Lederman Robert

I hired Robert to be the settlement agent for my home purchase. The experience was so awful, that I think when I sell my house I will put a condition of sale into the contract preventing the buyer from using Robert as the settlement agent.
The biggest complaint I have about Robert is that I never felt like my needs as the client were top priority. It appeared to me that Robert’s needs were of the utmost importance and if that meant inconvenience to his client, then so be it. This way of approaching client needs it ludicrous to me. The client is the one writing the check to the attorney, why would they want to pay for bad service? Also, Robert is very smart… he knew when I was in a losing position and used it to his advantage to ensure I had to stay with him as the settlement agent even though his service was terrible. He was able to manipulate the situation to where I was stuck with three options (1) continue with him and his terrible service, (2) he threatened to drop me as a client, but then I would not be able to hire another settlement agent to close in time and the seller was threatening to sue me for breach of contract if I didn’t close on the contracted date, and (3) I drop him for terrible service, but then he would sue me for payment of services rendered and I would also be facing the same seller law suit in (2).
When I asked Robert to explain the behind Real Estate transactions and legal recourse I had for a conflict with the seller, he refused to do so in any form of written communication. He insisted that I only talk to him on the phone and claimed that I was being difficult. I am not an attorney, but I gathered that Robert was hiding the truth behind the answer to my question and to avoid getting himself into trouble he didn’t engage in written communication. That way, I couldn’t present the email as proof of unethical behavior or incompetence to the Florida Bar.
Again, Robert is very smart and has been doing Real Estate for a long time. Unfortunately he uses his intelligence and experience to work out the best deal for himself and keep himself out of trouble rather than taking care of his clients. Also, don’t be fooled by his friendly demeanor; he uses compliment and jovial conversation to take you off your guard before he pulls some slick move. Even my loan officer told me that she felt Robert was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
If I could dig up enough evidence I would have reported Robert to the Florida Bar, but he did a good job covering his tracks. The best I can do is tell as many people as possible how terrible the experience was with him and hope that his business suffers as a result. I have purchased homes in the past and had wonderful interactions with settlement agents. This one was so unlike my previous closings my head was spinning and I couldn’t react fast enough to prevent the disasters that Robert let unfold before me.
If you are considering hiring Robert, I strongly encourage you to reconsider.