Richard Michael Cohen

My sister, who posted a complaint on Mr. Cohen's Avo profile, made an appointment for our then 91 year old father. My Dad told me and said he didn't know what it was for- I was already Durable POA for my parents (our mother had passed before our father) and I was already named as Executor on both wi...lls as I have remained reliable and employed for over 20 years at the same agency. My Dad was agreeable that I should attend as well. When we arrived it became clear that my sister wanted to gain financial control. My Dad was a little more capable of standing his ground and when all issues were discussed, he stated very clearly that he wished for me to be POA for both medical and financial (I have a medical social work background which is also helpful). What I didn't realize was that my sister would become so angry that she would start pressuring my Dad, promising him that she would stay with him to the end of his life if he did what she said and threatening him that if he didn't she would leave. She made him believe that he would have to leave his house - something he was thinking of doing before any of us mentioned it. When Mr. Cohen refused to change the paperwork to her wishes, she took our Dad to a free legal clinic in Camden, telling him that it would be best if he signed POA to her and kept it a secret until she returned from a three week jaunt to Europe. She was financially motivated as she does not work and wanted our Dad to continue paying her bills (she spends a great deal on food and vacations). She returned from Europe and went by herself to an unethical attorney who wrote a very unethical letter loaded with undue influence. It was quite a mess, but I have to say that Richard Cohen saw that she was pressuring our Dad and he not only met privately with our Dad, but his office was the last place that our Dad was allowed to speak for himself with no promises, threats or undue influence. I'm clicking hired, but our Dad was the client - in my mind, we were there to make sure that he was able to make a good informed decision.

I consulted with Richard M. Cohen on the telephone on behalf of my elderly (although mentally competent) father, who my sister was pressuring to leave his home and move in with her, which he did not want to do. I believed she was financially motivated, and though at the time I knew nothing of POAs, ... I wanted Dad's wishes to go on record, with the idea that there might be something a lawyer could do to ensure that they be respected. Based on Cohen assertions that he would help us, I arranged an appointment at his office. We visited his office as a group, including my sister. Cohen had said the first thing he would do would be to ask my sister and I to leave the room so that he could ask Dad what his wishes were privately. He did not do so, instead standing over us like an authority figure while TELLING, NOT ASKING Dad what to do. At 92, Dad was somewhat frail and intimidated by this behavior. In the meeting, I suggested Dad's accountant of over 40 years as a possible alternative as POA (at the time I was planning on leaving the area, so I was not considered) but was ignored. Apparently, Richard Cohen thought he should be the person to choose Dad's POA, and that the person he should have was the very person who was a threat to him. Ultimately, Dad did not sign Cohen's paperwork, which he had prepaid and never recieved a penny back on when he realized he had been misled by the attorney. I decided to remain in the area to care for Dad and to protect his interests. Dad had the Camden County Legal Aid society prepare the papers for me to be his POA, which they will do at no charge for any elderly person, and signed them. After consulting with Mr Cohen and seeing how dishonestly he behaved, I would not recommend him under any circumstances.