Chung & Ignacio, LLP Carlo Ignacio Retainer Fraud Ontario California

At first, Carlo took great care of me! My sister, who worked there in the past let me know he was a great attorney and he would give me a "discounted rate". We sat down and signed a "retainer" and he explained to me what we would be doing etc. Throughout the process, he called me less and less and returned a few of my messages. Towards the end, he left me clueless! I had to call in multiple times to get one returned call back the lasted maybe 1 min.

When I spoke with him and told him I wanted to settle for the amount they opposing council offered he was not happy. He starts ignoring me again. Finally, he calls me and tells me that he was ignoring me on purpose. I thought that was odd and unprofessional that he admitted to ignoring me but he also let me know I was getting a bit more for my settlement. After that phone call crickets again, I email him a few times asking when I was going to receive the settlement agreement. About a week later he sends me the agreement through email with no explanation. He just tells me to read and sing.

I sign and send to him asking him if he could give me a call to go over the agreement. I hear NOTHING. I email him a few more times asking him for clarification, for timelines, for "next steps". Still nothing. Finally about 2 weeks later the receptionist at his office calls me to set up a "phone appointment". He calls me, again phone call is rushed and forced. He sounds annoyed that he had to go over the settlement contract, and then rushed off the phone. I email him questions I couldn't ask him on the phone because he hung up with me but again CRICKETS. Finally, I'm fed up! After the lack of customer service, I'm livid.

I send him countless emails and leave countless messages with his receptionist. No call backs, no email back. Finally, he calls me this past Tuesday calling me a bi*ch,  telling me that he is too busy and cant answer my emails or calls. And honestly, I'm stunned, yes I was upset with him because he hasn't returned my calls but the disrespect I received was so unprofessional. Afterwards, he tells me that I wasn't going to be receiving "what I thought" because he is taking 40% of my settlement. Again, Stunned! I signed a retainer agreement with him for 25% (discounted rate because of my sister). Also, usual personal injury cases are 33%. So I have no idea where the heck he got that number from. Then, he sends me this BS contract with someone else name crossed off and mine written in the margin.

Obviously a false document. I email back furious. This is obviously not my retainer, but he says that "my sister" crossed off the other person's name and wrote my name in there. In what world would someone else sign someones else document? And what type of company allows this kind of FRAUD. What he doesn't realize is that my sister knows whose handwriting that is and I have the original contract. So now I have to report Carlo to the state bar AND sue him. To make matters worse the check that I finally receive has more than 40% taken out. Carlo gives attorneys a bad name! He is a thief.