Nicole Marie Finn

Made mistake of retaining Solomon firm for settlement conference (SC) bc initially positive discussions with Solomon, from whom I repeatedly requested representation for case and/or settlement conference - which had been initially suggested by another attorney, whom I retained bc Solomon firm wouldn’...t actually respond either way for weeks, who would have charged hourly and allowed me to ask questions beyond SC. When NF sent SC retainer (not until the week before SC), I asked to actually speak with NF first before switching representation, but firm wouldn’t allow without executed retainer and $. With NF/AS, you need another attorney to protect you from your own attorney - I wouldn’t have hired if had realized NF had actually drafted $5k ***flat fee*** retainer just for *last-minute traipsing* into “day-long” SC (the only flat fee retainer I’ve ever personally seen/received). Another firm would have charged only $2500 retainer for hourly consumption AND wanted report of investigation and other case documents, about which NF/Solomon firm never actually cared; another even wanted to pre-read ROI before initial consult (but then got covid and couldn’t help). Not until the afternoon before SC, NF unilaterally wanted to reduce settlement demand from $75k to $15k, which was insulting. Reminding me (as a woman) of a guy who won’t take no for an answer, NF called me right before SC “to be sure we were on same page” even though I never affirmatively responded that I wanted to speak with her after it became apparent that she would simply give up all of my rights in order to “settle”. During the hour right before SC (and all the way until final “settlement agreement”), Solomon/NF started threatening to break up with me. Having my own “attorney” repeatedly threatening to break up with me made me want to ‘settle” just bc intolerable situation. But even though NF falsely claimed that she would stand up for me even though providing candid advice privately, she NEVER actually stood up for me. And refused to intervene or answer any questions beyond SC, even when I was requesting abeyance of case deadlines in order to increase chances of good-faith settlement (bc Agency intentionally had me backed up against wall). NO “opening statement” in SC. NF DID NOT CARE about my ongoing concerns about mediator treating parties differently (repeatedly refusing to intervene or advocate on my behalf, despite repeated requests), that “settlement terms” were not even consistent with laws that Agency wasn’t following in first place (mediator [herself an attorney] actually ended up advising). NF herself provided absolutely NO comment on the “final settlement agreement,” for which she asserted I would require assistance while she was repeatedly threatening to terminate after I had already burned $5k. NF’s “thank you for your cooperation” was only after I had to keep repeating myself just for her, only because she didn’t actually listen or care about anything I had said on my own behalf during previous day. NF advised me to choose between Agency’s “bad or worse” options, both of which I rejected in order to fight/assert that Agency should be willing to uphold its own word. If didn’t settle, NF/AS refused to help me, so I was stuck with either accept whatever Agency is willing to “offer” or nothing (i.e., lose-lose). Stupidly burned $5k “flat fee” only to be the ONLY ONE actually advocating for myself. Entire paltry $10k “settlement” for 3 years of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation (and chronic suicidal ideation) goes (after taxes) almost entirely to settlement “attorneys” who didn’t actually do anything. Honestly NF/AS made me feel like I might as well have hired opposing counsel. Didn’t actually care about concerns, just don’t want to hear them. The only beneficiaries of imaginary “civil rights laws” are attorneys who waste billable hours.