Michelle starts out as very attentive and caring only to mislead and not follow through
I thought that I had it in the bag with this attorney. I was married for 29 years and my husband ended up in jail so a divorce with minor children seemed to be an easy feat, but still was an emotionally difficult rollercoaster. However, Michelle disappointed
with her empty promises and misguided legal advice. For instance, she maintained that "no judge on this earth would make you sell your home and put your children to the curb, homeless" but that is EXACTLY what the judge threatened to do we didn't settle within his time frame that day.
Michelle also failed me during our first settlement conference by not solidifying what was on the table at the end of that days meeting, opening up the opportunity for the ex to rethink everything and come back to change it all to his benefit. She was also very confused about how Pensions work and I had to explain to her that pensions are considered personal property and not spousal support. I also had to do all of the math for any offers made because she didn't understand it. She also informed me, during the ex-husband's time of incarceration, that ALL expenses and income were marital property and to just keep good records for the court proceedings. That wasn't the case at all, and I was stuck with all of the expenses that I incurred while supporting my children's activities throughout the summer, holidays, birthdays and travel sports programs. The worse part was that she LOVED filing Ex Parte Motions as opposed to arguing in front of the court and opposition. She filed an emergency custody motion based on some disturbing information that I discovered of my ex, and when that failed in front of the judge, she was supposed to file it as an actual motion to be presented and argued in front of the ex. She took TWO months and still didn't complete it before I fired her and had to retain a new attorney.
The evidence and the motion lost importance because she took so long to file it and the judge refused to hear any testimony regarding the ex's behaviors and addictions that will ultimately affect my minor children.
I can also add that she would take, sometimes, weeks to return my calls and she didn't find it important to meet before any court proceeding or conference. There was NEVER a plan in place and proper communication.
I have also gone over her invoices and there were a few times that she billed me for calls with the ex's attorney for over an hour per time. His attorney verified in settlement that he NEVER spoke with her regarding OUR divorce for more than 15-20minutes at a time.
She also never turned in any of the requested paperwork to the other side and it was used negatively against me in my final settlement/trial. it was overall a very bad look for me to have her as an attorney and I feel that she intentionally drug out the whole process costing me upwards of $10,000 more than it should've cost me. It not only cost me but it gave the ex leverage throughout the whole process making accusations that my attorney was milking me and wouldn't cooperate, to which she always had an excuse.
I will be filing a formal complaint as I have contacted her regarding all of the above and more, but she has failed to respond.
