Reviews

PART I-I hired Goldman and Associates (located on Livernois Avenue in Troy) to represent me for probate. My father died on August 5, 2016. About $70,000 in intangible properties are now in the State of Michigan's unclaimed properties, three life insurance policies total about 63,000. He also has left about $10,000 in State of Israel bonds. Goldman and Associates charged me $7300 in total for doing nothing more than filing the paperwork and showing up for a 10 second meeting with the Macomb County probate court attorney. The lawyer's name is Mary Ann Kirsbaum, who also showed up 20 minutes late for the meeting, which was via zoom. However, this behavior and lack of legitimately pursuing the practice of law is throughout the firm, a firm using law as a front. The lawyers intentionally sabotage and damage the client's case in the same manner as a mechanic damaging a customer's car. Or perform tasks having nothing to do with the case like a doctor prescribing unnecessary medicine. There is a repeated pattern among the Google reviews of incompetence, carelessness and lacking any attention to the simplest and most basic of details. I say this because the incompetence, carelessness and lack of attention to detail have nothing to do with practicing law. In my case, five months passed just for the paperwork to be filed for a simple probate case. Then the paperwork was rejected by Macomb County Court because duplicates were sent, aka wet signature. Other incompetence stated on Google reviews: sending paperwork to the wrong court and after the deadline, misspelling clients’ names, starting cases over after switching lawyers. Several of the reviews even claim Goldman and Associates offered to pay the clients who wrote a negative review to write and post a more positive review. Most of the Google reviews are also fake, too many (not even Wal-Mart receives as many positive reviews during a month) and at least five glowing positive after each negative (listed by the FTC as signs of fake reviews). I only found out about the wet signature because I was sent another invoice in which other multiple charges higher than the filing fee were added to the balance. Kirsbaum never answered any of my emails (about 10) requesting an update after the rejection for wet signature. I was finally appointed personal representative on September 30 and after a second filing. I was then sent the wrong form for appointed personal representative. I had to pay another $17 to get a second copy. She also flat out lied to me, saying I wouldn't be charged the filing fee a second time, but then charged me $150 dollars for e-file. I was charged for items such as unscheduled phone calls, looking up an address for a person of interest four times. The last name was incorrect. Thus, of course, not found, again, four times. Kirsbaum charged me $40 reimbursement for the trip (about 18 miles, the IRS standard is about $18 total) to Macomb County Courthouse when filing a second time and even $1.50 for parking (in addition to all the other fees). I never instructed her to drive to the courthouse. The tone when informed about planning to make the trip was as a courtesy because the rejection of the paperwork was the law firm's fault. I sincerely thought the intention was to right the wrong, not add more fees. All that was required was to put the original paperwork into another envelope and mail. I was charged about $3500 for the first filing of the paperwork, which was rejected. Again rejected because duplicates were sent instead of the original, not anything having to do with practicing law. I was then charged another $3800 to have new paperwork filled out and filed a second time. Several of the items charged for are different than the first filing and basically the whole case was started over. However, since the paperwork was rejected because duplicates, the only action needed was mailing the original copies. The second filing then took another seven weeks. Part II is required to fully explain the behavior-https://www.yelp.com/biz/goldman-and-associates-law-firm-troy-2.

This firm is the worst and will take every dime you have. Long story short When I spoke with the initial lawyer I was made to believe it was an easy case to handle. I was never told that she was pregnant and about to go on leave and that I would be going through 3 different lawyers that you will get charged for. All of this before we even got in front of a judge. From the case getting handed off from one to another, none of them knew what was going on. Was constantly getting over charged for phone calls and emails, money and credit cards getting either withdrawn or maxed out without my consent. When we finally get in front of judge they were late, didn’t file proper paperwork with courts so I couldn’t even use the witnesses that mind you they charged me for all the work they put in supposedly. Then all that caused an additional court date because we went over the allotted time for first hearing. Then trying to charge me over 700.00 for them to drive to court plus mileage. In court it was a joke on how well they will represent you. Over 16,000 in charges for them not represent you to the best of abilities is more like bottom of the barrel.

Eric was not help I thought he was sending number to help me and he sent me number for insurance for people 60 and older. The messed up thing is I call with a real matter and he played in my face like this.

Have been making payments for my legal bill and they sent me to collections. Every time I attempted to reach out to their correspondence, via phone or text, I did not get a response. Finally, after 15 days, they told me my file was already sent. How does that even happen when you are making payments?!

Eric was super helpful

Very prompt and pleasant on the phone!!! Even referred me to another attorney because they couldn’t take my case.

Eric was very helping in sending me in the right direction. Thank you!!!!

He did an amazing job at helping us.

Thankful for your referral list attached.