Category: Consumer Columnists

THE client is 50, divorced, and used to own a business that had a commercial lease for retail space. He operated the business for 10 years. On the 11th year,…

Q: I recently applied for a job and I was asked to sign an arbitration agreement as a requirement to being hired. I heard arbitration agreements are not fair to…

For about 12 years, Blanca Ramirez worked at the Jack in the Box in San Fernando, CA as a team leader.  She reported to the employer’s anonymous hotline that another…

Businessman considers BK  for $400K lawsuit Client is 68 and married. He just received a notice of bank levy on his accounts for a judgment against his wife. He asks…

ARE you in debt and in a constant state of worrying about your financial situation? Perhaps like most people, you live paycheck to paycheck and are barely surviving but you’ve…

IF you’ve accumulated more credit card debt than you can handle, you may get this sick feeling in your stomach not knowing what to do about it. As a bankruptcy…

“The FBI investigates the scam and tells the client they can get their money back if the money is still in the account.” THE first clients are business partners who…

DR. Sheila Hudson worked as a Senior Associate Athletics Director and Title IX Coordinator for California State University, Los Angeles. She filed a lawsuit against her employer, alleging retaliation after…

ARE you seriously in debt and don’t know what to do? Individuals who have accumulated excessive debt are often left to ponder whether bankruptcy is their only realistic way to…

THE creation of technology-driven industries has given rise to new business models that may not follow the traditional employer-employee relationship. Companies, for example, may practice “outsourcing” or “crowdsourcing” where they…

THE first client is 34. She is recently married and now has a one-year-old son. She used to be employed making a gross of $50,000 yearly. At the same time,…

I WAS in line at the grocery store the other day and noticed the man in front of me smiling and looking at me as if he wanted to say…

THE client is 48, married and has a good job paying him $100,000 gross a year. A family emergency has caused him some financial hardship because money meant to pay…

Off-the-clock and “Unapproved” Work Hours are Still Compensable Q: I work as a nurse at a hospital that has a strict policy of no unapproved overtime. We don’t ask for…

THE first client is 48, married, and has a good job that pays $80,000 a year. His wife makes another $40,000 a year. Together, they make $120,000 gross a year. …

ERIC Hazard worked for 17 years for Raley’s as a pharmacy manager. Eric’s son, Andrew, is 32 years old and disabled with hydrocephalus, a buildup of water on the brain,…

“So now I say to you, if you have accumulated debt, take it easy, we can get rid of those burdensome debts that weigh you down every day of your…

ROSARIO Contreras-Velazquez worked for Family Health in its medical records department when she suffered a work-related repetitive strain injury to her right upper extremity. After surgery, she developed complex regional…

CLIENT is 72. He still works his normal job and makes about $3K a month. He also receives social security of $1K. So, his total income right now is $4K….

DONOVAN Sebastian worked in sales for Sprint/United Management Co. Sprint provided him and other employees with vehicles for them to travel between stores. Sebastian, on behalf of himself and other…

THE first client is 48 and got married in the last four years. Her husband was a foreigner who professed his love for her in so many ways. Unfortunately, his…

ARE you debts growing faster than your income every month?  Trying to pay what you can but feel like you’re running on a treadmill and not getting anywhere? Do you…