Michelle Marie Jacobson-Kwok

If you find yourself here, as I did last year, chances are you’re going through some major life changes. Whether it be financial or emotional, divorce can be extremely scary. Sadly, I am no exception. Last June my wife told me she wanted a divorce after 10 years of marriage. After the initial sho...ck, sadness, and reflection, I realized it was for the best, we were not happy, even after a couple years of therapy. I now needed to get to the business end of this divorce and hire an attorney. After interviewing two other attorneys and not feeling confident, a friend of mine referred me to Michelle Jacobson-Kwok and I can’t put a price on that referral! Michelle has been a Godsend. My wife, now legally my ex, had a favorable financial position, in terms of assets, and emotional leverage, having a stronger bond with our nine-year-old daughter and a good chance of winning more custody. We were both amicable, for the sake of our daughter, but the underlying concerns were the financial settlement and shared custody. Michelle was attentive, professional and gave me a sense of calm and confidence through the nine-month process. Since my ex and I were amicable, Michelle recommended mediation rather than going to court. This not only saved us tens of thousands of dollars but also minimized the emotional toll that litigation can bring about. I don’t know if this would have been the best option if my ex and I were not amicable, but it was the best option for us. A big reason why I retained Michelle was the fact she gave me a sense of confidence if we ended up litigating. It was always the last option but an option nonetheless if my ex became unreasonable. Michelle was always apathetic to my future financial and custody concerns and confidently explained my position if we were to litigate. I NEVER felt at a disadvantage with Michelle on my side and confident there would be a favorable outcome, if we did litigate. I cannot THANK Michelle enough for her competency, professionalism, and “human touch” she brought to my case. I would, without hesitation, recommend Michelle to anyone who finds themselves needing a family law specialist.

I had another attorney prior to Michelle. I was extremely frustrated with my case dragging on and on and going nowhere . I had felt that I was being over-billed without a reasonable explanation. Bringing up these issues with my attorney was brought with confrontation. My divorce was already finalized... after two long years (ridiculous since this was a long-term marriage with adult children). There were a few post-divorce issues such as 401K split and long-term spousal support (which I was challenging). Ultimately, I came to the realization that I had hired a charlatan and it was time to fire him! I found Michelle through a web site when she was at another firm. My case was assigned to Michelle and I was immediately impressed with her sharp tact and professionalism. Soon after Michelle became my attorney, she started her own firm, LKJ Law Group, LLP. There was no question in my mind that I would retain her as my attorney. Michelle was always on top of her game, and always gave my case top priority. Michelle explained to me later that it was important to her to make all her clients feel important and as if they were her only client. When the opposing side would play their delay tactics to prolong the high support I was currently paying, Michelle's aggressive deliberation would kick-in, maintaining a high level of professionalism at all times. Michelle was never intimidated with the other attorney, even though he was well-established in the business. I should mention too that Michelle was always responsive to my emails or available to meet in person. She was always very fair in resolving any billing issues as well -- and without confrontation! Additionally, Michelle user her paralegal staff whenever possible to help keep costs low. In the end, my case (post-divorce!) was headed to trial, and Michelle kept the pressure on the opposing side. Ultimately through Michelle's tactful negotiation techniques, I was able to attain a buy-out and avoid the costs of a trial. It was a win-win as far as I am concerned. I have no doubts that if my case had gone to trial, we would have won :) I would absolutely recommend Michelle to anyone wanting a caring, compassionate and attentive attorney who will take personal interest in your case and well being. Don't take a chance on hiring the wrong attorney and risk the outcome of your case. Michelle is someone you can trust and feel absolutely confident in.

I hired Michelle to help with a divorce case on the referral of another attorney. What a disappointment. Michelle cared little about me or my case, only about maximizing her billable hours. There was constant nickel and diming and large fees charged for simple tasks. She would spend hours of time... discussing court politics and her personal matters unrelated to my case, then bill me for them. She was poorly prepared for court appearances. In spite of hours of my time spent preparing her with background information and prep calls for which she would bill me, Michelle would come in and "wing it" in court, saying random things and completely deviating from the strategy we had agreed on. It was as if she hadn't attended those meetings or read a single item I sent her. When the judge addressed her, she was a deer in the headlights and visibly nervous. Michelle's performance in court was spectacularly horrible. Michelle was unreachable at pivotal moments in the case. I had an extremely urgent issue where I needed her help. In spite of urgent calls to her office, she waited three days to return my calls, putting me at a major disadvantage in the case and driving additional large legal fees that could have and should have been avoided. Overall, Michelle billed generously and took me backwards in the case. There was no accountability, apology, or willingness to correct the errors. I would not hire her or work with her ever again.