Sarah Elizabeth Guffey

I received legal representation from Attorney Sarah E. Guffey. I am writing to voice my concerns regarding her handling of my case, specifically citing issues of lack of diligence, communication, misrepresentation, truthfulness, and professional misconduct. 1. Lack of Diligence Diligence is the cor...nerstone of effective legal representation. Unfortunately, Sarah Guffey failed to demonstrate the urgency and thoroughness required to pursue my interests effectively. • On March 8, 2024, I requested that Ms. Guffey seek a report with a safety governance agency to ensure it was submitted and investigated, as the information would have benefited my case. However, she dismissed my concerns and shifted the conversation to unrelated matters, failing to act on this critical request. • This lack of diligence extended to another report I brought to her attention, which she similarly ignored. Instead, Ms. Guffey consistently pushed for a quick settlement and closure of my case, disregarding important evidence that could have strengthened my position. • Additionally, Ms. Guffey came to our meetings unprepared, relying on superficial knowledge. For instance, she attempted to explain my hiring status with a company without understanding the hiring process that placed me in the role, further undermining my position and the credibility of my claims. 2. Communication Issues Effective communication is essential to maintaining trust between an attorney and their client. Unfortunately, Sarah’s communication was sparse, inconsistent, and at times unprofessional. • During one meeting, I explicitly asked her to negotiate and discuss settlement outcomes with me beforehand so I could make the final decision. However, Sarah settled the case without my prior knowledge or approval and informed me afterward. When I challenged her, she presented unfavorable outcomes that compromised my position and disregarded my input. • She frequently became unresponsive to my calls/text messages, leaving me uninformed about the status of my case. • When she communicated, her explanations of legal options and strategies were often vague or incomplete, leaving me confused about my case and its prospects. 3. Misrepresentation and Misleading Statements Sarah made false and misleading statements to me about the handling of my case and communications with opposing counsel. Upon reviewing documentation, I discovered the following: • Emails revealed that Sarah cut and pasted information, as evidenced by mismatched dates and times. She provided inaccurate updates about case statuses to both opposing counsel and me. • She misrepresented my settlement position during negotiations, eroding trust and credibility. For example, she pressured me to sign the settlement by claiming I had limited time to do so, and that obtaining new representation would jeopardize my ability to secure any settlement. • Sarah falsely claimed that my authorized backup representative approved the settlement. When I informed her that the representative was sitting with me at the time, Sarah became quiet and later sent a contradictory cut-and-paste text message. 4. Lack of Truthfulness Truthfulness is fundamental to the integrity of the legal profession, yet Sarah failed to uphold this standard. • She concealed mistakes, including erroneous phone calls and rescheduled meetings, without informing me. For example, she failed to notify me of a change in date and time for an important meeting with opposing counsel. • On January 25, 2024, Sarah sent an email claiming to have conveyed my negotiation sentiments to opposing counsel, which was false. She had not discussed the matter with me beforehand, and her actions were contrary to my intentions. • In one instance, Sarah called me during her vacation to pressure me into settling the case. When I refused, she responded, “You aren’t going to pay me 1 million dollars to work this case.” This statement was both unprofessional and deeply concerning.