Reviews

We hired Mr. Markowitz for our real estate dispute. First, Mr. Markowitz collected all required documents and after he set up a strategy to proceed. Case was closed in our favor. Michael is the best attorney in Five Towns. If he takes your Case – you will win I would use his services again.

We hired Mr. Markowitz for a small business dispute and then a real estate transaction. He's well versed in the law. He was able to formulate defenses and counter arguments that were very effective. I have no doubt Mr. Markowitz would succeed in litigation if it came to that but these days the best solutions are usually settlement. I would use his services again.

I retained Mr. Markowitz concerning the sale of my house. Prior to the sale, Mr. Markowitz's paralegal reviewed possible issues. For example, we had an oil tank that needed to be closed. We had an extension that we needed to legalize. Mr. Markowitz explained that these are issues that will arise in a sale. He told us that it is better address these issues prior to contract. Mr. Markowitz was correct. We legally abandoned the oil tank and legalized the extension. As a result, there were no issues with the sale and we deeded the house and received the money without a problem.

Although I had worked with many different corporate attorneys, this was my first experience with civil litigation. In a contingency fee arrangement, I engaged Mr. Markowitz to recover contractually obligated payments. Given the circumstances of the case, we pursued and resolved the case with a settlement agreement. Perhaps because a contingency fee rewards prompt settlement, I found that unlike all other client/attorney relationships in my past, Mr. Markowitz did not work with me to develop a settlement strategy, but rather requested my approval or disapproval of his proposals. Although we did thoroughly discuss background information, and the negotiation was consistent with our agreement, it was a frustrating process for me. Because some proposals had been discussed w/opposing counsel before the client (myself), my impression was that good negotiating strategy was handicapped and perhaps did not provide the best outcome. Overall, Mr. Markowitz comfortably handled the procedural mechanics of the civil litigation and guided me to provide necessary input. Occasionally, I had difficulty with Mr. Markowitz's "brief to the point of cryptic" e-mail responses to inquiries on process or strategy. When I received such a response, I telephoned and was able to get a better description and/or understanding of the topic in question. Mr. Markowitz was professional and knowledgeable throughout our relationship.