I have recently had bad experiences with Panama lawyers, which I thought I will share in an effort to warn everyone in town.
Incident #1 There is a female lawyer, whose office is across from the Police Dept. Beware. A cuban friend of mine went to her office to get a $25 consultation on his case and get an estimate of fees. She came up with a crazy price for a process that he knew from the start would not work because he was cuban. He refused her services. She accused him of theft, made all kinds of false accusations and informed immigration he had extended his 90 day stay in Panama. He was taken to jail, was treated super nice by the local police, however, because of this lawyer's allegations he was taken to Immigration in David, who charged him $250 to let him go (of course under the table) and they recommended he leaves Boquete as this lady has a history of being crazy and making false allegations. He has since moved to Florida but the experience was awful and the lawyer got away with making a false police report and false accusations. Nothing happens in Panama it appears.
Incident #2 Lawyer from David who had his offices in Plaza San Francisco and does a lot of work in Valle Escondido for Boca Rio condos. I gave him my papers in early February to start a process because it was my intention at the time to stay in Panama on a more permanent basis. Never did anything, I started requesting all my documents in May or June, it took me until August 22 under threats of filing a complaint with the ethics commission of the School of Lawyers in Panama, and some other very strong altercations to get my documents, which were being held hostage for no apparent reason. This lawyer however, lied to people and made false and defamatory statements against my persona because I demanded my documentation.
Incident #3 This same so called lawyer who is the one referred to in the prior incident was paid in advance $300 to do file for Luis' divorce. This was a mutual agreement, in which his exwife went to the office of the lawyer, mediated with a local Realtor friend, and signed. No claims, no kids, no properties. This was in February. In June he called and said congratulations you are a FREE man. Since Luis and I were moving back to the US we started to ask for the certified copy. Luis paid him the $35 certification fee in July just before we moved back to the US. Long story short, to date, Luis is still legally married because this lawyer never did anything with the Public Registry to certify the divorce and had Luis listened to him, and us not verified, we would have been bigamist since our wedding was due to happen Sept. 19.
I have since had to cancel the wedding, incurred the expenses of having my father fly to Panama to rescue my documents and now, we will have to travel to resolve the unfinished divorce, perhaps with another lawyer.
Be careful, do your homework, ask for references and see what the financial situation of the lawyer is, he might just need your $$ really bad and take you for a ride.
Replies
Ha, I have one even better, same story as urs, same office, he made me believe I was facing criminal charges, the one he introduced to me as a lawyer, is not, but that did not stop the bill presented to me as outrageous.
Any one interested can call me to get the info
Frank 60904951
Valle Escondido. He has problems answering phone calls and is great at telling you what you want ti hear!! He
Has made many lives here a living hell. I know of at least 20 here in Boquete. There is a course of action being filed
Soon by numerous Boquete residents who have been wronged by this person.
Sign me up for that action please
I have never got on this forum before, but I did when I saw it, given what this sorry SOB did to my friends. Maybe the lawyer who responded to Olga could step in and offer advice on how foreigners can take action against lawyers who steal from innocent victims. Do they have class action criminal lawsuits to file. Based on what I hear in Boquete and David, yet alone on this post....WOW, this is one extremely disgusting human being who seems to be getting cover because their is difficulty in exposing his criminal deeds. Cheers to all here who step up and expose this con man. Maybe everyone can put energies together to put this Man in jail where he belongs. Strong statement? If you only knew what he did to my elderly friends suffering from cancer who entrusted him with their home in Las Olas. The art of deception and manipulation, he is a master. Everyone should expose this person so there are no more victims.
I don't know if that actually work or it is enforced but you could file a denuncia with all the firms of the customer affected and every specific case to the COLEGIO NACIONAL DE ABOGADOS.
Linda, many of my "friends" and I have also been through hell with Enrique Arrocha. Thank you for stating his name out loud for all to hear. It seem he is great at taking your money and then avoiding you at all costs after giving hundreds of "excuses". Please let me know where I can join the group that is taking action. I have been told that the authorities are already on to him but they need more people to testify. EA is one low life form of a person and he has caused great pain to many people.
Walter
I do agree. Lawyers are a specie of their kind. Globally.
I say that lawyers knows to work with something that could be legal but not moral.
They not how to do dirty tricks under the umbrella of the law, twisting it according to their interests and convenience. It doesn't matter if they have to destroy innocent people.
To be a good lawyer you need to have the ability to swallow a bull frog without blinking in front of their customer. Their slogan is: "the end justify the means"
So sorry for the almost very little good lawyers round there.
I used HAD offices in Plaza San Francisco, it is not damaging to your firm as it makes no references to you. You are NOT the lawyer for Boca Rio condos in Valle Escondido and your initials are certainly not EA, furthermore, we did specify next door to our town baker, so therefore take a step back, read thoroughly and relax. I do not know you, do not know where you are located and did not refer to you. I make no references so if you take offense it must be because I hit a sensitive spot but certainly NOT because I am misleading anyone.
There are a few rotten egg lawyers in David & Boquete, but this one with the initials EA is one all should avoid from what I know. Its really who we are talking about. ( shhhhh, you can figure it out). This man has countless victims where he takes the clients money and never performs the services. Many are speaking out right here on this forum and rightfully so to help protect others from falling victim. I have friends who almost had their home stolen in Los Olas because of the shenanigans and deceptiveness by this attorney. The story I have heard is unconscionable and from a very reliable source, much more to come out. Be very careful. It is a shame Ning does not have some type of Angies List we have here at home. http://www.angieslist.com/ This could help prevent many of the problems and hold service providers accountable. Truth is, service should never be feared, sad in Panama some fear legal retribution for telling the truth while trying to save others. How else can you do it but these type of forums? I say, be very careful and do your research..but for sure stay away from this evil character. I think Ms. Suarez who started this post has fallen victim. What a shame, what was done to her as well. Be well all.
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