Client
Please save your money, time, and mental health. I would give Mr. Vargas 0 stars if I could. I hired Mr. Vargas for an employment discrimination case. He charged me a $3,000 retainer. Then he ghosted me. From the beginning, Mr. Vargas ignored my messages. This is not an exaggeration, he didn't respond to emails, calls, or Clio messages. I received no updates, no guidance, no legal insight. It got so bad I had to schedule a second consultation on my own just to speak with him and paid another $250 as if it were a first time visit. I actually paid my own lawyer extra money to get him to do his job. He typed into his laptop and gave himself a deadline to review my documents...then missed his own deadline. I followed up two weeks later and only then did he send me a Dropbox link. That was the first time he ever responded to me. It became clear he hadn't even started reviewing my case, a month or so after I hired him. He wasted two entire months of my time, time that was critical for my case. I could have hired someone competent during that period. Despite knowing how anxious and urgent this was for me, he continued to ignore my messages. I now realize that kind of silence isn't normal. I formally terminated him after two months of complete inaction. I sent two messages clearly stating that I was ending our agreement due to his lack of effort and professionalism. As expected, he ignored those too. When I called the office, they didn't answer and I know they were purposely ignoring my call . After multiple attempts, the assistant finally picked up and said he was unavailable...again. I asked her to pass along my message about the termination. Within minutes, I received a generic onboarding form from Mr. Vargas, as if I were a brand-new client. It was insulting and completely disconnected from everything I had already shared. Worse, he advised me not to attend my EEOC interview, which I have been waiting since February, then ghosted me entirely. I ended up going alone, with no legal support, despite having paid for representation. That moment still shocks me. When I requested my retainer back, he didn't respond. I emailed again, stating I was going to his office in person. He ignored that too. When I arrived, the receptionist claimed he was unavailable. I refused to leave. After 45 minutes or so, he finally came out from his office, he had been there the entire time, actively avoiding me. Only then did I get my retainer back. The thing that kills me is he KNEW what I was going through. He knew I was already dealing with discrimination and anxiety and he just didn't care. I keep thinking about those two months. I could have had a real lawyer. I could have been building my case. Instead I was checking my phone every day wondering why my lawyer wouldn't talk to me. Mr. Vargas is a coward. I don't care if that sounds harsh. You took money from someone who needed help and then HID FROM THEM. This entire experience was exhausting and damaging. Mr. Vargas and his staff were dismissive, unresponsive, and unprofessional. I believe he took on a case he didn't know how to handle and chose to ignore me instead of being honest. It was cruel and negligent, especially considering the nature of my case. If you're considering hiring Mr. Vargas, don't. Find someone who respects your time, your case, and your mental health. He showed none of that. I'm still so angry about this. Two months of my life wasted because he couldn't just tell me he didn't want my case. The legal system is already scary enough without your own lawyer abandoning you.