James C. "Jim" Fessenden

Competent on employment law, but communication was inconsistent

I hired Mr. Fessenden to advise my small business on a sensitive employee termination to avoid potential litigation. His knowledge of California employment law, particularly from the management side, was evident and aligns with the recognition he's received in that field. The strategy he outlined was sound and gave us a clear path forward. However, the experience was mixed. While the final work product was thorough, there were periods during the process where responses to emails took longer than expected, leaving us in a bit of a holding pattern. For straightforward legal questions, his advice was precise, but I sometimes felt I had to follow up to get a complete picture of next steps or timelines. He is clearly a knowledgeable attorney at a respected firm like Fisher Phillips, and he successfully helped us navigate the issue without a lawsuit. For the core legal work, he delivered. My three-star rating reflects that the substantive outcome was good, but the client service and communication aspects felt just adequate, not exceptional. I would consider him again for discrete matters where immediate responsiveness is less critical.