Israel Wondimu Gobena

I was told by my coworker about Gobena and his firm. I contacted him. and Gobena told me that he will charge me $12000 and I had to pay $6000 up front and I will pay the rest withing 3 month. I was so desperate to find someone who speaks my language so I told him that is too expensive but I will ...hire him. Then he told me that I have to pay him $250 first because he have to review the court document first and he will let me know if he want to take the case. At this point, he did not give me any recommendation. That was on Tuesday June 27. He told me after he review court document he will let me know on Friday June 30. Instead he disappeared. to me was he hired just waiting for him to send me paperwork to be signed . This man is dishonest and people should be aware.

I have known Israel Wondimu Gobena for over 10 years as an Attorney and as an active and respected member of the community. I had hired him personally in 2008 for an auto accident case involving another car, in which I had medium injury and total loss of my car. Israel Wondimu Gobena( Gobena & Associ...ates, Attorney) have been very professional during my first visit, documented how and when the accident took place, asked relevant questions, and explained clearly the course and procedures going forward before I signed a service agreement with him. After compiling all the necessary information, and after several months of deliberation, he was able to prove that the other driver involved in the accident was the one that caused the accident, and I was awarded with commensurate renumeration for the personal injury and for the replacement of my car. During this time, Israel Wondimu Gobena returned my phone calls, received me in his office on short notice, and courteously responded with very satisfying clarity. In 2011 - 2012, as the executive director of the Oromo Community of Minnesota(OCM), we hired Israel Wondimu Gobena( Gobena & Associates) to help resolve a Civil Litigation case in which the OCM and its Executive Director (myself) were wrongly accused. This Case was also successfully resolved in the middle of 2012, and the OCM is cleared of the charge. Again, Israel Wondimu Gobena has been very professional and courteous, very knowledgeable. He always kept us up to date on the status of the case. In addition, over several years, I have made referrals to Israel Wondimu Gobena ( Gobena & Associates) many clients in the community be it case involving, Immigration, Insurance, Family disputes, and others. In all these instances, I have heard from many clients who testified that they are very satisfied at his professionalism, undersatnading , and support they have been provided, and that their cases were in excellent hands. Israel Wondimu Gobena is also a multi- cultural/multi- lingual attorney with extensive judicial/legal background in Ethiopia, and is well respected by clients as well as community members. Thank you for the opportunity to evaluate him.