Michelle provided crucial guidance in our grandparents visitation case. It was a very long involved process and at the end focused on family healing with our daughter.
We really appreciate Michelle's honesty with us
Michelle is a great lawyer! She was very accessible and knowledgeable. Easy to talk to and listened to my concerns. I got the best outcome I could ask for from a bad situation. Was not afraid to speak up for my child and his needs. Highly recommended!!!
Whether you're divorcing or you've met with some conflict in the workplace, you can turn to The Cimino Law Firm, PLLC for local representation. Our lawyer, Michelle Cimino, has been providing clients in Rochester, NY, with advice and guidance since 1997. She's a member of several organizations, including the New York State Bar Association and New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers. Clients come to us when they have questions related to:
Divorce law
Child custody law
Child support law
Employment law
We know how stressful some legal situations can be. Whether your divorce is amicable or contested, our firm will defend your rights as a spouse and parent. We'll review any prenuptial agreements and oversee the division of property and other marital assets.
We can set up evening and weekend appointments upon request, so call today for your initial consultation. If you hire our lawyer, you'll have the chance to request a flexible payment plan. The Cimino Law Firm, PLLC is conveniently located to serve clients throughout the Greater Rochester area.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Grandparents visitation
Michelle provided crucial guidance in our grandparents visitation case. It was a very long involved process and at the end focused on family healing with our daughter.
We really appreciate Michelle's honesty with us
Posted by Erin | June 24, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Child Custody
Michelle is a great lawyer! She was very accessible and knowledgeable. Easy to talk to and listened to my concerns. I got the best outcome I could ask for from a bad situation. Was not afraid to speak up for my child and his needs. Highly recommended!!!
Posted by Tim | December 20, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Experienced Litigator
I was aware that most lawyers, regardless of the area of civil law in which they practice, don't want to go before a judge because of the uncertainty. Michelle, on the other hand, is a very experienced litigator who does not fear the courtroom. While my case did not end up in court, the fact that she was well prepared to do so meant the opposing counsel was unable to intimidate her and she settled the case most satisfactorily. Really, she made the opposing counsel look not just incompetent but oftentimes foolish. The one drawback is she's in court with other cases so often she may be hard to reach at times. One other thing, I have a friend at work who is a paralegal and she has never seen a court decide a divorce case so favorably for the father as mine was. Professional and skillful. Nothing more needs to be said.
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Posted by Peter | November 13, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Stay at home dad.
Michelle was the third lawyer I interviewed during my then pending divorce. I knew within minutes she was the right choice. Here's why...
Michelle's demeanor in the face of opposing counsel is flawless. She knows the law and how to apply it. No fear. Nothing can shake her. Divorce is nothing but a business transaction. Michelle will take care of your business. She spanked a partner from a large firm in downtown Rochester without breaking a sweat.
Her approach to my case eased my mind. She explained to me what to do and, more importantly, what not to do. Don't go spending $1,000 on her services to get possession of the $50 "Velvet Elvis" hanging on your living room wall!!! She knows what to focus on and what to forget. Emotions run hot during a divorce, Michelle has the experience to calm you down and seeing clearly again.
The actual process is a lot of back and forth negotiating with an occasional court date (usually just the lawyers) so the judge or marital referee can see where it's heading and if a trial is necessary. The courts only care about the "Big Three". The child/children if there are any, the finances, and then the divorce. He said/she said means nothing. Lots of things you might think are extremely important to your case mean nothing to the judge. Trust me on that one.
Back to Michelle. Her physical appearance and demeanor are a one-two punch. She's tall, beautiful, and all business. Again, nothing intimidates her. She destroyed every tactic opposing counsel threw our way with effortless grace. Disparaging written remarks to outright lies were proven false. The ease at which she did it was impressive. If you've ever seen the movie Pulp Fiction she's master fixer Winston Wolfe (Harvey Keitel). She works fast, talks fast, and solves problems.
If you're just beginning the interview process and only hear good things from the perspective attorney, run away as fast as you can. Michelle will be upfront and honest with you about the good and the bad. No good attorney is cheap, so be prepared. I go to Saver's for my yardwork clothes, not my legal team. Speaking of team, Sharon (Michelle's paralegal) is on point. Michelle is busy, Sharon keeps the ship on coarse.
In closing, thank you Michelle. Thank you for making a painful, out of nowhere situation bearable. Thank you for your wit, wisdom, and legal knowledge. Most importantly, thank you for giving me the reassurance that my son and I would be protected. In the end, that's all that really mattered.
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Posted by Kimberly | October 1, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Divorce
Michelle was awesome! I’m grateful for her knowledge and my speedy uncontested divorce! Michelle made a painful process painless! I would recommend her 1,000,000 times!
Posted by Kerry | September 13, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Divorce
I hired Michelle for my divorce. Michelle was very passionate about my case and was clear about my options, advising with my best interests at heart. She was open to my opinions and considered what I wanted out of the final agreement. She helped me through a very tough personal time with compassion and understanding. I would recommend Michelle to anyone who wants a lawyer that will fight for them when needed but is not driven to litigation unnecessarily.
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Posted by anonymous | August 2, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Very happy
Michelle did a great job with my case, and is very accessible, even on weekends if need be. I would recommend her for family court matters.
Posted by John | January 19, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Family Court
Michele was instrumental in helping me achieve what other lawyers said was impossible. For 3 years a bad situation left me stuck paying an amount that was over 100% of my income. I tried court on my own and was denied. After almost 3 years of working for no income and a rising balance of $17k+ in rears, I sought out a lawyer. One refused to take the case as she felt I had none. One was eager to take the money but reminded me there was little chance. Then I met Michele. She found a way to relate and it became a challenge that really peaked her interest. She was able to help make a change on a situation often overlooked and ignored. Michele came thru for me and it made the situation better for both sides. That was not something I could have done on my own. I am very grateful for her help and guidance.
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Posted by anonymous | June 23, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
divorice
Michelle is a very good lawyer, she is easy to work with and always kept me informed on what was going on, she also took the time to see me on weekends so I did not have to take time off of work. She worked very hard for me and deserves a lot of credit, I would always recommend her and would call her again if I need to.
Posted by Rita | February 10, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
uncontested
Michelle handled an uncontested divorce matter that required extensive redrafting (because we attempted to do it ourselves originally) and although it required alot of extra work, Michelle did not charge for additional time and was very responsive.
Posted by Debbie | February 2, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Highly qualified
Michelle did an excellent job representing me in a domestic financial matter. She was, at all times, professional and responsive. She was also compassionate and empathetic during a difficult time. I would highly recommend her.
Posted by Paula | January 10, 2015
Good communication skills
Michelle handled my divorce with urgency & compassion. She was quick to respond to calls & texts. Knowledgable & efficient she got the job done.
Posted by Renee R | October 24, 2014
An excellent advocate and attorney
Michelle successfully, and very quickly, obtained a settlement from my former employer on the grounds of sexual harassment and retaliation for reporting it. She was knowledgeable, understanding and succeeded in making a difficult situation as easy as possible. She always was reachable and communicated with me every step of the way. I would recommend Michelle Cimino to anyone in my position. She's excellent!
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Posted by Stephanie | August 3, 2023
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
SCAM ARTIST
DO NOT HIRE HER!!!
She's a scam artist, she stole my money, did 0 work. It took me two months to get my money back from her, and that's only after I filed and paid for a grievance claim through bar association. After months and countless calls and texts of me trying to get her to do anything, she then said "she didn't feel like it" and wouldn't give money back, I had to go above her just to get it back. There is so many others that claim the same issue! Just search her name, you'll find over 20 others she stole from, check BBB, and other reviews. She's horrible. The fact that she is able to still keep her licence after being a known scam artist is crazy. BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!
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Posted by anonymous | February 22, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Poor communication
Very poor communication! I could never get ahold of her or a response sent numerous emails and left phone messages no response for over 2 months! After leaving a voice mail saying I was going to find a different lawyer her receptionist finally called me back! She costs more than most lawyers so I thought I was getting a good lawyer but I was wrong. Reading reviews I see others had similar issues over the years. When you pay thousands of dollars you expect at the very least communication! That’s what lawyers are paid for! Maybe she is over worked and taking on to many clients or poor communication with her receptionist what ever the reason it’s not professional or the clients fault! A divorce is stressful enough but when you have a lawyer that isn’t responding or guiding you it makes it even worse!
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Posted by anonymous | March 9, 2020
This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.
| Consulted Attorney
unprofessional
One word to describe this attorney: immature.
She did not think to return any of my calls for a month. Finally, I called her from her office lobby phone and she acted surprised to hear my voice. She agreed to take my case, but never created a retainer agreement even though she said it was a simple, one-page document for my employment case. In the end she attempted to shift the blame on me for her not calling me back.
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Posted by anonymous | November 20, 2014
Poor Communication
Would not recommend. Far more expensive than other lawyers in the area, but I figured that I would at least get my money's worth. I was wrong. To get any response from her I would have to leave multiple voicemails and emails for WEEKS. When I would finally get responses, they were vague and inconsistent. She seems to have a fairly good understanding of the law, but not very good litigation skills.
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Divorce and separation Attorney | Sep 28
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"I have worked on several cases with Ms. Cimino, including a hotly contested custody and visitation trial in Supreme Court. She has represented her clients' interests to the best of her ability, yet retained a professional decorum often lacking in matrimonial practitioners. I look forward to working with her again."
Family Attorney | Sep 13
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"Michelle and I have represented opposing spouses in a number of divorce matters. I have always found her very professional and reasonable to deal with, which benefits both parties. I endorse this lawyer."