United Law Group
Reviews and Complaints

Peter Bronstein and Jonathan Bruce Teperson #156470 are involved in a fraud scheme knowing filing a $250,000 tortious lawsuit against me and my company claiming Extortion

This includes un licensed practice of law, Jacob King aka Mark Hakim (CEO of ULRS INC. Jacob King was impersonating the “Corporate attorney” practicing law free of a license.

They filed a default judgment (with NO service) on 1/3/23 which was reversed on 3/21/23

They have done this multiple times and for extortion:

For Extortion

• The defendant knew the threat was wrongful,

• The threat included a demand for money, property or services (this threat could be express or implied), and

• The plaintiff complied with the demand.

Retaliation

A. On 3/11/22 Alameda County #HS21112776 Hogarty vs United Legal Group for $1,000 and removal of judgment. (United Legal Group reported a collection on my personal credit lowering my credit score by 100 points.) It was served to attorney Jonathan Teperson ESQ yet it was not allowed in Small Claims. Service was attempted 7 times to United Legal Group, with 2 separate court dates, to no avail.

B. On 3/18/22 United Legal Group filed this complaint for $250,000 Extortion in Riverside County #CVSW2201581. This case is a direct retaliation against Proof Smart Food (Corporation dissolved 2020 due to COVID), The Fitness Meal Inc. (CA Corp 2021).

A. Defendant Hogarty had multiple conversations with Jacob King aka Mark Hakim (CEO of ULRS INC. Jacob King was impersonating the “Corporate attorney” practicing law free of a license. Jacob King has practiced law free of a license with other clients.

B. From BBB (Better Business Bureau) website: https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/corona/profile/collections-agencies/united-legal-group-1066-850037572/customer-reviews (many more on the link)

• Jessica "In that email, the lab owner said she had not authorized ULG to collect on these debts, and that she had sent them a cease-and-desist letter, but they had ignored the request. I have spoken to Elizabeth from ULG several times. I asked if I could record the call for my records and she told me it was an FDCPA violation to record the call. It is not. She lied to me about the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.”

• Phillip “They then started to threaten us, especially Jacob K***. He said he will not pay us over 20k of monies he has already collected and if we go after him he will go after us for more penalties. He also told me he based off of the customer I have sent to collections he can tell that I'm working with criminals and breaking the law.

• Christina: “Stay away from this company. The owner, Mark H****, aka Jacob K*** (the “legal director” - who isn’t an attorney yet continuously provides clients with reckless legal advice, and has actually told other people that he IS an attorney) will retaliate if you use PSL and will even fire you for request*** FFCRA pay after require*** that you quarantine. He illegally demoted me while I was on medical leave. He also falsely claims that employees “resigned” since he doesn’t want to pay unemployment benefits. There are multiple past employees who can attest to this. This place is ridiculous, and I’m surprised the Department of Labor hasn’t shut them down yet.

Jurisdiction and Venue

A. Trustart Financial is located in Chicago, Illinois (They were the company defendant did business with, not United Legal Group). United Legal Group is located in Corona, CA, ULRS Inc is located in Murrieta CA and William Hogarty, The Fitness Meal Inc, Proof Smart Food Inc (dissolved in 2020) are located in Alameda County, CA. All business dealing with Trustart Financial were done in Alameda County, CA.

B. United Legal Group is not a California entity and was not authorized to put defendant into collections in Feb 2021. ULRS, Inc. is a newly formed corporation (formed 8/19/21). The defendant never did any business with ULRS, Inc. or United Legal Group.

Original complaint dated 5/01/19 by defendant against Trustart Financial (Alameda Count #HS19004448 for fraud, misrepresentation and services not rendered) dismissed as served in Chicago so not valid for small claims in CA.

Duty to meet and confer.

1. Defendant called Peter Bronstein on 9/29/23 for a meet and confirm, promised a called back to no avail. Defendant called and emailed Peter Bronstein on January 10, 2023 to no avail, Defendant called and emailed Peter Bronstein on January 11, 2023 to no avail and Defendant emailed Peter Bronstein and Jonathan Teperson on February 2, 2023 to no avail.

2. No service of ANY motions below to defendant:

• Request for Entry of Default (CIV-100) on Complaint for Other Collections (Over $25,000) of ULRS INC. DBA UNITED LEGAL GROUP

• Declaration of Attorney Peter C. Bronstein in Response to the Court's Order to Show Cause for Failure to File Proof of Service on Complaint for Other Collections (Over $25,000) of ULRS INC. DBA UNITED LEGAL GROUP

• And 4 filings Proof of Service on Complaint for Other Collections (Over $25,000) of ULRS INC. DBA UNITED LEGAL GROUP

United law firm first contacted me saying they were united collections and I was being served court papers over a loan I had taken out from the cash store in 2019. I hadn't received any letters from the cash store or a collection agency. They told me I could settle for $200 less than what I owed. Then they told me in order to do so I needed to pay $188.55 up front to avoid court since my account was red flagged. The next two times they called it looked to be a cell phone number not the usual 800 number. I never sent money. I felt like it was a scam.

United Law Group electrincaly transfered $3, 500.00 from my checking account for fees to complete a mortgage loan modification. I was able to contact their representatives and receieved regular calls from them until they received all up front fees. After that time I was unable to get in contact with anyone and never receieved a return call.

No action was ever taken by United Law Group. My lenders were never contacted by anyone representing United Law Group.

If there is anyone who has information on action that can be taken against this law firm or has elpful information about actions against United Law Group, you can contact me at www.miller0369@aol.com

Solicited by phone an offer to modify home loan from Bank of America.
This was in may of 2009. Paid them in two payments to a total sum of 5300.
For this amount they claimed We had access to an lawyer and large group of Para-legals well versed in lawsuits against BofA.
After months of telling us BofA was not returning calls and not working with them, they told us the funds were gone and that we could file with them for Bankuptcy for an additional 3, 000.00. We declined their offer. they also stated that we would be included in lawsuit against BofA as a class action client.(at no Additional cost)
BofA has never heard of ULG in our case unless the information came from us. there are no leters, no notes, most important no certified mail sent on our behalf to BofA. ULG sat a on our money cashed the checks and did noting nor can they prove they have done anything.
We are not on the lawsuit and from what we have seen all ULG has done is file a COMPLIANT against Bofa and Countrywide, not filed a lawsuit. We are about to be forclosed on by BofA, and they do not want to do any modify's anyway because there is no money in it for them. The US Government already gave it to them, no strings attached.
United law group took our last amount of money and like a pickpocket walked off down the street not looking back! BofA wants their Property and all the govenment handouts! So they can resaell the house again.
All backed by the national and state governments.

My brother is in a mess with bank of america. He ahas been fighting with them for 6 months about his HELOC loan. He recently hired United Law GRoup to represent him. He paid them$ 2500.00. They DO NOT return phone calls and DID NOT show up in court even tho they were well aware of the date.They have done nothing to remodify the loan. There is another court date on june 22nd .They still have not filed a motion on my brothers behalf or worked with bank of america to re modify the loan. MY brother is hardworking and is dislexic.HE is going to lose his home on June 22nd for 2 missed payments on a HELOC! His reg. mortgage is up to date! STAY AWAY FROM THIS LAW FIRM! JUST MORE MONEY AND MORE HEADACHES!

Several months ago my wife and I retained United Law Group to assist with securing a loan modification. Like several other people we got nothing. ULG was just resently raided by several agencys including the FBI. I have filed complaints with several agencys my self . None have came up with anything different. ULG is scamming people for a profit. A freind compared ULG and thier tactics to that of the movie Boiler room. I am trying to keep my house and am working with my lender directly agianst the advice of ULG. Hopefully I can save it. If not I will be moving my famialy into ULG's corparate office in Irvine Ca.

I have been dealing with this co. for 8 months now, they would not inform me of the situeation of my Loan Modification, and everytime I called they would tell me that they were just waiting on the Bank! These were all lies, My loan Modification was cancelled because they failed to submit documents that the bank was requesting. I always send them my documents right away. They did not inform me of this and now my house is up for sale from the Bank. I have requested a refund of 7, 000. and they keep telling me someone is going to get a hold of me. A week now and no one has called me, at one time they said that they had other prioritys and that a refund of my money was not a priority, they will not transfer me to their supervisor and they will not return my call. There is got to be a way to stop these thiefs!

All of the characters - amusing. What isn't funny- that schmucks can sleep at night.
UPDATE- United Law Group, Inc.-BBB F rating mAY, 2009

This firm, headed by Atty Sean Alan Rutledge, collected upfront fee of $5, 000.00 for loan modification service offered in Oct. 2008 and we almost lost our home on May 5, 2009 after knowing about 3 days prior to the said sale date that our home property sale date can not be settled until we subject to repayment plan with the lender, Indy mac bank.

We have learned only on May 4, 2009 from the lender themselves that there was not at all loan modification filed on our property by the ULG firm and that we need to settle quickly to save our home. All along the firm's negotiating team, who are the only people we were able to speak despite my repeated demand to speak to this Atty. Rutledge, were really doing their job for what they are hired for and even asked us not to communicate ever with the lenders as we were being represented by the firm and to send all documents that these lenders were sending us and they will take care of it. They specifically convinced us that that was their job and that they will fight for you. Unfortunately, nothing have been done as no loan modification was ever filed to the lenders.

We opted to the repayment plan but ULG has never heard of since May 4, 2009 despite the calls and emails after calls and emails attempted.

Please help us with this scam and hoping to recover the lost amount of $5, 000.00 .

We were later notified that there were more people suffering similarly what we went through. Hope this firm can be cited, reported to the Bar and DOJ for the wrong doing they are practicing.

Thank you AARP for your effort of helping people like us.

a of san jose, ca

I regret having jumped the gun and posting my complaint against The United Law Group. After speaking with Attorney Sean Rutledge any misunderstandings were fully explained and I was even sent documentation showing my mortgage company to be the ones at the cause of these delays. Communication with this company has improved 100% and they are now doing everything possible to keep me in my home. Thankfully I am now looking at the light at the end of the tunnel and Im looking foreward to letting you people know what a great job The United Law Group has done.

If it wasnt for united law group my life would of been over. I would of shot myself in the head and left my family the insurance money. Thank God for United Law Group!