Richard V. Ellis

I cant even give him one star. If you are looking at him for anything, run and far away from this so called Lawyer. As a Family lawyer he does not even know the law. I have been up against my ex husband for over 14 years. He left a 30 year marriage and wanted to pay nothing. His girlfriend was... a paralegal. He litigated me into Bk, years ago. Got back on my feet and now he is tying again. This Lawyer has paved the way for him. The 7,000 page docket over 14 years shows he has done nothing, but lie to the Court. Did Mr Ellis care? Nope! FH has tried to modify my alimony every year through Motions to modify my alimony and now his 3rd Appeal. Yes you read that right. I finally got Ellis to finish a Contempt hearing that had been started a year prior. FH never turns over documents instead false filings, the morning of hearings We did get my $340,000 plus judgement, but only for enforcement not Contempt. I warned him this would happen if he didn't show the evidence. FH hasn't paid me in years and is making over $700,000.00 a year. When we left that hearing I was upset because Ellis would not show the Judge my evidence It was right there, on FH's paychecks, I finally received. He was taking out anything he could on his checks and his employer in VA let him. 70% Fed withholding tax, IRA deposits, IRA payments, you name it he did it, right out of the checks that pulled my alimony payments. Even his Company was screwing me allowing him to do this. Ellis kept telling me he wanted to keep things simple. I paid this man $10,000.00 to tell me he didn't want to do the work. That is what keep it simple means in case anyone ever tells you that. when I hired him and he demanded a $10,000.00 retainer I got the wrong idea about him. I thought he was one of those top Sarasota lawyers, worth the money until I saw his office right before Court. My closet is bigger than his office and his assistant Carey, well I feel for her. It is even smaller, more like a broom closet. I saw no conference room, nothing. No wonder he is the Magistrate for Downtown Sarasota traffic and parking tickets on Thursdays. He cant even afford a decent office. I had been fooled by his Mothers, or wife's reviews. He is stuffed into a small building Downtown Sarasota. He must have rented it when he started out. Anyway, on to what happened next. So much for that Judgement he got for me, like he stated. It is on hold along with my Alimony, so now I have nothing to pay the bills with. He will blame me for not turning over discovery even though I told him on multiple occasions I had before him. It is in the records. Fh prior attorney even agreed in the Docket. My ex has always been in Contempt over the years, which I had explained to Ellis and he had witnessed himself. We had him in Contempt a few days before my hearing for alimony arrears. It was like his 4th time just in 2025. So, what does ex do now that the owes me over $340,000.00 plus? The lies get better and deeper. He starts telling the Judge I didn't turn over one document, but in the other breath he is telling him I'm making over $20,000.00 a month, without any evidence. By this time I'm breaking. Ellis won't do anything. he just keeps hounding me for my discovery. I guess Ellis missed the Statue about CLEAN HANDS? My EX Can't file Contempt against me when he hasn't done what Court ordered and that was turn over his own discovery. So not only did Ellis not inform the Court, but he didn't turn over my evidence at Hearing on Contempt against my ex. I also have five signed orders by the Judges in Manatee County over the years denying my Exes Modifications, that ex claims were never heard. Nope Ellis didn't want the Judge to know that either. So where am I today? Waiting on 2 appeals for the Appellate Court. I am almost broke and unable to pay my Mortage, car payment or anything because I had a lawyer that wanted to keep things simple. Just Not work! RUN!

My wife and i had a long road to get our BK done because of our previous failed Business. The courts gave us a hard time, but Mr Ellis and his Legal Assistant Carey fought for us. We didn't have to pay the courts any EXTRA. It may take some time, but the outcome will be in your favor the right wa...y. Very professional and by the book.

In 2011 Ellis represented me in a bankruptcy case without incident. Even though he, himself was absent from the courtroom the case was resolved favorably. Two years later I retained him to represent me when foreclosure proceedings were filed against me. I was able to work with the bank and together w...e modified my loan, thereby closing my foreclosure case before much of anything happened. Ellis filed one motion in the entire case before it was resolved. I contacted him asking for a detail account of the expenses he incurred on my behalf and a partial refund of my retainer which was not used. I have been leaving voice mails, emails, and sending letters for over 6 months now, and he hasn't had the decency to respond even once. Not even enough consideration to explain to me what charges he incurred or to explain why he is not refunding any of my retainer. His refusal to respond indicates his guilt, for if he is in the right, an explanation or return call is a reasonable request.

Worst lawyer I have ever dealt with. Neither he nor his staff answers or returns phone calls for months on end. Be prepared to shuffle back and forth to his office to obtain any written information, as he will not spring for a stamp. Do not leave any important documents with him, as he lost mine. Mr.... Ellis has very limited knowledge of bankruptcy laws. Once he takes your money, you will never hear from him again. Do not have any expectation that he will represent you in court. I had a "stranger" to represent me, who knew nothing about my case and showed up late.