Too bad there isn't a rating lower than one star...this scumbag is a joke to the profession and that my friend is a sad sad day in his profession. This is the most crooked person I have ever met in my life. This atty botched my case from the very beginning. With missed filings, forgotten paperwork, astronomical fees, and breached contracts. I was never, repeat never on an hourly basis with this atty. I was always on a contract with him. Everytime I gave him money there was a contract signed by both of us stating how long the money was to last. This was to avoid being billed hourly instead I purchased blocks of time in $5000 increments. After judgement was given in my favor, our contract ended. Mr Gallagher continued billing me at his astronomical 450 dollars per hour without my consent to continue billing. Now I have received notice from a collections company that I owe him 1262 dollars that he continued billing me after I was under no contract with him and while I was led to believe my case was over. Mr Gallagher's ethical practices leave very little to be desired, he was foul mouthed in front of my wife repeatedly. As well as a complete lack of dignity and respect for her by him not being able to look my wife in the eyes constantly staring at her breasts as she spoke to him. After a couple very serious mistakes in front of the judge by him, his effort to console me consisted of showing me a "guess the muff" game on his cell phone. The game consisted of showing me a picture of a woman then he wanted me to guess if her pubic hair was shaved, not shaved, or what shape the girl's pubic hair was shaved in. His courtroom etiquette was disturbing as well it consisted of checking his Facebook page instead of reading filings that he had not read before coming to court. When I began to explain what I had received from the opposing attorney he shouted at me that he didn't want to know what was filed. (Really?) When appointments were made at his office I had to listen to him sexually harass his secretaries it was quite repulsive. As well as very visibly embarrassing, physically uncomfortable and humiliating for his secretaries. On numerous court dates he showed up to the court house wreaking of the stench of alcohol. It is quite a surprise to me how Mr Gallagher has been in business as long as he has been with practices like these. When Mr Gallagher was confronted about the extra charges I was belittled and ridiculed in his response. See my complaint on ripoffreport.com and the WA state Bar association website under grievances. read more

I am a Dad, I have " Engaged" Mike on a few occasions since I originally filed ( and was eventually granted) FULL custody regarding my Son, this was a lengthy and complex " Custody Battle" , involving several states, Restraining Orders ,i multiple issues and false allegations, ie: psychopathic and anti-social behavior on the mothers behalf. I have had to re-visit this case a few times since it was originally filed in 2003 and I can say Mike has exceeded all my expectations in every possible regard! He is ethical, trustworthy, fair & honest. One thing that truly stands out is that he is truly concerned abut the children, in the case of my Son, his life would have been completely destroyed had he NOT been the case Mike removed ALL his mothers parental rights! Throughout the case, everyone wanted to believe the mother, the evidence spoke otherwise and he got to the bottom of it quicker than you can imagine. If your case requires an expert , as mine required many, or is even less complex, Mike has an aptitude for finding the smartest and most professional experts if needed to call on in their field. Last count there were 13 ( Thirteen) 4 inch binders for my case, I had used several attorneys before him and wasted $ because these attorneys were more out for there own best interest ( I was a bit naïve), I gave my full Faith & Confidence in Mike and his performed excellently in every regard. His staff is efficient, very professional and pleasant to deal with! It might seem like you will pay a bit more for MIke's services , but trust me, I wish I'd hired him the first time, I'd saved a lot of $ from incompetent attorney's and Guardian ad Litem's Thanks So Much Mike!!! read more

From supervised visit to Full Custody in 6 months! And only Gallagher was able to decipher and correct the mess my ex, other attorneys & the courts created. There were 30 attorneys involved one way or another. I would have saved a lot of money if I hired him sooner! He was flexible on the payment arrangements, he and his office staff were pleasant, professional and seemed very efficient. I would be wary of those big law law firms, Gallagher was very accessible and took a personal interest in my case. He is aggressive, not one of those Namby-Pamby attorneys that wants milk it for all it is worth. He didn't make any promises, he just did his best and he got the job done! I would have liked to work things out and mediate, Gallagher does that too but my ex lied and got me locked up based on lies. Because of him, my ex knows that she will be accountable for her actions now if she tries any tricks. Gallagher will not pull any punches. It was "standard procedure" to subpoena the GAL(s) . All the G.A.L.'s believed my ex, one by one Gallagher made sure there information was put under the microscope and did not mess around ,he knew how to "draw the line", rather than behave like some passive attorney with no balls! Family law is a very specialized practice, it takes a attorney rock solid values who is not scared to take on the system and who is honest. This guy worth his weight in gold and I would highly recommend him! If i would have don't one thing differently in my case it would have been to hire Gallagher from the onset! David B read more

If you're in need of a family law attorney, Mike will treat your case as if it was his own. Mike is real, wants to get you results and you see it in his work. He is about understanding your case and focusing on the facts...which matter most. Most attorneys you hire talk a big game and the moment you lose you then realize, had I picked Mike Gallagher the first time, I wouldn't have wasted thousands of dollars. Take my advice, I learned that after wasting 7k on attorneys who didn't have the expertise in what they claimed they did. An attorney has to be present and walk in your shoes in order to get you results. Mike does that. He is the ONLY attorney (which I have hired two others in the past) that required me to do "Homework." Now let me just say, this homework may look daunting for some of you, but the key is, Mike wants to know the details, the facts and not "how" or "why" something happened. At first, I thought to myself, "Why do I have to do work?...I just paid you man"..If you think about it for just a second, you then realize after hiring him that results will follow because he is right there with you, in your story, in your life and protecting what is right; protecting your family. In order to fight for your child you must step back, do your homework and Mike will represent you better than all the other attorneys who make promises they are not able to deliver or have an ego they really shouldn't have. Thank you Mike for all that you did for me and my family! read more

I went to Michael 8 years after losing custody of my 3 small children due to having no money to hire an attny during my divorce and my ex lied to the court claiming I was an IV drug user and an unfit mother. When Mike listened to my story of how this all happened and that my children were being abused by their stepmother w/ the knowledge of their father, he believed me and agreed to help me. He firmly insisted that I be completely truthful about EVERYTHING, leaving nothing out and gave me homework to complete. Long story short, all 3 of my children were restored to me because of Michael. It was a long intense battle and he fought passionately w/ integrity and wisdom thru it all! I was always treated w/ respect by both Mike and Sharon. Sharon is savoy, organized, fast and gets things done! They are an awesome team!! I believe in them so much that when my niece's ex refused to return their son to her after a long weekend visit we called Mike. He took action immediately and that child was back in his mother's arms w/in 24 hours and because of Mike she had full custody soon after that. In both these cases, mine in King Co. and hers in Snohomish, I observed how well respected Mike is w/ the courts. I as well have a great deal of respect and confidence in his integrity and tenacity. I give them 100 stars!!!! read more

I believe that divorce is a always tragedy, even if its for the right reasons. J. Michael Gallagher is a brilliant lawyer who knows the ins and outs of the legal system. He is clear, direct and objective focused. He maintains excellent client control to achieve the most desirable outcomes possiable. As a prospective client it is important to fully understand that you as his client must cooperate with him, and then keep out of your own way and allow him to do the job you have hired him to do. Mr. Gallagher can be pretty gruff, but he truely values positive co-parenting strategies and what is in the best interest of children...and he expertly holds people accountable. J. Michael Gallagher as a law firm has a unique, but very reasonable fee system. The flat fee for two months covers ALL his, and his legal aid Sharon's, hours. Typically, a firm will both charge a large retainer and a high hourly rate. I am completely satisfied with the value and level of service he and Sharon have provided to my case. I cannot imagine going through any of this without them in my corner. Michael and Sharon, thank you so much for all your remarkable work on our behalf! I thank God for you both. read more

I give this man ZERO stars. He is incompetent, unethical, and actually had the nerve to say to my 65 year old mother that she should be an exotic dancer with me as that was what I chose to do to for work to keep retaining him. And then kept asking when I was going to give him a "freebie" This was the second time he had talked to me like this and the only reason I brought my mother yesterday was to "test" his professionalism. He failed miserably into sexual harassment territory.... And from what I've heard after firing him and calling around to other attorneys, they weren't surprised. As one said it, "He is your classic douchebag" My mother and I both are planning to file a complaint to the bar association. He is lucky that that is all we are planning on doing, as he when we left, my mother broke down into tears. That son of a $&@!# made my mother cry!! What a dip shit. I should have known when I saw how disgustingly his wife looked at him during our first meeting... read more

This guy is the worst possible attorney his "office" is just a house converted to a business he dresses like a damn clown he's a sexist pig that's just in it to get your money! He is always staring at girls boobs and feet! He came up to my over due pregnant girlfriend before court trying to get her stressed out before court since he wasn't our attorney I politely asked him to go away there is no reason for him to be talking to her. and out of nowhere infront of 30+ people just started yelling at me to "fuck off" than turned around like a coward and ran towards the courtroom saying "fuck you!". Yeah he doesn't know what he's doing and is not half the man he puts off to be just do your research he's just in it for the money! He doesn't even have kids why is he allowed to be an attorney In child cases at all! Be careful he won't get you anything but your money! Read the other reviews please!!! read more

Update: This guy is as sleezy as you can get, and doesn't let a woman express her wishes or her preferences if he's "handling" her case. It was his way or the highway and with that huge retainer already paid out and his "no refunds on retainer" clause he worms into the contract, you are forced to play it his way even if that means perjuring yourself in court, ostracizing your family members or filing false reports to get the advantage come custody time. I know this subject is emotionally charged, but would a little respect and cooperation be so bad when you're ending a major relationship and trying to do right by the wee ones? I don't want my child to grow up thinking I did daddy dirty, but that's what yours will think if you hire this misogynist to "represent" you. read more

If Mike Gallagher has one skill, it is to separate his clients from their money. He will file unnecessary processes in order to maximize billing time. The goal is not to help his clients but instead to bill as much as possible in as little time with no regard for the results. Mike tries to make up for his lack of legal skill and professionalism with a fake bravado and assurances that everything will go as planned. Mike's lack of empathy is very likely to piss off judges as I have seen it happen myself, his kind of approach may get results in a criminal case, but in a family court, he does and will fail miserably. There are plenty of family lawyers out there that know what ethics, class, respect and decency are. Mike does not. Emptor caveat. read more

Incompetent, rude, lazy, sexist, pig, he should be disbarred, I know i'm not alone after reading these reviews, he hit on my 70 year old mother during my trial as well, she was so uncomfortable she did not even want to go back to my trial, we could smell booze on him at trial, he made sexual comments about my ex mom, the judge and FCS witness during my trial, he is lazy and will do as little as possible to help you in your fight, he cares about NOTHING but bleeding you dry, we along with others I have met that have hired him are all filing complaints ASAP, do not hire this DOUCHEBAG you will regret it, read more

I've updated my review based on his lack of communication, ignorance of the best interest of the child, skeeziness, and his overpriced services that amount to angering all involved including the judge and police officers, ignoring court orders, refusing to treat opposing party acting pro Se with respect and decorum, and setting little traps to bait the other parent into mistepping so he can have his preposterously fabricated allegations accepted at uncontested hearings that violate the rights of interested parties. Long overdue for a bar reprimand, and not the kind of bar this guy is used to. read more

My experience with Michael Gallagher's expertise and compliance with the law and resources is greatly admired. In the battle for my grandchildren being restored to the full custody of their mothers, he never gave up. Everything he projected from the beginning to the victory was done respectfully in every court hearing--he always presented the facts even though the opposing attorney attempted to smear the truth and direct the attention away from the truth. As it has been said by another reviewer, HE WAS WELL WORSE THE MONEY! He certainly earned. read more

after surviving three decades of abuse... My ex filed for full custody... I hired Mr. Gallagher. my ex's claims were so beyond false and manipulative... she literally claimed I had the ability to make decisions in August as a result of her actions the following September. Just one of many examples. not only was Mike Gallagher unable to get the court to do it duty and charge her with perjury... He was completely inept and unable to get the completely fraudulent charges thrown out. he can cash a check really well though. read more

This man is an equal opportunity family destroyer. He is unethical and immoral. My friend is lost without his family and this man is responsible. Alienation of affection is a game to this so called attorney, and it will catch up to him. Don't even entertain the thought of hiring this poor excuse for a lawyer...unless you enjoy turmoil and degradation. That, my friend, are two things the that Gallagher will provide at almost any cost. Just remember, you get what you pay for. read more

If your plans include hiring a lawyer that will piss the Judge off, overcharge you and use unethical methods against you and the other party, Mike is your man Lots of posturing and false assurances, in the end, he is a washed-up alcoholic that at some point on his career may have been somewhat effective, but the few neurons left can't cut it anymore. Do yourself a favor and hire someone with ethics, morals and decency, Mike's fake bravado only shows how inept he is. read more

I had a half hour consultation with this attorney for $100.00 I am glad I spent the money, he quoted 6 to 10 k for a divorce. I would never hire this attorney, even if were a millionaire. J Michael Gallagher was rude, insulting, egotistical, unprofessional and dressed in golf shirt with shorts and tube socks up to his knees, kind of funny. Don't hire this guy, terrible. read more

I have used Michael Gallagher as my attorney for Divorce. We were able to quickly get divorced in 91 days, which is exactly what we wanted. Gallagher is very precise and doesn't waste time. You get what you pay for, this guy follows through. you will not be disappointed with Gallagher. So if you need an attorney, stop looking because you have found him! read more

He is a big jerk! Friend went to him about a divorce and told him that her husband was cheating on her and he told her to get over it that she is a good looking women and proceeded to tell her to live with it and to go out and have her own affair! He is a slimy pro man piece of crap that needs to be thrown out with the rest of the garbage! read more