My name is Ramon Acosta. I am a retired attorney. I practiced law for 34 years and 17 of those years was as a federal public defender. I have practiced federal criminal law at the highest level. My brother needed a lawyer. After many years in an unhappy marriage he decided it was time to divorce. He did not make this decision lightly, as a devoted catholic he struggled with his decision but ultimately, he began a search for a good lawyer. I found Tamera mulembo and told him she had served as a federal defender like I did and that the lawyers in the FPD were top notch. I called the office a few times just to talk to her and get a sense of who she is. Of course she never called me back but nevertheless my brother scheduled the appointment and he met her for their first consultation. initially she was great, kind, concerned, caring and she seemed actually committed to representing my brother. Con job. She asked for $5000 and stated that based on her review of the case, she probably would not need any additional fees. My brother was relieved, he felt he had found someone he could trust. For the next ten months, on top of dealing with a marriage of over thirty years and a dissolution of a significant amounts of asses, he had to deal with Mulembo who turned out to be a joke! DO NOT GO TO HER. She will smile and tell you she has your back. She does not. She has her back. Initially I was disappointed when my brother told me at the very first hearing she was late and did not respond to opposing counsel until the day of the hearing. I thought maybe her practice is super busy so I told him to give her the benefit of the doubt. But soon it became clear that this lawyer will use every single excuse out there. " I am relocating my office.". "I am sick". "I am on vacation". She does the knickel and dime type of billing so beware of unnecessary emails or telephone calls. You will get charged. She tried to leverage her representation by repeatedly threatening to withdraw. Super unprofessional! This after asking for an additional $5000 which my brother paid. Of the several hearings conducted in this case, she was unprepared each time, pathetic! Finally at the last hearing, literally ten months after she started her representation, while in court, during the hearing, she quit. She told my brother and the court she was out. Again pathetic. Thank god the judge recognized the situation and allowed my brother to represent himself and he granted those requests my brother asked for which mulembo refused to do so. The court made her stay on the record even after her withdrawal. Of course a bar complaint forthcoming, I am hoping the Az bar takes a good look at her practice. She should refund some her legal fees but I doubt she has that sort of character or integrity. She just seems like a hack.
Everything in this review is true. A final divorce order is coming from the court but it is between my brother and opposing counsel. This after $10000 dollars in legal fees to Mulembo. (Which I am sure she has already spent). My brother is not a difficult person or a rude person or even a greedy person. He is a calm Christian person, so if Mulembo makes some comment regarding client control, it is without merit. She is simply a terrible lawyer
and the reason why everyone hates lawyers. My brother accepted this situation and was able to resolve it. His faith in God got him through. There are many good attorneys in Tucson. Mulembo is not one of them. DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR MONEY OR YOUR TIME. Everything she says is calculated to benefit her. Just keep moving forward in a positive manner and find someone who will actually help you, not just take your money. I was not a client of Mulembo, my brother was. I am just a lawyer with significant experience and know a good lawyer when I see one. read more