I hired Michael for a legal matter that was heavily weighing on my mind. He was great at telling me all of the possible outcomes, the good and the bad. He's very personable and easy to talk to, as well as responsive over texts. His expertise was excellent and he did a great job of calming me down and helping me see the legal system in a different way, unlike how it is on tv shows or movies. I believe his greatest strength is in the courtroom. He was prompt, aggressive and straight to the point. Also, he would not back down against the judge. After a long battle, I was finally proven innocent. Thanks Michael!! read more

Do not retain/hire this loser! He is possibly the worst attorney in the IE. His office workers are incompetent (as is he) to the point of not getting the job done. He makes promises that he doesn't keep. You will be better off with a public defender. I'm very disappointed with the outcome of my case. He lost the case because he didn't do the work. Don't waste your time and money on this terrible excuse for an attorney! I gave him one star because they don't give an option for negative stars! read more

hired him for simple restraining order he went to court 1 x charged me more then $5000 !!!!! read more

He is completely lying and no he did represent us and we have his sloppy typed up orders that were done incorrectly and had to hire another attorney because what he did was really shitty. So no true about ever talking about a public defender maybe they would of done a better job! I have the paper work if you wish to see it, looks like a beginner types it up. He will only care to represent you if you are willing to drop over $100k just so you can lose. read more

I met Michael at one of the hardest times of my life. My family law case felt like a never ending nightmare. Then, there was light at the end of the tunnel, Michael. Michael is BRILLIANT and an absolutely amazing attorney. He is strong, smart, confident, hard working and caring. He is so reliable, I could count on him every step of the way. Michael is phenomenal in court, respected by all, professional, diligent and successful. I am thankful beyond words for the amazing work of Michael and his team. He has brought peace and safety to my family and me that we would have never had without him. I'm so appreciative to Michael and so thankful to know that I can count on him in any time of need. Thank you Michael, for all of your hard work. I am forever grateful for everything that you have done for my family and me. read more

Mr Lacelento is an honest, hard working and caring attorney In a field that is extremely challenging. From what I have seen, family law is very taxing and pulls on your heart strings at every turn. When I hired Mr Lacelento I was not sure any lawyer could help us. He took our case and gave us the results we so desperately needed. I highly recommend calling him for any family law problems you might have. read more

Terrible lawyer . Charges me 2k for half an hour in court . before Lacilento got involved I had some contact with my daughter , after he got on the case , it's been about 3 months since I've seen my little girl . I couldn't believe he asked for more money . I looked at the bill , 2k for 30 min in court , 450 for a 5 min phone call to name 2. How does guy sleep read more

Michael helped me as he took on a last minute legal issue for me when I was in dire need. He was professional, responsive, and corrected a situation with the courts almost immediately for my family and I. He is "no nonsense" and will not waste your time (or rack up a bill) all while getting what is needed done efficiently and effectively. His ability to resolve my legal matter in a timely manner while fully resolving my issue was absolutely invaluable to me. If you want the job done, and done well, come see Michael. read more

I would I highly recommend Michael he is great attorney. He helped me with my legal matter and got great results. He fights for you and he is very knowledgeable. I had a public defender before hiring him and they did nothing compared to Michael. He definitely puts in the work to get the results. Thanks Michael! read more

Michael took my divorce case exactly one year ago. I still remember walking into his office being lost and stressed and after my one session with him I felt like all my worries were taken away. He Brought a lot of confidence in me and always encouraged me to strive for the best during our meetings. Despite being busy Michael has never made me felt that I was alone including his amazing staff at his office. Im very Honored to have you on my case Michael and it was a smooth process. I will always remember your said lines to me " you would love to have more clients like me" and I wish you would . Thank you working with you was amazing. read more

All I can say is Horrible! He is all about the money, his attitude sucks, he won't have a straight conversation for the life of him, he is condescending, and could give 2 shits about the emotional situation his client is in ‍ don't ever use this guy. read more

The worst office to deal with, Micheal took $4000 from me and he came with me once to the court then, after that, he decide not to continue with me, I ask him to give me my money back, and he refused read more

We Hired Michael and our experience was amazing! Michael is one of the best! He is firm, takes care of business NO BS!!! Thank you Michael for helping our family in these stressful time, You made it so much easier and the results! Well what can I say? You did it!!! you came through! Thank you Again and again from our family. read more

Mr. LaCilento is without doubt the best divorce and custody attorney I've ever met. He will fight for you and not stop till the job is done. read more

DO NOT HIRE!!!! A complete dishonest and unethical man in EVERYWAY. I hired Michael J. Lacilento, after he assured me that something could be done on my matter. That he "Would fight for me". He bragged how the Judges "Liked him" & "Worked with him often". Bottom line is, he will tell you what he thinks you want to hear in his office, then when your court date arrives he changes is opinion on the subject, and suggests to just drop the matter while refusing to defend me like we discussed in his office. Of course that's after he has taken Thousands and Thousands of my dollars. I had to fire Michael J. Lacilento, because he was just taking advantage of my situation, and milking it as long as he could. Instead of resolving anything on my behalf, he would just represent himself by running up all kind of unnecessary charges. One of many examples of him running up fees was to ask for an Extension at the courts Case management meetings over and over and over again, saying to the Judge that he needed more time to prepare for my case. LOL!!!!! He had NO attention at all with going to court, but it took me awhile and a lot of Dollars to figure that out. I hired another attorney, and when I explained to the second attorney what Michael J. Lacilento did on my matter. That attorney helped me file a Complaint against Michael J. Lacilento with the California Bar Association for dishonest and unethical practices. It's important to me that Michael J. Lacilento doesn't wrong more people in the future like he did me. And FYI, the second attorney resolved my matter within 24 hours after hiring him. With my second attorney, It only took him to just making ONE phone call to the plaintiffs attorney to get my matter resolved, and a settlement agreement done, and in my favor. Within 24 hours!!!!! So my advice and opinion, DO NOT HIRE Michael J. Lacilento. read more

DO NOT HIRE this guy! He will rip you off shamelessly. He is absolutely awful and dishonest. He sat on my case for months doing nothing but chipping away at the retainer he was paid. He is absolutely rude and won't spend more than a few minutes with you and then charge you for an hour. He will charge you a half hour for sending a couple of texts. He improperly filed requests with the court. It was just a completely awful experience with him. Do yourself a favor and stay away. read more

Worse attorney ever doesn't do his job at all ! Sat on the case for months the day of court he didn't have any evidence or actual facts to defend me argued with every one at the court house doesn't know how to speak an very rude an got mad when I fired him now trying to change everything around saying there's conflict. Everyone saying he's a good attorney that's far from TRUE HE'S NOTHING BUT A LIAR !!!!! DO NOT GO TO HIM HE JUST WANTS MONEY HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT HIS CASES AT ALL AN JUST LIES. read more

My husband and I wanted to say a big "THANK YOU" to Michael J. Cilento and Alma Suarez on helping us with our financial problems. They have made this whole process as painless as possible and held our hand through it all. We came to them at a desperate time and they quickly and professionally handled our case, with kindness and understanding on what we were going through. We now can breathe a huge sigh of relief because of what they have helped us get through. We would highly recommend him and his staff if you are in need of their help. We are grateful. Don and Karen. read more

I would most certainly recommend Michael LaCilento he is a very good attorney along with a great staff. They'll work tirelessly on your case which will result in the BEST outcome for you. He has definitely been more than a blessing to me during this whole ordeal and took a lot of stress out of a very poor situation. He is smart, effective and a 'bulldog' when he needs to be. You want him on your side. Michael's legal representation is worth every dollar. Thank you for everything Mr. LaCilento, I greatly appreciate it. read more

I hired Michael Lacilento after losing a much needed permanent restraining order for my daughter with another attorney. In addition to not receiving a permanent restraining order, I was facing a very challenging an difficult custody arrangement. Immediately following my court hearing, I immediately contacted Mr.Lacilento's law office that initially did not have any available appointments, but after explaining the urgency, I was scheduled immediately for a consultation that very day. Every lawyer that I had previously consulted with prior to selecting Mr.Lacilento, provided me very little hope for my situation for multiple reasons. However, Mr.Lacilento told me he would do his absolute best to help me. He was honest and did everything he stated he would do. He provided me with the personal attention that I needed and fought incredibly hard for me. He had one requirement of me , which was to follow whatever he needed me to do. On the day of our trial, Mr. Lacilento did exactly what he promised by he fighting for justice and upheld is integrity throughout the entire eight months of my legal journey. At the end of our journey we were victorious. Mr. Lacilento came highly recommended and iby working with him, I understand why how was so highly recommended . As an attorney he is very knowledgeable of the law and will absolutely represent his clients ethically and with integrity. If you are experiencing a complex custody issue or any other family law or juvenile matter, please trust the process, and hire Mr. Lacilento for representation he is absolutely an excellent attorney . read more

RUNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!! I can not stress this enough he is a total SCAM!!!! I was fortunate enough to see right through him when I first met him, well he did make it very easy. I walked into his office, dressed casual because after my appt with him I was headed to my sons baseball game. I started to explain why we were there and before I could finish my sentence he told me for him take the deal its a great plea deal. And honestly I work in a law enforcement environment and know this was not anything close to fair. I continued the conversation with say but he does not have a criminal record, he is a great asset to the community there was no reason for a harsh punishment, i agreed he deserved to be punished but that the sentenced was a little harsh for the crime. He then asked CAN YOU EVEN AFFORD an attorney? I responded with A HARD YES! He has over 80,000 in the bank and we both make over $40.00 an hour. All of a sudden his attitude change we all of a sudden had a great case and he could definitely help us. He even went ahead and explained what defense he would use and ect. At this point i was upset because I was being profiled based on my appearance. I was straight forward after his all of sudden change of heart, i asked why when i first explained it to you you said take the plea it was a great plea and all of a sudden now your saying we have a case after how much money i told you we had. He said, (getting loud and defensive) I was trying to explain this and that and needed to know if you could afford me, and i said i was just looking for you to apologize is all again got loud and rude.... eventually blurted out yelling may i add I THOUGHT HE WAS UNEMPLOYED!!!!!!!!!!!! That is when i walked out of his office!!!!!!!!! I walked out and later came back in to get his business card and the lady at the front desk took them so i walked back into his office to grab a business card off his desk.he then tried speaking to me again knowing he just let money walk out of his office. But it was too late he had his chance to apologize and didn't take it. Trust me, I know being assured that you can get paid is a big deal no one wants to work for free. But there is a way to do it, and to me as long as he could take my money he didn't care about me or the case. Plus hes supposed to be a lawyer and I could tell how fake he was so NOT a VERY good one if he couldn't even convince me. THIS IS SOMEONE ONLY OUT TO GET YOUR MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HE WOULD PROMISE YOU THE BEST OUTCOME YOU CAN THINK OF IF IT MEANT TAKING YOUR MONEY... read more

Hired Mr. La Cilento after trying in vein to get a debt collector off my back. So glad I did, what a relief !!!........ not only did Michael win my case he got it DISMISSED, which was better than I had hoped for. I would definitely recommend his office, the staff is friendly and always willing to lend a hand. ~Liz G. read more

Michael LaCilento was a gift that I will always be thankful for. He was kind, understanding, listens to me & EXPLAINED what I should expect to happen throughout my ordeal. Then he did all that was needed, he took care of everything. read more

If your a firefighter or a cop going through divorce, save yourself the headache and go somewhere else. Micheal told me "I do firemen and cops all the time, $4,000 and your done." Afraid not. It was a horrible process. There are lots of firms cheaper that can do the same thing. When I had a different attorney reviewed all his work and finished my case for me she thought he should be disbarred. Just sayin. read more

Michael is by far the BEST attorney in all of southern California. He and his team of professionals walked my daughter through a tough case 9 years ago with wonderful results and never left her side. Today, I sought legal advice from him on a different matter for myself. Again, he knows what he is doing and such a true professional. Caring and honest. Very family oriented. Thank you Michael for all that you do! Cindy L. read more

Mike is the best of the best in Riverside that's for sure. The Judge's know him and respect him and the prosecutors bow down down to him. I had a domestic violence with a prior and was looking at heavy prison time. Mike got it reduced to a misdemeanor and 90 days electronic monitoring. My family has been through a lot with our Alcoholism and we are so happy to keep our family from being torn apart by the judicial system now that we are sober. Thanks Mike!! read more

My 1st meeting should have used my institution that told me somethings wrong hes so worried about my ATM going through problem was on his end. I couldn't talk with him comfortable about my case while he was on his computer said his bank made a mistake he was trying to print statements or something taking time away from me. He tells me oh your husbands a cop yeah their all Cheap don't you worry I do thousands of them your going to get what you deserve I like you, I'm gonna help you. I left there feeling good. We went to court and he Totally changed he told me you signed off on this a year ago. I did because my husband and I got back together told him I was trying to explain all this to him at our first meeting when he was busy looking at his bank records. He didn't like I said this and walked away from me fast he was so Cold didn't want to talk or explain anything just yelled out as he was walking away make an appointment. I did and he was so rude yelling loud so I raising my voice back at him why did you take my case if you couldn't help me why did you wait until thousands of dollars later you tell me this Now. I couldn't believe the way he was acting I wasted all my money that I took from my retirement to pay him for this divorce and he knew this. He actually told me you cant afford me I was so upset left in tears. I believe everyone in his office is scared of him too. His Mother who works there with him was very nice she called me and apologized said she was going to have a talk with her son. I let it go because I don't want it to make me sick. I told my girlfriend that referred me to him everything. Her comment to me was she was she though he was on Drugs. This has been over 2 yrs now but to this day he makes my stomach turn. Michael I hope you read this one . What goes around comes back around you'll have to answer to the Lord for all your deceitful, dishonest cases that you have ripped off hard working people. You are a undeserving unfit attorney. You have a St. Michael statue on your desk ... what a fake you are. I read more

Michael is a fantastic Attorney. He helped me through a difficult divorce and would always answer his cell phone. Michael has a great relationship with the personnel at the Family Law Court in Riverside and is well respected by them. If you are looking for a lawyer you can trust and one that will fight for you I highly recommend Michael LaCilento. read more

Michael is a great attorney, he will provide you with great legal advice and will fight for you in court. He knows what he is doing and is very professional. "There is nothing more expensive than a cheap lawyer!" Michael's legal representation is worth every dollar. read more

DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT EVER EVEN ATTEMPT TO HIRE MICHAEL LACILENTO AS YOUR LAWYER. He will tell you that he will FIGHT FOR YOU.... That he REALLY LIKES YOU..... ALL TOTAL BULLSHIT. All he cares about is the money. He does absolutely ZERO in the courtroom.... I have been to court with him 3 times, after many postponements... and each time in court... nothing is resolved. And he charges $2000 for each court visit. I believe that he does this just so that he can get the money. Also, He is TERRIBLE at communication. I am trying to get divorced and I only hear about a court date being postponed the day before... guess why it was postponed... BECAUSE HE IS STRESSED AND NEEDS TO GO ON VACATION. Michael is spineless and inefficient as a lawyer, but he charges an absurd $350 an hour. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE....I beg of you.... CHOOSE SOMEONE ELSE. read more

He treated my daughter terribly after she was in trauma for leaving an abusive husband. Michael did get a temporary restraining order against her husband, but the court appearances were a nightmare with him. He didn't even sit with her in court and ignored many concerns and gave some bad counsel. He was often rude to her in meetings and she had to do her own research to get him to do what she thought was best. He didn't listen to her and was very disrespectful to her. Charged a lot for very little results. Don't use him especially if you are a woman in an abusive situation. read more

If you're looking for a FamilyLaw Attorney look no more. Keep in mind not every case is the same so don't compare other attorneys and don't complaint on fees until you check for yourself with the court office how much it cost just to file for your case. Michael is a fighter and will professionally represent you and every penny will be worth if you give him a chance, yet you do your homework and provide your docs correctly. Remember you don't always have a saying, as the party you are dealing with at times could explode on lies and untrue facts and this is not an overnight matter that can be changed on one day, so therefore don't ever assume one hearing will fix it all. But do give Michael and his staff your confidence that this office will take care of you and you are honest, you will be helped in each and every way. Michael and his staff are family oriented and always cares for your children's best interest. This attorney will not lie for you or get your case if you are messing around-he will represent you be to be heard and will make sure you are heard, and will fight for Justice ! Michael LaCilento has a very unique modern office where you feel Peace when you walk in with a smile Ms. Nancy will greed you and will start a conversation with you not like other offices when you feel like a statue in the lobby alone. His Paralegal - Alma is very professional and will always talk to you and help you if Michael is unavailable, she works really hard on putting your file together for court and her input shows how much she cares for the clients situation. If you opened this review and read it, don't shop no more for an attorney because you can say BINGO - you found the best in town! read more

Michael has been my lawyer (and the family) for many years now. From the very beginning I found him to be extremely knowledgeable, competent and most of all understanding. He has helped me and my family with a variety of issues, and with each one my/our confidence in him continued to grow. I have always been cautious and leery of most lawyers, but with Michael I/we know exactly where I/we stand on an issue and were confident he would adequately and competently represent us.. Michael won't lie to you just to get your business. He is a skillful attorney who will fight for you every step of the way. I hope he never retires (selfish I know). Additionally, he has a great legal staff working for him. You will be extremely glad you hired him. read more

My husband and I wanted to say a big "THANK YOU" to Michael J. Cilento and Alma Suarez on helping us with our financial problems. They have made this whole process as painless as possible and held our hand through it all. We came to them at a desperate time and they handled our case quickly and competently. Throughout the entire process they were there to answer questions, and get us through each issue with kindness an professionalism. This is defenitely a law office we can highly recommend. read more

Great work by both Mr. Lacilento and his team. I was very impressed with how he represented me in Court. They are very professional. Many thank yous for a job well done. read more

Michael is a great lawyer! He's successfully helped my family out on several occasions. He's worth every penny!

Life some times kicks you in the butt, we get our selves in situations that are out of our control. This occurred to me, I truly regret the first law firm I hired , they where worthless and just took my money. The lawyer made no attempt to fight for me, which would of costed me my family and my job. I was referred to Mr. Micheal La Cilento, and he was a god send. He heard my case and offered to fight for me, that's I needed to hear. I fired the other worthless firm, and retained Mr. La Cilento's services. He treated me not only like a real person , but family he truly cared about me and my case. That is priceless, during my ordeal he spoke to me like a friend, not just a client. He fought for me, and for that, he saved my family and my job. I understand times are hard and dealing with financial matters are tuff, but Micheal La Cilento is so well worth every penny. He is a great lawyer, a good man. Micheal, Thank you sir. God answered my prayer by placing you in my path thru my legal troubles. read more

Attorney Michael J. LaCilento is a gem. Mr. Lacilento and his team worked on two cases for our family in the past year. One case quickly finalized a protracted (7 plus years) bifurcated divorce bringing about a fair and final settlement allowing everyone to move on with their lives, free of the lingering financial and other ties of the old,defunct marriage. The second was the fair financial settlement of a personal injury Motor Vehicle Accident in which a very at-fault driver caused serious physical injury to a family member. Mr. Lacilento is extremely bright and conscientious. He returns calls and is fair in his billing practices. He possesses a brain, a heart and a spine. That's a rare combination in these sorts of often usurious dealings. read more

Mr. La Cilento is the best Lawyer I know. I hired him for a Criminal/Family Law case that looked almost impossible for me to win because of the severity. Michael wasn't intimidated. He was very knowledgeable, professional and honest throughout the whole case. He fought hard and was successful in WINNING both my cases. I am extremely happy I chose him as my Lawyer! Not to mention, all of the staff at his Law firm are very respectful and friendly. I give him 10 Stars! read more

I am very patient being my current situation...but they reschedule appointments back to back keep in mind I was willing and ready to pay for services before even discussing my case right then and there. After waiting a little over an hour in the office I was asked if they could reschedule for a phone call (I had papers that needed to be looked at) their reason was because they needed to shoot their tv commercial?! I guess a commercial is more important then the thousands of dollars that was gonna get paid today. read more