Lyan Hummell

I am writing this review to share my complete and honest experience with attorney Lyan Hummell, so future clients understand what to expect before trusting her with something as serious as a family court or jurisdiction matter. I retained Sethi Law, with Ms. Hummell as one of the primary attorneys in...volved in my case. The situation concerned my child and required urgent filings, accurate legal strategy, and consistent communication. What I received instead was disorganization, missed deadlines, vague responses, and long periods of silence during extremely critical moments. From the beginning, Ms. Hummell assured me she had “23 years of family law experience” and emphasized that she was a mother herself and would never treat a case involving a child as “just business.” Unfortunately, my experience did not reflect that promise. Communication Problems I repeatedly experienced: • Long delays with no responses • Messages left unanswered for entire days • Vague replies like “It’s done,” “We’re strategizing,” or “We’ll send it soon,” without any follow-through • No timeline, no updates, and no sense of urgency • Promises that documents were ready, yet nothing was sent When she finally replied, she often stated she was “with her son” or “busy,” which I respect personally — but when a client’s child is at risk, the attorney’s personal schedule cannot repeatedly override the work the case requires. Failure to Act When It Mattered Most The pattern became extremely concerning when: • No Notice of Appearance was ever filed • No filings were made despite being promised “today” or “within the hour” • No attorney contacted chambers as required by the judge • No NY-licensed attorney ever appeared in court on my behalf • On the morning of a critical hearing, I texted asking who would represent me and was told no one was available Ms. Hummell had repeatedly said filings would be sent “tonight,” “this afternoon,” or “first thing in the morning.” Yet I continuously waited with nothing to show for it. Unrealistic Strategy and Misdirection Ms. Hummell pushed a legal strategy that turned out to be: • Unrealistic • Procedurally impossible • Not something the court could even accept • A direction that set me back instead of moving my case forward I relied on her guidance only to later discover the approach was not viable and should never have been recommended in the form it was presented. Broken Promises of Professionalism Ms. Hummell repeatedly said: “In 23 years of family law and as a mother, I have never looked at a child in distress as business.” Yet her actions did not reflect that statement. In reality, there were: • Delays • Excuses • Unfinished drafts • Missing corrections • Last-minute cancellations • And no follow-through on tasks she said were already completed Several times she told me filings were done only for me to later learn they had not been done at all. Overall Experience The level of professionalism and follow-through I expected from someone with her claimed experience was simply not there. My case required attention, urgency, and action. Instead, I experienced uncertainty, stress, and missed opportunities all while I was fighting for the well being of my child. When a parent hires an attorney for a custody or jurisdiction matter, they aren’t hiring for “business” they are hiring because the stakes are emotionally and legally life-changing. I did not feel that level of commitment from Ms. Hummell, despite her statements otherwise. My Recommendation Based on my experience, I would not recommend working with Ms. Hummell. 23 years of experience but have problems with a scanner to establish reason for delay. She’s a liar.