I hired Ms. Kugel to represent me in a DUI case. She personally never called me and her assistant, Linda, was always rude on the phone. I felt like I was interrupting her day. Many times when I called I would have to leave a message and then wait two or three days for her to get back to me. Ms. Ku...gel and I met at the court house for the first time and she asked for a continuance because the dash cam DVD was not available yet and neither were the breathalyzer results. I told her I wanted to see the DVD and she said I could once she received it. When we met at the court the next time, she went in to talk to the prosecutor and came out saying she made a deal for the minimum because they lost the breathalyzer results. I asked about the DVD and she said I would have to call Linda about that. We went into the court and I received th eminimum penalty. I called Linda several times over the next month or two and when she finally called me back, she said the DVD had been destroyed because I never asked for it. She conveniently waited until after the time for keeping those items had passed before reaching out to me. I had requested it several times and she never acknowledged my requests until it was too late. I will never hire Rachel Kugel again, nor would I ever recommend her to anyone I know. she and her staff were rude and disrespectful.

Rachel has a style that I didn't find detailed in anybody else's reviews. Your case and luck with a specific prosecutor will be more relevant than any attorney you can hire but, there are still some traits to consider while making this critical decision. At this point, you are realizing how much a ...defense (any defense) will cost. Not a cheap mistake you've made! My initial conversation was with her assistant Linda. She was charming and convinced me of multiple unfair circumstances to my case (i.e. airbags make field sobriety difficult). Her timely communication with Rachel is confirmed when Rachel calls you right on schedule. My first conversation with Rachel was also comforting; painting a picture of hope and relief. My first court date was Rachel's opportunity to conference with the prosecutor. She offered a specialist report to the prosecutor to support a plea of lower BAC (there were legitimate process flaws). She recapped her meeting with him and detailed my possible options in front of the entire court waiting to enter the court room (small municipal building packed with 30 people). I took it that she was a no BS NYer. Regardless, I'd already hired her and she conveyed her knowledge of the DUI laws in NJ, which was meaningful to me. I don't depend on driving so much and wasn't overly interested in accepting a plea that included a .08 DUI and a reckless (there had been an accident). It's less drive time suspension but extra fines. Some time passed (two months) while we gathered more evidence for the specialist report. Linda didn't like to be bothered but did forward me the report upon my request (I paid $750 for it). Nobody offered me a conversation with Rachel and I assumed we'd talk before court. Although was on time, Rachel made a fashionably late appearance, waved to me and went straight to the prosecutor's office. No time to talk I guess. She made a deal without discussing my interests and was really upset that I didn't want to accept it. It was another confrontation in front of 30 people standing in line to pay their parking and speeding tickets. I hired her because I was convinced by she and Linda that I was innocent until proven guilty and likely had a good case for trial. I was forced to make a decision about a plea that seemed to 1) foster a positive relationship for her next plea with that prosecutor and 2) was easier for both of them than going to trial. I was even told that she was the only attorney to get a plea that day and I should "feel lucky". I'm not sure that she or the prosecutor ever read the details of the specialist report. Her defense and recommended report saved me a few months of driving time and the dismissal of a two but not three minor tickets (address change, minor and reckless). If you're reading this post, you know that DUI arrests come with a list of frivolous tickets which are designed to support the DUI plea process. She's expensive, her assistant is only nice in the beginning and she's ok at getting you a plea while convincing you to spend money on her specialist. I regret having hired her and she knew it because she lingered around after the fact to schmooze me while I paid the fine.