My experience with Pines Federal was outstanding! I am especially grateful for the hard work that Courtney Bolton and Trinity Buchanan did on my behalf. They were very professional and showed an extensive amount of knowledge of the law. Thank you to all the people involved and the ones behind the scenes who helped bring my case to a favorable outcome. read more

Pines Federal Employment Lawyers - Review of Eric Pines, Steven Tu, and Amanda Moreno * Paid Intake Consultation: On March 8, 2024, I paid a $500 fee for an intake consultation. I attempted to explain my history but was cut off repeatedly with unproductive comments. Despite paying for a full hour, counsel appeared eager to rush off the phone from the very first minute, and the session was abruptly cut short at 48 minutes. * Substandard Legal Work: Legal document submissions from Pines were sloppy, riddled with basic misspellings, and contained egregious factual and gender errors (falsely identifying me as female when I am male). The firm routinely promised to share documents in advance for my feedback, failed to do so, and completely missed critical evidence throughout the process. * Court-Ordered Sanction: Due to the firm missing critical deadlines, the Administrative Judge issued an official legal sanction against my case on January 16, 2025. Unbelievably, the firm then billed me for the hours they spent drafting responses to defend their own administrative errors. Furthermore, they promised to address missing discovery items from the agency but failed to pursue them. Instead, they wrote a defensive letter to the judge excusing their behavior, and never sought out discovery items that were not supplied by the agency. * Pervasive Unprofessionalism: Over the course of the representation, the firm established a persistent pattern of completely ghosting pre-scheduled, critical legal discussions. I was stood up with zero notice or via last-minute excuses on at least nine distinct times: April 11, April 15, April 21, and November 9 of 2024; and January 25, January 26, February 14, February 24, and February 28 of 2025. Each time, I took off work and rearranged major family obligations. I was given every excuse imaginable: localized technical issues, rolling weather events, and multiple personal and colleague illnesses. On one occasion, I caught the attorney in a blatant lie when she claimed she was sick, only for a paralegal to inadvertently admit she was away attending a wedding. * Gaps in Knowledge: Even months into the case, the assigned attorney routinely didn't read or forgot core facts. I was forced to explain critical elements multiple times, yet they still failed to find their way into the legal materials. * Unconventionally High Turnover: At Pines, there is an unusually high internal turnover rate; my file was passed between two separate attorneys and two separate paralegals who left the firm, destroying all case continuity. I felt compelled, and was responsible for getting all of these new folks up to speed on the case. * Misrepresentation to the Court: We spent exactly 63 minutes on a single phone log-verified call reviewing discovery, yet the attorney formally represented to the federal judge that we had spent three hours actively coordinating and preparing the file. * Hostile Client Management: If you express legitimate disappointment regarding these failures to managing partner Eric Pines, you are immediately redirected to Operations Manager Steven Tu, who acts as an aggressive, dismissive, and entirely apathetic barrier to accountability. * Bad FaithResolution: When I initially attempted to sever ties due to their severe lack of care, the firm held an emergency conference, begged me to stay on the merits of my case, and promised to assign additional legal resources to secure my hearing. I agreed, yet the pattern of negligence continued until my case was ultimately dismissed without a hearing. When I formally requested a refund of my fees (exceeding $10,000) on May 15, 2026, the firm initially offered a 50% refund. When I requested to be made completely whole, they acted in total bad faith--retaliating by completely rescinding their own 50% compromise offer and declaring the matter closed. The Verdict: Avoid this firm at all costs. They are highly skilled at online marketing, but completely incompetent at practicing law. They treat vulnerable federal employees as transactional numbers, display zero human courtesy, and their profound administrative laziness actively destroys the cases they are paid to protect. read more

Update : It's important to add that I was terminated as a client immediately after posting this review by the same law firm I hired to represent me in a retaliation case, which speaks volumes on its own. Original Review: Save yourself the stress and look elsewhere or learn to advocate for yourself. Pines Federal has been incompetent, rude, and a complete legal failure to represent me. I've paid over $20k, and we are only in the EEO complaint stage, yet I've had to draft my own affidavits, file my own complaints, gather my own evidence, and chase every unanswered email and call. When someone finally does respond, the tone is rude, dismissive, and condescending. In just one year, they've shuffled me through 3-4 attorneys, two of whom abruptly left with no transition plan. My most recent assigned attorney, Michael Kleinman, openly told me he didn't know which agency I worked for and said he wasn't going to bother catching up on my case. He even gave me incorrect information about next steps which was information I had already clearly stated in earlier emails. There is zero accountability anywhere in this firm -- not from the attorneys, not from management, and not from Mr. Pines himself. The chaos, turnover, and total lack of internal communication mirrors everything the other 1-star reviewers describe. And that's important: The 1-star reviews are consistent with each other AND with my experience. Clients reporting they had to prepare their own evidence, create their own strategy, and essentially represent themselves? That is exactly what has happened to me. The pattern is impossible to ignore. If you have a disability, be prepared to be dismissed, misunderstood, and disregarded by your own attorneys. Their lack of awareness or empathy is extremely concerning for a firm claiming to advocate for federal employees. When I finally spoke to Mr. Pines, he told me to find new representation because the firm is now "focusing more on disability retirement." That would've been helpful to know before they collected $20k while doing almost nothing of substance on my case. He even offered to help me find other representation however this was more of a " because we can't help you free feel to leave" but also don't expect a refund. His assistant Menucha also told me that Mr Pine's primary role at the firm is to strategize on cases and business matters which is not transparent when you sign the retainer agreement or go through their intake process. Despite stating he is on board with assisting his junior associate attorneys with strategy for your case, he most certainly will not. Please don't be fooled by Mr. Pines' gaslighting Yelp replies, where he claims that unhappy reviewers "never contacted them" or that Yelp "hides good reviews." I have called, emailed, followed up, escalated, and documented everything. My experience -- like the others -- is real, detailed, and backed by months ( nearly a year) of ignored communications. Unless you're filing for federal disability retirement or don't mind doing most of the leg work for your own case and paying them a small fortune ... look elsewhere. This firm is all marketing, no competence, and absolutely no accountability and the growing number of 1-star reviews proves it. read more

Update/correction to previous review left: Initially, I left a 1 star negative review because of how I perceived Attorney Eric's response towards handling my case. Attorney Eric contacted me about 1 week after leaving the negative review and requested we speak. Approximately 2 weeks later we spoke and cleared up the "misunderstanding". Attorney Eric still declined to represent me on my case, but explained it's outside of his normal area of practice. He did offer to assist me in reviewing discovery/responses if I were to handle it Pro Se. While this whole situation has been so frustrating for me. Plus, I'm dealing with serious medical issues from serving in the military. I appreciate that he actually offered to go the extra mile to assist me on a Pro Se basis. Which is more than what I've received from other Attorneys. If I could offer any advice I would recommend if you have experienced any sort of negativity related to Attorney Eric Pine's or his firm, then reach out to Eric directly BEFORE leaving a negative review. He may be able to rectify those issues. I should have done so before leaving my first review (which has since been withdrawn) Keep in mind that a lot of us are going through a stressful time dealing with a legal issue(s) that requires you to retain counsel. Try not to take your frustrations out on a third party, who didn't cause it in the first place. He's a man of his word and I appreciate his honesty. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. read more

In my experience, lackluster representation. I regret having gone to them. They missed several opportunities to strengthen my case. I ended up settling because I felt as though nobody was interested in representing me well. read more

I had All my application and paperwork in order and I was ready to submit it, but wanted to have the peace of mind and try to get it approved from the first try. Michelle was assigned to my case. She is very detailed, a great listener, dedicated, and responded timely to my inquiries. My case was approved in less than three months from the time of submission. My only observation was that you don't get to speak with the lawyer not even once. As long as the team was qualified and efficient to manage my retirement case, it was worth every penny! read more

I worked with Nicole and everything went perfect. She always responded to my questions, and she submitted a perfect complete package quickly. She is always available to answer questions. Do your research and go with Pines. The other firms over promise, Pines delivers. read more

I worked with Pines Federal on my OPM disability retirement appeal and had a really solid experience. Amanda Moreno (my attorney) and Madeline Martinez (her legal assistant) were both great to work with -- very responsive and easy to talk to. Amanda really helped ease my nerves throughout the process and always made sure I understood what was happening. Madeline stayed on top of things and kept everything organized and moving. I'm glad I had their support during a stressful time, and I genuinely felt like I was in good hands. Thanks again to the Pines Federal Law team! read more

I had an outstanding experience with Pines Federal and cannot recommend them highly enough. From the very beginning, the entire team was professional, knowledgeable, and reassuring during what could have been an overwhelming process. Charles Wiesel, Paralegal and OPM Specialist, was truly exceptional--he was incredibly responsive at all hours, consistently answered my questions promptly, and made me feel completely at ease and confident throughout my disability retirement case. I also worked with other Pines departments related to OWCP and SSDI, and every interaction was seamless and supportive. Courtney Bolton, SSDI Supervisor, along with the rest of the staff, was extremely helpful in guiding me through each step and explaining the different processes clearly and patiently. Thanks to their expertise, organization, and dedication, I was approved on my first try. Pines Federal delivers exactly what they promise: advocacy, clarity, and results. read more

Please look somewhere else if you need to conduct EEOC hearing. I provided tons of documentation that I stayed up late many nights putting together so Micheal Kleinman could use. The knowledge of entering things into evidence is not there, cross examination not there. The Agency attorneys did not take him seriously and now I see why. There is a lot going on now so don't make a mistake that could cost. Please don't fall for the marketing and consider others even if they are smaller practice. Ask questions and make the attorney provide strategy and have you to create one. Ask yourself if you have to formulate a strategy why would you need to pay someone? Trust me you can lose on your own and you can pay a therapist if you need to be heard. read more

Communication was absolutely atrocious. Paid their fee for the consultation for an EEO appeal and immediately was pitched disability retirement. They were very gung-ho until I turned them down and only wanted to proceed with the appeal. Also, with their consult, even though I paid for an hour, they tried to get me off the phone as fast as possible. According to my phone, the call was approximately 38 minutes. Absolutely no communication until a week after the filing due date when that they were still working on the appeal letter. I said since I didn't hear anything that I went ahead and filed the appeal on my own. They said oops, sorry. It's just been so crazy in the office and someone was supposed to reach out to me to give me an update. Nothing like paying for a service and then being forgotten about. Then they had the nerve to bill me $200 ($50 per email) to ask what was going on with my case when all they replied back was "we'll get back to you". They even billed me to ask for a refund since they mistakenly sent me an invoice with billed hours against my trust. And to add insult to injury, EEOC ruled in favor of the Agency and didn't was to disturb the original ruling. Nothing is guaranteed but if you're gonna hype yourself up as a top tier litigator then you should be able to deliver. Plus, they never even attempted to reach out to me after the appeal was denied. They were content to just sit on the cash and hope no one called for it. All in all, I think there are much better options out there that respect your time and your money more than Pines. They are the ambulance chasers of federal employment law firms. read more

These people was unprofessional, Amanda missed deadline for my Prehearing Submission and never asked for a extension for it. This is not a Dis, I was left with the impression that she didn't know what it was , neither did I at the time. It has been many other reasons I call this firm unprofessional or ??????????? . I have know idea who those people are that they supposed to have help. I am sure what I am telling you, you will experience. Please go in to the office if you desire a consultation and you will see what I am saying! You will feel it! I have seen Eric's response to the truth I said about his firm and it seems he went straight stereotype (the angry black man), now I must relate to those who read these reviews that they not only miss deadlines they will ly on your character if you divulge their miss handling of Your case. The truth of the matter is Amanda missed deadlines and didn't return my calls or emails. The purpose of my calls and emails was to find out why I had no Prehearing Submission Packet. Amanda left me no choice but to write the judge myself to inform her what was going on and the reason why I had no Prehearing Submission submitted. This is the reason why they dropped me as a client ,as I recall Amanda call me and said that she can't represent me because I'm talking to the judge while I have representation (that was funny)! To let you know this lady didn't even call me for my mediation. I missed my mediation because of Amanda. Amanda haven't spoken to me in months. While I checked my email during the week mostly Monday - Wednesday and Saturday morning. Amanda sent me a email noonish on a Thursday telling me that we had a mediation Friday , needless to say I missed that mediation and Amanda didn't call the day of to prepare me or even get me on the line. When I seen the email Saturday morning I called, emailed left messages with no returned calls. ........,.......I'm not angry or even terribly upset everything happens for a reason, and I am telling you to not go into a law firm distressed or not reading the reviews it's a reason SOME are called sharks. I can say if you read this and proceed with this ?irm......,. Look at this guy reviews and you will see he has all the excuses in the world, something our mothers told us about. Psalms 37 read more

Amazing EEO Disability attorney! I used him for my case and it was amazing. I cannot thank him enough!!

Avoid my Mistake/ update review If you want a nice person to talk and pay for it, Eric Pines is the best candidate. If you need a good attorney, look somewhere else. When Eric Pines took my case, he told me that he has experience and knows what to do. His law firm is a " Federal Employment ", however throughout my experience with him, he has no idea at all about Federal Law. The firm seemed professional, had a flashy website boasting years of experience. He filed initial filing with MSPB and charged me 10.000 just for filling a single filling, then he dropped my case and assigned a lawyer under training in his law firm (e.g., Joshua Kahn), who joined the www.pinesfederal.com just 6 months before my case was assigned to him, with no experience in MSPB cases or/ and hearing. Nine months into my MSPB appeal, his firm had charged me three times the normal attorney fees for such a case. (which I found out after one of my friend hired an intensive experienced Federal lawyer in CA with over 30 years of real experience in MSPB and EEO, my friend won his case with MSPB easily with paying 10.000 in total cost). It is fact that a good attorney who care about his client would not leave his client case in the hand of new lawyer who just graduated 3 years and joined the law firm 6 month only without previous hearing experience. Eric Pines didn't commit to the signed agreement with me, including my rights to get the best service, and high quality representation. Now, Eric Pines caused excessive damage to my case. Let alone the fact that I need to hire another attorney to fix Eric's mess, and start everything from again and pay for the same what he was supposed to do. I am advice everyone need lawyer or federal lawyer to look somewhere else, and avoid my mistake. I am NOT recommend Eric Pins and his law firm for anyone has a federal case. read more

I initially signed up for Pines Legal Services at the end of March. I'm still working with them for my federal disability case. The whole process has been a bit long but smooth. The specialists are great at at what they do and are knowledgeable about the system. Every time I came across a challenging situation, they helped make me understand and eased my worries. My doctor also gave a compliment about how thorough the paperwork was and how three made it easy for him through the process. Although I'm still waiting for a decision, the services I have received from Pines thus far have been professional and definitely worth retaining their services. Thank you Pines for making me feel more at ease with my situation and being able to trust in your work. read more

I will never even think to hire him again AT ALL, hiring him was like nightmare. He is horrible lawyer. His law firm maybe could handle simple case, but no way that his firm has the capacity to handle big and complicated federal cases. Him and all lawyers in his firm need a lot training in order to be qualified to handle costumers' cases. Eric Pines is HORRIBLE lawyer by all means. A poor lawyer who depend on ads ONLY and MAINLY to get costumers . DON'T HIRE ads lawyer. read more

I've struggled to find the words to accurately convey how thankful I am to this Firm and my attorney, Mr. Stephen Goldenzweig. Without judgement, Mr. Goldenzweig listened to my concerns, reviewed and studied my case, and prepared me for every step of the EEOC and hearing processes. His awareness of my four year ordeal and its mental and physical affects on me, Mr. Goldenzweig took great care with me and my case allowing me to move forward with my life. I'm thankful everyday for Mr. Goldenzweig's mindful consideration of the impact on my health. Without his patience and kindness I don't know where I would be today or if I would have the capacity to see happiness in my future. Mr. Goldenzweig's unparalleled experience, knowledge, and litigation expertise gave me back my life. I am forever grateful. read more

I was in a sticky situation with my federal government position, and Mr. Stephen Goldenzweig, Esq. was knowledgeable, candid, helpful in mitigating muddy waters and providing realistic and best possible solutions. I cannot thank Pines Federal enough for all of their efforts - worth every penny. read more

"It has been a pleasure working with Ely Reizes. Ely worked with me to resolve a tough case in my favor. His guidance was easy to understand. Ely was thorough yet expeditious with a great balance of professionalism and being personable." read more

I paid for services and nothing came to fruition. I'm still waiting on the disability application documents?

I am a VA employee and had been struggling with issues concerning reprisal for about 6 months before I was told about Eric Pines. As soon as I hired Eric it seemed that things just somehow started to fall into place. Things that were supposed to happen and hadn't happened for me for 6 months just fell into place. Ultimately, all my issues were resolved before I had the need to file formally. I know that my own situation didn't improve on its own- unfortunately it did take for me to hire an attorney but once I had Eric in my court I didn't need to do anything. He handled all the communications very effectively and it was just a relief to be able to sit back and let someone else take charge. Eric was beyond professional and courteous. He gave me sincere advice and he always kept things in perspective. My only regret in this case was not reaching out to Eric Pines sooner! I would recommend him without hesitation he looked out for me- my finances and my personal interest selflessly! read more

Simply AMAZING service. Usually, law firms can be "distant" or make you feel like just another client. Not Pines Federal. From the billing department to Eric Pines himself, the service provided went above and beyond. I highly recommend Mr. Santerreli to assist you with your disability retirement. I had shopped around before choosing them and am so glad I did not pick another firm. Stop looking and stop here! Thanks guys and gals for service excellence. read more

I have used Pines Federal for a federal employment EEO. My experience has been phenomenal, they have been humble, upfront, informative and worth your money. If you need legal assistant and are a Fed Employee I highly recommend them read more

I contacted Eric Pines as he was recommended by a colleague. He is very pleasant, professional and knowledgeable in the area of law related to the federal work environment. He took the time to patiently discuss my options. While I did not retain his services at this time, I would in the future if the need arises. read more

This attorney is the real deal. He knew all the tricks played on federal employees in my predicament. He was on my side from the start. He has a no fluff style about him that many attorneys aren't known for. He is direct, to the point, solution oriented and has a sense of humor. In the end his style brought me a ton of relief. I spoke with 2 other attorneys prior this Firm, one told me I didn't have a case and the other wanted $$$thousands upon thousands to help (w/no guarantees). From the first convo with this Firm, I felt at ease and like I was being listened to and respected. Ultimately, I got a settlement after almost 2 years of what I call torture. I would recommend this law Firm to anyone. read more

I come from a family of lawyers and legal experts, and I work often with attorneys. Stephen Goldenzeig is the best lawyer I have ever worked with. He saved my Federal Career. He was honest, genuine, and respectful. He helped me in a very complex legal circumstance, guiding me kindly through a tumultuous process. He is incredibly smart and has superior knowledge of Federal Law. In law, however, sometimes superior legal knowledge is not enough. Many times just as important is the layer's and Firm's reputation of integrity in the legal community. Such reputation will be known by Federal Agency Counsel. It is with this reputation of integrity that I believe Pines Federal excels beyond all other federal firms. When a firm has an outstanding legal reputation for honesty as well as aggressive client representation, the opportunity for compromise and agreement with Agency Counsel increases. Thus, costly litigation can be sometimes be avoided simply by associating with a firm that has a superior reputation and strong working relationships in the legal community. Pines Federal is definitely such a Firm. I could tell in my communications with Pines Federal that they had honest and trust-based relationships with Agency Counsel. Indeed, I felt that there was great respect on both sides. The process was surprisingly professional and collegiate. While I initially was aggravated and wanted to fight, Mr. Goldenzeig steered me toward the much more sensible resolution - one where both sides found contentment. That is a rare quality, as the Firm could have made more if a different direction had been taken. Mr. Goldenzeig had my best interests - not his firm's financial interests - at heart. In the end, such personal and human interest is all a client can pray for in an attorney. I give my highest and strongest recommendation for Pines Federal Law Firm. The Firm cannot guarantee you a positive or favorable outcome, but I can guarantee you with great confidence they can provide you with the best possible chance for such outcome. read more

Pines Federal Josh Khan was supposed to conduct my consultation. It was explained to me by the Pines Federal Clerk that the initial hour would be to discuss and review my materials for my case. The next hour would be to discuss my rights, options and goals. I was asked to email my documentation to Pines Federal, I did, my appointment was scheduled. Josh Khan called the wrong individual initially, our appointment started 20 minutes late. When Josh Khan finally got ahold of me he said "I skimmed through the information," he further went on to state I did not have a strong enough case and my only option was to move, i.e. relocate. I paid $600 for what was supposed to be a 2 hour consultation, that ended up being a lot less than that. I received no refund for the time Josh Khan did not spend with me and I want to let everyone know that Pines Federal Josh Khan may not have your best interest in mind so before you pay $600 to Pines Federal look twice and spend 20 min for a free consultation. read more

This law firm has over 16 yrs experience dealing with everything from federal employee discrimination and mediation to age disability and union arbitration. Their fees are reasonable and Eric Pines is a straight shooter. read more

Recently I found myself in need of legal help with an EEO case I filed due to disability discrimination at my federal job. I carefully researched legal firms that represent federal employees and was impressed with the reviews I saw of Eric Pines legal office and website. I enlisted his help with my case and also with my disability retirement application. Eric has been wonderful to work with and his knowledge and expertise far exceeded my expectations. He successfully won my case with results far exceeding what I anticipated. But, the most important element of my experience was how caring and dedicated he and his staff were to me and my case. He was always available when I needed him and promptly responded to my countless questions and emails throughout the process. He was genuinely more concerned with me than he was of any financial gain he could have gained from representing me. I felt as though I was his only client and he was devoted to helping me win my case. Scott Santerelli has also been wonderful in all of his assistance and support while helping me apply for FERS disability retirement. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND any federal employee in need of legal assistance to contact Mr. Pines and seek his representation. You will be so pleased you did. Eric is a Rockstar in his field! read more

Very dedicated team! I highly recommend to any federal employee. Pines Federal is very knowledgeable and helped me resolve an employment issue which resulted in an outcome I couldn't have achieved otherwise. I'm so happy I hired them to represent me! read more