Client
My family had a very disappointing experience with Smith Barid. We hired the firm on October 20, 2025, to prepare urgent estate-planning documents for my father-in-law, who had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. We paid a $3,000 retainer with the understanding that the documents would be completed promptly. His estate was very simple--consisting of a vehicle and a small collection of silver and gold. On October 30, I emailed an itemized list of the assets to the attorney. He informed me that he would be traveling for a few days, but that his paralegal would prepare a draft for my review by the following week. That draft did not arrive until November 14, and only after I called the office to request an update because my father-in-law's health was declining. During that call, I also explained that he was no longer able to come into the office to sign the documents and that we would need to arrange for an at-home notary. I was assured that the documents would be sent via FedEx Overnight and that the firm understood the urgency of his condition. On November 17, after notifying the office that his health had worsened significantly and offering to pick up the documents in-person that day, I was told the documents had already been shipped. However, they were sent to the wrong address, causing another delay. My father-in-law passed away on November 18 before the documents were received or signed. Because the executed documents were never delivered, our family must now go through exactly what we hired this firm to help us avoid. When my husband called the office on November 19 to inform them of his father's passing, he asked whether the still-missing documents were now essentially useless. He was told they were, but no guidance or next steps were offered. I called the office on Friday, November 21, and Madeline told me she would check the schedule for the following Monday or Tuesday so we could come in to discuss our options. She noted the office would be closed for the holiday but assured us she would follow up. We never heard from her again. December 1, 2025, I reached out to the office twice--once at 11:11 a.m. and again at 1:40 p.m.--and I still did not receive a call back from anyone representing the attorney. Given the circumstances, the delays, and the absence of follow-through, it is difficult not to feel that we paid a $3000 retainer fee on services that were never truly delivered. This entire process created unnecessary stress during an already painful time. We expected timely work and clear communication, especially given the urgency of our situation, and unfortunately we did not receive either.