Edward F S Deignan

I called him for advice regarding a former landlord; I wasn't sure where I stood legally in terms of filing a suit, especially as I'm now living overseas. He asked me a lot of questions, was extremely thorough in answering mine, and (since he has experience working abroad) offered additional advice ...(such as assigning Power of Attorney, etc.) to make my life a little easier later. He also suggested ways to solidify my case now should I bring it to court later. Overall, he was knowledgeable and quite nice; the consultation answered all my questions, and there was no charge. I definitely recommend him.

I hired Edward for a commercial landlord/tenant matter after seeing his many positive reviews, which was ultimately the main reason I retained him. Unfortunately, my experience was the opposite of what his reviews suggested which now causes me to question his many positive reviews. During the ...initial consultation, Edward provided good advice and was very responsive, scheduling me for a consultation right away. However, once retained, his responsiveness declined significantly. Emails regarding important matters often went unanswered for days, and sometimes I never received a response at all. Calls he never answered unless I scheduled the call and even then he would rush the call. He often showed up to court unprepared, forgot important facts regarding my case and with none of the documents provided to properly litigate my case. I had to appear at every court appearance because I had no confidence in his legal representation. At one point, he even threatened to withdraw from my case because I did not want to accept a settlement that was not in my best interest. He ignored critical facts, including that I was renting an illegal property with no rear egress, illegally removed by the landlord, which the Department of Buildings confirmed. Despite this, he continued to pressure me to settle because it seemed as if he just wanted the case over with. When the settlement was finally drafted, I had to consult a separate attorney before signing, as Edward pushed me to agree to terms that were harmful, including a judgment against me and language allowing the landlord to sue me again even after settlement. Only after I followed the advice of another attorney were the terms corrected before I signed. I regret hiring Edward for this matter. I felt he did not properly advocate for my rights, pressured me into settling because he just wanted the case over with. I would not recommend him to anyone seeking an attorney who will truly fight for their legal interests.