They ran through my retainer money as if there was no tomorrow without doing a thing for me . Their…read morelegal advice drove my case to near defeat. Promises made weren't upheld. Had no choice but to fire them

I needed a strong team to advocate for my children and I to get out of a bad marriage and…read morefinancially hostile relationship. Jessica and her team were amazing. They worked tirelessly for my family to get us what we deserved. Our divorce was unfortunately a long haul of 4 years. Jessica and her team were always there. They are supportive, kind and loving while they guide you through it. My children were always welcomed in the office, Jessica passed down hand me downs from her children. If you have to go through a divorce, make sure Jessica and her team has your back.

caution!! do not use this attorney she is a crook!!! mishael pine took my case but never performed…read moreany of the legal services she was paid to do!!! this false legal misrepresentation has left me at a great financial loss!!! the financial, mental, and emotional damage i suffered at hands of this dishonest, conniving, disgusting lawyer has left me in shambles!!!!

Meticulous. Dedicated. Knowledgeable. Kind. These are a few of the words that come to mind when…read moreI think about Mishael Pine, Esquire. I have known and worked with Mishael for over ten years and not only have I referred her to friends but I also go to her first when I have questions about areas of the law in which she has expertise or when I need another attorney to do legal work on my behalf. I know her in numerous capacities and have nothing but the highest praise for her integrity, work ethic and knowledge base. There is no other attorney I would recommend more highly or in whom I would place greater trust. Mishael is not only an excellent attorney but also dedicates a large portion of her time to pro bono work. I include this to illustrate how much she loves the law and show how strongly she believes in justice and fairness. For Mishael, the law is not merely a job or profession but a calling.

Terrible lawyers, Greg Salant represented us and he wouldn't even show up half the time, he over…read morebilled us and then told us to pay the balance when we dropped him, he even told the judge in the case that we owed him money, money he over billed us for. Do not trust this firm... They have many judgements against them.

Very mixed feelings about Donna Abrams at this firm. On the plus side, she's got a lot of…read moreexperience in matrimonial law and knows all the players in this small town. On the minus side, she's overworked, overbooked, and can be super sloppy on the details in Court. She basically relies on all her experience to wing it in Court the many times she hasn't had the time -- or made the time -- to really study the details of a case. That can hurt the client badly, as it did me when she missed a detail embedded in my final settlement written by the opposing lawyer that has come back to haunt me big time in real life after the divorce. She didn't represent what I wanted well at the beginning at all, basically grinned when she told the other side what I wanted, which pretty much shot me in the foot from the beginning. It's time for her to retire, frankly, but at $500/hour, it's doubtless she will.

I recently consulted with Alex Cuda regarding a child support enforcement matter -- a…read moremagistrate-level proceeding, not a complex litigation case, with a relatively limited procedural framework. I came prepared with documentation and ensured his office received my materials the day before the consultation. Throughout the meeting, he did not appear to refer to anything I had submitted, and based on the questions he asked, it did not seem that he had reviewed my materials or even looked up the docket number I had provided in advance. For someone billing $800 per hour, the lack of preparation was difficult to reconcile with the certainty with which he spoke. When discussing the case, he would isolate a single detail from its broader context and dwell on it at length despite having access to the full documentation. That isolated point would then become the basis for a sweeping and dismissive conclusion delivered with great confidence, though the actual record did not appear to support it. When I asked direct questions -- what does that mean, how does that fit into the case -- the responses often became more legal terminology rather than clearer explanation. The effect was less analytical than evasive. What was especially striking was the level of authority and detail he brought to describing the opposing party's supposed strengths while not appearing to have meaningfully reviewed the materials I had provided. The confidence with which he characterized a case he had not actually examined was itself notable. Throughout the consultation, his $20,000 retainer surfaced repeatedly and often unprompted -- not as a routine disclosure or in response to specific questions, but almost as a refrain. In the context of a child support enforcement matter in magistrate court, the repetition felt less informational than performative. There was also a persistent dismissiveness to his manner -- at times less like professional detachment and more like open condescension -- unlike anything I experienced with any other attorney I consulted. Most tellingly, after nearly an hour, I had to ask him myself whether I should request a continuance -- one of the most basic procedural considerations available under the circumstances. That it never arose independently during the consultation says a great deal about what the meeting actually produced. I left without a strategy, without a coherent framework, and without the level of guidance that should be the minimum expectation of a paid legal consultation.

I contacted Needle & Cuda seeking legal help for a serious and urgent matter specifically because…read morethe firm handles domestic violence cases. I was honestly appalled by how I was treated, particularly by an intake staff member named Allison. I was initially told twice that someone would call me back, and no one ever did. When I called a third time, I spoke with Allison and she told me the reason she didn't return either call was because their "system was messed up because of the snow." I explained my situation and, toward the end of the call, mentioned that my prior attorney was requiring me to sign an appearance form before returning my retainer. I told her I was seeking legal advice about how to handle this because I didn't know whether I should sign the form or whether new counsel would file their own appearance. I made it clear that this was something I intended to discuss during the paid consultation, which I understood would cost between $650 and $1,300. Allison responded in a rude and dismissive tone: "We don't do that. Get your retainer back and then we'll schedule a consultation." I explained that I did not need my previous retainer returned in order to retain the firm and that I was prepared to pay their $25,000 retainer if I decided to move forward after the consultation. She then said she would call or email me to schedule it. I waited a couple of days and never heard back. Because I urgently needed legal assistance, I called Needle & Cuda again. During that call, I was told the firm likely could not take me as a client "because of the retainer issue," even though I had already clarified that I was prepared to pay their retainer. Despite reiterating that, I was told to call back later to schedule the consultation instead of simply scheduling it while I was already on the phone. When I followed those instructions and called back later that day, someone answered the phone and immediately hung up on me. I waited to see if it was a mistake and called back a few minutes later, but the phone just rang with no answer. The entire interaction was extremely disrespectful and unprofessional, especially given the seriousness of a domestic violence-related custody matter. Respectful communication during intake should be the bare minimum, and I do not understand why I was given the runaround instead of a clear answer. I cannot speak for the attorneys themselves, but based on my experience with the intake staff, I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere if you are seeking responsiveness, professionalism, or even basic courtesy. If this experience does not reflect how Needle & Cuda intends to treat potential clients in serious legal situations, I hope the partners review how intake calls are being handled.

10 years ago I've made the worst decision of my life listening to Jean Hickson HRA from Mavis…read moreDiscount Tires,,, she sent me to see this firm Rella & Associates and told me to keep quite that she sent me to them cuase she can get in serious trouble,,,how I know she told me so,,, 10 years with this firm and no settlement and still suffering,,,I wouldn't recommend my worst enemy to this firm,,, please choose wisely who to represent you in any case.

In a departure from my restaurant reviews, I feel compelled to discuss Rella & Associates…read more As a NYC employee over the past 15 years, Rella & Associates has represented me on multiple worker's comp. Injury cases with overwhelming success! Beyond just winning cases ( Which they are well known for ) the team at this Firm has treated me like Family!! I HIGHLY recommend them for any Worker's Comp.,Disability, Social security, or disability retirement Cases. Reviewing food on here is one thing, but this is very serious and effects the livelihood and wellbeing of fellow blue collar works, I do not make this review / recommendation lighty. Anyone with questions can contact me on this platform. In closing, Rella & Associates has represented and fought for me and my family since 2012 and because of them, I have financial stability and a comfortable retirement coming in the very near future. NYC employees especially! You know the city plays their little games with our lives, Rella & Associates understands the City and knows how to Win!!

The reviews on Yelp are completely untrue. Shari is amazing, gives good advice and is thoughtful to…read moreall. She lays everything out and goes through all options. She's also extremely knowledgeable. I used her for a free consultation so thank you for the assistance and honesty.

From the beginning, Shari was ready to work on the case with such dedication and made me feel like…read moreI was a priority. She does not waste any time preparing and filing the necessary documents and really keeps her clients informed of and prepared for the process. She is knowledgeable and caring and a force to be reckoned with in legal matters. I would highly recommend her to anyone going through separation or divorce.

I hired this firm for my divorce. Terrible does not begin to describe their atrocious law…read morepractice: http://blastedyou.com/index.php/2022/04/09/how-pappalardo-esq-cost-me-250000/ They took my $10,000 and did nothing for me, not even the most basic coaching in an early divorce. I find them to be unscrupulous, and terrible at law.

I went through 2 other divorce lawyers in the course of my divorce. One in White Plains, and other…read morefrom Long Island. John Pappalardo was by far the best. He is truly interested in doing the right thing and protecting the client. Being a partner, in a different field in a different company, I felt that I have learned from his style of client service as to how I should be serving my clients as well. Very knowledgeable, quick response, highly recommend.

She was a terribly unprofessional attorney who did not do basic actions for divorce correctly and…read morethen became hostile toward me when I confronted her. She never took responsibility or apologized and she kept every penny. Please stay far away - she put me in a terrible position against an abusive opposing party.

horrible lawyer, don't waste your time or give your money away with this person, my husband when to…read moreher for he's child support case, she is an idiot who never does anything for your case, she only talks about how she is going to solve your case and already having the money in her hands, she forgets that it exists, don't waste your time with this person