Anthony A Zmaila

I found Peter Goatz through the state bar referral program. He demanded a $ 10,000 retainer just to discuss my case. A meeting was scheduled & I was billed $ 112.50. «Calendaring meeting with Mr. Goatz» this was the first item on my outrageously EXPENSIVE invoice. Here began the UNETHICAL billing practices. At my meeting someone else I did not know showed up & Goatz introduced him as Anthony Zmaila. I thought it was a little strange that Goatz did not disclose to me prior that somebody else would be joining us. I began to wonder if Goatz was competent enough to handle my legal matter on his own & unfortunately I soon came to find out that he was not. During the meeting I felt uncomfortable as Zmaila was making rude and absurd comments that were irrelevant to my case. Zmaila insinuated that I might have a weak case because the individual that breached my contract may have some political clout in this town which is ABSURD. Zmaila was dressed shabbily in jeans and a heavy tobacco smoker he reeked like an ashtray full of cigarette butts. I normally would not criticize someone for their lack of hygiene or unprofessional appearance but when I just handed someone $ 10,000 I expect 100% professional courtesy. Shortly after, Goatz went on vacation & during his time away opposing counsel emailed me asking why I had not responded to the last correspondence. I immediately called his office and his secretary seemed to be annoyed as if she didn’t want to be bothered with my phone call. She had no idea whether my letter was sent certified. I had to go into my email & find the correspondence and sent it myself. Not sure why I was charged $ 37.50 for this correspondence that never arrived. Goatz failed to disclose to me that his firm would be double billing me on every phone call, meeting & email that transpired. Zmaila the owner of the firm «reviewed» and billed me for every interaction that I had with Goatz. Zmaila even googled me and did an Internet search on me and billed me for it. This firm did not file any complaints in court nor did they do any litigation. Emails, one call and one correspondence and a $ 5K bill. I voiced my needs on this matter clearly and wanted punitive damages etc. The firms «strategy» they recommended was for me to walk away and sue later in hopes for damages. His inefficient strategy was protecting the other party so I terminated the relationship. I went to his office and requested my bill. His secretary stated it was not ready and I needed to come back. I told her I was not leaving without my final bill. She became anxious & kept disappearing in the back. Finally she produced the bill and kept saying that it was a pre bill and that it could be less etc. I was speechless & walked out. I could tell by her behavior and demeanor that this was not the first time that a client was shocked by their billing practices. I received a final bill with additional charges on it: 7÷24÷2015 $ 25: Reading my email to cease and desist all activity on matter. Who charges a client to read an email that instructed to cease all activity? This firm does! 7÷27÷2015 $ 50: Billing me to read my email complaint about their excessive billing and their unethical billing practices. Only this firm would bill a client for reading an email complaining about their unethical billing. Goatz asked me to purchase a program for $ 50 to download all my emails. After doing this, he bills me for $ 225 to «upload emails». Zmaila charged me $ 90 to do an internet search of me. Zmaila also charged me $ 900 to review my lease agreement. I suppose that Goatz was not competent enough to review a simple contract on his own. This firm doubled billed me so that Mr. Goatz, Age 32 could get experience & lawyering training at my companies’ expense. I ended up paying this firm almost $ 5,000 to discuss a completely useless and inefficient strategy & to send one correspondence via regular mail that never even arrived. No motions were filed & no litigation happened whatsoever! STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS ATTORNEY AND THEIR UNETHICAL BILLLING PRACTICES!