Andrea McDowellGoogle review
I hired Nussbaum Law to assist me with a matter relating to my child’s RESP in part due to the reviews here as well as their own documents stating their commitment to client satisfaction and conflict resolution, so I feel it is required of me to share how far my experience with this firm fell short in those expectations.
Professional ethics in Ontario requires lawyers to reply to client communications in a timely manner, be honest, be competent, and follow client direction. Nussbaum failed at all of these.
The most serious for me is about a budget I was asked to prepare for a non-table amount child support claim, proposed as a means to encourage my ex to negotiate with me about the RESP. Oct 6, I asked in writing for guidance on including housing expenses. Oct 7 and 8, I sent draft budgets for their review including housing and a description of how and why I included them. I was told they were fine, and the question I submitted Oct 6 was never answered. On the basis of this, I moved forward with their suggested correspondence.
After a (verbal) response from the opposing counsel was received, I was informed verbally on Nov 20 by the lawyer on my case that housing costs could not be included.
At first I thought the lawyer was simply wrong, because how could child support not include housing? But when I reached out through the complaint resolution process described in the retainer agreement, Barry Nussbaum confirmed this. That happened November 24. He has spent all his communications with me then refusing to acknowledge the seven week gap between when I asked for that budget information and when I received it, or the impact that had on me and my finances. I paid between $2500-$3k in fees between Oct 6 and Nov 20 which I would not have gone ahead with if I’d known that I could not include budget costs in a non-table child support claim.
Not only will Mr. Nussbaum not acknowledge this, in his last communications with me he described this as relating to a S7 claims issue, which is just flat out wrong. He was combative and aggressive with me when I engaged in their customer complaints process in good faith. Even at that time, if he had acknowledged the communications issues and errors I raised, their impact on me, and made some gesture at restitution, I might have been able to move forward with Nussbaum Law to at least close this down. He has refused.
I’ve told them in writing three times that they’re fired and I want my file closed and remaining funds returned, and they have refused. So they insist on continuing to represent me against my wishes, and without giving me any reason to trust them, either individually or as a whole. (Correction: just received email agreeing matter is closed.)
I knew going in that this was unlikely to succeed. I had been advised against even trying by two other law firms, who said that it would be nearly impossible to prove. I wanted to try, to protect my kid if possible; but I don’t hold anyone responsible for my ex being a dick, breaking his promises and refusing to negotiate, or hiring a more competent legal firm that provided him with better information. I do hold Nussbaum responsible for not answering my questions in a timely fashion, providing me with incorrect information, suggesting courses of action they needed later to retract as incorrect, not following my directions or even acknowledging my right to provide direction they don’t agree with, and treating me in a hostile manner, as well as for the costs I incurred when they failed in their professional obligations.
Make up your own minds, readers. I am a chronically ill single parent of a disabled kid on ODSP trying to get them through post-secondary after losing the bulk of their father’s RESP. This was their approach to my situation. Consider carefully before you retain their services.
Personally, I wouldn’t hire them to represent a turtle in an elementary school mock trial. YMMV.
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