Shelley Lewis Albaum

With hindsight being 20/20, I wish I would have researched Ms. Albaum as well as the reputation of her firm and their policies before retaining her as my divorce attorney. Unfortunately, I wrongly assumed they were effective and credible based on the high-profile clientele they represent. Once I d...ismissed Ms. Albaum in favor of new representation, I learned from several sources (including my new attorney) that both the firm and Ms. Albaum have earned a reputation for drawing a case out beyond what is necessary to reach a mutually acceptable settlement. Of course, this adds up to an increase in both fees and the emotional burden associated with the process of divorce. The advice I was given demonstrated the firm had zero interest in settling matters out of court, which is typically the less costly and time consuming route . Although Ms. Albaum is very aggressive, she provided what I would describe as counter-productive advice, which caused more drama for both me and my children in what was an already stressful situation. In hindsight, she seemed to leverage my emotional state, convincing me to make decisions that didn’t feel right. Furthermore, I felt nickel and dimed. Ms. Albaum used associates at ridiculous hourly fees to accompany her to court when their presence added no value and was not necessary. I was billed for erroneous, unsolicited communications (emails/faxes) and on three occasions she recommended filings that were declined by the judge. After several months, $80,000 in legal fees and no progress, I left the firm and hired another attorney. This was the best decision I could have made. My new attorney was appalled when he reviewed my case and the advice I was given. He offered facts, told me what I should and shouldn't expect financially through alimony and child support, and told me which actions would be a waste of money – even when it wasn’t necessarily what I wanted to hear. My divorce was settled in less than a few months in mediation. Shame on this firm and Ms. Albaum. It’s my opinion both thrive on and profit from people's pain, vulnerability and sorrow.