Richard Edward Zaleski Jr.

I hired Smith and Eulo for a DUI that I did not do. They assigned Attorney Zaleski to my case and he did absolutely nothing for me. Right from the beginning he told me not to request an administrative review for my license because he said that is just a formality. I told him how I wasn’t driving and ...that my boyfriend was driving. I asked him to get the video from the parking lot that he pulled into because it would show him driving. He said that they record over them every 3 days. He didn’t even try to get any videos. He could have even requested the video from the traffic light at the entrance of the parking lot that would show that i wasn’t driving. At the beginning he even was talking about a reckless driving and probation. He never intended to try and prove my innocence. I used money that was for to bury my mom’s ashes on hiring them and it was a waste of money. He talked me into taking a plea deal to get rid of this case, he scared me into it because he just wanted the case done. Now I am on probation for a crime that I didn’t commit because he didn’t want to do anything to prove that I wasn’t driving.

After taking the retainer, my arrested family member sat for 41 days in jail without a visit to discuss his case and for 5 of those weeks with absolutely no way to reach to Richard Zaleski on his own from the jail. He and the firm will not accept phone calls. My family member was ignored when he fin...ally got private email after I begged & begged Zaleski to set him up. I’ve documented dozens & dozens of calls, texts & emails to Zaleski and the owners & staff at Smith & Eulo (where he works). I called daily begging him to visit to talk about the case or let my family member know what was going on, despite promise after promise to me that Zaleski was going to see him. The relationship was terminated. The new firm was there to see him in 24 HOURS. Zaleski nor the firm have refunded the $4,500 retainer after doing no work for their client and rescheduling court dates because they weren’t prepared and hadn't met with their client in a month and a half, other than to pick up the retainer. Zaleski gave me back our file of notes, etc, and in that file negligently included personal and case documents for 8 other clients of his. They still won’t call me back and its been two weeks. We are filing a complaint with the state bar and encouraging the other 8 clients to do the same. Save yourself the headache right off the bat and find someone else.

I hired Richard Zaleski to represent me as my defense attorney. Initially Mr. Zaleski was punctual and eager to defend me. After arraignment I felt that a critical window had been missed prior to State Attorney charges being brought but I trusted his expertise. The State did charge me with a lessor ...offense and sent us the list of witnesses plus a reciprocal request for evidence. For the next six months Mr. Zaleski requested continuances of the court and seldom responded to my emails or voice calls. He scheduled strategy meetings with me then broke the appointments multiple times without rescheduling. By this time, he was paid in full and had finally filed a motion for a Stand Your Ground Hearing. After little or no further responses to my emails or calls I hired another attorney. Shortly thereafter the State motioned the court to compel the defense to send them evidence. It turned out that Mr. Zaleski had never sent the State Attorney’s office the video evidence that might have stopped my prosecution months ago. The State dropped the case soon after my evidence was sent by my new attorney.