Attorney Nancy Weissman of Belmont, MA; ethical goblin

The state of Massachusetts presented Nancy M. Weissman with a law license in 1983 after she graduated from the University of Massachusetts Law School.

The Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers found Nancy guilty of the following misconduct.

• Engaged in filing frivolous (BS) lawsuits
• Engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice
• Engaged in conduct adversely reflected on fitness as a lawyer
• Engaged in improperly giving advice to unrepresented persons
• Father hired Nancy to represent son regarding son’s purchase of condo while he was in college and she signed a fee agreement with the father and son that her hourly rate would be $235
• Shortly after she was retained, Nancy told the father and son she wanted to increase her hourly fee to $375; however, they told her they would not agree to the increased fee rate and the written fee agreement was never amended
• Nancy performed about 4 hours of legal work for the son before being terminated
• After the son terminated her, Nancy presented him, and his father will a bill for $1,572 using the $375 per hour rate
• The son refused to pay the $1,572 because it did not represent the $225 per hour rate specified in the written fee agreement
• After being terminated, Nancy filed a small claims action against the father and son seeking $1,572 in fees plus $40 in court costs
• Two weeks later, the son sent Nancy a check for $625 which represented what she was actually owed when added to the $500 upfront fee she was paid at the onset of the representation by the son’s father
• Upon receipt of the $625 check, Nancy cashed it and then notified the son and father that they still owed her $947 based on her hourly fee claim of $375 per hour
• In order to satisfy Nancy’s $375 our claim, the son agreed to pay her an additional $250 which she accepted and which the son was led to believe would settle the entire $947 claim as to him and his father
• Subsequently, Nancy sought full execution on the $975 and recorded a lien on the son’s interest in his condominium, without notice to the father and son
• Upon learning that judgment and execution had entered against the son for $947 and that Nancy record a lien against his condo to secure payment of the $947, they filed a motion to set aside the judgment and lien
• The following month, Nancy notified the court that she agreed to the dismissal of her $947 fee claim based on the inflated hourly rate of $375
• Failed to clearly communicate to the son her intentions in amending the proposed agreement for judgment
• Failed to advise the son to consult independent counsel regarding her claim she was entitled to unilaterally increase her hourly rate by $150 per hour
• Pursued or defended a proceeding, or asserted or controverted an issue therein, unless there was basis for doing so that was not frivolous
• Failed to confirm the amount due to Nancy and to credit the son with the amount paid against the judgment when she sought an execution and filed a lien

As a consequence of her misconduct, the enablers for Attorney Misfits sitting on the Board of Bar Overseers punished Nancy by gifting her with a complimentary reprimand.

As one would suspect, Nancy fails to mention the misconduct set forth above on her self-serving website at www.nancyweissman.com. Apparently, Nancy decided to conceal this relevant information from prospective clients so that he would not limit his future victim pool.

As we speak (ca. March 2020), Nancy practices with the Law Offices of Nancy Weissman at 26 Brighton Street in Belmont, Massachusetts.