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4/1/19 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
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Jeff Wise is the most Arrogant human being I have ever had the displeasure of knowing. He arrives late for meetings (but bills you from the time he was supposed to be there). He even invited me to have coffee with him one day when he was late (I thought a "good faith gesture for being late??) and he BILLED ME for the coffee time !!! He actually led me to believe he totally had my back and then humiliated me in front of my Ex husband. He decided to "meet with" my ex outside of the courtroom in a meeting room, and told me I couldn't come in the room !!! My ex left the meeting room snickering at me and I left sobbing. When I called later to ask Jeff what on earth he communicated to my ex, he told me it was none of my business (whilst I'm paying for it all) and if I didn't like the way he does things I should fire him. Which I did, and he kept most of my retainer. Sheila his assistant is a "battered wife" - he treats her and his clients like garbage. His rates are outrageous. AWFUL LAWYER!
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1/28/19 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Go for it if you want to waste time and money! His errors on documents could cause you issues as they are constant. He gets aggressive with opposing party and it ends up back firing.
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6/13/18 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
My sons and I did just fine by Jeff but I understood why I was there in the first place; high conflict child custody case. Jeff is not perfect but we remain very thankful of his many successful efforts both in and out of the courtroom. In court, few are of his caliber and knowledge. Lose the emotion, listen carefully and then follow his counsel. Understand why you are there seeking his unique service.
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3/24/18 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
I can't imagine a worse lawyer. I wish I meant worse for the money because his charge rate is the highest but he was the worst for any money. He was always on the defensive, never created any offensive momentum. He was the worst negotiator ever. Got steamrolled in negotiations. Then, when it finally went to court he pissed of the judge and lost in court. Absolutely avoid him. He has lost touch with the changes in the current legal process as it is changing.
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5/8/17 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Mr. Wise..Jeff..if you need the best, he is it. Period. Remember what you are there for, it's business and he can be difficult and frequently an azzhole but not there to be friends. Superior skill and intelligence can be difficult. Yes he has an ego....earned it. If you need someone to put your nightmare in their place...call him...expensive but you will sleep better. Can't say I am very happy with him at the moment, for other reasons not related but man can this guy kick some ass. Watched a whole lot of other lawyers go up against him and get decimated, even saw one beg him to stop....LOL. Unlike any of these other reviews, I'm going to leave my full name Christopher Lee Charbonneau.....7 year ex client.....ask him.....I have a real nightmare ex monster that haunts me and JDW is the fuucking Boogie Man....LOL...he would regularly beat my monster up and send it back to the closet where it belongs.
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3/7/17 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
I have had the pleasure to have Jeff represent me. He is very knowledgeable and won my case every time. I was dealing with the aftermath of fixing my file after it had been ruined by previous lawyers. Jeff not only did me justice and won every one of my cases , appeals, needles to say he is the best period. I was dealing with an abusive ex husband who would bully me and threatened my life, not pay me child support and Jeff wise has been the only one to put him in his place . He fixed my file and he is very honest , yes he does have a tough personality but that's what makes him a good lawyer . He expect you to do your homework and he delivers . Most of the time you will deal with his assistant as he is busy winning cases . If I had concerns I could call his phone and he would always answer. I have read comments where they state he hands everything to his assistant , well he is not one of the best lawyers by sitting around his office . He in the court all day making sure you win. Jeff i
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12/21/16 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
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The previous comment is spot on. Relies on his reputation which is questionable at best. Over time gets bored of your file and has assistants and students look after it "because it is cheaper for you". You get charged for every email to his assistant even if it is a simple "yes" reply. Never seems to be familiar with the file. Inappropriately rushes at the last minute when a deadline has been looming for months. AVOID.
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10/6/16 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Avoid this guy. He's not particularly knowledgeable and his reputation supersedes his ability. He bragged about being the best and only lawyer who could help me gain custody during a custody battle where my previous spouse was unfaithful. He lost every action in court. Calling this joker a windbag isn't too harsh. As well as losing consistently, over charging, being a surly, and a pompous ass, he was also sleazy enough to hit on me during a consultation. Sleazy. Spend your money on someone who is more ethical and smarter.
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8/24/16 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
Jeff's reputation as one of the only custody lawyers keeps him afloat; without that, clients would quickly realize his fees are far too high for the level of attention he offers. He has his assistant do most all the work, errors included; he does NOT review these documents. His assistant will bill you for every email you send, EVEN when Jeff does NOT reply, completely neglects the file. Expect a $5k/week burn rate. He even neglected to show up for my hearing, leaving me with $5K/month support to pay, and he even charged me for his no-show. Jeff's name will scare your ex up front; if he/she seeks full custody, hire Jeff to make your statement, put the fear into he/she, then remove him from the file, and hire a lawyer that will actually work for you. The other lawyers in the firm are good.
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6/7/16 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
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WORST LAWYER EVER. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. HAS SEVERE EMOTIONAL ISSUES WHICH HE TAKES OUT ON CLIENTS AND EVEN WITNESSED HIM ABUSE HIS OWN STAFF MEMBERS! THIS GUY IS WAY OVERPRICED AND DOES A NOMINAL JOB.
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4/28/15 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
I've been with JDW & Sheila for five years now and they keep the monster at bay. Monster has gone through several firms and partners, all of them top notch. Monster is ruthless, well funded;unforgiving. Have my sons. WORTH EVERY SINGLE CENT. If I had to do over, same choice would I make with JDW. The Monster now shows respect and caution...fear. Worth your time, money and trust.
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8/13/14 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Excellent is an understatement! My daughter was taken away from me and Jeff helped me get my life back by presenting the facts to the judge and got rid of all false allegations. On my way to 50% parenting! Very very expensive, but I can live with that given that I have my baby girl with me!
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3/12/14 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Never posted on the web before but in the case of Mr. Wise, I most certainly will! If you're a dad - especially a dad - hire this gentleman IMMEDIATELY! He is not cheap, I am not rich. I was a difficult client and was facing a divorce that if it could be described, "hostile" would be inadequate. Watched him go up against a "known" big hitter with a sizable war chest. He dominated and for ever more, controlled the situation very well. Watched him do it again, then again - then again - etc. To multiple and different counsel and under ever changing conditions. Have my boys back, my life back, my sanity back,joint custody and on my way shortly to having 50% day to day care. Here's two things I know for sure; my ex by her actions - wanted total banishment or death/suicide and if Mr. Wise lay dying, in need of a blood transfusion, my name would be top of the list. All you have to do is listen to what Mr. Wise tells you and DO AS HE SAYS! And Ms. Ottewell too! Great team.
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1/27/14 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
2 |
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1/17/14 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Hire him. He’s very expensive; he’s worth it. He’s very busy; he’s worth the wait and frustration that comes with that. For 16 months, I was represented by a lawyer, at almost half the price, who was being led around by the nose by opposing counsel. She seemed comfortable with a result that would have reduced my parenting time from 50% to 20% at best. Her defense was “I warned you about worst case scenario.” I might as well have flushed the thousands of dollars I paid her and her work product down the drain. In essence, I did; I fired her. When I retained Wise, he said “The whole tone of your case will change now.” He was right. In the next 10 months (part of which he was away on holiday and later for surgery) he saved my parenting time and protected my financial interests in the bargain. I’m not rich, but those fees bought me someone who knows family law inside and out and the confidence to achieve best case scenario for his client.
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12/30/12 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
Good AND bad. There are other good lawyer(s) who actually beat Mr. Wise in court while charging almost half his hourly rate. Worse, he has been known to fall so far behind on urgent case matters that he has even been court-ordered to attend to his client's needs due to such severe delay. That kind of failed diligence potentially costs the client not only money (more money in Jeff's pocket from yours), but also can cause severe personal losses as well. He most certainly did that in my case, to an appalling degree... even failing to correct things like he ought to if caring more about the client. He sure 'cared' at those moments of getting ready to receive the next big retainer tranche, and at the beginning, of course, when he does his 'selling'. But by the end I realized he's the kind of lawyer who could throw his own clients under the bus just to serve his own butt. Seriously consider other (including lower-priced) excellent lawyers that are out there. Personality can be case-critical.
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9/18/12 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
Jeff is the best family lawyer in Calgary. Period. I've worked with my fair share and they've only mangled my family file. He is expensive but if you have a difficult case and you need someone with absolute tenacity he is *the* choice to have
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1/31/12 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
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1/10/12 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
Jeff has a huge ego, how ever he is highly successful in winning his cases so that is all I care about. I didnt pay him to be nice I paid him to win. In the court room he gets the job done.
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10/3/11 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Jeff is an egomaniac, but he made a difference on my file in-spite of our family law system being the f*cked up cess-pool that it is. I can recommend him.
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9/22/11 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
I was very frustrated with him. He over books appointments and his fees are outrageous.
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