I hate to do this, yet I need to share my experience. I chose Mr. Polon based on reviews here. In previous reviews he was described as "compassionate," which is absolutely needed during such an emotional time. Unfortunately, my experience was all but that. First of all, the lack of organization was unreal. There was no structure and I received random calls into the late evening. I requested on numerous occasions to meet so that we could streamline the process. He also told me three or four times that he was going to send me a Zelle request so that he could start the process. I never received the request and I also never received a contract. After 2 weeks of this (granted it was during the holidays), I started feeling frustrated. During our very frustrating call where he told me information for the 3rd time, I showed my frustration and he told me to CALM DOWN. Again this is for bankruptcy, and I never felt compassion or professionalism. I wish I had known this before spending two weeks and over 10 hours of prep time. read more

Filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy as a business owner is one of the most stressful things I've ever had to face -- but working with Burl S. Polon made all the difference. From the very beginning, he was thorough, detail-oriented, and genuinely caring. He took the time to walk me through every step of the process, answered all of my questions with patience, and made sure I truly understood what to expect. What stood out most was how well he prepared me for the call with the trustee. Because Mr. Polon was so thorough in his preparation, that call lasted only 5 minutes. That alone tells you everything you need to know about the quality of his work. I never felt like just another case on his desk. He was understanding, compassionate, and clearly invested in making the process as smooth and stress-free as possible. He made something that felt overwhelming feel completely manageable. If you're considering a Chapter 7 or 11 BK and you need someone who is knowledgeable, efficient, and truly cares about his clients -- look no further. I highly recommend Burl S. Polon without any hesitation. read more

Mr. Polon is the most caring and patient attorney I've ever spoken to. I really felt 'heard', and he did everything he could to help me out in my ongoing issue with a contractor. I would heartily recommend him to anyone looking for his type of services. read more

I was dealing with a complex legal matter and Burl reached out almost immediately to assist me. He calmed me down greatly and relieved a lot of anxiety. The guy really knows his stuff. I highly recommend him for law and taxation issues, and he's a great guy as well. read more

If you are looking for a bankruptcy attorney, you can stop looking now because no matter how many reviews you read, you will never find a better attorney than Burl Polon! After I became disabled and while waiting for my Social Security disability to be approved, we fell six months behind on our mortgage payments, and facing foreclosure. And, in order to protect the accumulated equity we had built up over 24 years in our home, we needed to file bankruptcy, and fast! First and foremost, I found Mr. Polon to be an amazing human being, and I knew the first time that I spoke with him that he genuinely cared about what we were going through, and prior to requiring us to enter into a contract with him to ensure he would be paid for his time, he took great effort to understand every detail of our specific situation to ensure that filing bankruptcy was the best course of action for us, as nowadays, bankruptcy requires a rendering of thorough financial disclosure in each and every question on a multitude of different forms, making the process much more complicated and time intensive. We spoke back-and-forth on the phone for several weeks, and he answered a lot of legal questions that we had, and on one occasion, he called me and told me that he was thinking about a prior conversation that we had the prior day regarding a rental agreement that I was writing, and he wanted to make sure that I included specific language in the rental agreement that later would prove to save us from legal consequences and further financial hardship. (Still, giving legal advice and his time before signing a legal contract with him.) Miraculously, about a month after my first conversation with Mr. Polon, my husband and I were able to come up with the money we needed to catch up on our mortgage and avoid foreclosure, which meant we did not have to file bankruptcy after all, which also meant for Mr. Polon, that there would be no legal obligation on our part to compensate him for the time he spent with us, or for the legal counsel and advice that he gave us, which ultimately, made devoid, the need to file bankruptcy; however, when I reached out to him to tell him about our change in circumstances, I heard no signs of regret for his loss of time and therefore money that he would not recover, instead he was genuinely happy for us, and he even went as far as to congratulate me and give me praise for working so hard to change our circumstances and come up with the money we needed to stay out of bankruptcy! I truly could tell you numerous other reasons why you should reach out to Mr. Polon, but for time sake, I will end with this, my husband and I thank God, for leading us to Mr. Burl Polon and I hope, that through reading this review, you too will decide to reach out to Mr. Polon, as you might also encounter a miraculous turnaround in your financial situation as we did! Thanks for reading! read more

Such a wonderful experience and professional attorney. 5 stars!​ highly recommend using his services!

Mr.Polon has a great personality and is very helpful and kind. I have worked with attorneys most of my professional life, and it is rare to find someone so personable and so concerned about a client's case. He went above and beyond to assist me in every way he could. And, he's a certified specialist, extremely knowledgeable. I can't recommend him highly enough! read more

He takes the time to listen to you and thoughtfully analyses the best course of action to address your financial situation. He is a California board certified attorney, so rest assured your legal process will be handled within professional standards. Above all Burl is a decent nice guy. I felt no judgement, just an attorney who was genuinely striving to provide me with a resolution that was most beneficial as possible for me. Reach out to Burl. You will not be disappointed. read more

I was very fortunate to find Burl Polon. He gave me the support I needed for a very troubled time in my life. Bill collectors constantly calling me, court dates pending. It was all becoming to much to handle. The constant anxiety was extremely distracting. Burl, in a very professional and caring manner walked me through all this. He was always available and I believe he genuinely cares about his clients. That speaks volumes in this day and age. Yes, I would recommend Burl's services without hesitation read more

A very good lawyer - is honest and has integrity- Mr. Polon had me really look into an aspect of my finances - which the other firms i contacted didnt do- n I never did- Now I know whats going on with that - that could save me or not have to pay - a lot of money- the big bk/finance warehouse firms have their place - if ur looking for a professional assessment by an experienced Counselor with the certs n degrees- go with Mr. Polon read more

My wife and I were very satisfied with his work. Took the time to make sure were were making good decisions based on our needs, very attentive to detail. Burl is definitely someone you can trust. Couldn't have chosen a better spot. Thank you! read more

A highly intelligent, knowledgeable and caring attorney. I highly recommend him to anyone who has problems with debt or is considering a bankruptcy. read more

Burl was amazing in helping me with the financial mess I got in after a life changing accident. He educated me and helped me come to a decision about what to do with my debt and was kind and patient through the entire bankruptcy process. Now, a few months after my chapter 7 bankruptcy was approved, he saved me in accidentally making payments to a debt covered in the bankruptcy. Walked me through what I should do with a creditor still chasing after a debt that's been resolved, and what to do if they continue coming after me. I was referred by a friend who had a positive experience and I am so thankful I took her suggestion and looked to him for help as well. He was so responsive throughout the whole experience. During a very stressful, and challenging time, he was even more than everything I needed in a bankruptcy lawyer. He helped me get my life back. And I am forever in his debt ;) pun intended. read more

Burl Polan is an awesome lawyer that has decades of knowledge and experience helping people get through a very difficult time. He takes the time to thoroughly review all aspects of your case and help you get the best outcome for your situation. His preparation is key to a smooth hearing. My case had some details that needed a careful approach to get the outcome I needed, and he worked hard to find the appropriate case law to handle my situation. Burl is a great guy with a good sense of humor. If you are honest and forthcoming, he will get you the best possible outcome. read more

I want to expand on the review I wrote a number of years ago. It took me months of suffering before I had the courage to pick up the phone and reach out to Mr. Polon for help. When I came in to talk with him, I was ashamed and discouraged. Mr. Polon saw me as a whole person and not just a bankruptcy case. He made the process actually feel pleasant by giving me hope. He even asked about my life and saw me as talented and interesting (which is easy to forget in this time of financial distress). He spent many hours with me in his office getting things organized before the filing, making sure the job got done perfectly. And every step of the way, he was supportive. I know it might sound crazy, but I actually enjoyed and looked forward to our appointments. Mr. Polon came to my trustee appointment with me and sat next to me during the hearing, and even though I was nervous, the process was painless. Mr. Polon's supportive presence helped immensely. My understanding is that most attorneys do not support clients this much. I cannot overstate how generous he was with his time. Now it's 6.5 years later. I just got married and want to apply for my first mortgage, and yesterday I needed to get the bankruptcy settlement documentation from the court. I had no idea where to look, so I e-mailed Mr. Polon. He remembered me in great detail even 6.5 years later, and he also got me the documentation right away. I was happy to share with him that since the bankruptcy, I paid off my car and my student loans and have absolutely no debt. I only use credit cards to build up my score, paying them off immediately. I will never use unsecured debt again. I am so glad I got to share that with Mr. Polon. If you should have the misfortune of needing a bankruptcy attorney, you have come to the right place. You are in good hands. Thanks so much, Mr. Polon! PS- It's also important that Mr. Polon is board certified in bankruptcy law and keeps up to date on the intricacies of this area of law. read more

Excellent services. Lawyer is caught up with all updates and this is a must. Flexible times, detailed information on my case, fast responses. Overall had a great experience and office is very professional. read more

Mr. Polon did an incomplete job for me years ago. He forgot to include one creditor in my bankruptcy, which cost me thousands of unnecessary dollars. I let it slide because he has good intentions, but, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions". More recently, he gave me terrible information when I was considering refinancing my home. He was someone I had considered a friend, whom I had done considerable work for, for many years, until I could no longer tolerate his ignorance and stupidity! I could no longer associate with someone who was a climate change denier, anti-vaxer, racist, fascist, and neo-nazi sympathizer! When the City of Santa Cruz issued water restrictions because of the drought, concerning watering lawns, he watered his lawn anyway saying, "The government can't tell me what to do". He doesn't understand that it's not about the government, is about having enough water for us al to use! If these characteristics don't bother you, and you have no qualms about using an attorney who is out of touch with reality and is lacking in common sense, go ahead and use him. Personally, intelligence and integrity matter to me when hiring an attorney or anyone else. read more

After a divorce, I ended up in financial trouble, and then the additional hardship of Covid-19 was the final straw. I found Burl Polon online through a search for bankruptcy attorneys and am so relieved that I found such an outstanding attorney and human being to help me through the myriad of paperwork and stress-inducing decisions necessary in the process of filing for bankruptcy. Burl was incredibly patient and informative during the whole process, often injecting humor into our meetings, which helped with lightening the stress involved with the decision making. I was fully informed and educated on the pros and cons concerning each chapter available to me and felt like I arrived at the best option regarding my financial situation. Burl supported me every step of the way and often going above and beyond to make sure that my case went as smoothly as possible. My case went even better than was expected, and I do not doubt that it was because of Burls, experience, attention to every detail, and wisdom in this field. Highly recommend! read more

Mr. Polon, was a tremendous asset in my bankruptcy case. His patience, understanding, wisdom, and sense of humor made the entire process manageable. Mr. Polon, worked many late nights getting everything filed ASAP, to help me avoid a financial hardship. I highly recommend Mr. Polon, to any one in need of a financial attorney! Thank you Mr. Polon, my family and I are extremely grateful for your hard work on our case! read more

I highly recommend Burl S Polon service, his service was of great help to me. I appreciate his carisma, patience, and professional work. The best in Santa Cruz. read more

I have known Mr. Polon over half a decade and I find not only that his expert professional advise is consistant but so is his honorable character. Burl Polon has always taken his time and taken a personal interest in helping me through whatever problem I might be having. Mr.Polon is forthright, honest and will do a great job if you hire him. Now more than ever you need somebody who knows what is going on and Mr. Polon wiil tell you straight up what he thinks of your situation and without pressure let you know your options. However, know this, once you put him to work he will get the job done. I really like Burl personally and professionally. read more

I cannot say enough nice things about Mr. Polon. In helping me with my bankruptcy he was incredibly patient. He explained things clearly and fully and answered my questions completely. Whenever I headed off in a questionable direction, he managed to pull me back without making me think I was being dumb. He made the process so much easier than it could have been. You can tell that he has the knowledge and experience to do an excellent job. read more

Burl Polon is a life saver! Believe me you wont find a more genuine lawyer who's both fair and trust worthy! My grandparents filed bankruptcy a while back and recently discovered a lien on their title. I called Burl and he was immediately eager to help. He asked a few questions about our situation and explained what the process would entail in a manner that I could understand. His fee was very reasonable and boy did he go above and beyond to ensure that everything would go smoothly! I'm so glad we went with Burl, and trust me you will be too! read more

Burl was a great help, he worked with me for the best price. My issue was only one meeting, but he steered me in the right direction and his consult saved me a lot of money! read more

Mr. Polon did an excellent and thorough job handling my personal bankruptcy. He devoted time to researching case law regarding my student loans and ensured the best outcome possible for me as a single parent. There were no hiccups or surprises. He is a great balance of professional and personable. Mr. Polon makes THE BEST COFFEE to get you through the paperwork with ease. Say yes when he offers it. read more

Mr.Polon was by far the best thing that happened to me after my car was repo'd. He sat with me for almost 10 hrs and went over all of my options. He went so far as to work after hours to help me because you only have so long to get a car back after it's taken. He was ready to file ch.13 and fight to get the car back. He was genuine and honest and most important REAL! I was going to file and he used a lot of reasoning and explained my options multiple times until I fully understood them. After wasting his time and deciding not to file he was still soooooo courteous and nice and offered not to charge me. That's unbelievable in this world!!!! I'm going to tell everyone to use his services. read more

My wife and I went to Mr. Polon for assistance with a bankruptcy and got treated with genuine respect. He was easy to work with and sat down with us in multiple sessions to make sure every detail was in order. Then he followed through in a timely manner at ever step of the way. He went above and beyond in the process, spending extra time defending our interests and protecting our assets. Burl was always ready to take the time to explain what was taking place in the courts and with the law in language that we could understand. Mr. Polon knows his stuff. Our experience with Burl was outstanding. He's "the real deal" as an attorney, fair, honest and very personable. I can highly recommend him to someone seeking a bankruptcy attorney!! read more

Burl Polon got a tremendously good result for us in our Chapter-13 bankruptcy case. We were able to keep all of our possessions, our vehicles, and the thing that was the most worrisome to us--the one piece of property we still owned. A lesser attorney certainly could have "done his job just fine" and yet gotten a very different result. Burl invested a lot of time and effort to make sure he understood our situation, and to advise us at a level far beyond what I would have expected. In addition to his thoroughness, he made sure we understood all the implications of the choices we were making which allowed us to make the best choices we could. Burl walked us through every step of the process, including what to expect when we went to bankruptcy court--and he even attended with us. Burl was so on top of things that by the time we got any notice from the court, Burl would invariably have already contacted us not only to tell us that it would be coming, but to translate for us what it meant. And just recently--three years into our bankruptcy--a situation arose that would have caused a big problem if he had not been so thorough back at the time we filed. Burl's thoroughness three years ago saved us another $38,000 just this past year. Thank you, Burl! read more

Mr. Polon was very nice, very helpful and this was just through a phone call. I had not met him yet in person. Thank you

Burl is a friendly, helpful and knowledgeable attorney who helped us keep our business running when some bad stuff happened. His rates are competitive, and he is straight forward with your options. If you want someone who will get the job done in a timely manner, this is the guy. read more

What can I say? Burl Polon is hands down the best financial attorney out there in Santa Cruz County. He listens to all your questions and concerns without making you feel like a dummy! He will then give you all his advice, knowledge and professional input. Then there's his sense of humor while your feeling overwhelmed that puts a smile on your face! I don't know too many attorneys that can pull that off. He makes you feel comfortable, encouraged, and makes you want to get things done properly without sugar coating it. With Burl you don't deal with office staff! Burl is the one who answers the phones and talks directly to you, instead of having to relay everything through a paralegal assistant hoping it gets answered. When its time for court, he's prompt, caring, and makes you feel like your best friend is right by your side going into the storm with you. My recommendation, consult with this attorney Burl Polon, you won't be sorry. He's the bees knees. Thank you Burl Polon, you got me through a very anxious time in my life. Truly appreciated the kindness and respect when I was feeling at my lowest. Sincerely; Marty H. read more

I strongly recommend Burl Polon as an attorney. He is excellent at what he does. He is extremely intelligent and thinks through every aspect of your case. He is extremely thorough. I completely trust his legal advice and how he handles business. I have known him for over three years as our personal attorney. He went above and beyond our expectations as his legal wisdom knew how to handle our situation. In addition, we have gotten to know him and his unique sense of humor. He is kind and caring and funny. He is reliable and responds quickly to questions and needs. He returns phone calls and emails and takes time for you. I found him online through yelp over three years ago and I am so glad we did! Bottom line, you can trust that Burl will take care of your legal needs and give your case the time and attention that it needs. read more

Burl Polon saved my bacon, period. I had previously filed a Chapter 13 bankruptcy with a big bankruptcy-mill law-firm in the valley. After years of paying it off, they screwed up and didn't tell me about a notice from the trustee. This resulted in my case being dismissed; that means I paid for years on this thing and I got no discharge at the end! They balked at trying to fix the dismissal and were trying to talk me into filing another C13 with them. Fortunately, I found Mr. Polon and he dropped everything to jump on my case. He did the research, went to court and got the dismissal reversed. My previous attorney had said there was slim chance of this happening but Burl did it. I highly recommend Burl Polon; he is smart, compassionate, pretty darned funny, and a loyal, dedicated partner when going through some tough times. read more

When my finances overwhelmed me I called up Mr. Polon and am eternally grateful I did. He was extremely professional and friendly and walked me through every step of my bankruptcy. He made time in his schedule to work with me on weekends because I have a Monday to Friday job. I always felt comfortable and never rushed. Burl also definitely knows the local financial law landscape. He knew the judge I was assigned and what was important to that official. Burl also worked hard with me to help me keep my leased vehicle during the bankruptcy which I got the feeling was not an easy task. I count my blessings I worked with Mr. Polon to solve my problem and it appears all of his other customers on Yelp feel similarly! read more

Mr. Polon is an amazing attorney as well as an amazing man. I have never encountered an attorney who put in as many hours as he did on my case. He made me feel as if my case was of the utmost importance and that he had no other cases. Of course, he is inundated with clients but I imagine he made each one feel as special as he made me feel. Not only is he professional and knowledgeable, but he his friendly and humorous. He has such a good bedside manner that he could have been a great dentist. Anyway, he researched cases that related to my case and came up with an amazing outcome for my bankruptcy case.I recommend Mr. Polan to anyone who is having financial difficulties. read more

After burying myself in a financial mess, I realized that I had to file for Bankruptcy, Chapter 13. I then began extensive research to find an effective and responsible attorney and chose Mr. Burl Polon. Mr. Polon made the BK process as painless as possible by being well organized, giving me clear and concise explanations to my questions and making sure that I met all deadlines and payments throughout the five-plus year process. Most importantly, Mr. Polon saved me a boatload of money by successfully filling to have a major portion of my debt wiped away without costing me a dime. Because of this, my case turned out to be a complicated one, yet Mr. Polon was in my corner with me all the way until the final discharge. If you are in a financial rut and must file for bankruptcy, use an attorney that's honest, intelligent and has integrity. That would describe Mr. Burl Polon read more

Mr Polon helped to get me the best possible outcome for my bankruptcy case because he took the time to really evaluate my unique situation and then tailor how we presented the case in a way that would be best with the people evaluating it. He was able to be so hands in and customized because of his extensive experience and knowledge of the current laws. He really helped make a situation where I was scared and unknowledgeable, something that I could feel comfortable and confident about. He even went above and beyond to help me resolve things with tricky creditors after my discharge which he didn't have to do. He really cares about his clients and getting them back to normal in a timely manner. I couldn't be more pleased with his services. read more

Burl Polon is an unusual attorney with very detailed knowledge to help in every way. He goes far beyond the call with his big heart and caring manner. He is highly intelligent and gets the job done 100% without missing anything. I highly recommend him without reservations to anyone in need of legal assistance. read more

Burl was professional and knowledgeable about the law and what is required when filing for bankruptcy. He did a terrific job for me and I highly recommend him. Always prompt when getting back to me and took the time to explain the process that the courts have to abide by. He is the one to go to for your bankruptcy. read more

Mr. Polon is an honest face in a sea of fraudulent options. Help is out there and his name is Mr. Burl Polon. Mr. Polon took my cold call regarding a particularly complex tax scenario and immediately responded, (in the height of tax time no less) calling me back the same day to offer useful, concrete, actionable advice. He must have consulted with me for over an hour working out the specifics of my case, providing calm, measured input then helping me create a step by step playbook to get back on track. He didn't know me from Adam and in one call helped put my financial life back together again. Prior to calling Burl I was afraid, vulnerable to fraudulent companies offering false help, frozen, unable to act and ignorant of my options. After calling Burl I feel more confident in handling the work involved in straightening out this fiscal snarl but only because I know he'll be there every step of the way. Oh, and he didn't charge me for the initial phone consult, I mentioned he's great right?!! Due to his professional, caring expertise, I plan on retaining Burl for all future work. After reading the yelp reviewers and hearing non-stop great feedback from other local clients, I know I am in the best of hands. read more