Chaim Steinberger, P.C.

That's funny, Justin. If you had such a bad experience with me, why did you contact me almost a year after your initial consult and ask for me to allow you to return? It now seems that I was right to decline. I am glad you found someone to work with and I wish you the best of luck.

Dear Gypsy Girl:Thank you for taking the time to write a review whether you did so out of anger at me or a genuine effort to help others. I appreciate you recognizing from my videos and writings that I am “someone who will advocate for you” and, if you in fact, wrote out of a sense of public service, I honor and share that sentiment.Of course, my commitment to help clients and advocate vociferously for them also includes a duty to not take people’s money under false pretenses, or deceive them into believing that I can achieve goals that I believe are likely not achievable.You took advantage of my free 10-Minute Zoom call. Prior to that, you filled out the form designed to give me the basics of what your matter is about. You supplemented that with a rather lengthy narrative of the years of litigation and heartache you endured along with the story of your several prior lawyers, the venue you were in, and other personal and individual information, much of which affected your chances of succeeding in your planned course of action.Of course nobody can have an in-depth discussion of all of the angles, implications, and considerations of a legal matter in only ten minutes, much less a complicated one with many years of prior litigation and involving complicated issues and dynamics such as in your matter.The reason, however, that I offer a free 10-Minute Zoom call to everyone – without qualifying or considering whether they can ever become a paying client – is twofold. First, if I can solve a person’s legal problem, or even point them in the right direction, I am happy to do that at no charge. It is one of the ways that I try to give back to the community.The second reason is that the next step in the process is for the client to come into my office and have an in depth meeting at which we review the intricacies of the client’s matter and develop strategies and tactics on how to get the client to where they want to be with a minimum of aggravation and expense. However I charge for that meeting. I, therefore, don’t want anyone to come in and spend their time, energy, and money to meet with me under any false pretenses. I feel honor-bound, for example, to tell young people seeking a prenuptial agreement that I don’t believe in prenups for most young people and that prenups are almost always dangerous to them (see, for example, The Perils of Prenups), before they come in and pay to see me.Similarly, if it seems a client is committed to a course of action that does not appear likely to be fruitful, I try to let them know how I feel before they pay to see me.Having litigated many cases similar to yours before, I pointed out the weaknesses of your attempted course of action, why it could involve great expense, and how you could be worse off at the end of it then you currently are. You had no answers to the points I made. In an effort to be helpful, I tried instead to suggest some alternative methodologies (ones that would earn me no fees at all) that were more likely to allow you to achieve your objectives. You, however, tuned me out halfway through the conversation. That, of course, is your right and we ended the conversation abruptly.I am sorry for the heartache of your situation and the added pain my message may have caused you. I hope you find the path that’s right for you and your loved ones, and that you succeed in your noble endeavors.Best,Chaim

Yes, that is absolutely right, Ed. I can’t make any money on people who owe child support because, if such a person had several thousand dollars available, they’d pay down their child support arrears instead of hiring a lawyer with it. I’m rather proud of the fact that I continue to take such calls and try to help those parents. It’s a public service that I provide and just one of the myriad ways I give back to the community. You seem to have not appreciated my willingness to help you even without any likelihood of personal gain to me.You then went on to ask me the meaning of a contract you signed with an agency, without showing me the actual contract, and making it seem like I should know the meaning of the agreement you signed. You then wanted to complain to me about the service you received from that government agency and, when I told you that I can’t reform the agency and that I was well aware of that agency’s poor service, you became huffy and concluded that I was “of no help.”I guess you proved my mother right, that “No good deed goes unpunished.”

Thank you, Jasmine, for leaving your note. You doing so proves that all these comments are real from actual people and not merely curated, complimentary comments from selected friends.Regarding the gist of your comment, there are, I am sure, lawyers who will take money from any potential client, willing to tell them what they want to hear just to get their money.I won’t work that way. If I don’t think you have a case, I’ll tell you that openly and forthrightly. I’d rather not take your money than take it under false pretenses – or by leading you on to believe you have a potentially meritorious claim when you do not.So, if you want a lawyer who will tell you what you want to hear no matter your actual chance of winning your lawsuit, take Ms. Surita’s advice. If you want a straight-shooter, who after spending almost half-an hour at no charge with the potential client, gave her the straight scoop, no holds barred, so that you will, like she did, know exactly where you stand, then give us a call.

Thank you so much for your kind words. Glad to be of service.