Law Firm to Stay Away From
Hi Folks: Just wanted to get started on this whole string again and for the few of you in Illinois that are non-custodial parents and wish to avoid very poor but very expensive legal representation: STAY AWAY FROM WES COWELL and DEAN TARADASH. STAY AWAY FROM their misleading website http://www.illinoisdivorce.com/. These people are incompetent crooks. If you want to know more, go to:
http://www.clr.org/Cowell-Wes.html
http://www.clr.org/Cowell-Wes-ARDC-complaint.html http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/108/ripoff0108715.htm
http://www.illinoisbar.org/Association/042h.htm
Please, whatever you do, do not use this attorney or anyone in his firm - unless you have money to burn, throw away or blow your nose on.
http://www.clr.org/Cowell-Wes.html
http://www.clr.org/Cowell-Wes-ARDC-complaint.html http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/108/ripoff0108715.htm
http://www.illinoisbar.org/Association/042h.htm
Please, whatever you do, do not use this attorney or anyone in his firm - unless you have money to burn, throw away or blow your nose on.
posted by ILDAD at 7:56 AM
24 Comments:
Hi, I hired this firm to handle my simple uncontested divorce. I was promised my divorce papers in approx. 5 days and it's been two weeks now. I talked to Mr. Cowell briefly yesterday and he said he would check into why I don't have my papers yet. I have a feeling that I'm screwed. I WISHED I HAD known this earlier, I would've hired a different law firm to handle my case or at least give DIY a try. Thank you for posting about the firm even if it's too late for me.
Hi, I tried to post earlier, not sure if it was successful. I hired this firm and have yet to receive my simple uncontested divorce papers. I feel I'm screwed. Wished I had known about your troubles sooner, I would not have hired this firm.
Hang in there....the wheels of justice turn slowly but they do turn. Stay on this office. If they do not produce, annoy them to death. I had to threaten them with legal action to turn over all of my records to me after I fired them. They are something else.
Thanks for the encouragement. I emailed Mr. Cowell yesterday as a follow-up to our brief conversation. I also called him this afternoon and left him a voice mail. He has not returned my call or responded to my email. I will call again tomorrow. This is unbelievable! Take your money and DO NOTHING.
Here's more interesting stuff on that shyster. See:
http://www.isba.org/association/042h.htm
http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44628
http://newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?zip=60613&last=COWELL&first=WES
...and, saving the best for last. See this on a State of Illinois web site regarding this drunk.
http://www.state.il.us/court/SupremeCourt/Announce/2004/Pdf/Ann0120.pdf
How the heck do you find a GOOD lawyer who will do his or her job?
Well....finding a firm to represent you who are knowledgeable, fair-minded, nondiscriminatory, not shysters, etc. Its hard. I have a firm I am pleased with thus far right now. They are not cheap. I think there are specific things you should ask for in your initial interview and be wary if they don't give you a straight answer. Shall I write a blog on this?
ILDAD -
I hired these jokers and was told I'd pay one amount and it is now 4 times that amount. They are now dropping me when I questioned their billing practices (as I see that many people do). I have been robbed and feel that I have no recourse. What did you do, if anything?
Anonymous: well, for one thing, I started this blog! I gave a synopsis of my case to a legal malpractice firm in Geneva and they have not responded. I guess the 20-30K I was out due to their poor representation of me is not enough for them to take on. Go figure. I fired Wes Cowell's firm. Then, I had to threaten sanctions if they did not return my entire file ASAP. They did not want to release it (illegal practice on their part). So, I asked if they had a lien on my file or something and they had to let it go cause they knew that I knew what I was talking about. They are crooked...only interested in the money they make. Plain and simple.
Thank you for your feedback and for posting your experience. I still very much regret hiring them, but it is comforting to see that there are others who have been affected by their extremely shady practices and I am not alone.
To anyone who is just getting started with them - RUN. Get out while you still can. Your outcome will not be any different than anyone else's. Consider yourself lucky to find out about it early.
I WISH I read this sooner. I had a feeling something wasn't right after months of being told it would soon be over and was put on a payment plan and saw no results. Then getting threats that he would put a lein on my property without even getting my case resolved. Unbeleivable, how can they do this to me a single mother getting no child support!
Good dispatch and this fill someone in on helped me alot in my college assignement. Gratefulness you seeking your information.
Hey
I was looking for a attorney this is good. Another bad one Johnson and Johnson. My friend said they ran up 3500 retainer in ph calls and faxes before and wanted another 3500 to go to court less than a month. They are south of chicago I believe Homewood? stay away from them
WOW
they told me not to go to court and screwed up my case. Judge was angrey that I did not appear. They mad it look like it was me asking for hearing at court and Judge said no. They were going to run my case and bill up
I have had a case going on with Dean Taradash........I flew in from California for my trial, and he never showed up or called, instead an unprepared Wes Cowell showed up, and of course I lost my case, after unreturned phone calls and assurance I would win.
M.R.24063 - In re: Wes Cowell. (September 22, 2010)
Disciplinary Commission.
The petition by the Administrator of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission to impose discipline on consent pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 762(b) is allowed. Respondent Wes Cowell is suspended from the practice of law for three (3) years and until further order of the Court, with the suspension stayed after the first eighteen (18) months by a period of probation subject to the following conditions:
well everyone i got wes cowell for using trust fund for himself and i also sued him and won 7500.00 he has to pay back , wes cowell was my
ex wife attorney and i sued him for
driving up my bill with bs motions
so if need someone to get your money back you can call email
jim@jimgentile.info and i will email my attorny name and number
Thanks, James, for letting us know what is going on with this guy. I would like to warn others ...I should figure out how to better publicize the blog.
i don't know if you are still active on your blog, but I just came across this older post of yours when i googled Dean Taradash, whom i've just recently hired to replace my old attorney. i'm now thinking i've just made a huge mistake!! can you please offer some additional insight? perhaps send me an email.. myanonadd at yahoo dot com. i would really be grateful for anything you can share!
Well, I don't blog much anymore as you can see but I do reply to blogs if I need to. To be honest, my dealings were with Mr Taradash were almost nil. My dealings were with Mr. Cowell and his Associate in Dupage County (at that time at least)Ms. Deb Klaas. The latter attorney completely flubbed my case, was ill-prepared for court (or should I say totally unprepared?).She refused to meet with me ahead of time despite my numerous attempts. She did not appear in court at first and when she did finally appear (after being tracked down by her office), she did not know my case and brought the wrong financial information with her. When I pointed these things out in the 10 minute meeting we had outside of court, she exhibited paranoid behavior to the point of sounding threatening. I could elaborate but just let me say it was weird. I suspect she was substance abuser but this is speculation. This was based on her paranoid behavior and constant sinus problems. So, that in mind, I approached Mr. Cowell with the problems and he "took the case over"...which actually means he sent Mr. Taradash out to Dupage Co (I think). But, by this time, the judge was pissed at me (for something my attorney did) and it was too late. In the long run, the ex got a huge increase in CS (~60), and arrears which were totally fabricated and I was out several tens of thousand dollars because of this (and in the future with nearly 60% increase in CS)and I had to pay Cowell, Taradash and Klaas AND my ex's attorney's bills. Its hard not to get my blood pressure up writing about this 5 years later. They (the two sets of attorneys and my ex)stole my life from me in many ways. I can only hope your experience with these folks was better than mine. Again, I cannot comment on Mr. Taradash but I was not pleased with the others. You could, however, accuse the man of guilt by association.
Hi - I am definitely glad to discover this. great job!
I totally AGREE with all the comments STAY FAR away from these people the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing! I hired them for a "simple" thing and they DID NOTHING except take all my dollars they used all the retainer that was sent to them and sent me the SAME document 4 times to the WRONG address never the less! It is amazing that I thought the one attorney was going to be representing me whom I explained the the situation t, then I find out there was a meeting to discuss the details of my case and then 2 days later "reviewed" my case which is a JOKE cause I only sent them 2 papers to show how the sheriff didnt' try to serve papers only once and how he was denying service! What course did you take towards them I have printed out emails and show how he doesn' even know who I am , and also the AG was involved in this case so I will get letter from her as well any other recommendations would be helpful since I am not use to ILL. Thanks! Best of Luck to you!
so true crooks!
Wes was a predatory creep in the world of lawyers. He gossiped about me, mislead me, under represented me and tried to clean me out financially. He even went so far as to file unnecessary motions just to collect a fee. I initially went before the courts pro se for my divorce and custody but due to my obligations in the Army was unable to represent myself full time. I hired Wes to represent me. He suggested that I cancel my motion after claiming to have red all of my petitions. He filed the paper work and went to court only to find that what I had informed him was a fact and that a counter-petition had been filed. Therefore, I was unable to cancel my petition.Wes charged me for his error. I was livid! He then made it so that I temporarily lost custody of my children to my alcoholic, drug abusing, violent husband. My children suffered immensely due to Wes' lack to be an effective lawyer. The other attorney danced circles around him and he seemed unable to do anything about it. I had all the proof, my ex had word of mouth yet we were being pummeled in court. Wes did not do anything but ask for extensions to collect more money. I paid him because I wanted my children back. He did little to nothing to protect my rights or that of my children. Wes was even overheard by my family talking badly about my situation to the other attorney. The conversation ceased when after a recess they realized that individual was with me. I fired him after that incident. I fault him for why I now have to go back to court to undo the DAMAGE he did while representing me. I wish I had NEVER come across him. I regret the day our paths crossed. If you want to be charged for unnecessary motions, be under-represented, be gossiped about, and waste thousands of dollars then WES is the lawyer for YOU! I would not recommend him to my worst enemy.
Post a Comment
<< Home