Michele G. Bergevin

I hired Michelle because I wanted an aggressive attorney for my custody/visitation suit. WHAT. A. MISTAKE. She is completely disorganized and doesn't care - she didn't even show up for one of my court appearances and last minute (apparently she was on vacation?!) sent one of her junior attorneys - w...ho was totally unprepared - in her place. 30 minutes late! She ignored outreach attempts by the other side to reach a settlement - I found this out AFTER from the other attorney - and instead, gouged me for even more (undeserved) fees. And her written work product was late, and full of mistakes! Learn fro my mistake - DO NOT hire this woman.

I hired Michele Bergevin for my custody case and she was the worst. First and foremost, she is a gouger. She'll overcharge and run up hours against her retainer and then come back for more. She is terrible at returning phone calls, doesn't respond to basic questions, and she is awful in the Courtroom.... In my case, she lost miserably to my ex husband who was representing himself pro se during a custody trial, and I lost physical custody of my 4 kids. Don't waste a dime on her legal services. She's a hack and does not belong in the profession. She should be disbarred for being unethical and unprofessional.

I retained Michele to handle a contentious and extremely complicated relocation trial (I was the one attempting to stop the relocation). This was a “direct to trial” case. I am a seasoned law enforcement professional. In that capacity, I have worked closely with an array of both prosecutors and de...fense attorneys. Many were/are quite skilled; some were great negotiators; only a handful were excellent trial attorneys. Michele falls into the latter. From the EBT (deposition) to the actual trial Michele performed admirably. She had complete command of the pertinent issues, (including case law) and her performance in both realms were simply outstanding. By the third day of trial, the petitioner (my ex) decided it was prudent to settle (before her cross-examination) and withdrew the relocation petition. As a father who loves his children, I could not be more appreciative of this final result. I firmly believe the concession was a result of a hesitancy to be crossed examined by Michele. The writing was on proverbial wall. As for her billing, she is extremely fair; some would say she was too fair. She charged me for “exactly” the work she did and clearly did not “pad” the bill – trust me I examine bills closely anytime I am involved with an attorney, and with my ex that is often. If you are seeking an experienced and seasoned “trial attorney,” look no farther. If you are seeking an attorney who can play “hard ball” when necessary to ensure there is no trial, look no farther.

I used Michele for my divorce 11 years ago (she was recommended by a friend) and thought she was great, but it was a very straightforward case. I retained her again this year to handle a violation petition and custody issue with my teenagers. I did not at all appreciate the "wham, bam, thank you ma'a...m" treatment I received. I had a lot of questions due to the fact that I have a special needs child. She was not at all thorough - gave my questions the brush off and when I had follow up questions after the court date was over she said it was now a new matter and I'd have to pay to retain her all over again. She was cold, uninterested and acted like she had much bigger fish to fry than my crummy little case.

I was disappointed. Michelle was recommended to me by a friend. My divorce was simple. Her office dragged it out for months longer than it had to be. The would only move things along when I called. They never kept me informed about what was going on unless I called them. The staff was usually snippy ...and rude over the phone. And a year later I still have not received a receipt of the charges to spite me calling and asking for one.