Karl E. Hays

I went to Mr. Hays on a recommendation by a counselor who said that I had to have a lawyer. I paid a $250 consultation fee and after looking over my papers and letting me describe my legal situation involving my son, child support, expense reimbursements, charges filed against me by my ex-husband. M...r Hays assured my that he is board certified and that he could take care of everything. He told me he needed a $3,000 retainer if he were to represent me and my son. I did not have a good feeling about him as he didn't ask me any questions and seemed remote and unfriendly. I consulted with another board certified attorney who asked all the questions Mr. Hays would not, and was very concerned about my case, but he was leaving the country for a vacation. As he was thinking about how I could find someone on a limited retainer, I told him about Mr. Hays. The 2nd attorney said that he knew Mr. Hays and that he would be a "bad boyfriend, but a good attorney." So being in a situation where I desperately needed a lawyer, I took out a car loan for the $3,000 retainer and gave it to Mr. Hays after which my legal nightmare ensued. At first, his legal assistant was very rude when I called for information. But when I did get to talk to Mr. Hays about my case, he would either refer me to his legal assistant, or to a court ordered counselor that my ex's attorney referred to as a "drug counselor" for my son. It turned out that the counselor she named was not a "drug counselor as she claimed in court. This counselor ended up being assigned as a "Parent Coordinator which was never issued by a court order, nor was it agreed to by me. Mr Hays kept telling me that this counselor was going to negotiate the terms of the legal situation and oversee my ex husband's behavior and actions. Mr. Hays did nothing in response to the charges filed against me by my husband and I ended up with a judgement against me. Mr Hays did nothing about my ex's claim that his income was $3,400 per month despite having a busy contracting firm, living in an exclusive neighborhood, and frequently vacationing. He did nothing to get what was legally owed to me for sports, music lessons, and the health insurance I pay for. He consulted with the opposing attorney without my informing me that he was doing so. During this time, I was so panicked because I knew he was neglecting my case. I consulted with another attorney who could only referred me to the state bar, and I relayed all this to a counselor I was seeing for all the mental distress and panic I was experiencing. It was and continues to be a nightmare. My credit is ruined, and I am financially struggling. If I had the child support and expenses I was due, I would have paid for sports fees, SAT training, school clothes, etc. that my son needed by never obtained. It is my opinion that Mr. Hays chose to neglect my case. The bad feeling I got when I first met Mr. Hays haunts me as I should have listened to my instincts. I've experienced discrimination many times since moving to Texas as a child.