Thomas H. Roberts & Associates, PC
In February 2025, I retained an attorney from this law firm and terminated him in less than 3 hours due to multiple red flags and inappropriate behavior. Below are the serious concerns: 🚩 Conduct Issues: Asked inappropriate and legally irrelevant questions: 1. “Why are you filing freedom of information act FOIA?” (No justification is needed for a FOIA request under Virginia law.) 2. Claimed I was “filing too many FOIAs” – again, there is no legal limit to how many FOIA requests a citizen can submit. 3. Stated I was “harassing them with FOIA” – A public body’s frustration is irrelevant to the legality of a FOIA request. 4. Said “They can sue you for filing FOIA” – Filing a lawful request is not grounds for a lawsuit, and no court would entertain such a claim. 5. Referred to me as a “thorn” – This kind of commentary shows bias, not advocacy. 6. Took a scolding tone over the phone – Completely unprofessional and unacceptable for someone who was retained by the client. 🚩 Premature Judgment: • The attorney did not review all the FOIA materials or the supporting evidence I had compiled before dismissing my case. • He made a quick determination that I “have no case” — all within 3 hours of engagement. • His claim that the firm “tells the truth and does not give false hope” is hollow if the actual evidence is never reviewed. 🚩 Misstep with Opposing Counsel: • The attorney contacted opposing counsel quite early after engagement — before reviewing my case files, without my consent, and before any litigation began. • Step 1 should have been to review the client’s evidence — not preemptively coordinate with the opposing side. This was one of the most disappointing legal experiences I’ve encountered. I regret having paid the retainer and hope this review helps other potential clients make an informed decision. This review is honest, respectful, and factual.
By Amit J.