Patrick "Pat" Flaherty

Competent on complex litigation, but communication could improve

I engaged Pat Flaherty and his firm, Chernos Flaherty Svonkin LLP, for a sensitive matter involving alleged breaches of fiduciary duty by a former director of our small company. Given his recognition in Director and Officer Liability practice, I felt confident in his technical expertise. Indeed, his grasp of the legal nuances and his strategic approach to the corporate litigation aspects were solid. He successfully navigated the pre-trial motions, demonstrating the experience you'd expect from an attorney with his background in commercial disputes. However, my experience was mixed. While the legal work itself was competent, I often found communication to be lacking. Responses to emails were sometimes delayed by several business days, and updates on case developments felt reactive rather than proactive. For a client in a stressful D&O situation, this created unnecessary anxiety. The billing was as expected for a Tucson firm of their caliber, but the overall client service felt more transactional than partnership-oriented. He is undoubtedly a knowledgeable attorney, particularly for class action or complex commercial litigation, but managing client expectations and maintaining consistent dialogue are areas where the experience fell short of excellent.