ComplaintsforThe Law Offices of Suraj A. Vyas, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  05/17/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  See attached complaint. Click here to Get the File - use the Password: ******** https://bluecomplaints.bbb.org/attachment/?c=********

  Business response

  05/31/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/05/18) */ Hello, Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to address this complaint. I can confirm that the individual who filed this complaint was a client of my law firm three separate times related to estate planning work. The estate planning work originally involved the drafting of a Power of Attorney, Living Will (sometimes known as an Advance Medical Directive), and a Last Will and Testament. Future representation included the amending of the previously drafted Last Will and Testament due to changes in the client's relationship with the client's family and other beneficiaries in the client's Last Will and Testament. My law firm, like almost any law firm in the country, operates on retainer agreements. I draft our attorney fee agreements in plain English so that clients can understand exactly what services they are receiving and exactly how much it will cost. Clients are heavily encouraged to read through the retainer agreement in full and ask any questions about it prior to signing. I even send an email reiterating some of the bigger points of the agreement (like how the retainer works). My law firm, also like almost any law firm in the country, charges for costs incurred in connection with representation. This may include costs related to mileage, parking, printing, etc. No fees or costs were ever billed to this client except those mentioned explicitly in the fee agreement. The invoices demonstrate this fact as well. In fact, certain items were not billed to the client at all. Unlike many firms around the country, my law firm has a refundable retainer. This means that although a client may deposit money into the trust account to establish an attorney-client relationship and demonstrate they have funds to pay our law firm, clients will receive a refund of their money if any money is left in the trust account after final billings. All money kept in the trust account is still fully owned by the clients. In the complaint filed against my law firm, the client mentions amounts which are accurate in-part, but the client has left out two major components in the calculations: 1. Money was refunded back to the client via check at the end of each representation of the client since she had money left in her trust balance at the conclusion of representation each time. Bank statements show that the client did successfully deposit all three checks that were sent. 2. Because this client was always kind, thoughtful, and prompt in responses, I waived a portion of the legal fees during the first and second representation of this client. These waivers were indicated in her invoice and we will not collect on these amounts now or ever. Unlike many law firms, I do not believe in nickel-and-diming clients for every short phone call or email that takes 5 minutes. As such, I waived the time/fees for smaller items like short, simple phone calls. Upon reading the client's complaint or the BBB's transmission of it, I see that the former client or the BBB is looking for an explanation of charges. I cannot post this in detail in my response due to attorney-client privilege. However, I can explain that the charges generally came from the drafting of a Power of Attorney, drafting of a Living Will, drafting of a Last Will and Testament, modifying the Last Will and Testament numerous times, substantive meetings, emails, and phone calls with the client regarding these documents and costs such as mileage, parking, and printing that were incurred in connection with the client's legal work. I would be happy to send the client additional details directly if requested. Since the client retained my law firm three separate times, it is shocking to see a complaint was filed against my law firm. The client did not indicate any dissatisfaction in fees or services at any point in time. The client and I had a strong relationship to the point where holiday greetings were exchanged in the mail. I am regretful that this complaint was filed. In closing, I maintain that the client was not overcharged. I hope this letter explains my reasoning and provides clarity to the former client's concerns. I would be happy to follow up with the BBB regarding any documentation (as allowed under attorney rules surrounding confidentiality and client information) or directly with the former client to ensure that services were rendered appropriately, and that the client was not billed more than intended. Best regards, ***** A. ****, ****

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩