Bruce Michael Rivers

Bruce was hired for my wife in a long and serious Federal case with a possible life sentence. He promised a high level of expertise and competence. But when it came to actual representation, he was severely and shockingly deficient. My wife was the least involved in the case and came away with one o...f the harshest sentences. Bruce was compensated in the high 6 figures but spent less time with his client and took very few notes than public defenders assigned by the court. Some of the failures of Mr. Rivers were: 1. Failed to correct a federal agents false testimony about his clients actions when he knew the agent had lied, and had the evidence and witness to prove it during trial 2. Agreed to allow inadmissible evidence into trial from a previous case and did not bother to check that the evidence was last given to people offered immunity from the prosecutors 3. Allowed the prosecutors to comment on his clients right to remain silent during trial with no objection 4. Visited his client less than 6 times for at most 30 minutes per visit, took few notes and frequently did not remember the facts of the case in 7 week trial 5. Wrote the sentencing memorandum at the last minutes, with errors and misspelled words It was before sentencing that we fired Bruce. The poorly written sentencing memorandum was the last straw. These are just some of the failures of Mr. Rivers. I failed my wife and should have fired him the first time he visited her and she was crying saying he would not listen. My lesson learned is that when a lawyer defends their work by saying, and I quote "I did my fiduciary responsibility as a lawyer" run away ASAP and hire a new lawyer.

I had a bad experience with this attorney, it was a simple case but he made it complicated, once he got the money I never heard from him again until court date, then he was so late to my court that the judge was so fed up of waiting that at the moment he showed up the judge pretty much ignored th le ...fact that I had a private attorney and it was like he never step feet in court he didnt even advocate for me.

Mr. Rivers initially told me he was about "aggressive representation", turns out he wasnt. It was the exact opposite. In fact he didn't even call in to an appearance I had, and when the court clerk's tried to reach him he was "unavailable". Which is funny because his "team" sent me a letter reminding... me to set it in my calendar and I'm positive he got a similar heads up seeing as it was him who sent me a reminder. Then after all is said and done and I had been sentenced and locked up I get a letter stating that my bail (which was a considerable amount) was being seized and that Mr Rivers had done absolutely nothing, not even tell me this was a possibility or that he had basically told the state to keep it. Needless to say, I would have rather hired some zoo animal in wingtips and a suit than Mr. Rivers and I suggest you do the same.