Although I did not directly hire Ms. Bookbinder, I was named in a last will and testament to assist…read morea disabled son of the deceased and to assist the son with the estate upon his death. When his father died, we saw Ms. Bookbinder. To complicate the estate process, the wife of the deceased, the executor, was unable to make legal decisions. Ms. Bookbinder told us that the gentleman, the son, should apply for guardianship, which will allow him to navigate the will, access bank accounts, pay all bills, make all medical decisions for the mother, contact insurance companies, etc. She also told us that since the son is on disability, the five-year look-back period for Medicaid does not apply. Not only has she helped the disabled son navigate the estate, but she is also protecting the son's financial interest should the mother need to live in a nursing home. SHE IS EXCELLENT!! Ms. Bookbinder is professional, speaks in layperson's terms, and is thorough.

Ms Bookbinder was so helpful at a time when we were trying to figure out so many things with my…read moreMom's estate. She was so compassionate and understanding with my Mom during this difficult time. She also helped us understand all the planning opportunities that would work best in our exact situation. Everyone at the office was so friendly and professional. We would definitely recommend!

NO STARS. Amy Smith and her sidekick. Jill are some of the most incompetent attorneys we have ever…read morehad the misfortune of dealing with. They will first of all rob you blind financially. Second of all, they are so amateur in all of their communication and responses and they are always passing the buck instead of actually giving legal advice and steering the ship. Do not hire them under any circumstances. They should be ashamed of themselves.

Absolutely the worst attorney experience I have every encountered. I was unfortunate that I had to…read morehire Amy since my other attorney was on vacation and I needed a matter handled within a time restraint. I wanted a "Super Lawyer" I got the "Worst Lawyer". I signed a retainer for a motion and gave her the retainer of $2,500.00. The retainer agreement states that they will inform me when the retainer runs out and they will notify you when it does. I was notified alright, after the retainer ran out and after I was billed an additional $5,400.00, for a total of $8,000.00, yes, you read that right. Mind you, I wrote the majority of my motion and cross motion. She just rewrote it with revisions and went to oral argument. After reconciling the bills there were about $900.00 in charges just for phone calls. Phone calls I was asked to call them back to answer questions they had. In the last 9 years of my divorce I had roughly 20 motions and I have never paid more than $2,500.00 for a motion including oral argument with my other attorney's. Amy and I discussed an appeal after the poor outcome and results. She told me it would be between $10,000.00-$15,000.00. We are talking about a basic issue and appeal. The last appeal I had with my prior attorney that was on vacation was $5,000.00 and more complex. I trusted Amy's initial advice not to combine both issues I had in the motion because she thought the judge would have gotten confused. That was a big mistake and a juvenile move. The judge was furious that approximately 30 days later we were back in court and should of addressed the other issue at the same time. I could of done the same job if not better representing myself with the outcome she achieved. I thought an attorney would have guided me in the right direction. I thought wrong. I would not recommend her for any type of representation especially oral argument unless you like to be embarrassed while being overcharged. Their slogan compassion, guidance and resolution should be changed by adding no to each one. I forgot to mention they filed a civil case against me for the balance. I should of fought it but dealing with family law is hard enough. We Settled.

Phil was recommended by two respected colleagues at the onset of a bitter custody battle. I quickly…read morelearned through the process that Phil is well liked and respected by many other attorneys, mediators and judges. He is honest and straightforward. In the end, I have custody of my son. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone entering a divorce or custody battle.

From the owner: At Burnham Douglass Attorneys At Law, we have earned a stellar reputation for providing reliable,…read moreexperienced, and knowledgeable representation to clients throughout New Jersey. Our firm takes a personal approach to every family law, employment law, or civil case we handle, so you can trust that the legal strategy we devise is customized to meet the unique needs of your case.