Success Stories
A sampling of the dozens of “success stories” among Justice Bridge’s referrals… in the attorneys’ own words
Consumer Protection
I regularly advise clients on used-automobile "lemon laws" which fall under the Consumer Protection Act. The best success stories are those cases which are able to settle after an initial demand letter is sent to avoid the necessity of trial. Here, the clients are generally without a working vehicle or are scared to drive a defective vehicle so a quick turnaround is important. I have sent successful demand letters to both small "shady" dealerships as well as the large corporate dealers with success. I have had dealers make the necessary repairs, accept the vehicle as a trade-in towards a new vehicle at a reduced sale price, and refund the complete purchase price.
Employment Law
Client “SK” filed a charge of discrimination based on race with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. We attended an investigative conference and submitted a response to the employer’s position statement. We brought the matter to MCAD-facilitated mediation after determining that the employer was giving negative references to potential employers for over a year and a half, and SK received $15,000 in settlement, as well as a written agreement that the employer would only verify the dates of SK’s employment to prospective employers. After this settlement agreement, SK was able to obtain full-time employment within two months.
Family Law
A Medfield client had litigated a divorce modification pro se and lost the case. The judgment contained scathing commentary about him and a suspended jail sentence if he failed to pay on time and in full as the court had ordered. The client had a payment due that he could not afford and sought legal assistance from Justice Bridge to determine his options. After a detailed review of the documents and significant consultation with the client, the client sought financial help from various sources to secure some sort of payment. I then negotiated different payment terms with the opposing party's attorney and succeeded in part because a payment was available. A stipulation was then filed with the court. The client has now managed to make all payments that he had been ordered to pay on time through the nine month period that had been negotiated.
Housing Law
A tenant on assistance in New Bedford got her housing assistance taken away. As a result, she owed over $6,000.00 in rent. I was able to negotiate a reasonable move-out date for her, get all of her back rent waived, and even got her $500.00 to help with the move. She was thrilled. She paid me a small fee and owed me $100 when all was said and done. However the same day that we appeared in court she got her GED, so I waived the remainder of my fee as a “graduation present.” I didn't think much of it, but she began crying and gave me a big hug on the courthouse steps.