Stephen Bernard Ruben

Stephen Ruben signed me up at a vulnerable time, and his immediate counsel was to serve a motion on my wife as she was walking to her car with our daughters. I asked what his reasoning was for this advice, and he said, "We have to hit her hard." I should have not proceeded then, but I had already ret...ained him. When I asked follow-up questions, he had no answers. Still, I told him to hold off, but from there, his whole philosophy was to enflame the relationship with my ex-wife, which had the overall effect of costing us much more money than if he had counseled not hatred and emotions but reason. He also often left me at the bottom of his priorities and then would charge me for calls I never had. If you're in the top 5% of his client list, he will pay attention; if not, he will string you along and charge you and leave you squabbling with his billing department. Finally, after he wasn't returning my calls or moving my case forward (for almost two years, by the way), I finally was firm (but nice) with him about needing more attention, and later that afternoon, I received a letter stating that he was discontinuing as my lawyer. I had already forked over 20-30K, and I was (and am) a teacher in SF fighting my ex-wife, a lawyer, so he left me without any counsel. This man also has lied about his past and brags about his ability to take people's money. Be very wary of his nice office and tough talk.

Stephen did not do what he said and did do what he said he would not. First, you may feel free to contact me regarding this attorney at anytime. Also, I have had a good experience with another attorney on this list and will be recommending him separately. Two of many, major blunders by Steve. First..., he had me serve my ex wife with papers disallowing her from taking our son from his home after she announced she was leaving me. He did not get the papers signed by the commissioner however and in the middle of the day while i was at work, she abducted him and the house's contents. He later said, 'it would have happened anyway'. Second, I was very adamant about not spending legal fee's into bankruptcy and then giving up the fight. I said this in extremely certain terms on a few occasions. On a late call with my ex's attorneys after months of posturing and already greatly exceeding the estimated fees, (stated to me directly by Steve at the onset), Steve put the phone on mute and said, 'We have to settle now. You can no longer afford to have me litigate". We'd acheived 'nothing' that was not expected. Steve plays in a theatre in San Raphael where his character riles up the ill feelings between wives and husbands and the lawyers get all the booty. There are verses directly to that effect. I could go on and on and on and will if any of you wish to contact me. This is a dishonest, egotistical man. Stay away. He has no concern about what he says to you, his client. Jeff Hogan [content removed by Avvo]