Michael Kevin Rathel

After choosing my exwife as my partner choosing him as my lawyer was the worst mistake of my life. I hired Michael Rathel. Flat rate for filing, flat rate for my exwife to respond. Total $7500. This was a long distance divorce and a case of parenting alienation. After I filed for divorce it took me ...more than 9 months to see my child. And more than a year to have him visiting me in my home town. He sent an associate to my deposition, another to my mediation and after he made me travel to Florida one day before the trial to meet with him to explain my case he cancelled the meeting. So he went to the court during the trial date unprepared and probably without even knowing my name. The opposing attorney aware of my attorney’s incompetence and disregard for the case took advantage of me. They were able to frame the alienation as abandonment. I am still paying the other lawyer attorney fees because he was not able to defend even that. (So I am paying more than I paid Mr. Rathel) My exwife violated the parenting plan claiming my child when it was not her turn in the taxes and his answer was go and see what you can do with the IRS. The child support was completely miscalculated. Multiple times I asked for the explanation on how it was computed. He never provide me with that information. He gave me all the other documents late too. I would know for example that my exwife had won the case because she was bragging about making me pay her attorney fees before my attorney had sent me the judge resolution. I received my final judgement roughly 3 weeks after it was given to him and it took me a week to get contact with him. It was too late to file an appeal. I went with another lawyer and computed the child support. He is impressed by the result of my case. My child support calculations include day care for a child that goes to school, my exwife’s but not my retirement mandatory fees are included, zero overnights for me (though he spends more than 80 nights a year with me). My exwife was able to modify the parenting plan as she wished because Mr Rathel would not contact me for the hearings. So he would probably just concede. I lost days with my son because she went to court ans ask for those days and he probably just conceded. Additionally, despite me providing him with all the checks of the money I had given to my exwife, the judge did not consider them because. I assume, Mr. Rathel, did not show them. So I have to pay inflated retroactive child support twice. He never answer calls. Now I need to hire another lawyer to solve whatever can be solved from the mess MR Rathel created in my life for his lack of professionalism. I am suspicious that he may have received money from the opposing side in order to screw me.

I hired this Attorney not knowing how to shop for one. He was the first Attorney I spoke to and hired. He was not helpful at all once he was hired I spoke to his assistant for the majority of my case. He is not a trial Attorney although he promotes that he is. With the help of this Attorney I lost a... lot more than a year of my life but the aftermath of my case is what hurt me the most. I don't know how he can sleep at night I was clear from the very beginning that this would be going to trial. He then wrote a withdraw from my case to the Judge and was granted the with draw with no notice to me. He withdrew because he wanted more money, his reason to the courts was "I was not cooperating" of course not he wanted me to accept a plea. I cant' even continue it still hurts what he did.

I called this attorney for my husband that was arrested for a criminal charge. This attorney is worse than public defense. Do yourself a favor and stay away! He was not helpful and would not give basic information. Thank God I fired this guy before moving forward to making the payment for remaining b...alance. If you are looking for someone that is good at their profession by performing honestly this is not the one. He was reprimanded before and all the negative reviews are listed for a reason. I gave him the benefit of the doubt and was BURNED!!!! Be careful.

I hired this guy over a year ago for a simple uncontested divorce. After 10months he decided mediation was the answer. Another $2500. I gave $1000 with the remaining in 30days. Mr. Rathel decided he did not want to go to mediation and withdrew from the case before I could make final payment. He had... his phone person leave a message for me while I was working that he needed $1500. in 12hrs or he was withdrawing. Meanwhile he had already notified the wife's attorney that he withdrew from the "SIMPLE DIVORCE". This guy is the ultimate LOSER. He is an embarrassment to his children.

I called from out of state. Mr . Rathel was great at answering questions and getting back to me. Many lawyers would not even return my calls. He was honest and did not take advantage of the Situation that i was out of state. He never asked for a fee for his time. He really cares for his clients. I... would recommend him to everyone! Not many guys like this left Thank you.