Benjamin D Platt

Ben represented me (a man) in my divorce (with multiple kids.) My wife had filed and included many horrible allegations which led me to have almost no time with the kids on our temporary parenting plan. Ben picked up the case (which my first attorney had done a poor job on.) He knew exactly what to d...o to get the end result I wanted. I had to suck it up and it wasn't an instant fix but in the end he rocked my wife's world in court and the record was set straight by his courtroom skills. It seemed at times throughout the case that he was not attentive to my little daily concerns, but I think he simply puts focus where it really counts and if I had trusted him more I would have saved some worry and stress. I read that you will never regret hiring an attorney that you can't afford when it comes to fighting for your kids. After trying to go the cheap route I bit the bullet and I'm so glad I did. Worth every thousand spent and then some. Ben was brutally honest with me and didn't sell me anything he wasn't able to deliver. He was spot on with every estimation he had regarding the case while letting me know that anything can happen. I very highly recommend him if you have the ability to trust him and not expect him to get caught up in every little daily drama you throw his way. Again, he put attention and detail where it really counted and the results were what mattered in the end.

Ben Platt seems to be a basically decent guy, but as a lawyer he was instrumental in leaving me in an extremely precarious and vulnerable position, financially drained, and my children regularly in the hands of an abuser. I was referred to Ben by the YWCA, where his wife is a domestic violence leg...al advocate. I did not know this at the time. In hindsight this seems like a conflict of interest. I was trying to leave a violent marriage, being threatened, stalked, financially cut off, and needed to act quickly to secure safety for my children and I. I did not have the strength to self represent. Although I asked for the temporary relief of a restraining order, I was advised not to ask for one. The other party’s lawyer wanted to move through the process quickly in shortened time, and assured no trouble. Ben was aware that the lawyer is one of the more contentious, trial prone attorneys in family law. I was not. Ben advised trusting the other party. Stalking and harassment continued. In later discussions, Ben didn’t even think we could mediate or attempt settlement, and didn't try. Trials are big money for attorneys. Any difficulty was always the other attorney's fault. Communication was poor. Ben’s office did nothing in a timely manner. Preparation was poor. Responses were made in a hurry. Staff turnover was high, and new staff meant more time getting up to speed on my case. My temporary orders were lost by the court, Ben had a family emergencies (but didn’t tell me). He reconstructed orders incorrectly. Had he returned my multiple calls, he could have easily created the orders properly. It cost me thousands, and potential protection for my kids. Although I asked repeatedly, and made it clear that DV should be brought up every time we were in court, Ben would not pursue acknowledgement of domestic violence. It is taboo and makes the court uncomfortable, because they are going to give kids to abusers anyway. Ben made it clear that he could handle only the stereotypical abuser who blackens eyes and breaks bones. Ben blamed me for not pursuing restrictions after he advised I couldn't and wouldn't be successful if I tried. I asked for a loophole free parenting plan. My plan has so many holes it looks like Swiss cheese. The abuser creates chaos with this. I let Ben go after a few things happened that shed some light on the sad state of affairs of family law: #1-He offered to assist me in filing a bankruptcy, after I paid him approx $20k in charges. #2-He discussed in front of me, with another guardian, getting a friend of his into the GAL program who had a previous record of abuse. #3-After multiple post-divorce filings by the litigious ex, he told me that I could only protect my kids if they were being sexually abused or had broken bones or bruises, but that wouldn’t happen if I didn’t force them to go on abusive visits. #4-He texted me while patronizing the abusive ex's place of business, while I was currently retaining him for services. I have chosen to no longer participate in continued abuse through litigation. I have since been fined and browbeaten multiple times by the court for not litigating. I will potentially lose my children. I cannot afford the time and energy that is necessary to devote to fighting with an personality disordered individual. I want to live in peace. While it is bittersweet to know that I was correct in feeling afraid that I wouldn’t be protected in getting out, it is sad to see how others participate in a system that financially destroys and revictimizes survivors. I bear no ill will against Ben, but he was not capable of handling my (unwanted, by me) high-conflict, domestic abuse divorce. If this is not your situation, he might be ok.

I contacted Mr. Platt in July of 2015. At this time a very contentious custody case was underway with a long history of litigation. I was attempting to coordinate from another state and needed nothing less than the best to represent myself and the best interest of my child. After over a year of li...tigation, my conclusion is that I absolutely made the right choice...Mr. Platt and his team of professionals are the best. Mr. Platt is highly knowledgeable, presents a strong and honest work ethic, and is aggressive when needed yet maintains his professionalism. He cares about his client and is sensitive to the emotions involved in many cases as well as insuring that the client feels supported. He welcomes client questions and consistently keeps the client informed. When Mr. Platt steps into the courtroom you can be confident that he will be prepared and that he will do everything in his power to get the desired outcome for his client. My case has finally come to a close and I will be forever grateful to Mr. Platt and his team...they are not only a stellar group of professionals, but they are also a tremendous group of people.

Ben was good when he was hired on but them the communication got lost in translation and his assistant at the time failed to communicate the correct date for court and then I had a bench warrant out for missing the court date. I finally figured out that I could look at the Spokane County District Co...urt page and find what day and time and court room I needed to be in. I left several message for his to return my call and nothing until I got upset and then he said he never got any calls from me. (I have the phone records for proof). Needless to say he won't be given a good review my me.