Robert CraigJune 9, 2026
We retained McGarry Law Firm in March 2025 for two matters: (1) expediting Medicaid approval for my mother, who has late-stage Alzheimer's disease, and (2) preparing a will and Special Needs Trust. We paid approximately $9,000 for just the estate planning work.
At the time we hired the firm, both of my parents were still living. My mother had advanced Alzheimer's, and my father was battling pulmonary fibrosis and cancer. Because we did not know which parent would pass away first, establishing the Special Needs Trust was a critical part of our planning.
In early July 2025, we contacted the firm for a status update and were told they were working on the matter. About a month later, after hearing nothing further and with my father hospitalized, we called again. At that point, the firm admitted that no work had been completed. A will was rushed to the hospital the following day for my father to sign, and we were assured that everything would be handled moving forward.
Unfortunately, communication remained extremely poor. Phone calls routinely went unanswered, and emails often took two weeks or longer to receive a response.
My father passed away on March 5, 2026. Shortly afterward, we met with the firm to determine what steps needed to be taken next. During that meeting, we were asked numerous basic questions that made it appear the file had not been reviewed. We were told that nothing could be done until the death certificate was received.
Two weeks later, I personally delivered both the long-form and short-form death certificates to the firm's office. We were assured they would handle everything from there.
After numerous unanswered calls and emails, we finally received a response on June 5, 2026. To our surprise, the firm appeared to have no understanding of what we were requesting and informed us that they had lost both copies of the death certificate.
As a result, we were forced to retain a new attorney to complete work that should have been handled long ago. Despite requesting a refund for services that were never completed, we were told only that the matter would be reviewed after the file was transferred to the new law firm.
At 54 years old, I have never experienced such poor professional service. What makes this situation even more frustrating is that the delays have now created additional complications and expenses. My mother is the surviving parent, but she can no longer walk, communicate, or meaningfully participate in legal discussions because of her advanced condition.
We intend to file a complaint with The Florida Bar. I would strongly caution anyone considering this firm to carefully evaluate their options before retaining them. Amy comes off at first as a very confident attorney in the beginning, but that is the only time.
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