Attorney’s I’ve contacted for help

By Sondra Wilson. [email protected] Updated 11/18/2022.

   As an Iowa Citizen who was recently harmed by discrimination, slander, and fraud, I have found “finding legal representation” much more difficult than it ought be.  Because I have found this to be true with past I have found this in past cases as well, I am broadcasting my “quest for justice” publicly – to show why we need to make our justice system more efficient.

    After contacting these several legal aid organizations throughout the state, I was told either:

  • “we don’t take fee-generating cases. We only take divorce/custody or tenant/landlord issues,” or
  • “we can’t provide legal representation.  We recommend you contact [previous organization I’ve already contacted] or find an attorney through the State Bar website,” –

    Below is a list of lawyers I’ve contacted, including a summary of their responses.  Thus far the most affordable attorney charges $275/hr which is way beyond my means.

Defamation Attorneys:

Vos law firm – told me to wait to hear back from the Civil Rights Commission, then contact them. 

Sept 9 they called me back and denied aid due to heavy caseload.

 

Called 9-14-2022:

  1. Smith Law Firm – 515-451-1260; expecting call back
  2. Pasley and Singer Law Firm, LLP (515) 232-4732 – get
    appointments two months out, doesn’t take defamation cases.

 

Sept 22

After multiple phone conversations referred me to www.IowaFindALawyer.com, I contacted the following defamation attorneys from that site:

  1. Left message w Widdison Law Firm 712-202-0073 (Harold Widdison).
  • Follow-up: They returned my call. Paralegal Stephanie offered a meeting with Mr. Widdison, to which I gratefully accepted. An appointment was set for Friday, Sept. 30. She instructed me to share the files with them to review prior to our appointment.
  • Update written 10-26-22: Though Mr. Widdison did not view the files due to clerical errors (Stephanie didn’t know how to open Google documents), he did take the time to hear me out and provide some pointers.  I think he did this because he felt bad about this “$275/hr” quote that I told him I can’t afford because of my circumstances.
  1. Scott Wadding: 515-883-2222
  2. Left message w secretary, Roger Huddle 319-523-4221 Wapello IA
  3. Left message w Colby Lessman 712-252-3226 Sioux City
  4. Stephen Avery 712-262-1630 Spencer, IA – told me he is too far away so it would be way too expensive. “Find someone in Des Moines.”
  5. Left message w Steven Reed 515-224-1776 West Des Moines
  6. Brad Biren 515-493-4878 Des Moines. Told by Secretary “doesn’t work here anymore.” Gave me the numbers for IA State Bar Association at 515-243-3179 (this number directs people to IowaFindALawyer.com, where I got their number) and a Civil Rights Atty: 515-254-1999.
  7. Left m Larry Thorson 319-393-9090.
  • Called back; have an appointment Oct 5. 
  • Update written 10-26-22: Larry and I discussed the case briefly.  In a nutshell, he said it would cost too much and not be worth the time.  Sorry if I left anything out – that’s the jist of what I got.
  1. Went to “www.EmploymentLawIowa.com > contact > fill form” and wrote:

HOW DO YOU BELIEVE YOU WERE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST OR HARASSED?*

    “A false complaint was filed against me by a female employee that I was “violating her space”, and Reliable Street’s CEO kicked me off the property (on Transgender Day of Visibility) based on that complaint. They would not tell me who complained nor what I allegedly did, and frankly after finding out who complained, the slanderous complaint holds no merit. I believe I was discriminated against because they believed a non-transgender woman, and chose to punish me based upon stereotypical complaints about trans women “violating womens’ spaces”. After filing a complaint against the company with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission (ICRC), the CEO and her friend issued several lies about me in order to try to justify their actions, stating that I “said racist comments”, “did the work without permission”, “was stalking and harassing a female employee”, “cornered the CEO” and other atrocious accusations.”

PLEASE PROVIDE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ISSUE(S)

“I performed ~20 hrs of labor per week for ~6 months prior to being kicked off the property. It was completely out of the blue, and people who witnessed it have told me they would testify.

One of the CEO’s friends, Charlie Esker, has an art studio on Reliable Street’s property, and they sell art at Reliable Street’s art gallery. They are also the female employee’s best friend. Esker submitted false, slanderous statements against me to the ICRC, claiming they were a mere “patron”. The ICRC is not aware that Esker was lying to them: they are not a mere patron.

I have many photos, text messages, and detailed accounts of the incident, including text messages from the employee who complained which indicate she was not being truthful in her original complaint against me.

I do not believe the Civil Rights Commission should have dropped my case, however they did as a result of Esker and the CEO’s slanderous statements about me which I believe were made to try to cover their asses.

I have reason to believe that the people involved lied to other employees and community members about me. Many of them go to the same establishments and parties I go to, and I am very, very concerned that my reputation is adversely affected based on what they have said about me. They come across as a petty clique to me.”

IS THERE ANY OTHER INFORMATION WE NEED TO KNOW BEFORE WE CONTACT YOU?*

    “I was not sure how much to include in my previous responses. Both asked for “brief descriptions” so I tried to keep it short. However, there are many nuanced details and evidence I can provide you with which I believe expose what has happened here. I really hope you can help me with this. I feel “currently affected” by this very much. One of the Lockwood employees saw me downtown the other night, and based on the look on her face, I believe she heard something negative about me. That really sucks because she was my friend.

You are the last attorney from the Iowa Bar Association website that I have contacted. Every other one has “too many cases” or is “too far away” to help. I feel the Civil Rights Commission could have been more thorough, and every legal aid society I’ve contacted “can’t take fee-generating cases”. I’m getting to the point where I feel my only option is to write about everything publicly because I haven’t been to find help thus far.”

  1. Via the recommendation of Rob Sand, whom I met at Coffee with the Candidate in Nevada Iowa on 10-22-2022, I contacted Trial Lawyers for Justice the following day on 10-23-2022: “After volunteering for a local nonprofit ~6 months, under the impression everyone was very happy with my work and me, I was unexpectedly barred from the property following a false complaint against me by an employee of a neighboring business who was also involved in the work I was performing.

I wrote a letter to the owners, but received no response to I filed a complaint with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission.  However, they dropped my case after the CEO of the nonprofit and her friend, in retaliation for me filing with the commission, wrote several extremely damaging lies about me in statements to the commission.  

   I contacted every NGO I could find, and every attorney on the State Bar website, however there were only 9, and the one who said he could help charges so much money I definitely can’t afford it.

   I’m genuinely scared for my life, but I do have hard evidence which exposes these people lied to the government agency.  I am afraid of the local police however, as an officer told me his is the only black officer on the force, and if I heard what they are saying about me (I’m transgender) I would leave town.  I don’t think they’ll help me against a popular business owner who lied about me.  Instead I fear they will use the opportunity to join in on persecuting me (yes I meant to say persecuting).

    I talked to the state auditor Rob Sand, and he said to contact you.  He believes in you and I sincerely hope you will please look at my evidence and help.  This is an urgent matter and is extremely stressful to me.  It is character assassination.

   Thank you.”

 

Contacted on 10-25-2022 before noon:

 

  • Filed a complaint with the Iowa Attorney General’s Office re: Crime Victim’s Compensation – see Complaint.
  • Contacted OneIowa seeking assistance; Awaiting response.

 

Fraud or threats attorneys:

Emailed the following fraud attorneys this message:

“Dear [NAME OF ATTORNEY]:

    My name is Sondra Wilson and I am an Honors student at DMACC currently registered with ISU’s pre-law program for next semester.  I’m giving you that heads up because I do have some legal knowledge with regard to the case I’m contacting you about.

   I found your name on www.IowaFindALawyer.com and am contacting you to request help regarding a case of fraud case.

   Although the fraud was against the state, it also directly targeted and adversely affects me until it gets resolved.  A continuing injury.

  There is also very likely slander involved, but without subpoenaing key witnesses, I do not know from whom it originated. 

   I attached a rough draft article which explains the situation, and am hoping you are open to discussing this further.  I hope that you will consider representing me because it is a strong case – I do really want justice for it, but none of the free legal aid organizations throughout Iowa seem to take fraud cases – they just do simple “non-fee-generating” cases is what nearly every one of them has told me.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Sondra Wilson”

 

11/28/2022: Contacted Nyemaster Law Firm re: Class Action lawsuit:  https://nyemaster.com/feedback-thanks/