I wrote the following to Roni Lynn Deutch (Personal):
I am writing to you to express my grief and dismay at the handling of my case by Hubert Johnson. I have tried to hold back my emotions and trust him, the less competent he becomes... I am at the end of my patience.
My parents came up with the lump sum of $1650 on the assumption that your firm would be able to get the levy lifted and my funds released to me within the 21 day time limit. I did my part and sent every piece of documentation requested, and I sent them overnight UPS within 2 days of my intake interview with Shane Starbuck. I talked with several attorneys and chose to go with your firm because, based on how Shane was, I thought you would be the most experienced and the quickest acting. This is what Shane represented to me. He understood everything I told him, and I assumed the attorney assigned would likewise be competent, organized and quick. I couldn't have been more mistaken.
I relaxed and trusted your firm, and as a result, the $2000 seized by the IRS was not returned to me because Hubert Johnson simply did NOTHING on the case for 2 weeks. He did not even look at my case until the 21 days had passed. I sent all the documents requested right away, shipped overnight. I heard nothing from Mr. Johnson other than aform letter indtroducing himself. I started to worry when the time had elapsed with no word. When I called your office to find out what had been done, the person on call told me that my case had not been reviewed until that very morning, and they claimed not to have received some of the documents I had indeed sent, and that the IRS would not return the levy to my accounts because I had not yet filed my 2008 return, although I had filed an extension.
I was devastated by this news, and desperate because I could see that my trust had been misplaced, as well as my elderly parents, who had paid the $1650 up front on the assumption that time was of the essence, that all would be expedited and That I could relax and let the attorneys do their job. At the time I was indeed relieved and had full confidence in your firm, based on the interview with Shane, who was much sharper and more intelligent than anybody I have since talked to on the Client Support Line.
Please help me... I have no more money to find another attorney at this point, and I can't ask my parents to do more than they already did, with their retirement savings spent on incompetent counsel. Now, instead of being able to relax, I can't sleep, worrying that if I don't somehow get on top of this, I will lose everything I have left... My business, which cannot absorb a $2000 loss, is in serious jeopardy now. Mr Johnson is detached and unaffected by what his incompetence has cost me. Now, as I look through internet listings about your company, there are hundreds of clients that were swindled just like me. I wish I had read these before I trusted the advice of a friend to choose your firm. I know that if you were in my shoes you would not be as detached as Mr Johnson is. His attitude is..."Oh, well, I can't get the money back now, so be happy to 'currently not collectible' because I can't go back and fix it now."
But the whole point of meeting the 21 day levy was to inform the IRS that I was represented by counsel, and he did not do that. I continued to receive notices from the IRS because they had not been so notified, not until after the 21 days had passed. Mr Johnson could not even comprehend that I don't have an Employer ID number (EIN) because I have no employees as a sole proprietor. He tried to tell me that it was my fault for not providing him with an EIN, when Shane had asked me about that in the intake interview and I had answered that a full 2 weeks before the deadline was missed.
I have to hear from you that you will TAKE ACTION on my case. If the IRS won't return the levied money, then I feel you should be responsible to return that money to me yourself because I did everthing your staff instructed, to the letter.
Further I was told (after the deadline passed) that the reason I had to file 2008 taxes was that the entire amount through 2008 would be negotiated as that was the arrangement, he seemed surprised and said that no, he had not negotiated for 2008 because he was unaware that was an issue.
What can I do?
Does Roni Deutch actually exist? If you do, how could you allow things like this to happen by gross negligence of your staff? Are you a member of the Better Business Bureau?
You were my only hope, and it looks like your company has ripped me off! I have no confidence that you will finish the job that I thought was started. I trusted you implicitly because fo the information on your website, which I studied dilligently so that I would be prepared to assist you quickly and efficiently.
Do I have to find yet another attorney to sue your firm for damages in this matter? You tell me.
Alijordanbrown
Morro Bay, California
U.S.A.
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