I am writing this as a father, after an extremely difficult experience, with the purpose of warning other families to make decisions very carefully during critical moments. Situations like this require clarity, responsibility, and communication and unfortunately, my experience did not reflect this t...hroughout the process.
On June 10, 2023, when I received the devastating news that my son had been arrested, I was in another country and completely unprepared. Through a family friend, Jamile, I was introduced to attorney Robert Mandell, who demonstrated confidence in handling the case, which led me to proceed with the engagement at that time.
The following day, June 11, 2023, Mr. Mandell visited my son, which initially brought us relief. However, as the case progressed, my experience began to move away from the expectations that had been created.
Throughout the process, I faced relevant difficulties related to communication and clarity of information. At several moments, there were delays or absence of responses, which generated insecurity given the seriousness of the situation.
I was also informed, at a certain point, that other professionals became involved in the case, including Melissa and Asad. While I understand that this may occur within the legal dynamic, I did not have sufficient clarity about this transition at that time, which further increased my concern.
Regarding one of the hearings, my perception was that my son did not have full prior understanding of the situation, which was extremely concerning for our family. I have records of communications that support this understanding.
At a certain period, I was informed about an incident involving Mr. Mandell, which was publicly reported, and which may have contributed to additional communication difficulties at that time. Still, it is important to highlight that the difficulties in follow-up had already been occurring previously.
Over time, the difficulty in obtaining responses and continuity in the handling of the case became even more evident. After several attempts to make contact, I was instructed to deal only with the office, which, in practice, made it even more difficult to resolve the issues.
In a face-to-face meeting held on May 30, 2024, at his office in Orlando, there was an acknowledgment that the case could have been handled differently, along with the mention of the possibility of reviewing part of the fees paid. However, this expectation did not have any concrete progress to date.
Given this scenario, I chose to seek a second legal opinion and subsequently hired another attorney, whose performance demonstrated the level of clarity, follow-up, and professionalism that I had expected from the beginning.
I recognize that each case has its own particularities, but I understand that transparency, communication, and responsibility are fundamental — especially in such sensitive situations.
This report reflects exclusively my personal experience and that of my son.
The emotional and financial impact on my family was significant. I still await an appropriate resolution, including the re-evaluation of the fees paid, as previously mentioned.”