Florida Lawyer News Services | Robbins Equitas

Testimonial from a Robbins Equitas client

Thank you for your inquiry. I would be happy to tell you the basis of my decision. It was not an easy decision between Robbins Equitas and your firm, but here were the deciding factors:

1) I called both firms for an initial interview. Robbins Equitas’ phones were answered by a receptionist that was extremely professional. She immediately set up an appointment for me to have an initial consultation at my convenience. I will say that regardless of the credentials of either firm or the firms’ ability to represent me effectively, the receptionist who handled my call made an instant impression on me. She made it seem that my need for representation was important, and took my phone number in case we were disconnected. She conveyed (indirectly) that if at any time I really needed to speak to someone urgently regarding my case, it would be a priority for her to make that happen. She gave me the immediate impression that she was my ally.

2) I was called back by the principal of Robbins Equitas who gave me his undivided attention for 40 minutes, and suggested ways in which my case might be approached. He conveyed the impression that he had a genuine interest in my case and a desire to help me effectively, and affordably, resolve the complaint.

3) When I phoned your firm, the call was answered by a voicemail system, and required that I select the name of the person from the menu to whom I should direct my voice message. Since I was unfamiliar with the members of your firm, I simply selected your name and left a message. I did not have a lot of confidence that my message would be retrieved. You did, however, call me back the following day, though judging by the background noise, it seemed that you were at an airport, restaurant, or some other noisy gathering and I was not certain I had your undivided attention. Because it seemed to me that you might be in transit (this is, of course, only my perception) I felt that we were not fully engaged. There was a very distinct difference in the perceived quality of my initial interview with Robbins Equitas and with you.

4) I went online and found similar cases to mine involving the Plaintiff. There were two defendants represented by your firm and one represented by Robbins Equitas. One of the defendants represented by you claimed to have spent a considerable amount of money and yet has not followed through with the arbitration. Now, I realize that law firms represent a lot of different kinds of people and cannot be judged by bad decisions made by their clients. It seems that this client canceled out on the arbitration – due, he says, to the unexpected death of his brother – and has decided against continuing his defense. I found that a bit disconcerting, and decided to disqualify that client from my due diligence.

I spoke to the other client your firm represented. He would not, to his credit, disclose full details of his settlement. He did, however, tell me when pressed, approximately how much he had spent in legal fees and gave me an approximation of what his total costs were, including settlement. I asked if he was satisfied with the representation you had provided him, and he responded with a qualified “yes”. He explained his general distrust of the legal system, and said he was uncomfortable with the whole process. Now, as already stated, I understand that he might not have been a stellar client, but the information he gave me led me to believe that his final arbitrated settlement might have been less than what I might consider “satisfactory”.

I also phoned the client represented by Robbins Equitas and asked him similar questions. That defendant informed me that he was “extremely pleased” with the representation he received from Robbins Equitas, and that the final settlement was actually better than he had anticipated. He told me the approximate amount of money that he had spent on legal fees and approximately what the settlement had cost him, and it “appears” based on their estimates, that the client of Robbins Equitas fared considerably better in both the cost of representation, and the cost and terms of settlement. (Again, they spoke only in generalities, not specifics, and I am judging solely by innuendo.)

(Now, I must tell you that as a businessman, I have sometimes found myself the victim of unfair comparisons, and am very sensitive to that. I do not mean to, in any way, dismiss your firm’s qualifications, professionalism or likely ability to fairly and aggressively represent me or any other potential client. On the other hand, there must be SOME basis of shopping for a lawyer, just as people shop for a doctor or a building contractor or a butcher. One never completely compares “apples to apples” because each business and its experience are different from the next.)

5) I am in a difficult financial situation right now, and am greatly concerned about the future of mybusiness and the expense of defending this case. The hourly rate you quoted me was considerably higher than what Robbins Equitas quoted me. I was well aware that your proximity to the district court could have offset your higher fees, and that the lower fees quoted by Robbins Equitas might not have been favorable if I were, also, likely to incur additional expenses related to travel. I phoned Robbins Equitas and specifically addressed that issue, and was told that the firm would not be charging me for travel.

6) I briefly reviewed the background of the attorneys at each firm, and also did a Google search for significant cases or news releases. I found that both firms have won some significant cases. While I do not expect my case to go beyond the mediation process, or at worst, arbitration, I felt that, should it go to litigation, it was possible that J. Christopher Robbins’ experience as a federal judicial law clerk could be helpful in navigating the system.

Being the defendant in a lawsuit is not pleasant. It is not an experience I was seeking, and I would not wish it on anyone. I have now had several phone conversations and email exchanges with the Robbins Equitas firm and those communications have all been as positive as one could hope. (I’ve already told you about the exceptional first impression.) To date, I believe I have made the right choice and am hopeful Robbins Equitas will help me arrive at an outcome as favorable as that which made their former client “extremely pleased”.

I hope this is helpful, and wish you the best.