I was fraudulently billed for an incomplete case
** THINK TWICE ** I was absolutely taken advantage of and currently have a separate attorney involved because of how this case was handled and billed. Unless you have the money and desire to be MARKEDLY overbilled for a motion that the attorney NEVER FILED WITH THE COURT steer clear. The way this case was handled has serious implications for my custody agreement and my son.
I will first go over the way this was handled, followed by the likely fraudulent billing. I know attorneys bill for
their time, but this is insane. ALSO CONSIDER - Hannah is a new attorney charging $375/hr which is insane - she has been a lawyer for less than 5 years. Hindsight is 20/20.
I hired an attorney here (Hannah) in January when I needed a court order that my ex husband only communicate with me through a court admissible app (AppClose). This was amidst intense harassment and difficult to nonexistent co-parenting with my ex husband.
I sent an email two weeks later requesting my retainer back because I had not heard back from a voicemail and no work had been done. At this time my ex was agreeable to download the app, and I felt if we agreed I could file the motion myself. *MIND YOU. She told me during my consult that she could not see the cost coming to the $2,500 retainer she charged*
She texted back apologizing and saying she had the motion done. She said because we agree it can be turned into a consent agreement. We both sign it and it because final order. Her words.
She sent proof of service to the court but never filed the motion. I repeat. She never actually filed this. So I go to an attorney months later in attempt to file a motion for contempt because he is refusing to use the app. TO FIND OUT SHE NEVER FILED IT. She sent me the final copies we had both signed and said it'd be filed the same day. And. Never. Filed. It.
NOW LETS TALK ABOUT BILLING BECAUSE THIS IS CRAZY.
I was contacted on 12/31 -- a TWO MINUTE phone call to schedule an actual "welcome call" - AND BILLED FOR 20 MINUTES.
The "welcome call" scheduled for 1/2 lasted SIX MINUTES. I had explained the situation in the consultation, I knew what I wanted, this was it. - I WAS BILLED FOR 30 MINUTES.
I emailed on 1/13 that I had not heard from their office at all and asked for my retainer back. She emailed back that she completed the draft that day. - BILLED ME 20 MINUTES FOR READING MY TWO SENTENCE EMAIL AND RESPONDING WITH A TWO SENTENCE EMAIL.
Charged 2.4 hours for writing this one page motion. I am being told by the practice I am now working with that there is absolutely no way.
Charged 20 minutes for a 4 text correspondence confirming the order. Whatever, I guess she could argue that, some how. I know attorneys bill for their time.
Charged another 1.3 hours for drafting the motion.
Charged 30 minutes to resend (email) my ex the link for docusign. Literally, correspondence with updated email address and resending the email.
Charged 30m To sign the order, "send copy of appearance and stipulation order, proof of service, and tasking the paralegal with sending it to the court"
Then charged 30m to draft the cover letter and save it to my file
Then charged 30 minutes to "prepare mailing bundle"
Then charged 30 minutes to mail it
Then charged 20 minutes to review and revise it (???)
It is absolutely shameful that this is how they conduct business. I have to believe the rest of the attorneys at Goldman do good work because of their reviews, but this is very clear unethical conduct.
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