Ellen M. McVay

If you like rude, arrogant, and dismissive, Lawyer Ellen McVay is your gal. My sister and I brought our uncle into the firm of Rosenberg, Freedman & Lee LLP in Newton, MA to see what our paper work would show vis a vis the passing down of the house from him to us - his nieces and nephew. I had hig...h hopes that the family would finally learn if we were in jeopardy of losing the family home (The five year look back) were he to go into a nursing home. It went badly within the first couple of minutes. Why do you need to see him alone? I asked. "Because I represent him", she responded. He wants us involved in this process. "I still have to see him alone first." Not two minutes went by before both my sister and I decided - by encountering her proprietary and dismissive manner unfold in the waiting area! - that this was going to get interesting. I relented and let her take him into her office "Alone". I was expecting her to simply ask him, "Would you like to have your relatives in the room from the beginning?" I waited a couple of minutes more. Still nothing. I went to the door and knocked. I said, He wants us in on this. Did you ask him? No. She had not. Again I relented and went back to the waiting area. Eleven minutes went by and no Ellen. I went in again - even less friendly than the last time - and began speaking to my uncle. All you have to do is say yes and we come in. Being up there in age he became confused. Ellen was no help in de-escalating or adopting a team-like approach to the situation. She kept interrupting me and insisting that, "He is my client and not you!" in an hostile tone.   At one point I had to tell her, I am not talking to you. I am talking to my uncle.  At this point we were at a standstill.  It was clearly not going to work out. Okay we're done here.  My uncle, sister and I left but not before telling her how unprofessional she had behaved. Advice To The Firm: Sign up Ellen McVay to a class in How To Cultivate Both A Successful Lawyer/Client Interpersonal Relationship and an