Carol McCully Gillam

I handed this firm and open-and-shut, provable case of wrongful termination with documents, witnesses and references. They had tried to turn it into a discrimination suit that even I thought was laughable, but I was assured this was the best course of action. An associate was handed the case, and ...he immediately botched a discovery hearing of which I wasn't even notified, causing me to be fined. This was the typical level of communication -- if I didn't call or e-mail I heard nothing. The first depositions were taken almost three years after I was fired. Five witnessess backed me, including two employees with direct knowledge of the circumstances. Then, after the first defendant was deposed, the firm decided the case wasn't winnable. They negotiated a settlement that actually cost me thousands when you figured in the loss of retainer and their cut. It just seemed that they thought there was a big of money to be had, and when they realized they'd botched it they were no longer interested. This firm has a big reputation due to the lead's prominence in public presentations for employment law. The performance certainly didn't match the rep.

I hired Carol for a disability discrimination case and unpaid overtime case against my former employer. During our first meeting, she told me she may be able to get me a year's salary. The case progressed to the mediation stage, and at the conclusion of a confidential mediation, the case was resolved... in the upper five figures, and represented greater than a year's salary for me. Carol's rate was extremely reasonable, and the settlement even exceeded her original estimate, which I found impressive. I know Carol does multi-million dollar cases so this kind of settlement is probably "small" in the greater scheme of her practice but to me personally, the settlement amount is substantial and meaningful and will make a practical difference in my life. I'm definitely happy that I hired her.

Carol Gillam is extraordinarily knowledgeable about employment law and offers straightforward insights and perspective so that these can be heard--about the realities and possibilities at different phases of litigation. She has a flow of outstanding attorneys working at her firm who worked diligentl...y on my case even through transitions. I was constantly impressed by their mastery of the thousands of documents involved and grateful for the attentiveness that they provided during the various phases of litigation. At the conclusion of my case, I noticed a small discrepancy involving a pre-payment I had made for service on one part of the case. Carol addressed it immediately with a refund check. I would absolutely recommend her.

Carol literally made me sick with her lies. I am completely disgusted with the quality of the legal advice and service. Carol took thousands of dollars from me up front and promised me that this is the only money that I will have to pay her for my case. She promised me that I am signing a “flat fee r...etainer” which meant that I pay her $5,000 up front and I don’t pay her any more money out of my pocket. This was an absolute lie! After a few months, one of her employees tells me that I have to pay Carol more money because Carol’s hourly rate is actually $700, and my retainer is really not a “flat fee retainer” as I had previously been promised. I was totally shocked and disgusted by this deception. Carol had never, ever, mentioned anything about her hourly rate being $700. Carol outright lied to my agency’s union and me by telling us she would be personally handling my case as the “expert”. She would put down other respectable attorneys in Los Angeles and only brag about herself by saying such things as: “my name means something in this town”. However, after I signed her retainer and she took my money, I could not get hold of her. She suddenly became unavailable. She did not touch my case, she did not know my case, and she did not care about my case. She gave my case to a new attorney who did not have experience and was not sure and did not know what she was doing. Then after a few weeks this new attorney who was working on my case left Carol’s law firm. Then another new attorney took over my case. The second new attorney was not knowledgeable and did not know what he was doing either. Then, after a few more months, my case was once again transferred to a third employee, who also was not sure what to do but claimed that her hourly rate was $500. I was shocked and extremely frustrated that I was trapped in this nightmare with these shysters who had taken my money and my case. The turnover of employees at this law firm is unbelievable, and I didn’t know who would be handling my case next. Every time I tried to contact Carol, I was told she’s not available. My case did not get the quality and personal attention she had promised it would get. After she made me sign her retainer and took my money, she did not care about my case or me. I hired her about 10 months ago, and she did not talk to me once about my case, my witnesses, my evidence, or discuss with me how she will be proceeding with my case. She has not talked to any witnesses or taken any statements from anyone. While the opposing side is aggressively preparing their case against me, Carol, who took thousands of dollars from me, is avoiding to even talk to me as her client. This is unbelievable. The sad, unfortunate and brutal reality finally hit me that I have been conned and have paid thousands of dollars to a shyster. She lied and deceived me with her promises from the very start. As her client I absolutely believe now, that she is a con artist who makes money by taking thousands of dollars as retainer deposit, from new, unsuspecting, and innocent client and not doing the work she promises to do. Therefore, given what I have personally experienced with Carol Gillam, I fired Carol Gillam as my attorney. And even though my case is still going-on and I still have not gone to court, firing Carol was the best thing I did, because I have saved my case. Unfortunately, it cost me thousands of dollars and many months of extreme stress and pain to learn who Carol Gillam really is. She is the most deceitful and the worst attorney I have ever dealt with or hired in my life. Unfortunately, like her previous client, I was also deceived and misled by Carol’s website and lured into Carol’s trap to sign her retainer, which was extremely deceitful and harmful to me. I am totally convinced as a client that I have been the victim of a scam, and I absolutely do NOT recommend Carol Gillam to anyone! Avoid pain and suffering, save your money save your case stay away!!!