lack of attention to detail. It seems like we had to continuing follow up on the status. There were extensions filed and excuses offered (the old "computer glitch"). My parent's estate was very simple and all the information in regards to his investements were in the law firms' file so there was no need for it to take over 2 years to complete.
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22 Mar, 2023 by Anonymous
No communication. Poor customer service. Not at all friendly or helpful. Would avoid at all costs.
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13 Sep, 2018 by Anonymous
I filed a complaint with the Florida Bar regarding this attorney and his staff. Not only did he reply with a letter full of provable lies, his wife/paralegal is suing me for libel even though the complaint is still pending with the system regardless of the fact that her suit is pure retaliation of my justified complaints against her and her husband. The continued lies from him and his staff should be enough for anyone to be very cautious when dealing with him and his staff. You are much better off with a real attorney that cares about you and your case. Douglas J Amidon is NOT that attorney.
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20 Jun, 2021 by Anonymous
He doesn't know what he's doing and is going to get people hurt or in trouble. Lo barato sale caro.
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18 Aug, 2015 by Anonymous
Es muy mal abogado pues me comenzó mi caso,me cobro y después el junto a sus secretarias no me contestaba el teléfono,la verdad muy mala experiencia no lo recomiendo si no quiere ser estafado
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01 Sep, 2017 by Dan
Not a good lawyer. I had him for a probate/estate lawyer Not interested in devoting time into your issues. More interested in getting cases turned over to move onto to the next case. Won't fight for you, even if he know the other attorney is being dishonest. I find a common issue with bad lawyers are when you have to tell them the same thing numerous times. This was definitely the case with Mr. Eskin. I sent him numerous emails both in a folder and a via email and he never took the time to read them. Because he would acted surprised when the issue would arise again after the other attorney prepared his papers. Extremely frustrating.
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15 Jul, 2014 by Anonymous
Harold S Eskin is a poor lawyer who shouldn't be practicing law because he is INCOMPETENT. He thinks he knows what he is talking about but apparently does not. I hired him for two cases and BOTH times he failed me so, I fired his ass. Why? My first case was regarding a family member suing me regarding inheritance. Eskin told me that the case would be difficult because he is not friends with this particular judge. Seriously? You need to be friends with the judge? They teach that in law school? Whatever happened to law being impartial and "blind" to bias? Did I miss something? The second case I hired him for was for a tenant dispute which again, he failed me. Instead of fighting the plaintiff in court, he decides to issue motion to dismiss over and over until finally, the judge sided with the plaintiff and I LOST thanks to Eskin trying to win a case on default instead of fighting. There is a reason why he charges less than other regional lawyers----he SUCKS at what he does. He is first and foremost, a lawyer who specializes in adoption and surrogacy. Go help those who do not need substantial help, Harold. The profession needs you in that regard because as they always say, someone had to graduate last, right 'Hal'?
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24 Mar, 2023 by Adam
This 'person' is another level of jerk. I wish I could give a truly honest review of this POS but decorum dictates online reviews. He refused to return my calls even though we had legal business which then forces me to hire an attorney to try and get the documents I needed, and he STILL refused to reply even to my lawyer! He is beyond lucky I don't sue him! Stay far away from this horrible person and even worse 'professional'!! I would never ever recommend him to anyone. Stay far away.
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09 Mar, 2011 by Leah
Mr. Mann is difficult to reach and takes a long time returning phone calls and I consider myself a pretty patient person. When we did speak he was not very helpful, he was short, abrupt, and not overly generous with information or referrals. I could not reccommend this attorney to anyone nor would I ever retain him for services in the future.
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28 Apr, 2021 by Anonymous
If there's no sellers signature no price on alleged contract just trick by 18 month delay get UNSERVED order deeding land by robbery delay 6 months getting order signed USE TRICK FLORIDA LEGISLATURE CRONIES"NO APPEAL AFTER 10 DAYS TRICK " ROBBED LAND
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09 Mar, 2019 by James
Mr. Ramunni was hired by my wife and I to handle my Mother in laws estate. About a month later he sent me a text message telling me he hadn't filed with the clerk of Lee county. My wife and I promptly hired a new attorney and they requested the retainer and documents from Mr. Ramunni. Approximately a week later he mailed (not fed-ex or by courier) his check, a color copy of her drivers license, a color copy of her social security card, and her banking information. My wife and I realized that he was not only not up front with his agenda, but that he or his office run out of his home does not know or follow safe guidelines on sending information sensitive documents. Not all documents were forwarded or returned.
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20 Jun, 2011 by Anonymous
Mr. Mednick was hired to challenge a will and trust. At the start he said the case was good and he was paid a large sum of money. Once he received the money he appeared disinterested in the case and despite repeating myself about what happened, he did not take it onboard.
He filed against the will and trust on my behalf, but did a poor job and due to his lack of care I lost the case. I have a new lawyer who reviewed what he filed and it was found that had he not filed the challenge the way he did I stood a good chance of winning. Now, the new lawyer has been doing damage limitation that has cost a lot of money in litigation. He showed a lack of due care and professionalism.
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26 Feb, 2023 by Anonymous
My experience with RFS and Mark
I attempted to purchase a bread route business through routesforsale.net. I gave them a deposit of $16,000.00 The purchase was contingent on obtaining financing. I tried with my bank, financial brokers and the sellers in house company purchase option. Didn't get approved. So I requested my deposit back.
The agreement I signed stated that if there was a dispute between the seller and myself, that we had to go to arbitration. I reviewed the contract with my local attorney. I had every right to get my money back. I can provide all proof that I fulfilled all my duties as a buyer. Traveling to Wisconsin, training, applied for financing etc etc. I can even provide that the broker informed me that I WOULD get my deposit back if I couldn't get the purchase financed. I reviewed these events at arbitration. However the arbitrator Mark Aubin decided to go against the contract. For reasons unknown and reasons that can not be provided.
I have spoken to several Tampa attorneys. They all say that this was WRONG. I even ran the matter by a retired judge in the area Judge G.H. They all agree this is wrong and harmful. This is why I am advising people to not sign a contract with an arbitration clause. Even if you are legally in the right they can get you. This cost me 16k and neither the arbitrator or broker would stand up and provide a reason for the ruling. I even agreed that I would move on if they could give me a reason for the outcome. They could NOT. They are not legal bound to refuse the reason. “Good arbitration should provide a reason for the ruling” came as the words from every lawyer that I've spoken to.
I did notice that the broker and seller tried twisting the idea that I “no longer wished to purchase the business” which if true would be fine, but I COULDN'T get it financed and under the purchase agreement in section 4 I should have been covered.
This has caused a great amount of suffering in my family. To get back the stolen deposit back that was LEGALLY ours we now have to spend money to get it back. Absolutely insane.
Stay away from brokers in which you can buy a business yourself and stay away from arbitration!
I now have less than 90 days to fight this matter under FL law, but the fact that I have to is crazy.
I say the broker and arbitrator should get together on providing a reason for the ruling. I WOULD move on. If not vacating the award is my best shot and providing all evidence that I can.
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03 Jul, 2015 by Anonymous
Douglas Kniskern was hired to settle my father's estate for a flat fee of $15,000. He made several significant errors, including one that was MAJOR, and then billed me an additional $10,000 to "investigate" and "fix" his own mistakes! He made several threats to charge me even more if I didn't release him from liability for his multiple screw-ups. It's taken 11 years to undo the legal and financial disaster he left me with. He is well-known in in South Florida for over-billing clients and for extremely unethical business practices. He should be disbarred.
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20 Mar, 2018 by Anonymous
Cut me off while trying to convey what and why I felt my suit was valid. I truly mean with in 10 words of speaking he began talking over my talking, and I MEAN talked OVER me. Normally when someone does that I let them speak...after a few times I decided to keep talking. Yup, he kept talking over me. I had to refresh his interest with each phone call. Felt no genuine respect for me as a client, felt his admin was patronizing towards us.
He IS a gentlemanly attorney, but if you NEED a tough litigator, not sure he is the one. IF someone needs an attorney to obtain what they are entitled to by law by a simple request, then the suit is valid...the opposition refused and so I needed an attorney. Yet I had to keep reminding Mr. Miller WHY I felt Opposing was not at all trustworthy...At the end of the suit, Mr. Miller dared to defend the opposing counsel to me....I spent over $6k to obtain what should have been provided freely and with out any problems, and yet the opposing counsel isn't a bad egg? Seriously? He really just did not respect this client or suit.
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21 Aug, 2012 by Anonymous
shelly was hired for our family's estate.
she does not perform on a timely matter, as she should.
she does not return phone calls, her assistant does but they are fluff answers.
she does not reply to e-mails for weeks.
not your typical law firm, which is normal PAID to be timely.
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08 Jan, 2009 by Anonymous
Mr. Patterson would not work with me at all. He had no urgency to get the job done, did not keep me infomed, would not return emails or calls at months at a time, would not send bills (becuase his system was down). Unfortunately I had a death in the family and Mr. Patterson made the process that much worse!!!
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30 Dec, 2014 by Jennifer
David Griffin held my $1000 earnest money for a real estate purchase contingent on my getting a mortgage. Mortgage was denied and David Griffin sent me $750.00 back, claiming $250 of my earnest money for work he had done on behalf of the SELLER. Unethical
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01 Nov, 2017 by Anonymous
We hired this lawyer to help us protect our mother from an abusive temporary guardianship. She said she knew a few judges and could easily come against the opposition and get us in court quickly to overturn the injustice. She took our retainer and did nothing except ridicule us in emails with another attorney who had referred us. Isn't that a breach of client/attorney privilege? We researched Florida laws that had been broken, sent her case law, sent her legal questions, sent character references and statements from witnesses, all to no avail. She ignored all our efforts to assist her in the case. Instead she told us she talked for an hour with the opposing attorney and then began to make threats as if she was voicing the other side's attacks against us, accusing us of lying and disobeying her instructions. When asked which instructions she was referring to she could not produce any. It was devastating. She did more harm than good. She did not care that my mother was being injured, in danger and this was a life or death situation. She had absolutely no empathy for me or my mother's pain and life-threatening situation. She went on vacation twice and accomplished absolutely nothing!
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22 Jun, 2010 by Spurt
As long as you work by his schedule, at his pace, and are willing to spend a lot of money and get nothing done this is your guy. He bled me for years and the only thing he did quickly was to identify his fees, and only when that suited his needs. I’m just glad I wasn’t in legal trouble and was counting on him to help….
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18 Feb, 2011 by Anonymous
Never in my entire life have I seen such incompetence in a "Professional". From the beginning of Probate, until I discharged him to hire another attorney ...to do the Probate all over after paying the fees of over $5000 that he demanded! Not recommended!
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13 Jan, 2022 by Dale t
I used him to do a real estate closing. He refused to answer simple questions, never responds, made many errors, including 5 versions of the closing statement. Took forever to get him to correct. Charges on the wrong side, math errors, etc. Finally I gave up and closed after he wasted 2 weeks of time for nothing with his and his team, incompetence.
Cost a few hundred dollars for nothing, unbelievably frustrating, the worst experience I have ever had with a lawyer and I have had many. Stay away.
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10 Jul, 2017 by Anonymous
I interviewed a lovely woman attorney at this firm who detailed what was involved in having an estate issue go thru probate. Based on her specific information and estimate of cost I agreed to use this firm. I was/am the ONLY beneficiary of my husbands estate and will. It should have been a simple matter, and in fact I was told by others that I could actually file this with the court on my own. I was quoted a cost of about $1500. to include filing with the court and following up stock company for titling this one asset into my name.
The reality is, I was billed in excess of $4000. and the process to title my husbands stock was handled poorly in my opinion and the matter will not be resolved by this firm ..the real issue is THIS MAN LIED TO ME twice in less than 10 minutes: He stated that one MUST have an attorney to file documents in probate court (not so) I questioned this, he insisted that ONLY an ATTORNEY could handle this. LIE #1. He also stated that "quote" No firm in the country, or ANYWHERE would charge less" Lie #2: When I asked him to sign a statement to these facts he refused, then said, well IN SOME CASES a person can file, if there is only one beneficiary... I found him to be A SLEEZY lawyer who lied and tries to intimate. I believe he is overcharging for inferior work .. which was done by a clerk, and I would NEVER recommend him or this firm for anything..
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28 Aug, 2024 by Anonymous
***CAUTION!!! DO NOT RECOMMEND***
North Tampa Law Group (Brian Arrighi) was hired to serve as the closing agent on the sale of my property in 2023. I recv'd an email from Mr. Arrighi on 04/23/2023 stating he completed my title search & there were TWO mortgages that needed cared for - he further emailed me a copy of the FHA partial claim mortgage document. I completed & returned the required form to Mr. Arrighi authorizing him to pull the payoff information for EACH mortgage loan from said providers. The final closing documents received however, apparently only included ONE mortgage (it failed to include the FHA partial claim mortgage) .
I only learned this when I received a letter from HUD stating that I owed them approx $13K. If the amount was not paid in full w/in 90 days I would be charged 32% interest (total now over $18K).
After spending months trying to sort out the issue with HUD, & the mortgage companies it was determined the error was w/Mr. Arrighi. I reached out multiple times requesting we discuss the matter to reach a resolution to this extraordinary error that shows a clear failure of due diligence in financial matters. Mr. Arrighi told me there was nothing he could do, he was busy & ended our call. I contacted another law group & confirmed this was a failure to verify required tasks per the role assigned North Tampa law.
Additionally, I received an email from Mr. Arrighi that was intended for another client of his that contained the PCI DSS financial tranx information for THREE INDIVIDUALS/CLIENTS.
This firm has a serious pattern of failure to exercise diligence in client financial matters.
I've continued to attempt to resolve this matter with this office only to have Mr. Arrighi accuse me of hanging up on him (this never happened). This office takes zero ownership of their mistakes.
This issue has destroyed my good credit score amongst other significant and unrecoverable events.
It is inexcusable for a title company of legal profession to conduct business in this manner and place their clients in jeopardous situations.
I would not recommend using them.
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15 Jun, 2024 by Louis herkalo
Not a trustworthy attorney! Be careful and do your due diligence if you decide to use Chris Prices' services!
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26 Apr, 2022 by James foran
Vernon Swartsel who is one of the attorneys in this office does the least amount of work possible and will lie.
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FAQs
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What a Trusts Lawyer Can Do for You
A trusts lawyer specializes in creating and managing trusts, which are legal entities that allow individuals to transfer assets to beneficiaries while maintaining control over how and when those assets are distributed. Trusts are used for estate planning, asset protection, tax planning, and ensuring the financial security of loved ones. Trusts lawyers help clients choose the right type of trust for their needs, draft trust documents, and advise on the administration and management of trusts.
Whether you're planning to pass on your assets to your heirs, protect your wealth from creditors, or provide for a disabled family member, a trusts lawyer can help you establish a trust that meets your financial and personal goals.
When Should I Hire a Trusts Lawyer?
You should consider hiring a trusts lawyer in various situations, particularly when you're planning for the future distribution of your assets or protecting your wealth. Common reasons to hire a trusts lawyer include:
- Estate planning: If you want to ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes, a lawyer can help you create a revocable or irrevocable trust to avoid probate and provide for your heirs.
- Asset protection: If you want to protect your assets from creditors, lawsuits, or potential future liabilities, a lawyer can help you establish a trust to shield your wealth.
- Special needs planning: If you have a disabled family member, a lawyer can create a special needs trust to provide for their care without affecting their eligibility for government benefits.
- Tax planning: If you're looking to minimize estate taxes or manage tax liabilities, a lawyer can help you create tax-advantageous trusts, such as a credit shelter trust or charitable remainder trust.
- Charitable giving: If you want to leave a legacy through charitable donations, a lawyer can help you set up a charitable trust to ensure your donations are managed according to your wishes.
- Business succession planning: If you own a business and want to ensure a smooth transition of ownership, a lawyer can help you establish a trust to pass the business on to your heirs or chosen successors.
Hiring a trusts lawyer early in the estate planning process ensures that your assets are protected and your wishes are clearly documented, reducing the chances of disputes after your death.
What Does a Trusts Lawyer Do?
A trusts lawyer provides a variety of legal services to help individuals create, manage, and administer trusts. Their responsibilities often include:
- Drafting trust documents: Preparing the legal documents needed to create the trust, ensuring it is tailored to your specific goals and complies with state and federal laws.
- Choosing the right type of trust: Assisting clients in selecting the most appropriate type of trust for their needs, whether it's a revocable trust, irrevocable trust, living trust, or special needs trust.
- Trust administration: Guiding trustees through their legal responsibilities, including managing assets, making distributions to beneficiaries, and filing tax returns.
- Modifying or terminating trusts: Helping modify or terminate trusts if circumstances change, such as changes in tax laws, family situations, or personal preferences.
- Protecting beneficiaries' interests: Structuring trusts to protect the interests of beneficiaries, especially if there are concerns about financial management, disability, or dependency issues.
- Minimizing estate taxes: Assisting clients in structuring their trusts to minimize or avoid estate taxes, ensuring more of the estate passes to beneficiaries.
- Handling disputes: Mediating or representing clients in court if disputes arise among beneficiaries or between trustees and beneficiaries.
How Are Trusts Lawyers Paid?
Trusts lawyers typically charge for their services based on the complexity of the trust and the type of legal work involved. Common payment methods include:
- Flat fee: For drafting basic trusts, such as revocable living trusts or special needs trusts, many lawyers charge a flat fee. This can range from $1,000 to $5,000 or more, depending on the complexity of the trust.
- Hourly rate: For more complex trust planning, ongoing trust administration, or resolving disputes, some lawyers charge by the hour. Hourly rates typically range from $150 to $500 or more, depending on the lawyer’s experience and location.
- Retainer: For long-term trust administration or complex estate planning cases, some lawyers may require a retainer, an upfront payment that covers ongoing services.
- Contingency fee (rare): In rare cases, particularly in disputes involving the administration of a trust, lawyers may work on a contingency fee basis, getting paid only if they successfully recover funds or resolve a legal dispute in your favor.
Always discuss the fee structure with your lawyer during the initial consultation to understand the total cost of services.
How Much Does a Trusts Lawyer Cost?
The cost of hiring a trusts lawyer depends on the complexity of the trust, the lawyer’s experience, and the fee structure. General cost estimates include:
- Basic trust creation: For simple trusts, such as revocable living trusts, fees may range from $1,000 to $3,000.
- Complex trust creation: For sophisticated estate plans involving multiple trusts, tax planning strategies, or special needs considerations, legal fees may range from $5,000 to $10,000 or more.
- Trust administration: If you are serving as a trustee and need ongoing legal advice, hourly rates for trust administration can range from $150 to $500 or more.
- Dispute resolution: Costs for litigation or mediation in trust disputes may range from $5,000 to $50,000 or more, depending on the complexity of the case.
Be sure to get a detailed cost estimate from your lawyer during the consultation to ensure the services fit within your budget.
Top Questions to Ask a Trusts Lawyer
Before hiring a trusts lawyer, consider asking the following questions:
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What experience do you have with creating trusts?
Ensure the lawyer has experience drafting trusts and managing trust administration for clients with similar goals or asset structures. -
What types of trusts do you recommend for my situation?
Ask the lawyer to explain the different types of trusts available and which ones best suit your needs. -
How do you charge for your services?
Clarify the fee structure and request an estimate of the total cost. -
What are the tax implications of the trust?
Ensure the lawyer can explain how the trust will affect your taxes and strategies to minimize tax liability. -
How long will it take to set up the trust?
Ask for a timeline for creating and finalizing the trust documents. -
Will you handle the trust administration?
If ongoing management is required, inquire whether the lawyer will assist with trust administration or if you'll need a separate trustee. -
Can you help resolve disputes if they arise?
Ask about the lawyer's experience in resolving trust disputes.
How to Check the Credibility of a Trusts Lawyer
To ensure you are hiring a reputable trusts lawyer, take the following steps:
- Verify their bar status: Check with your state bar association to confirm the lawyer is licensed and has no disciplinary actions.
- Look for trust law experience: Review their website or professional profile to ensure they specialize in estate planning and trusts.
- Read client reviews and testimonials: Look for feedback on platforms like Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, or Google.
- Ask for references: Request references from past clients who can speak to their experience with the lawyer.
- Check for certifications: Look for certifications such as Certified Estate Planning Law Specialist (EPLS) or memberships in organizations like the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys (AAEPA).
What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?
To make the most of your first consultation with a trusts lawyer, bring the following:
- List of assets: Prepare a list of all your assets, including real estate, bank accounts, investments, retirement accounts, and personal property.
- List of beneficiaries: Provide names and contact information of individuals or organizations you want to name as beneficiaries.
- Existing estate planning documents: Bring copies of any existing wills, trusts, or other estate planning documents.
- Financial information: Bring financial statements, tax returns, and other relevant financial documentation.
- Questions for the lawyer: Prepare a list of questions about the trust creation process, fees, and how the trust will protect your assets and beneficiaries.
- Goals for the trust: Clearly outline your objectives, such as asset protection, tax minimization, or provisions for beneficiaries, so the lawyer can tailor the trust to your needs.
By preparing thoroughly for your consultation, you can help the lawyer assess your situation effectively and receive the best possible legal advice for creating and managing your trust.
