Jennifer Ilene Holt

Jennifer represented me in my divorce and did an acceptable job. During that time, however, she pressured me to contribute at least $100 to a Rodeo charity she worked with, which I felt was unethical because she knew my financial situation was very tight and that I was a single mother. It made me ...feel very uncomfortable as she was supposed to be my advocate and I was afraid to refuse to contribute. Years after my divorce I again contacted her for help as my ex-husband was not making child support payments in a timely manner. She advised me that we should take him back to court. We did so, but when we got to court the Judge informed me that in the divorce agreement, which Jennifer had written, there was a requirement that we attempt arbitration before we take any matter to court. The Judge asked me why I hadn't tried to arbitrate and I replied that I wasn't aware that it was a requirement. The Judge also advised me that I could have had the payments deducted all along through the Child Support Registry and asked why I hadn't done that. I replied again that I was not aware that this was an option. (Jennifer had never told me I could do that.) The Judge was FURIOUS and chastised me greatly that "I" had wasted the court's time and money in taking the matter to court before I attempted arbitration or filed with CSR for payments. This was humiliating for me. When I asked Jennifer why she hadn't advised me to arbitrate or to file with CSR, when she KNEW that this was required because she herself had written the agreement, she was extremely rude and told me that I should be grateful for her services! She charged me over $2000 for this! I ended up filing myself through CSR and got my payments made regularly. If she had told me that I could have done that originally, I could have been receiving my payments and wouldn't have wasted $2000 going to court, only to be humiliated by the Judge. Jennifer sent me an additional bill for $50 after the court appearance and I replied with a letter asking why she had advised me to go to court and charged me a large fee, when she knew full well I was required to arbitrate first. I believe she did that as a pro-active action, because she knew I could file a complaint with the Bar. I did contact the Bar, but the effort I would have had to go through to file a complaint was far too complicated and time demanding for me to take on. The whole experience made me sick, because of the humiliation I felt when the Judge chastised and because I had paid over $2000 to Jennifer, at a time I was very strapped financially. The ethical thing for her to have done would have been to advise me of the requirement to file with CSR and then to arbitrate if necessary, and to have sent me a nominal bill for the time it took for her to give me that advice. I have read her profile which says that her experience has taught her "to be aware of and to comply with legal deadlines and procedures", yet she didn't do that in my case! I would not advise anyone to use her services.

Jennifer Holt was recommended to me by my sister. Jennifer had been the attorney for my sister's HUSBAND (not my sister!) in their divorce case and my sister was so impressed that she kept Jennifer's number for 10 years in case she ever needed a lawyer. Jennifer's knowledge of the law is quite vast... and she is quick to respond to phone messages. When we arrived at court for our hearing Jennifer had to use a dolly to convey the boxes of materials she had prepared. My ex-husband's lawyer showed up with a small folder. This clearly indicates the amount of work Jennifer put into my case, which came out very well in my favor. I will definitely keep Ms. Holt's number for much MORE than 10 years and I recommend her to everyone I know who needs legal counsel.