A1 Legal Services and Mediation Centers

Review: Last summer, I went to A1 Legal Services and Mediation Center (law offices of [redacted]) to see about getting a divorce. I paid them $3500 for the divorce, but they served papers to my husband in October and apparently did nothing else. They never asked me or told me what they were doing in the divorce, asked what my terms were, or anything like that. This has been going on almost a year now, and all requests for information on it have been delayed repeatedly.When they set up the divorce, [redacted] also told me my estranged husband was trying to revoke my citizenship, had been seeing another woman for eight years, had opened credit cards in my name, and would get half my life savings. Most of my life savings were inherited from a friend in San Diego, and [redacted] knew that, and inherited money is not subject to divorce division. I didnt know what was true and what wasnt, so he scared me into signing over my life savings to some investment in real estate that would pay $1000 each month. I never got documentation on the investment other than showing that they took my money out of my bank accounts. I still have no idea what the investment is and they wont tell me. After four months of dividend checks, three months ago, they stopped paying me. Ive called every day trying to get my money back, but they say to call later. So Im complaining now because they wont listen or help. Im homeless now because I have no money and no job, and they know it. I have no money and no documentation on the divorce or the investment. I also don't see any indication they licensed to handle investments.Desired Settlement: For the divorce, I want a full accounting of what has been spent, how it has been spent, and what money is leftover. For the investment, I want a full refund of all money invested, minus the four dividends paid to me already, plus 10 percent interest (which was the term of the investment).

Business

Response:

Dear Revdex.com and [redacted],

I am sorry for the delay in responding to this request. I am appreciative of your understanding regarding this delay in my response.

I am sorry the client did not contact our company’s internal complaint department to explain the issues that she believed she had which occurred recently as set forth in the letter that Revdex.com received for us. We regret any inconvenience Revdex.com has experienced, and we assure you that we are anxious to maintain client satisfaction.

Our firm is committed to providing the highest quality of service possible to all our clients. The news that this client is possibly dissatisfied had not been addressed before receiving this letter from Revdex.com.

In this case, I found that we spent more time with this client than is normal. This Romanian speaking client talked with me and my highly skilled staff helped her with what was asked of them, but then she showed up many times unannounced without any type of appointment demanding continuous status reports on her divorce. Although she showed up with no appointment, we always made time for her and all of her many questions that took some time to explain due to the language barrier. We even helped her go to several personal appointments because of her need and lack of knowledge of the city and our desire to accommodate the client.

After Ms. [redacted] began her dissolution, she came in to my office and I helped her obtain her credit bureau reports. With both of us on the phone, the credit card company verified that Mr. [redacted] was a cardholder on Ms. [redacted] account for several years and Ms. [redacted] was the primary card holder and the outstanding balance was being paid and payments were current, unknown to Ms. [redacted] until this call was made together. I also helped the client contact IRS to obtain her tax returns as she was unaware that she was being claimed and money had been received by Mr. [redacted] from her being a dependant.

After Mr. [redacted] was served papers for dissolution, he stated to me Ms. [redacted] "would have major immigration issues if she proceeded with the dissolution". Mr. [redacted] continued to talk with Ms. [redacted] on the phone to try to dissuade her to stop the proceedings and come back and live with him. Mr. [redacted] stated he would get rid of his current live-in girlfriend who moved in when Ms. [redacted] left him without notice and moved to California, with Mr. [redacted] not knowing what had happened to Ms. [redacted]. Ms. [redacted] stated that her husband had also asked her to come back home recently since receiving the dissolution paperwork.

Subsequently after Mr. [redacted] was served with dissolution paperwork Ms. [redacted] notified me that she maintained a passbook savings account from earnings she had acquired after leaving Mr. [redacted] from money she had saved and Ms. [redacted] did not mention any inheritance. She removed the funds from the bank after she spoke with a person in our lobby who was a hard money lender and inquired if we could oversee the transfer of funds to this individual. The transaction was never completed thus funds remained in our account. The client requested for us to maintain funds to make funds available for her as she was still working at the time. These funds are available for her and I have no problem refunding the clients remaining funds, however, the client up to this date, had not given us a contact address, therefore returning funds was not possible with an unknown address. I have personally spoke with her on several occasions but I never received an address for her. I tried reaching her via US mail from last known address without success. As of today we are awaiting a response from Ms. [redacted].

Sincerely,

A1 Legal Services & Mediation Centers

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

Dear Sir /Madam,

As per our telephone conversation with [redacted], my office represents Ms. [redacted] in this

matter.

Attached please find a copy of the complaint and supporting evidence that Ms. [redacted]

filed at the State Bar of California against Attorney [redacted] and Al Legal Services

and Mediation Center. Those evidence provide a clear picture of the true facts and

events that took place in reference to the above case.

All statements of Attorney [redacted] in his response to the Revdex.com are untrue and

misleading.

Attached also find an email that was addressed to Mr. [redacted]'s official email

address registered with the California State Bar, dated 8/27/2013 requesting once

more from Mr. [redacted] the immediate return of the funds of Ms. [redacted].

Mr. [redacted] failed to respond to any of our requests for returning the funds of Ms.

[redacted] although he stated in his answer to Revdex.com that the funds are available to be

returned to Ms. [redacted].

Truly Yours,

Attorney and Fraud Examiner

05/16/12 paid $1500. RETAINER FEE FOR COLLECTION OF JUDGEMENT. AS OF TODAY, DECEMBER 29TH,2012 I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION ON STATUS OF COLLECTION PROCESS OR PROGRESS. I AM ASKING FOR MY MONEY TO BE REFUNDED AS IT HAS TAKEN 8 MONTHS FOR WHAT...NOTHING? I AM UNEMPLOYEED AND CANNOT AFFORD TO BE SWINDLED BY AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS SWORN UNDER OATH AND REGISTERED BY THE BAR ASSOCIATION TO BE HONEST.