Carolyn L. Secor

Normally I do not do reviews, however I am making an exception in this case due to the excellent service I received. I lost my job in 2011 and survived three years prior to finding another position. By the time I found another position, I had no savings or 401K left and the job I found is now pay...ing $31,500.00/year less than what I was previously earning. Due to these circumstances, I encountered financial hardships and was unable to continue paying on a first and second mortgage which had been based on the previous income. In addition, I am the sole household income. The mortgage holder of the first and second mortgage are the same company and they foreclosed. I wanted to keep my house, but with my income reduced by such a large amount, I didn't see how I was going to do this. I wasn't even sure how I would be able to pay a lawyer. Regardless, I began my due diligence and began searching for reputable lawyers; I made many phone calls and whittled it down to the final three for appointments, including Carolyn Secor. I met with the first attorney, and he was personable, friendly, and knowledgeable. In fact he was a former employee of the mortgage holder so I thought that the insider knowledge may be beneficial. We discussed pricing and he wanted $2500.00 down payment, and $250.00 a month for an indefinite period to handle the foreclosure. I thanked him for his time and moved on to my second appointment. The second gentleman was knowledgeable and has decades of experience. When we met and I explained the circumstances, his response was to proceed as if we had already lost the case and the house. In fact, he couldn't understand why I wanted to fight to keep the house. I moved on to my appointment with Carolyn Secor. When I met with Carolyn it was a conference call due to my availability issues during normal business hours. We discussed the case and she was very friendly and knowledgeable. We agreed to meet in person and discuss further. Carolyn was flexible throughout the case in terms of scheduling and was able to meet with me after hours as required. When we met in her office she explained the options available, how the process works, and what expectations I should have as to end results. Completely straight forward and honest. We discussed her fees as well. Once I agreed to retain her services, she took the time to explain the agreement documentation to me prior to signing so there were no doubts. In addition, Carolyn's fee was a fair flat rate that included all defined services. Once Carolyn began working on my case, she kept in touch as needed and made sure all documentation such as a modification request was being completed correctly and in a timely fashion. Carolyn reviewed all documentation for accuracy and made sure it was submitted on time. As a result of the paperwork being completed in a timely, accurate fashion we were able to meet for a mediation meeting in rather quick fashion. I met with Carolyn, the mediator, and the lending processor and during this process Carolyn was completely knowledgeable and professional which showed in how the matter was handled. Though Carolyn had informed me the odds were against an agreement during the initial meeting, we did receive an offer. The lending processor ended up lowering my monthly payment by approximately 50%, and it now included escrow for insurance and property tax. Needless to say I was very happy with the offer and accepted it immediately. During this whole process Carolyn was the consummate professional and extremely knowledgeable of the process and the information required to complete the process. She was very understanding and helpful as well. Carolyn's flat fee is fair and you are definitely receiving value for your dollar if you hire her to handle your case for you. In short, a very professional, personable, and knowledgeable lawyer that will represent you at a fair price.

With the help of Carolyn and her office staff, my case was handled quickly and efficiently. One of the biggest advantages to working with Carolyn is that she is always available by email to answer any questions or concerns . There is no calling, leaving a message, and waiting for an answer. Her off...ice manager is very organized and responsive as well. But most importantly, Carolyn's fees were reasonable. I had spoken to other bankruptcy attorneys who charged more, but I am happy I chose Carolyn. She and her staff did an excellent job without charging outrageous fees.

Going through this was not something I ever wanted to do but since I had no choice I could not have picked a better attorney and staff. Carolyn is wonderful, professional, compassionate attorney and makes a bad situation tolerable and painless. Her staff is extremely knowledgable and always available... for any questions. I would definitely recommend her to anyone going through rough times. There really should be more attorneys out there like her and her staff. Sam (her assistant) is great...she is always ready to help at any time. All is all the were fabulous and I can't thank them enough.

Carolyn always kept me up to date with the status of our case, what we needed to do or not do. She went way beyond the call of duty. My case had so many extenuating circumstances anyone else would have fired me as a client but not Carolyn, she dug in her heels and stuck by me thru the thick of it a...ll. I am truly grateful for her valuable expertise.