I recently had the unfortunate experience of retaining Family Law Lawyer, Terri C. Mendez, of Terri C. Mendez Law Solution, LLC. for legal representation on September 23, 2023. She serves the Montgomery and Harris counties in Texas. The entire ordeal can only be described as a colossal disappointment. From the very beginning, it was evident that communication was not Terri C. Mendez's strong suit, or perhaps it's more accurate to say it was non-existent. Secondly, stealing my entire $5000 retainer fee for a two-page response to questions I had of my legal rights (Maybe 2 hours work) without even providing an invoice. Attempting to get a response from Terri C. Mendez was akin to trying to communicate with a brick wall – utterly futile. Emails went unanswered for days, if not weeks, and phone calls were met with perpetual voicemail purgatory. It was as if my case was the least of Terri C. Mendez’s concerns, despite the fact that I was paying a hefty retainer fee of $5000 for supposedly professional services. On her website Home | Mendez Law Group (terricmendez.com), “Communication is key” is the first thing you see. Obviously, a complete lie. The lack of communication was only the tip of the iceberg. Terri C. Mendez managed to take incompetence to new heights by displaying a blatant disregard for the importance of timely updates and progress reports. My attempts to seek information about the status of my case were met with vague responses and empty promises if a response at all. It became apparent that Terri C. Mendez Law Group was more interested in neglecting clients than actually working on their cases. I still wait to this day for any type of billing statement or invoice after countless emails and unanswered phone calls asking for an itemized invoice and refund of unused retainer funds. To add insult to injury, when I finally decided that I had endured enough and requested the remainder of my retainer fee back, the nightmare only continued. Terri C. Mendez Law Group demonstrated an astonishing level of negligence by dragging their feet for months on end. I asked her a few questions of my rights and she replied with a 2-page response answering those questions, on September 29, 2023. I figure it was less than 2 hours of work. That doesn’t cost $5K! Where’s the refund of the reminder of the retainer fee, which was promised to me several times? In the signed contract, section 3, paragraph 3, its states: “any unused fee will be refunded to you upon completion of the case and the closure of your file.” Also in section 9, paragraph 2: “After immigration research is completed, and after discussions with the client and attorney, the client no longer wishes to proceed with the Divorce, any unused retainer will be refunded to you and the contract will cease at that point.” No refund was made at any time. Despite numerous reminders and emails, it seemed like getting a refund was more difficult than navigating a labyrinth blindfolded. I still to this day have not received a mere invoice, much less a promised refund, and I closed the contract and need for her representation drafted on November 9, 2023! It also states on the Closure of File document from Terri Mendez, paragraph 2: “Once all closing documents are executed, your file will be closed, and your remaining trust retainer will be refunded to you and mailed to your work address as instructed by you in your email on October 23, 2023.” No invoice or refund made to this date, which is now into the first week of February. This is a breach of contract. It's disheartening to see a professional who has sworn an oath to serve their clients act with such blatant disregard for their responsibilities. Terri C. Mendez Law Group's lack of communication, delayed responses, and failure to refund the remaining retainer fee paint a picture of legal incompetence and client neglect that is nothing short of appalling. This is misconduct on her part as well as unethical and immoral. I recommend the Texas State Bar terminate her license and dissolve her practice. If you value your time, money, and sanity, steer clear of Terri C. Mendez Law Group. There are countless competent and ethical lawyers out there who actually prioritize their clients and adhere to professional standards. Terri C. Mendez is a prime example of what can go wrong when legal representation becomes a mere facade for indifference and negligence. Save yourself the headache and find a lawyer who takes their job seriously and has the decency to not steal the money you worked so hard for. I have now filed a grievance against Terri Mendez with the State Bar of Texas and hopefully her license will be revoked for misconduct, negligence, and grand theft.