I'm a mid-career professional who never, ever thought I'd be in need of an employment attorney. When the unthinkable happened, I interviewed several attorneys and chose to work with Dave because I had absolute confidence that he knew his stuff and - more importantly - he did a great job communicating with me. He's a great listener and kept me in the drivers' seat by clearly explaining what options were available and the pro's/con's of each option. After engaging Dave, I was impressed by his ability to keep all the facts of my case straight (my particular situation was pretty complicated with several twists and turns, and unusual dynamics). He helped me stay focused on my "end game" separating what was important legally from what needed to be tuned out as "noise." I was also impressed by Dave's stewardship of my resources. The stress of paying an employment attorney while at the same time fearing possible job loss is not a trivial thing. I felt that Dave and his team were mindful of this and worked incredibly efficiently (Linda Eby, the firm's Controller was also great to work with and provided good advice early on how to work efficiently, etc.). In the end, after a very long negotiation with my employer we landed in a place that left me feeling I'd been "made whole." This helped me gain a real sense of closure after a very painful breakup with my employer. I attribute this positive outcome both to the skill of David and his Sr. Associate Pete Whelan (see separate review) but also to the confidence that having great counsel instilled in me - helping me to make have the chutzpah to hold out for what was right.

I engaged Mr. Wachtel in a hurry, when it became clear that I was facing a quickly developing complex labor related situation that, in my judgment, required legal support. I have found Mr. Wachtel doing research over the internet, called Bernabei & Wachtel, the [small] firm he is a partner at, went to see him, and from the first moment, I knew that he is the kind of counsel I was looking for: highly competent, favoring substance over appearance, down-to-earth, dedicated and a decent person. Even before finalizing the retainer formalities, despite a couple of hours notice, he made himself available to accompany me at a critical meeting with my employer which established the tone for the ulterior evolution of my situation. As my situation became a "case" and was trailing, with multiple attorneys involved from the opposing side, Mr. Wachtel kept things in check. I was able to communicate with him during not only normal business hours but at the most unreasonable times, over weekends and holidays. At all times, he navigated through the maze of issues with great confidence backed by research, and always having a trump in his sleeve. He kept me in the loop at all times and we worked together on various required documents. He was very thorough in researching and reaching understanding of both the big picture and all details of the case, using not only legal provisions and precedents but also directly approaching personal contacts with experience and knowledge of similar issues as the ones I was facing. Additionally he correctly assessed the dynamics of the circumstances of the case. Most importantly, he properly advised when to stop and what kind of settlement to pursue to ensure unhindered success in my career after an agreement was reached. At last but not at least he has shown empathy and I have no doubt that he really cared for me as a client.

I contacted Dave when my former employer violated my severance agreement. Dave helped guide me through a difficult negotiation, one in which I was forced to accept a "less bad" outcome for the sake of moving on with my life. David quickly assimilated the facts, worked with me in thinking through the trade-offs between litigating and settling, and helped me get the matter resolved through settlement before I incurred large-scale fees.

Dave negotiated a settlement in a wrongful termination matter involving a family member. He quickly achieved an acceptable resolution and avoided legal proceedings. Dave was always available and responsive to questions, always thoughtful, always planning ahead. He is exceptionally good at explaining legal issues in plain language, and asking questions. Dave was always focused on getting a good result, and he did just that.

Dave represented me in a complex and distressing issue and I am very grateful that I found him. Throughout the process, he listened to my concerns and always kept my goals at the forefront of the discussion. He was patient and responsive during a stressful and emotional time and this was a great comfort. He always gave me a clear picture of next steps and a realistic understanding of possible outcomes. Thanks to him, a difficult situation was resolved successfully. I would recommend him to others without reservations.

David helped me navigate the difficult process of separating from an employer that I had worked with for many years. While it was an amicable separation, it was also rather complex given certain unique aspects of my compensation structure. Throughout the negotiation process, David helped me focus on what was important and ultimately craft an agreement that all parties were pleased with. I highly recommend David to any executive facing a complex separation process.

I do not have enough words to describe the type of top notch lawyer Dave is, if he takes your case. I was in the unfortunate situation of facing consistent and cruel retaliation for having complained of discrimination. Someone told me Dave was the best lawyer I could get. I went through intense trauma, panic attacks, sleepless nights, and was even diagnosed as a result, with PTSD. I felt trapped. Stuck. My situation at times felt hopeless. Throughout this agony, Dave never failed to believe in me. He supported me. He also wrote the best briefs, researched the laws, updated what needed to be updated. He gave me hope when I had lost all hope. He went beyond the call of duty and even once, shortened his vacation to deal with a matter in my case. In the end, just as the agency was once again trying to terminate me wrongly, under the most adverse conditions for me, when I was literally at the end of my rope, Dave calmly and very smoothly, negotiated a miraculous settlement for me, identified future needs even I did not know I would have, which allowed me to leave under the utmost favorable conditions, regain my health, and start afresh somewhere else. Dave saved my life. If he takes your case, consider that you won the lottery. One way or the other, Dave will come through for you. You cannot find a better attorney: compassionate, calm with his client, knowledgeable about the law, supportive, and calmly aggressive with the other side when it comes to his client’s interests. The minute he steps, you finally get respect. I cannot recommend Dave enough.

Dave Wachtel was a saving grace to me and my family during the most difficult time in our lives. He represented us in a highly complex case that was wrought with emotion; his earnest belief in the law, his patience, and work ethic were inspiring during a time of doubt and real despair. He not only achieved a victory for us in our lawsuit, but, more importantly, he inspired us as a person. It was a privilege to have him represent us. We will be thankful for the rest of our lives.

Dave is extremely smart, responsive, has a good sense of humor, and a good bedside manner dealing with people that, by definition, have had something bad happen to them. He's never condescending, actively solicited my input, and has an amazing way with words when negotiating with my ex-employer to achieve a just solution (for both parties) while politely laying out various bad scenarios that will occur without a just resolution. I felt afterwards that I achieved the best possible resolution, that we didn't leave a penny on the table, and we avoided a messy lawsuit. In my opinion, Dave Wachtel is a rock star and my ex-employer had to be impressed by his stature, his ability, and this positively impacted the end result. Hiring Dave Wachtel tells your ex-employer that you mean business, and he gives you the best chance to quickly achieve a fair solution for the employee without unnecessarily antagonizing the employer. It's a small world. Finally, Dave is fair with his billing, he's definitely not inflating his billable hours, he's a good human being.

The letter you wrote is perfect. It sounds like me and is clear and reasonable - and not manipulative. You may consider yourself to be cynical but you have heart and humor and you've made a rough week feel like a victory. Send me your bill. It will be the first time in my life I've paid a lawyer and what you did for me and our family is priceless. Peace of mind is unquantifiable.

I'm a mid-career professional who never, ever thought I'd be in need of an employment attorney. When the unthinkable happened, I interviewed several attorneys and chose to work with Dave because I had absolute confidence that he knew his stuff and - more importantly - he did a great job communicating with me. He's a great listener and kept me in the drivers' seat by clearly explaining what options were available and the pro's/con's of each option. After engaging Dave, I was impressed by his ability to keep all the facts of my case straight (my particular situation was pretty complicated with several twists and turns, and unusual dynamics). He helped me stay focused on my "end game" separating what was important legally from what needed to be tuned out as "noise." I was also impressed by Dave's stewardship of my resources. The stress of paying an employment attorney while at the same time fearing possible job loss is not a trivial thing. I felt that Dave and his team were mindful of this and worked incredibly efficiently (Linda Eby, the firm's Controller was also great to work with and provided good advice early on how to work efficiently, etc.). In the end, after a very long negotiation with my employer we landed in a place that left me feeling I'd been "made whole." This helped me gain a real sense of closure after a very painful breakup with my employer. I attribute this positive outcome both to the skill of David and his Sr. Associate Pete Whelan (see separate review) but also to the confidence that having great counsel instilled in me - helping me to make have the chutzpah to hold out for what was right.

I engaged Mr. Wachtel in a hurry, when it became clear that I was facing a quickly developing complex labor related situation that, in my judgment, required legal support. I have found Mr. Wachtel doing research over the internet, called Bernabei & Wachtel, the [small] firm he is a partner at, went to see him, and from the first moment, I knew that he is the kind of counsel I was looking for: highly competent, favoring substance over appearance, down-to-earth, dedicated and a decent person. Even before finalizing the retainer formalities, despite a couple of hours notice, he made himself available to accompany me at a critical meeting with my employer which established the tone for the ulterior evolution of my situation. As my situation became a "case" and was trailing, with multiple attorneys involved from the opposing side, Mr. Wachtel kept things in check. I was able to communicate with him during not only normal business hours but at the most unreasonable times, over weekends and holidays. At all times, he navigated through the maze of issues with great confidence backed by research, and always having a trump in his sleeve. He kept me in the loop at all times and we worked together on various required documents. He was very thorough in researching and reaching understanding of both the big picture and all details of the case, using not only legal provisions and precedents but also directly approaching personal contacts with experience and knowledge of similar issues as the ones I was facing. Additionally he correctly assessed the dynamics of the circumstances of the case. Most importantly, he properly advised when to stop and what kind of settlement to pursue to ensure unhindered success in my career after an agreement was reached. At last but not at least he has shown empathy and I have no doubt that he really cared for me as a client.

I contacted Dave when my former employer violated my severance agreement. Dave helped guide me through a difficult negotiation, one in which I was forced to accept a "less bad" outcome for the sake of moving on with my life. David quickly assimilated the facts, worked with me in thinking through the trade-offs between litigating and settling, and helped me get the matter resolved through settlement before I incurred large-scale fees.

Dave negotiated a settlement in a wrongful termination matter involving a family member. He quickly achieved an acceptable resolution and avoided legal proceedings. Dave was always available and responsive to questions, always thoughtful, always planning ahead. He is exceptionally good at explaining legal issues in plain language, and asking questions. Dave was always focused on getting a good result, and he did just that.

Dave represented me in a complex and distressing issue and I am very grateful that I found him. Throughout the process, he listened to my concerns and always kept my goals at the forefront of the discussion. He was patient and responsive during a stressful and emotional time and this was a great comfort. He always gave me a clear picture of next steps and a realistic understanding of possible outcomes. Thanks to him, a difficult situation was resolved successfully. I would recommend him to others without reservations.

David helped me navigate the difficult process of separating from an employer that I had worked with for many years. While it was an amicable separation, it was also rather complex given certain unique aspects of my compensation structure. Throughout the negotiation process, David helped me focus on what was important and ultimately craft an agreement that all parties were pleased with. I highly recommend David to any executive facing a complex separation process.

I do not have enough words to describe the type of top notch lawyer Dave is, if he takes your case. I was in the unfortunate situation of facing consistent and cruel retaliation for having complained of discrimination. Someone told me Dave was the best lawyer I could get. I went through intense trauma, panic attacks, sleepless nights, and was even diagnosed as a result, with PTSD. I felt trapped. Stuck. My situation at times felt hopeless. Throughout this agony, Dave never failed to believe in me. He supported me. He also wrote the best briefs, researched the laws, updated what needed to be updated. He gave me hope when I had lost all hope. He went beyond the call of duty and even once, shortened his vacation to deal with a matter in my case. In the end, just as the agency was once again trying to terminate me wrongly, under the most adverse conditions for me, when I was literally at the end of my rope, Dave calmly and very smoothly, negotiated a miraculous settlement for me, identified future needs even I did not know I would have, which allowed me to leave under the utmost favorable conditions, regain my health, and start afresh somewhere else. Dave saved my life. If he takes your case, consider that you won the lottery. One way or the other, Dave will come through for you. You cannot find a better attorney: compassionate, calm with his client, knowledgeable about the law, supportive, and calmly aggressive with the other side when it comes to his client’s interests. The minute he steps, you finally get respect. I cannot recommend Dave enough.

Dave Wachtel was a saving grace to me and my family during the most difficult time in our lives. He represented us in a highly complex case that was wrought with emotion; his earnest belief in the law, his patience, and work ethic were inspiring during a time of doubt and real despair. He not only achieved a victory for us in our lawsuit, but, more importantly, he inspired us as a person. It was a privilege to have him represent us. We will be thankful for the rest of our lives.

Dave is extremely smart, responsive, has a good sense of humor, and a good bedside manner dealing with people that, by definition, have had something bad happen to them. He's never condescending, actively solicited my input, and has an amazing way with words when negotiating with my ex-employer to achieve a just solution (for both parties) while politely laying out various bad scenarios that will occur without a just resolution. I felt afterwards that I achieved the best possible resolution, that we didn't leave a penny on the table, and we avoided a messy lawsuit. In my opinion, Dave Wachtel is a rock star and my ex-employer had to be impressed by his stature, his ability, and this positively impacted the end result. Hiring Dave Wachtel tells your ex-employer that you mean business, and he gives you the best chance to quickly achieve a fair solution for the employee without unnecessarily antagonizing the employer. It's a small world. Finally, Dave is fair with his billing, he's definitely not inflating his billable hours, he's a good human being.

The letter you wrote is perfect. It sounds like me and is clear and reasonable - and not manipulative. You may consider yourself to be cynical but you have heart and humor and you've made a rough week feel like a victory. Send me your bill. It will be the first time in my life I've paid a lawyer and what you did for me and our family is priceless. Peace of mind is unquantifiable.

I'm a mid-career professional who never, ever thought I'd be in need of an employment attorney. When the unthinkable happened, I interviewed several attorneys and chose to work with Dave because I had absolute confidence that he knew his stuff and - more importantly - he did a great job communicating with me. He's a great listener and kept me in the drivers' seat by clearly explaining what options were available and the pro's/con's of each option. After engaging Dave, I was impressed by his ability to keep all the facts of my case straight (my particular situation was pretty complicated with several twists and turns, and unusual dynamics). He helped me stay focused on my "end game" separating what was important legally from what needed to be tuned out as "noise." I was also impressed by Dave's stewardship of my resources. The stress of paying an employment attorney while at the same time fearing possible job loss is not a trivial thing. I felt that Dave and his team were mindful of this and worked incredibly efficiently (Linda Eby, the firm's Controller was also great to work with and provided good advice early on how to work efficiently, etc.). In the end, after a very long negotiation with my employer we landed in a place that left me feeling I'd been "made whole." This helped me gain a real sense of closure after a very painful breakup with my employer. I attribute this positive outcome both to the skill of David and his Sr. Associate Pete Whelan (see separate review) but also to the confidence that having great counsel instilled in me - helping me to make have the chutzpah to hold out for what was right.

I engaged Mr. Wachtel in a hurry, when it became clear that I was facing a quickly developing complex labor related situation that, in my judgment, required legal support. I have found Mr. Wachtel doing research over the internet, called Bernabei & Wachtel, the [small] firm he is a partner at, went to see him, and from the first moment, I knew that he is the kind of counsel I was looking for: highly competent, favoring substance over appearance, down-to-earth, dedicated and a decent person. Even before finalizing the retainer formalities, despite a couple of hours notice, he made himself available to accompany me at a critical meeting with my employer which established the tone for the ulterior evolution of my situation. As my situation became a "case" and was trailing, with multiple attorneys involved from the opposing side, Mr. Wachtel kept things in check. I was able to communicate with him during not only normal business hours but at the most unreasonable times, over weekends and holidays. At all times, he navigated through the maze of issues with great confidence backed by research, and always having a trump in his sleeve. He kept me in the loop at all times and we worked together on various required documents. He was very thorough in researching and reaching understanding of both the big picture and all details of the case, using not only legal provisions and precedents but also directly approaching personal contacts with experience and knowledge of similar issues as the ones I was facing. Additionally he correctly assessed the dynamics of the circumstances of the case. Most importantly, he properly advised when to stop and what kind of settlement to pursue to ensure unhindered success in my career after an agreement was reached. At last but not at least he has shown empathy and I have no doubt that he really cared for me as a client.

I contacted Dave when my former employer violated my severance agreement. Dave helped guide me through a difficult negotiation, one in which I was forced to accept a "less bad" outcome for the sake of moving on with my life. David quickly assimilated the facts, worked with me in thinking through the trade-offs between litigating and settling, and helped me get the matter resolved through settlement before I incurred large-scale fees.

Dave negotiated a settlement in a wrongful termination matter involving a family member. He quickly achieved an acceptable resolution and avoided legal proceedings. Dave was always available and responsive to questions, always thoughtful, always planning ahead. He is exceptionally good at explaining legal issues in plain language, and asking questions. Dave was always focused on getting a good result, and he did just that.

Dave represented me in a complex and distressing issue and I am very grateful that I found him. Throughout the process, he listened to my concerns and always kept my goals at the forefront of the discussion. He was patient and responsive during a stressful and emotional time and this was a great comfort. He always gave me a clear picture of next steps and a realistic understanding of possible outcomes. Thanks to him, a difficult situation was resolved successfully. I would recommend him to others without reservations.

David helped me navigate the difficult process of separating from an employer that I had worked with for many years. While it was an amicable separation, it was also rather complex given certain unique aspects of my compensation structure. Throughout the negotiation process, David helped me focus on what was important and ultimately craft an agreement that all parties were pleased with. I highly recommend David to any executive facing a complex separation process.

I do not have enough words to describe the type of top notch lawyer Dave is, if he takes your case. I was in the unfortunate situation of facing consistent and cruel retaliation for having complained of discrimination. Someone told me Dave was the best lawyer I could get. I went through intense trauma, panic attacks, sleepless nights, and was even diagnosed as a result, with PTSD. I felt trapped. Stuck. My situation at times felt hopeless. Throughout this agony, Dave never failed to believe in me. He supported me. He also wrote the best briefs, researched the laws, updated what needed to be updated. He gave me hope when I had lost all hope. He went beyond the call of duty and even once, shortened his vacation to deal with a matter in my case. In the end, just as the agency was once again trying to terminate me wrongly, under the most adverse conditions for me, when I was literally at the end of my rope, Dave calmly and very smoothly, negotiated a miraculous settlement for me, identified future needs even I did not know I would have, which allowed me to leave under the utmost favorable conditions, regain my health, and start afresh somewhere else. Dave saved my life. If he takes your case, consider that you won the lottery. One way or the other, Dave will come through for you. You cannot find a better attorney: compassionate, calm with his client, knowledgeable about the law, supportive, and calmly aggressive with the other side when it comes to his client’s interests. The minute he steps, you finally get respect. I cannot recommend Dave enough.

Dave Wachtel was a saving grace to me and my family during the most difficult time in our lives. He represented us in a highly complex case that was wrought with emotion; his earnest belief in the law, his patience, and work ethic were inspiring during a time of doubt and real despair. He not only achieved a victory for us in our lawsuit, but, more importantly, he inspired us as a person. It was a privilege to have him represent us. We will be thankful for the rest of our lives.

Dave is extremely smart, responsive, has a good sense of humor, and a good bedside manner dealing with people that, by definition, have had something bad happen to them. He's never condescending, actively solicited my input, and has an amazing way with words when negotiating with my ex-employer to achieve a just solution (for both parties) while politely laying out various bad scenarios that will occur without a just resolution. I felt afterwards that I achieved the best possible resolution, that we didn't leave a penny on the table, and we avoided a messy lawsuit. In my opinion, Dave Wachtel is a rock star and my ex-employer had to be impressed by his stature, his ability, and this positively impacted the end result. Hiring Dave Wachtel tells your ex-employer that you mean business, and he gives you the best chance to quickly achieve a fair solution for the employee without unnecessarily antagonizing the employer. It's a small world. Finally, Dave is fair with his billing, he's definitely not inflating his billable hours, he's a good human being.

The letter you wrote is perfect. It sounds like me and is clear and reasonable - and not manipulative. You may consider yourself to be cynical but you have heart and humor and you've made a rough week feel like a victory. Send me your bill. It will be the first time in my life I've paid a lawyer and what you did for me and our family is priceless. Peace of mind is unquantifiable.

I'm a mid-career professional who never, ever thought I'd be in need of an employment attorney. When the unthinkable happened, I interviewed several attorneys and chose to work with Dave because I had absolute confidence that he knew his stuff and - more importantly - he did a great job communicating with me. He's a great listener and kept me in the drivers' seat by clearly explaining what options were available and the pro's/con's of each option. After engaging Dave, I was impressed by his ability to keep all the facts of my case straight (my particular situation was pretty complicated with several twists and turns, and unusual dynamics). He helped me stay focused on my "end game" separating what was important legally from what needed to be tuned out as "noise." I was also impressed by Dave's stewardship of my resources. The stress of paying an employment attorney while at the same time fearing possible job loss is not a trivial thing. I felt that Dave and his team were mindful of this and worked incredibly efficiently (Linda Eby, the firm's Controller was also great to work with and provided good advice early on how to work efficiently, etc.). In the end, after a very long negotiation with my employer we landed in a place that left me feeling I'd been "made whole." This helped me gain a real sense of closure after a very painful breakup with my employer. I attribute this positive outcome both to the skill of David and his Sr. Associate Pete Whelan (see separate review) but also to the confidence that having great counsel instilled in me - helping me to make have the chutzpah to hold out for what was right.

I engaged Mr. Wachtel in a hurry, when it became clear that I was facing a quickly developing complex labor related situation that, in my judgment, required legal support. I have found Mr. Wachtel doing research over the internet, called Bernabei & Wachtel, the [small] firm he is a partner at, went to see him, and from the first moment, I knew that he is the kind of counsel I was looking for: highly competent, favoring substance over appearance, down-to-earth, dedicated and a decent person. Even before finalizing the retainer formalities, despite a couple of hours notice, he made himself available to accompany me at a critical meeting with my employer which established the tone for the ulterior evolution of my situation. As my situation became a "case" and was trailing, with multiple attorneys involved from the opposing side, Mr. Wachtel kept things in check. I was able to communicate with him during not only normal business hours but at the most unreasonable times, over weekends and holidays. At all times, he navigated through the maze of issues with great confidence backed by research, and always having a trump in his sleeve. He kept me in the loop at all times and we worked together on various required documents. He was very thorough in researching and reaching understanding of both the big picture and all details of the case, using not only legal provisions and precedents but also directly approaching personal contacts with experience and knowledge of similar issues as the ones I was facing. Additionally he correctly assessed the dynamics of the circumstances of the case. Most importantly, he properly advised when to stop and what kind of settlement to pursue to ensure unhindered success in my career after an agreement was reached. At last but not at least he has shown empathy and I have no doubt that he really cared for me as a client.

I contacted Dave when my former employer violated my severance agreement. Dave helped guide me through a difficult negotiation, one in which I was forced to accept a "less bad" outcome for the sake of moving on with my life. David quickly assimilated the facts, worked with me in thinking through the trade-offs between litigating and settling, and helped me get the matter resolved through settlement before I incurred large-scale fees.

Dave negotiated a settlement in a wrongful termination matter involving a family member. He quickly achieved an acceptable resolution and avoided legal proceedings. Dave was always available and responsive to questions, always thoughtful, always planning ahead. He is exceptionally good at explaining legal issues in plain language, and asking questions. Dave was always focused on getting a good result, and he did just that.

Dave represented me in a complex and distressing issue and I am very grateful that I found him. Throughout the process, he listened to my concerns and always kept my goals at the forefront of the discussion. He was patient and responsive during a stressful and emotional time and this was a great comfort. He always gave me a clear picture of next steps and a realistic understanding of possible outcomes. Thanks to him, a difficult situation was resolved successfully. I would recommend him to others without reservations.

David helped me navigate the difficult process of separating from an employer that I had worked with for many years. While it was an amicable separation, it was also rather complex given certain unique aspects of my compensation structure. Throughout the negotiation process, David helped me focus on what was important and ultimately craft an agreement that all parties were pleased with. I highly recommend David to any executive facing a complex separation process.

I do not have enough words to describe the type of top notch lawyer Dave is, if he takes your case. I was in the unfortunate situation of facing consistent and cruel retaliation for having complained of discrimination. Someone told me Dave was the best lawyer I could get. I went through intense trauma, panic attacks, sleepless nights, and was even diagnosed as a result, with PTSD. I felt trapped. Stuck. My situation at times felt hopeless. Throughout this agony, Dave never failed to believe in me. He supported me. He also wrote the best briefs, researched the laws, updated what needed to be updated. He gave me hope when I had lost all hope. He went beyond the call of duty and even once, shortened his vacation to deal with a matter in my case. In the end, just as the agency was once again trying to terminate me wrongly, under the most adverse conditions for me, when I was literally at the end of my rope, Dave calmly and very smoothly, negotiated a miraculous settlement for me, identified future needs even I did not know I would have, which allowed me to leave under the utmost favorable conditions, regain my health, and start afresh somewhere else. Dave saved my life. If he takes your case, consider that you won the lottery. One way or the other, Dave will come through for you. You cannot find a better attorney: compassionate, calm with his client, knowledgeable about the law, supportive, and calmly aggressive with the other side when it comes to his client’s interests. The minute he steps, you finally get respect. I cannot recommend Dave enough.

Dave Wachtel was a saving grace to me and my family during the most difficult time in our lives. He represented us in a highly complex case that was wrought with emotion; his earnest belief in the law, his patience, and work ethic were inspiring during a time of doubt and real despair. He not only achieved a victory for us in our lawsuit, but, more importantly, he inspired us as a person. It was a privilege to have him represent us. We will be thankful for the rest of our lives.

Dave is extremely smart, responsive, has a good sense of humor, and a good bedside manner dealing with people that, by definition, have had something bad happen to them. He's never condescending, actively solicited my input, and has an amazing way with words when negotiating with my ex-employer to achieve a just solution (for both parties) while politely laying out various bad scenarios that will occur without a just resolution. I felt afterwards that I achieved the best possible resolution, that we didn't leave a penny on the table, and we avoided a messy lawsuit. In my opinion, Dave Wachtel is a rock star and my ex-employer had to be impressed by his stature, his ability, and this positively impacted the end result. Hiring Dave Wachtel tells your ex-employer that you mean business, and he gives you the best chance to quickly achieve a fair solution for the employee without unnecessarily antagonizing the employer. It's a small world. Finally, Dave is fair with his billing, he's definitely not inflating his billable hours, he's a good human being.

The letter you wrote is perfect. It sounds like me and is clear and reasonable - and not manipulative. You may consider yourself to be cynical but you have heart and humor and you've made a rough week feel like a victory. Send me your bill. It will be the first time in my life I've paid a lawyer and what you did for me and our family is priceless. Peace of mind is unquantifiable.