James Benjamin Palmquist III

This review is about two years old. Unfortunately, I had to wait until my child custody case was settled through a different attorney due to fears of retaliation from the courts. We hired this law firm to help us fight for custody of my grandson from his abusive father, paying a retainer fee of $2...,700. I had already done the groundwork to file with the courts and obtain emergency custody; we hired them to assist with the legal terminology and options. They assigned Rebecca to our case. There was very little communication between us before the court appearance. She arrived slightly late and didn’t brief me. During the hearing, she whispered everything we should have discussed while the judge was speaking. After the first appearance, she stayed behind to chat with the opposing attorney and left me to go, saying she would be in touch. However, she didn’t reach out afterward. After we voiced our concerns, we finally gained the attention of James. We exchanged emails and had phone calls to discuss how to remedy the situation so that I wouldn’t fire the firm. Unbeknownst to me, James’s intention was to use those communications as an excuse to bill me for the entire retainer fee. I ended up paying $3,700 to be misled and gaslit. I was advised not to leave a review until after our case was settled, which occurred in May of this year. Those of us who find ourselves needing to fight for our grandchildren should not be subjected to additional emotional pain through being defrauded under the pretense of receiving help. Make it persuasive This review dates back two years. Unfortunately, I felt compelled to wait until my child custody case was resolved through a different attorney due to fears of potential retaliation from the courts. We hired this law firm to help us fight for the custody of my grandson, who was in an abusive situation with his father, and we paid a retainer fee of $2,700. I had already laid the groundwork by filing for emergency custody, and we sought their expertise to navigate the legal complexities. They assigned Rebecca to our case. From the start, communication was dishearteningly minimal. She arrived late for our court appearance and didn’t take the time to brief me beforehand. During the hearing, she whispered crucial information while the judge was speaking, leaving me unprepared and anxious. After our initial appearance, she lingered to socialize with the opposing attorney and casually dismissed me, promising to follow up later—but that follow-up never came. After expressing our frustrations, we finally caught the attention of James. We exchanged emails and had several phone conversations aimed at rectifying the situation, as I was reluctant to terminate their services. To my dismay, it became clear that James’s true intention was to use these communications as justification to bill me for the entire retainer fee. Ultimately, I ended up paying $3,700 to be misled and manipulated. I was advised to withhold my review until after our case concluded, which happened in May of this year. It is unacceptable that those of us fighting for the well-being of our grandchildren should endure additional emotional turmoil by being misled under the guise of assistance. We deserve honesty and competence, not further distress from those who are supposed to help us.

Terrible about getting back with you. I had eight (8) calls in and eleven (11) emails requesting I talk with one of the attorneys. Never heard back from either for two months. They do not give out their personal email’s or phone number so you can’t contact them direct. Payment - make sure you g...et your payment terms up front! I never received a bill in six (6) mths, then tell me I have one (1) day to pay them bill. His words “Your account must be current current tomorrow Tuesday is that something you choose not to do and you should perhaps look for another attorney we are gonna work for free if there's a problem with this or you choose to argue with me on it” So be prepared not to question the billings, because they will stop working with you.

Like most lawyers, initially told me everything I wanted to hear, then would tell me that I was hurting my own case over extremely trivial events … because he was softening me up to settle and not go to trial. A predator, preying on his clients emotions, naïveté and fear in order to take as much... money as possible while doing as little as possible and minimizing risk of a loss going on his official record by sabotaging my case in order to avoid trial and push towards a settlement with me having less and less leverage the longer he was my lawyer. I did far better representing myself at a tiny fraction of the cost.