Jeffrey T. McCarty

It is with great frustration and heartbreak that I leave this review, after having my case neglected, and Jeff withdrew after nearly two years of incompetence and inaction. After a family therapist told me to hire an attorney, it took months for Jeff to get a motion before the court. He then failed t...o advise me of a response from opposing council, and came to the hearing unprepared, not challenging untrue testimony which started momentum working against us. Despite having proof of the dishonesty, he opted not to remediate the matter by setting the record straight in court, and petitioning for legal costs and/or sanctions - action a competent family attorney would have taken immediately. Often I was told to "just wait," as I asked if there was a plan. Meanwhile, the other parent engaged in egregious behavior, at one point precipitating police involvement, while Jeff remained on the sidelines. His inattention left the paralegal surprised to receive a call from me, having thought the matter was closed. Opposing council filed a motion, and Jeff was unable to craft a response in time, leaving me to do the work at the last minute. The paralegal filed the motion on the wrong case, and Jeff was oblivious during the hearing, which went very badly. After the hearing I pulled the court records and discovered the error. When I informed him of this issue, I received no response. When I sent a second communication expressing my displeasure over what happened, I received a very uninterested and unconcerned response stating, "oh, we thought that was just an fyi." The inaction torpedoed my case and the main concern Jeff had was that my email upset his paralegal; it was the only time I ever saw him demonstrate enthusiasm. There was a hearing date that was changed and when I called in, I discovered he failed to notify me There was another hearing where we had to track Jeff down, and he was clearly disoriented when he joined the call. My children were exposed to more confusion and cruelty than was ever necessary, at a cost to me of $15,000. This betrayal does nothing to help the terrible perception lawyers have, and shows just how badly the retainer system can be abused. I have a great deal of familiarity with the court system and this was a case I could have handled myself, but I wanted to avoid the dynamics of squaring off against a former spouse in the courtroom. Because I understand the process, I am acutely aware of just how badly my case was managed, and it is my children who are paying the price, having to grow up in separate households while Jeff enriched himself. I am in a position to recover attorney fees by taking action myself against my spouse, for her documented dishonesty, but I have gotten no response to multiple polite requests for a final billing. Jeff has no business intervening when the future of young children are involved, and letting my children languish for two years before withdrawing is a complete lack of compassion and humanity. After avoiding me and making excuses and ultimately dumping the case, his final words to me were an unconcerned, unfeeling, "good luck."