I hired Maya Shulman to represent me in a family law matter, and it was one of the most frustrating, stressful, and expensive experiences I have ever had. One of the most basic responsibilities of an attorney before accepting a client is to identify any potential conflicts of interest. My former spouse had previously consulted with Ms. Shulman before I hired her. I was never informed of that prior consultation. I retained Ms. Shulman, paid approximately $10,000 in legal fees, and spent nearly four months preparing my case before the issue surfaced during our very first court hearing. Less than 20 minutes after leaving the courthouse, Ms. Shulman emailed me recommending that I hire a new attorney to avoid a potential disqualification issue. At the same time, she strongly and repeatedly denied that any conflict existed, insisting that her office had properly performed a conflict check before accepting my case and maintaining throughout our communications that there was no conflict on her part. This is what made the entire situation so confusing and frustrating. If Ms. Shulman was certain that a proper conflict check had been completed and was equally certain that no conflict existed, then why was her immediate recommendation to transfer my case to another attorney? As her client, I was left to deal with the uncertainty, the delay, and the financial consequences of that recommendation. Only after I repeatedly insisted that proof be requested from opposing counsel did documentation regarding the prior consultation come to light. From my perspective, this raised serious questions about why this issue was not identified before I was accepted as a client and why it took months, a court appearance, and thousands of dollars in legal fees before it was addressed. The financial impact was devastating. I paid approximately $10,000 to Ms. Shulman's firm, and because I ultimately had to retain new counsel, I spent an additional $15,000 to continue my case. During our dispute over the fees, Ms. Shulman in one of her emails offered a $2,500 financial concession as part of a proposed resolution, but I never received any reimbursement, instead she had the audacity to send me an additional bill for the court first hearing. What was even more disappointing was the lack of acknowledgment of the financial harm this situation caused. I had already invested significant money and four months of preparation, yet I was left to start over with another attorney at considerable additional expense. Beyond the financial loss, I found Ms. Shulman to be rude, dismissive, and unpleasant to work with. Instead of feeling supported during one of the most stressful times of my life, I often felt that my concerns were brushed aside and that I was made to feel like I was the problem simply for asking reasonable questions. Rather than showing empathy or taking responsibility for the disruption, I felt blamed for seeking answers. Clients deserve honesty, professionalism, clear communication, and confidence that an attorney has thoroughly evaluated any potential conflicts before accepting representation. Unfortunately, that was not my experience. I am considering filing a complaint with the State Bar of Califonia Attorney. I cannot recommend Ms. Shulman or her firm. My experience resulted in extra expenses, months of unnecessary stress and delay, and the burden of hiring a new attorney to take over my case. Based on my experience, I would advise others to stay away from this firm.
read moreread less
Own or work here?
