Ive known John for years. I met him through family working on a car accident case. I also was in a car accident which he won me around 3k over a 3 year period for a minor car accident. I've sent many clients to him for car accident cases but he works on other case laws too. fast forward over ten years of knowing him and reaching out to him for legal advice about housing situations or any legal matters throughout the years and I get him as a court appointed lawyer. (which always before he was paid based off the winnings of the cases and he's a very good attorney if he knows he's going to make money) my experience with him being court appointed and working in a family custody case has been the worst experience. I put so much trust in John because I've seen him work hard. I had faith that he would get this situation resolved in a timely manner. unfortunately this experience has shown me that his efforts are not based off integrity and personal morals but financial gain. this is the most important case I've brought to him and he has not fought for me the way he needs to. there's been time he's gone against me as if he's working for the opposing side , and also BRIBED me in the beginning of the case to write good reviews online and he would work hard on my case which I have in text message. I have been fighting for custody since march 7th 2024 and John had promised me If I followed his recommendations that this case would roughly last 3/6 months TOPS. ever since he's been on my case he's done nothing but make excuses as to why he dint doing certain things. I no longer trust him with any information. I attempted to fire him a couple times and inquired to fire him and in turn he would then get some stuff done to appease me and then go back to not being responsive and being sarcastic and unprofessional. I tried to hire another attorney and John went behind my back and contact said attorney and told them not to take my case. when the attorney I was inquiring to hire reached back out to me her response was " From what I understand attorney John ladertoute is representing you. He is an excellent attorney and a great advocate. he is appointed by the court. He will do an excellent job for you."
now like I mentioned this has been the worst experience ever. I would not recommend him UNLESS you're paying him outta pocket and he knows he's going to make money. since he's been court appointed his work ethic is not the same. and its sad because like I said I've known John for YEARS !!! friends on Facebook and many many messages between him and I via Facebook messenger/text etc so this wasn't just a random lawyer. I had high expectations and put so much trust in him and had to face the consequences. if I was RICH enough I wouldn't still be fighting this case ten months later with no light at the end of the tunnel just a bunch of well this is how the system works and there's nothing I can do about it. I have told him multiple times if he didn't work as the attorney I know I wasn't just going to keep allowing him to be on the case esp when he's not even fighting, he's not challenging the opposing side, he's just sitting back doing the bare minimum and allowing the case to take its course. to me that is not how a attorney should be. I do not like to write negative things about people but in this circumstance I would like people who do review him know what to hire him for and what not to. it has gotten to the point that I have had to file a formal complaint with the board of bars overseers. I advise anyone even if you're hiring privately to consider the fact that we had history and him knowing that he used it to his benefit to coerce me into following his guidance not knowing he wasn't guiding me for my benefit. im truly sad writing a review like this but If I would have known then what I know now I would have taken him off my case a long time ago. read more
