Larry M Leach

I obtained Larry Leach to gain joint physical and legal custody of my child. During the consultation Larry Leach was positive that due to the circumstances of the case joint custody would be easily obtained. However after the initial retaining fees were paid he seemed to be almost dis-interested i...n the case. The fees charged by him and his paralegal were outrageous based on the small amount of time he actually dedicated to the case. After three retainer payments he seemed ill prepared and convinced me to settle for less than joint custody even though I had told him on numerous prior occasions that the minimum settlement I would agree to was joint legal custody. To make a long story short the day of the hearing Larry appeared unprepared and I was so nervous I settled for the original deal the opposing attorney offered which I had previously declined multiple occasions. I agreed to this at Larry Leach recommendation. In the end after approximately $6500.00 in attorney fees I gained nothing but two extra days a month visitation and I still have no joint legal or joint physical custody. Buyer beware Larry Leach portrays the appearance of being on your side during initial consultation, but once he receives your payments he appears to lose interest and charges you right down to the staples used to bind the legal paperwork.

If you are a single parent trying to get custody or child support DO NOT use Larry he is extremely expensive and while nickle and dime you! He originally quoted me at most $3000 and in the end it has cost me almost double. The communication with him and his paralegal's is almost none existant, they d...o not describe or explain anything to the client. You're better off doing the paperwork yourself!

The office of Larry Leach is quick to take your retainer, but to get what is left of it is like pulling teeth. I saw an itemized bill. I spoke with him all of 10-15 minutes. I emailed him, he told me he didn't respond to emails, yet I was charged for that all. I was told by the accounting departm...ent I wouldn't be charged to talk to the office manager, Patty, yet I was. He recommended a friend to help with Health Insurance, I was charged more each time he talked with his friend. Mr. Leach was very good with the beginning of separation (in 2001) but seems to be getting lax over the years. Go for a younger Attorney.

Larry asked briefly for my side and concerns, ONCE, others arose, the children were being badmouthed and caught in the middle (very young 2 and 1) he did nothing to work with the other attorney to stop this. My ex wife applied for a restraining order and got it because Mr. Leach advised that we shou...ld not contest it as it might make her mad, that hearing was held as a status conference. in our four way conference we were given no true financials for my ex and now three years later her actual financials were never received although we had to agree to something on the Sworn Financial Statement and we did. He filled a response to my ex wife's petition for separation but I did not find out about that filing until a year and half later and from my new attorney. He did not help prepare me for court, I had NO IDEA that I would be taking the stand for anything, he had had me prepare financial exhibits and I thought we were there only to separate our assets but then found out that we were there primarily to discuss custody which I tried to do but wasn't prepared for, my ex lied about our relationship and everything in it and Larry did not redirect me on the stand to address her statements or redirect me so I could completely answer questions posed by opposing counsel, we lost. Three years after the fact and hundreds of thousands of dollars later I am still in court, even post divorce, fighting for things Mr. Leach should have addressed while he represented me but did not. Our children have been forced to not see their father for over 8 months now and this is our current struggle post divorce and thankfully without Mr. Leach we are winning.

I hired Larry Leach to assist me with a Child Custody case, and all this lawyer did was show up in court introduce himself and charge me $270.00 every court date. He took every penny I had and after all is said and done, I am back to square one and my $3,000.00 is gone. He never returned my calls; h...e never made any suggestions, or shows any emotion, he just attends and collects. He never advised or suggested a deferred plan so when the time came, and I was in the ring, he could fight for me, but literally nothing was accomplished, nothing at all! He even forgot to file the form that should have been filed in the beginning. I was charged for so many petty things, I could have done myself, and the paralegal I worked with was no help at all. I am so disappointed and sick because I did not research or educate myself on “how to hire” a lawyer. I was discouraged on calling and seeking assistance in fear of getting billed. This was a case of “take the candy from the baby” it was sly and quick and I am so disappointed.