Adam Jay Berner

Serious Concerns About Intake Process and Conflict of Interest I hired this firm for divorce mediation services in September 2025. My experience raised serious concerns about their intake and conflict-checking procedures: INTAKE ISSUES: - Only my wife completed an intake form; I never did - T...he intake form asked "How did you hear about our firm?" and my wife answered "Other" with no additional information provided - No follow-up was done to identify the actual referral source UNDISCLOSED CONFLICT: - Five months into the process (February 2026), I discovered through the firm's own website that my wife's long-term partner had previously used the same attorney (Amelia Nickles) for her own divorce mediation - My wife's partner had left a 5-star review on the firm's website - My wife later confirmed in writing that her partner had referred her to this specific attorney - I was never informed of this connection before or during our mediation RESPONSE WHEN RAISED: - When I brought this to managing partner Adam Berner's attention via email (February 19, 2026), he responded (February 24, 2026) by addressing me by the wrong name ("David" instead of "Mark") and refused to discuss the conflict, instead demanding payment and stating "no further communication until the balance is paid" COST AND SERVICE DELIVERY: - Before signing the Agreement to Mediate, I sent multiple emails (September 20 and September 23, 2025) requesting a cost estimate for the complete process - Despite these requests, no total cost estimate was ever provided - We paid $2,689.88 over 5 months with minimal deliverables: one AI-generated summary and no meeting minutes or documentation - When I asked about meeting minutes in February 2026, I was told the firm charges an additional $500/hour for documentation beyond the mediation sessions WHAT I LEARNED: - Always ensure BOTH parties complete intake forms - Ask specifically about conflict-checking procedures - Get total cost estimates in writing before proceeding - Confirm what deliverables are included in the hourly rate I ultimately hired a separate attorney to complete my divorce. Others considering this firm should ask detailed questions about these issues upfront.

Adam was incredibly thorough, kind, professional and supportive throughout our legal proceedings. I very much enjoyed working with him, and found his deep understanding of both New York and New Jersey law to be comforting and reassuring amidst a situation filled with so much uncertainty. I would abso...lutely recommend Adam and his team, without hesitation, to anyone looking for an outstanding attorney!

Without question, Adam is one of the most intelligent professionals I've ever worked with. His vast knowledge, insight and common sense advice were always perfect. He did such a good job with my divorce, that my ex-wife and I continue to join together for family events. He knew this was my g...oal.. and helped me to realize it. I am forever in his debt.

I had a great experience working with Adam. He skillfully and sensitively helped us navigate through the divorce process. Adam takes a collaborative approach and was able to keep us focused on the forest instead of getting stuck in the trees. While my ex-wife and I both had our own independent cou...nsel, Adam's involvement easily saved us tens of thousands of dollars in legal bills that would have been incurred in conjunction with what I am sure would have been a much lengthier and more contentious negotiation process. My only regret is that we didn't involve Adam earlier in the process