I'm LGBTQ with a severe emotional disability of PTSD from a lifetime of abuse. When triggered, I regress to the emotional level of a small child & am unable to control or regulate my emotions. It's often hard for people to understand or treat with compassion. Matthew was not the attorney on my original case, but my condition played a big factor in it. In 2017, I was charged with both misdemeanor DUI & felony evasion. The DUI I cannot quibble with--even if I thought I was OK to drive (I have no memory of the incident & anything I know came out in police reports & recordings & testimony), I clearly was not and the original & second blood tests bore this out. However--which is also born out on the recordings--the reason why I tried to flee the police is because in my inebriated state, I thought they were going to beat & kill me. I have prior incidents of both bashing & police brutality related to me being gay & emotionally sensitive, and this was a time when hate crimes were on the rise & the news was talking a lot about police brutality. My first attorney was caring, but unfortunately so obsessed with "not rocking the boat" that he was easily cowed, so I got a new one who was more aggressive, but even a report from a court-approved psychiatrist that corroborated my condition & that I was incapable of forming criminal intent that night wouldn't get the DA to budge. This attorney also became increasingly frustrated in dealing with my disability, stopped returning calls, & strong-armed me into taking the first plea offer with no jail time. The original offer was for 30 days community labor but we had a valid medical excuse for community service instead. The DA reluctantly agreed but tripled it to 90 days & refused to reduce the felony charge. My attorney refused to push back, said this was the best I could hope for, then left afterward as soon as he could in a shamble of loose ends & unanswered questions...which he refused to answer unless I paid him an additional $5000. Among them, I discovered that 90 days community service was 720 hours, not 90 actual days. Neither my attorney nor the court documents informed me of this. I managed to find a place to do my service that was nice & supportive, but didn't always have work I was emotionally capable of doing, and never for a full 8 hours. To add insult to injury, my acting career started taking off which meant less time I was available for service. It just seemed like a nightmare that was never going to end and I had no idea if I would be able to complete it within the 3 years of formal felony probation. So I looked into getting a different attorney to at least get some of the hours dropped & probation wrapped early. But while they all CLAIMED they understood my disability & could use it in my defense, no one could actually DEAL with it; I was yelled at, cut off, talked down to, told to quit being a baby...you name it. When I finally found Matthew, not only did he really seem to care about me & what I'd been through, but when he talked to my therapist to get background info on what the excessive conditions were doing to my mental state, he even was willing to listen to guidance on how to treat me. When we finally had a date after COVID delay, Matthew was able to get the court to accept a waiver in lieu of my appearance because he knew how traumatic being back in court would be for me, AND to get all remaining hours dropped despite pushback from the DA. In addition, he was able to get them to agree to non-reporting probation for the remaining time and to waive any remaining fines...and I'm happy to report that once probation was over, Matthew was able to get the court to agree to expungement, so I now have my life back as much as possible! I've learned the hard way just how rare it is to find an attorney who is aggressive in the courtroom BUT also compassionate & accessible to you. Matthew Cohen is such an attorney & I only wish I'd had him from the beginning; perhaps a lot of the trauma I experienced from all sides during the case could have been avoided. So I hope this review helps even one of you who, like me, is emotionally disabled or has special emotional needs, avoid a lot of trauma & stress. read more

Words will never be able to fully express the emotions and gratitude I feel for Matthew Cohen!! When I first met with Matthew regarding my case, I felt that it was no way I would be able to escape jail time with the charges that were against me (Domestic Violence). Matthew stayed consistently the same demeanor throughout the whole time I worked with him, not concerned and completely present! This was important because I needed to stay present to properly deal with what I was facing! Having that calming energy is so important when facing an uphill battle that I had in front of me! At the arraignment the exact thing Matthew prepared me for happened. I will not get into the details of that, but I was shocked when the judge issued his order, also I should not have been shocked because Matthew had already prepared me for that. The next court appearance was four weeks later and what happened when that day arrived is nothing but amazing!! Matthew reached out to me and told me the charges have been completely dismissed. Yes, completely dismissed!! Matthew had pulled of the biggest miracle of my life!! If anyone out there needs advice on choosing the right lawyer to handle your case, please make the right decision for your life and trust that Matthew Cohen will take special care of you!! Thank you, Matthew, for saving my life and know that I will always be indebted to you and your firm!!!! read more

Matthew Cohen is an exceptional attorney, and I cannot recommend him highly enough. From our very first interaction, he demonstrated professionalism, deep legal knowledge, and genuine care for my situation. He was clear, honest, and thorough in explaining every step of the process, which immediately put me at ease during a very stressful time. Mr Cohen was consistently responsive, detail-oriented, and strategic in his approach. He handled my case with confidence and precision, and thanks to his hard work and advocacy, my case was completely dismissed and the criminal protective order was terminated. The outcome exceeded my expectations, and I am incredibly grateful. What truly sets Mr Cohen apart is not just his legal skill, but his compassion and dedication to his clients. He made me feel supported, informed, and confident throughout the entire process. If you are looking for an attorney who is trustworthy, highly competent, and truly fights for his clients, Matthew Cohen is the one to call. I would recommend him without hesitation. read more

This was my first time navigating the Los Angeles Superior Court system. All the information I had to go on was what I had researched from Google, hence why I was finding great difficulty in even beginning to understand, let alone navigate through the courts judicial process. The hearing date was rapidly approaching & I had minimal knowledge of how the potential outcome may affect me & what plan of action I could take. All my worries about what to expect were taken care of when I contacted Matthew Cohen. Even though I ended up not even needing to retain an attorney for my matter, Matthew treated me with great care and understanding. Matthew spent ample time to walk me through the legal process & ensured that I understood how to navigate the particular court for a hearing the following morning. He is very knowledgeable and explains legal matters so the average person can understand. His professionalism was greatly appreciated and I look forward to potentially working with him in the future. read more

I had the opportunity to reach out to Perlman & Cohen Los Angeles Criminal Lawyers recently, and while I didn't end up needing their services, I was incredibly impressed with how they handled my inquiry. From the moment I contacted them, I was treated with the utmost respect, and they made sure to dedicate their time and attention to understanding my situation. They provided me with a clear, well-considered plan of action on how to address the matter, giving me valuable insights and options for moving forward. It's rare to find a firm that not only offers expert legal advice but does so with genuine care and consideration. I would highly recommend Perlman & Cohen to anyone seeking knowledgeable and professional criminal defense attorneys. read more

A while back, I hired Daniel Perlman to help me with an issue that required his legal expertise. We worked together to figure out the best course of action for my case. He is very professional, patient, and open to collaboration. There were times when I was anxious to rush the process in order to get things over with, but I'm really glad I listened to him and stayed the course. In the end, I couldn't have asked for a better outcome. Even though there was no guarantee that things would work out for me, I'm certain that Daniel's advice to remain calm and be patient increased my odds of success by a huge margin. I highly recommend him as an attorney and would not hesitate to work with him again. Thank you Daniel read more

I had drug charges from over three years ago. I knew that with the right attorney I would be able to get those off my record, because I am now clean and sober and a responsible member of society. I talked to Mr. Cohen, who understood what I wanted and who I was. I got a call within a week and he told me the case had been dismissed. He managed to do this because he knows people who work as prosecutors, so he was able to explain my situation to them. It worked exactly like I had imagined it would if handled by a skilled professional. read more

Daniel Perlman helped me in so many ways. I can't even put into words how thankful I am. Mr. Perlman is professional, knowledgeable, and caring. My felony DUI case dragged on for over a year and Mr. Perlman was always patient and reassuring. Whenever I had questions he answered them promptly and gave direction. I was facing up to 4 years prison time but, Mr. Perlman worked really hard on my behalf and turned my case to probation and classes. I am forever Grateful. The best attorney you will find! read more

Matthew Cohen went above what I would of expected when I hired him to have an insurance fraud felony case charge expunged from my record that I had failed to follow through on. I only had the case number to give him, he had to research all the information himself from years ago and remarkably was able to get the desired result. He was very knowledgeable and helpful throughout the process. I felt as though I was in capable hands and would highly recommend Matthew for any of your legal needs. read more

On two separate occasions I needed a quick consultation with legal needs to help my family. I had the pleasure of working with both of these great attorneys. My consultation was done during my initial call. They took the time to ease my mind, answer my questions and gave me the direction I needed. Mr. Cohen I spoke to today and he took the time to dig for information regarding my question and gave me a sense of comfort and quickly assisted me. I will be back if I need their services. read more

Hiring Matthew Cohen to handle my DUI case was the best decision I made. From my initial phone call, I immediately liked how professional, proactive, extremely knowledgeable, and compassionate he was when I explained my case to him. Matthew was always very responsive, reassuring and comforting throughout this intimidating process. In the end, he was able to get my DUI charges dropped and my driver's license reinstated. I am forever grateful to Matthew and highly recommend him! read more

I was impressed by the number of excellent reviews for Matthew Cohen, and after working with him I can confirm none of the praise is exaggerated. From day one, Matthew was calm, honest, and incredibly responsive. In a time of uncertainty, having support I could truly trust was invaluable. The result, a dismissal, was beyond my expectations. I consider myself lucky to have found Perlman & Cohen and highly recommend them. read more

Matthew Cohen was the best lawyer I could have asked for. He answered his phone any time I had questions which made me feel taken care of and listened to. He got me the exact case outcome that I wanted and reminded me of all necessary forms, obligations, and/or court dates so I never missed anything. He was super helpful, communicative, and overall a wonderful lawyer! I feel so lucky that I was represented by him. read more

If you need a lawyer you can not do any better than Mathew Cohen of Perlman & Cohen! He was very professional and compassionate as he helped me get through a difficult time. He was always available if I had any questions about my case, unless he was in court, and even gave me his personal phone number. He's the best lawyer I've ever had. I highly recommend him! Thank you Mathew! read more

I needed a reliable lawyer and ran into Perlman & Cohen. The sheer professionalism exhibited by Matt is unmatched. He acted as a thoughtful and knowledgeable lawyer and addressed the issue and fought for me so I can continue to focus on my daily life. A genuine human being and friend. If you need a lawyer, you're in good hands. read more

Matthew Cohen is an amazing lawyer!!! Wont regret choosing him!!! Yes i made a bad choice, however Matthew & firm were able to drop a big charge in my case!!! He made it possible. He makes you feel safe, explains everything very easy and simple, Very profesional, flexible, friendly and got the job done! Thank you Matthew!!! read more

Matthew Cohen did a outstanding job representing me on my 4yr old D.U.I case! He got it changed to excessive speed a reasonable fine and because I am out of state in Georgia online classes. He also worked with me on the payment. He resolved my issues in less than 2 months! Highly recommend using his firm. Kevin B. read more

Matthew was easy to work with and incredibly caring throughout the length of trial. This was a difficult case and Matthew guided me through all the intricacies while explaining the different outcomes. It was incredibly helpful to have his lens on this matter and would highly recommend anyone to work with him. read more

I hired Matthew recently and he came through in a big way for me and my family. During the process he was reliable and willing to go extra lengths to make sure my family was in the know. During a very uncertain time Matthew was steady and reassuring. I appreciate his professionalism and his generosity read more