Madeline Brianne Liebreich

After I was unable to reach my prior attorney at a critical time. I hired Madeline on short notice on a Friday night around 8:30pm to assist with an unlawful detainer case. I retained her to seek a trial continuance or prepare for trial—but by Saturday around noon she told me I would lose and recomme...nded that I settle, which left me feeling rushed and that my broader case history and supporting materials - including overlapping cases- weren’t being fully considered in that short of a window. Communication was almost entirely by text, despite my repeated requests for a phone conversation. I felt uninformed and unsupported, and ultimately felt pressured into a settlement agreement that forced me out of an affordable unit—something I was trying to avoid by hiring legal help in the first place. I was charged what I thought was excessive given the quick turnaround and, from my perspective, the limited work performed like a few brief calls with opposing counsel, very limited communication with me, and a short court appearance. I initiated a fee arbitration dispute through a bar-sponsored program and ultimately accepted a partial refund rather than proceeding through the full arbitration process. Additionally, I also assumed I was paying for extensive experience because of the hourly rate, but was surprised to learn later that she was admitted to the bar in 2017. My previous attorney had 30 yrs experience for context and his rate was much lower. At times I felt she came across more like a landlord’s attorney than an advocate for me—something I expressed to her by text. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend her to tenants, as I didn’t feel my needs were supported in a high-stakes situation.