Benjamin Flam

I contacted Attorney Flam several years ago regarding possible MCAD retaliation claim. Attorney Flam reviewed the documents and spent a good deal of time on the phone with me discussing the situation. He thought that, though the case had merits, the efforts required to prosecute it would have to be ...significant compared to potential damages/recovery. I took his advice and I'm glad I did. Thank you!

Ben is such a competent, brilliant, compassionate lawyer he should be knighted. But he one of the toughest guys (not just as a lawyer) on the street, in the courtroom and most importantly at the negotiating table. Ben spoke to me for an hour about my case just as I was retaining a Norwood lawyer. ...After winning probable cause findings Pro Se at MCAD I was exhausted, humiliated, financially compromised and unfortunately purposely being embarrassed as I had to deal directly with my boss, HR lawyers, 100% male work force and a very difficult work environment. I was so impressed after I spoke to Ben that I went back inside the Norwood law office, paid them for their time and took back my retainer. That was the best and the only decision I had to make alone ever again in regards to legal issues with Ben. From then on, every other decision I made included Ben's precise legal opinion, his carefully weighted options, his basic common sense mixed in with his savvy ability to read and react to opposing counsel and even the courts intentions or actions. Ben's rustic street smarts combined with his true friendship and compassion supported his being selected Best of Boston Magazine's top civil rights and employment attorneys' that year. The magazine said he was the young guy all the old lion lawyers sought out in employment and civil rights issues. Ben proves himself right at every turn and proved that Boston magazine hit the hammer on the head in selecting him as one of the best of the best of Boston's up and coming attorneys that year. Like me, you will know you have a legal guardian angle representing and watching over you each day if Ben agrees to represent you. Ben immediately takes your legal worries and burden off your shoulders completely, carrying the lot to fruition himself. It was amazing to see Ben preform on my behalf to my total satisfaction in legal areas needed by me. He not only saved my career, he propelled me into my next one, restoring my sanity, family and became my legal guardian angle.

Ben is a bad person and I told him that directly. Do NOT recommend for anyone Especially if you are TRANS or LGBTQ+. I had to argue with Ben about using my preferred name and pronouns. This was early on in my transition so felt emotionally exhausting and traumatic. He came in hot with big claims an...d then became impossible to get ahold of. Then he would set a time and not show up. He always had an excuse — funeral, other clients, contract negotiations, etc. I was always 2nd or 3rd class despite being a paying client. When we did talk he drained me emotionally asking about personal matters, family estrangement, and my gender transition — none of which he used in negotiations ultimately leaving me feeling violated and like my privacy was invaded and taken advantage of. Instead he wanted to be the hero and my therapist. Neither of which I asked for. My short-term disability ended and he still didn’t have a contract for me to review until two more weeks despite plenty of lead team. When we did talk it was all about my gender transition, invasive private questions, about my lack of family support and patronizing me. He would get emotional when I asked for status updates or details — saying thing like “I know you’re going through a hard time but don’t take it out on me” for simply asking normal questions. He claimed to be on a first-name basis with my employers lawyer, and as such kept me out of the loop on all calls and told me I couldn’t join when asked. Finally we discussed what would go on the contract. When he came back with it - it was a complete mess. Promising things my doctor explicitly said no to and other line items that I could not have been more clear about. Despite this correspondence being noted several times over email and text he still denied it — saying we never talked about it. That’s his privilege though. He didn’t think he owed me a basic amount if respect and dignity. He didn’t even give me a single round of review for feedback. He was just like here you go .. . I actually made all these decisions without your consent and went against the wishes of you and your doctor. Too late now though. It became clear to me he didn’t present my strongest arguments which were on grounds on my being a protected class. He actually didn’t tell them or bring up the fact I was transgender at all — despite asking him 3-4 separate times. Instead he lied by omission saying nothing at all. When I asked about MCAD timelines, recaps, meeting notes and details - he left me high and dry in the negotiation phase. I had to fire him and go renegotiate with my employer on my own. The terms were overwhelmingly in the favor of my employer but I couldn’t go without medical coverage so had to take it. His takeaway ended up being $5k mine was closer to $3k after the unplanned gap. I’ve never felt so disrespected or taken advantage of. I’d take him to court for malpractice but that would require a jury trial - something I’d never win as a Trans person. He did everything your not supposed to do to Travs clients … Making decisions for me, misgendering me (in person and behind closed doors), lied, exaggerated, and failed to act in good faith, The situation left me feeling abused and manipulated. Hiring him was one of the worst decisions I made in my life. He left me far worse off. Because he didn’t take the % cut I was supposed to be ok with whatever I got - while he walked away with $5k for doing almost nothing that I asked. Never got any apologies. He took advantage of my kindness and vulnerability - He never asked for input or my feedback and played me as if he was fighting for my life. The evidence was obvious and overwhelmingly. He just didn’t want to try. At one point he even signed me up for further stressful and invasive investigations. On my contract he noted he’d be in attendance for “emotion support” but not legal purposes. I cannot express how offensive that felt without even asking me. Simply put — Ben is not a good person.