Elkind Alterman Harston PC

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2015/08/27) */ I am sorry that the Complainant was disappointed in our services I have practiced law for more than years, and have never had a complaint filed against me before Our firm has a policy of charging [redacted] for an initial consultation, which can be in person, by telephone, or by Skype The purpose of the initial consultation is to assess the individual's case, to see if we believe that there is anything that our firm can do to help the person, and to set a fee for the legal work to be done Because of the Complainant's difficult childcare situation, our initial consultation, for which she paid [redacted] was conducted by telephone on [redacted] I told her at that time that she had a very unusual situation and that I was not sure I could help, but was willing to try After the initial consultation, Complainant wished to meet me in person, which I agreed to, and further agreed to not charge her a second initial consultation fee It was extremely difficult to find a time that the Complainant could come to my office because she could only come when her husband was not working I offered many options, but it was not until [redacted] she was able to meet me in person At that time we again reviewed the few facts that she had about her case I did not believe that there was anything that I could do for her, so I advised her to contact Senator [redacted] office for assistance I was never hired to perform any legal services for the Complainant, and I do not believe that there are any services that I could provide that would be helpful to her She paid [redacted] for a Consultation, and in fact she had consultations We will refund the [redacted] in full Initial Consumer Rebuttal / [redacted] (2000, 7, 2015/08/31) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) Thanks for your response and offering the full refundI do not recall the circumstances of no responses were due to my childcare or husband's work scheduleThe initial call was to explain my case and see if you could helpAfter that call, I heard nothing for months after giving you requested informationFinally, I got a response back asking for an in person meeting to discuss which at that time, was tentative based on your travel comittmentsAfter the meeting, it wasn't said that I could no longer be helped, but to contact the senators office to ask about whether or not I could request info about my dad without his consentI found out the answer and contacted to you back, because you said the next step would be to take it to federal courtI have heard nothing back since that meetingBut I guess the no response was your way of telling me you could not helpI do not feel anything was accomplished or done from your law firm since that initial phone call, so that's why I was asking for a refundThank you for responding and refunding back for the duties you don't feel you can perform

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2015/08/27) */ I am sorry that the Complainant was disappointed in our servicesI have practiced law for more than years, and have never had a complaint filed against me beforeOur firm has a policy of charging [redacted] for an initial consultation, which can be in person, by telephone, or by SkypeThe purpose of the initial consultation is to assess the individual's case, to see if we believe that there is anything that our firm can do to help the person, and to set a fee for the legal work to be doneBecause of the Complainant's difficult childcare situation, our initial consultation, for which she paid [redacted] was conducted by telephone on [redacted] I told her at that time that she had a very unusual situation and that I was not sure I could help, but was willing to tryAfter the initial consultation, Complainant wished to meet me in person, which I agreed to, and further agreed to not charge her a second initial consultation feeIt was extremely difficult to find a time that the Complainant could come to my office because she could only come when her husband was not workingI offered many options, but it was not until [redacted] she was able to meet me in personAt that time we again reviewed the few facts that she had about her caseI did not believe that there was anything that I could do for her, so I advised her to contact Senator [redacted] office for assistanceI was never hired to perform any legal services for the Complainant, and I do not believe that there are any services that I could provide that would be helpful to herShe paid [redacted] for a Consultation, and in fact she had consultationsWe will refund the [redacted] in full Initial Consumer Rebuttal / [redacted] (2000, 7, 2015/08/31) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) Thanks for your response and offering the full refundI do not recall the circumstances of no responses were due to my childcare or husband's work scheduleThe initial call was to explain my case and see if you could helpAfter that call, I heard nothing for months after giving you requested informationFinally, I got a response back asking for an in person meeting to discuss which at that time, was tentative based on your travel comittmentsAfter the meeting, it wasn't said that I could no longer be helped, but to contact the senators office to ask about whether or not I could request info about my dad without his consentI found out the answer and contacted to you back, because you said the next step would be to take it to federal courtI have heard nothing back since that meetingBut I guess the no response was your way of telling me you could not helpI do not feel anything was accomplished or done from your law firm since that initial phone call, so that's why I was asking for a refundThank you for responding and refunding back for the duties you don't feel you can perform

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/27) */
I am sorry that the Complainant was disappointed in our services I have practiced law for more than years, and have never had a complaint filed against me before Our firm has a policy of charging *** for an initial consultation, which
can be in person, by telephone, or by Skype The purpose of the initial consultation is to assess the individual's case, to see if we believe that there is anything that our firm can do to help the person, and to set a fee for the legal work to be done Because of the Complainant's difficult childcare situation, our initial consultation, for which she paid *** was conducted by telephone on *** *** *** I told her at that time that she had a very unusual situation and that I was not sure I could help, but was willing to try After the initial consultation, Complainant wished to meet me in person, which I agreed to, and further agreed to not charge her a second initial consultation fee It was extremely difficult to find a time that the Complainant could come to my office because she could only come when her husband was not working I offered many options, but it was not until *** *** she was able to meet me in person At that time we again reviewed the few facts that she had about her case I did not believe that there was anything that I could do for her, so I advised her to contact Senator *** *** office for assistance I was never hired to perform any legal services for the Complainant, and I do not believe that there are any services that I could provide that would be helpful to her She paid *** for a Consultation, and in fact she had consultations We will refund the *** in full
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/08/31) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Thanks for your response and offering the full refundI do not recall the circumstances of no responses were due to my childcare or husband's work scheduleThe initial call was to explain my case and see if you could helpAfter that call, I heard nothing for months after giving you requested informationFinally, I got a response back asking for an in person meeting to discuss which at that time, was tentative based on your travel comittmentsAfter the meeting, it wasn't said that I could no longer be helped, but to contact the senators office to ask about whether or not I could request info about my dad without his consentI found out the answer and contacted to you back, because you said the next step would be to take it to federal courtI have heard nothing back since that meetingBut I guess the no response was your way of telling me you could not helpI do not feel anything was accomplished or done from your law firm since that initial phone call, so that's why I was asking for a refundThank you for responding and refunding back for the duties you don't feel you can perform

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/27) */
I am sorry that the Complainant was disappointed in our services. I have practiced law for more than 35 years, and have never had a complaint filed against me before. Our firm has a policy of charging [redacted] for an initial consultation, which...

can be in person, by telephone, or by Skype. The purpose of the initial consultation is to assess the individual's case, to see if we believe that there is anything that our firm can do to help the person, and to set a fee for the legal work to be done. Because of the Complainant's difficult childcare situation, our initial consultation, for which she paid [redacted] was conducted by telephone on [redacted] I told her at that time that she had a very unusual situation and that I was not sure I could help, but was willing to try. After the initial consultation, Complainant wished to meet me in person, which I agreed to, and further agreed to not charge her a second initial consultation fee. It was extremely difficult to find a time that the Complainant could come to my office because she could only come when her husband was not working. I offered many options, but it was not until [redacted] she was able to meet me in person. At that time we again reviewed the few facts that she had about her case. I did not believe that there was anything that I could do for her, so I advised her to contact Senator [redacted] office for assistance. I was never hired to perform any legal services for the Complainant, and I do not believe that there are any services that I could provide that would be helpful to her. She paid [redacted] for a Consultation, and in fact she had 2 consultations. We will refund the [redacted] in full.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/08/31) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Thanks for your response and offering the full refund. I do not recall the circumstances of no responses were due to my childcare or husband's work schedule. The initial call was to explain my case and see if you could help. After that call, I heard nothing for months after giving you requested information. Finally, I got a response back asking for an in person meeting to discuss which at that time, was tentative based on your travel comittments. After the meeting, it wasn't said that I could no longer be helped, but to contact the senators office to ask about whether or not I could request info about my dad without his consent. I found out the answer and contacted to you back, because you said the next step would be to take it to federal court. I have heard nothing back since that meeting. But I guess the no response was your way of telling me you could not help. I do not feel anything was accomplished or done from your law firm since that initial phone call, so that's why I was asking for a refund. Thank you for responding and refunding back for the duties you don't feel you can perform.