Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Unethical behavior, theft of funds, lies in writing. I paid $250 for a consultation and never got one. Lawyers are supposed to be there to fight for the underdog when they are at the worst point in their life, not take advantage of them and steal resources without conscience. I was laid off my job February 23 after a long battle with discrimination. I called Fide Law that afternoon at 1:34pm. That phone call lasted 6 minutes and I was told to pay the $250 consultation fee and Atty. ****** would call me. They were quick about getting me to pay - within one hour, I received the email with instructions on how to pay the fee. Being very nervous about funds, I paid the fee via credit card February 26. My consultation was scheduled for March 1 at 1. When the time came, I didnt receive a call. I called the office and asked if I had the wrong time. Atty ****** called me. The phone call lasted 8 mins 39 seconds and was introductory. I dont even know if he could tell you what party my complaint is against. He said he would conduct some research and call me back. On March 5th, he called me quickly to let me know he hadnt forgotten me and would indeed, get back to me. This call lasted 31 seconds, so there is NO WAY that constitutes a consultation. I never heard back. March 14th I emailed the office, requesting follow up. Nothing. By April 1, I knew something was fishy about this law firm and I wasnt going to get results. I called the office and was told the atty would get another message. I stated another message wasnt enough. I requested a referral and my money back. The response email attached is absolutely unethical and lies, as evidenced by my call history. There was no almost an hour consultation, and the call back referenced, is the 30 second promise to deliver. I know Im not alone in this pattern of unethical, and illegal behavior, the one-star ****** reviews are TRUE!

  Business response

  04/04/2024

  I first want to apologize to ********************* for any stress or discomfort that has come from this interaction. She seems like a very nice individual who is going through a difficult situation. She did speak to an attorney from the office on March 1st and spoke in detail with the attorney about her situation. Consultations are scheduled for an hour and are only introductory in nature. Taking a consultation does not mean the firm will take the case nor be able to help in any way, it is purely a consultation to assess the situation. There are times where attorneys need to do more information to discover if a case is viable. The attorney told this ********************* and stop the call to ensure that he had time left in the hour consult to conduct that investigation. A follow up was scheduled on March 5. The attorney scheduled for this call was delayed in court but called between cases to let ********************* know that he was still investigating. At that time his hour allotted to the consult had run its course. He had researched case law, discussed with other attorneys, and reviewed other material. It was then determined that *********************** did not have a case in the Firm's opinion. There were no clear grounds for discrimination and the **** decided not to take the case. The Firm provided ********************* with the name of another Law Firm that could possibly see a solution that we had missed and informed that we were not going to take the case. 

  We understand this is not the answer ********************* wanted. However, she knew the price for the consultation and communication, research, and attention was given to her case for more than the allotted hour as promised. Again consultations are not guarantees that the firm will take the case. The matter was discussed, researched, and unfortunately found not to be a viable case to pursue. 

  We wish the best for ********************* in her difficult situation. 

  Thank you,

  Fide Law

  Customer response

  04/04/2024

  I forgot to attach my phone call history related to my complaint.

  Customer response

  04/04/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the offer and/or response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  Note the law firm did not submit proof of time spent, did not acknowledge that they even know who my complaint is against. There is no way they researched my case because the atty was to research detrimental reliance and not discrimination. Their own response proves they have no idea who I am and kept my funds on zero merit.
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  
  
  
  
  

*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. ↩