WILKES-BARRE — A local consulting business could be facing a royal rumble.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s office has sued Juliane Von Schmeling, founder of The Baroness Consulting and Mediation, LLC, accusing her of practicing law without a license, as well as capitalizing on consumers’ fears and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Juliane Von Schmeling misled Pennsylvanians to believe that she was a licensed attorney, but instead scammed vulnerable, stressed consumers into paying for useless services,” Shapiro said Friday. “Acting as a licensed attorney when you have no qualifications is dishonest, illegal, and unethical.”
The lawsuit was filed in Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas by Deputy Attorney General Merna Hoffman.
The Baroness Consulting and Mediation, located on Franklin Street in Wilkes-Barre, was founded by Von Schmeling in 2006. Her website touts a wide array of mediation services, including in matters of divorce, child custody and contract disputes.
Efforts to reach Von Schmeling on Friday were not immediately successful.
According to Shapiro, Von Schmeling’s advertisements implied that she and her business were qualified to provide legal services, even though Von Schmeling was not a licensed attorney.
Shapiro’s office further accused Von Schmeling and The Baroness Consulting and Mediation of “capitalizing on consumers’ fears and the COVID-19 pandemic by advertising legal services relating to estate planning and wills, and offering remote mediation services while courthouses were closed down.
The Attorney General’s Office received a complaint prior to the lawsuit that a consumer had retained Von Schmeling’s services to handle a divorce and custody case.
The consumer told Shapiro that Von Schmeling informed them that the legal documents she drafted would be enforceable in a court of law, and incurred tens of thousands of dollars in additional legal fees after finding out that the documents drafted by Von Schmeling were not enforceable.
The lawsuit filed by Shapiro’s office alleges violations of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law and the Unauthorized Practice of Law.
Shapiro’ office is seeking restitution for consumers as well as civil penalties.
His office encouraged consumers who believe they have been victimized to file a complaint at www.attorneygeneral.gov or by emailing scams@attorneygeneral.gov.