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01 Nov, 2023 by Shawn kenney
Excellent attorney.
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06 Apr, 2021 by Dale e england
Seeya soon!! Sry I been chasing my tail..lol
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13 Jun, 2019 by Pete rahn
Everyone was very friendly and accommodating. Always a pleasure to see Mr. Nolan.
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08 Feb, 2021 by Megan
I had Sally as an attorney after my daughters father hit me with a car when I was pregnant. She fought for me and set realistic expectations. She was very well prepared with screen shots, notes, and very educated with every tiny detail of my case. I would not have had the order placed on me without her. She put a lot of time and effort towards my case and was just a Very genuine person and very easy to talk to about the smallest details and aspects of my life that later came up in my case. Very professional.
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03 Aug, 2024 by Alison grenda
Hands down the best attorney that I have had. She responds quickly, doesn’t over charge, listens to you, gives you option’s as well as sound guidance and can handle any other attorney toe to toe in Champaign County.
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08 Jul, 2024 by Latashia bond
08 Jul, 2024 by Charles sims
Russ Haugen did an exceptional job handling my case. For the most part, he answered all of my questions before I had the chance to ask. Anything else I needed, he was quick to respond. He found additional compensation that I was due. This alone, let me know that he was taking good care of me.
I am very satisfied with the outcome of my case and would certainly call Russ again for any similar needs. I was a referral from another of Russ’ clients; and I, myself, will not hesitate to recommend his services if ever the opportunity arises. Many thanks to Russ and Stephanie.
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03 Aug, 2024 by Alison grenda
Hands down the best attorney that I have had. She responds quickly, doesn’t over charge, listens to you, gives you option’s as well as sound guidance and can handle any other attorney toe to toe in Champaign County.
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08 Jul, 2024 by Latashia bond
08 Jul, 2024 by Charles sims
Russ Haugen did an exceptional job handling my case. For the most part, he answered all of my questions before I had the chance to ask. Anything else I needed, he was quick to respond. He found additional compensation that I was due. This alone, let me know that he was taking good care of me.
I am very satisfied with the outcome of my case and would certainly call Russ again for any similar needs. I was a referral from another of Russ’ clients; and I, myself, will not hesitate to recommend his services if ever the opportunity arises. Many thanks to Russ and Stephanie.
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24 Apr, 2024 by Donna foley
15 Apr, 2024 by F c
Scott is hands down the best attorney in Champaign his professionalism and expertise is second to none. I will not use any other counsel than Mr. Dempsey. He is honest and a good man and will make all your legal matters a walk in the park if you make the right decision and hire him.
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15 Apr, 2024 by Laura asani
Scott Dempsey is the best attorney in Champaign no one else comes close. I have had other attorneys in the past before I met Scott and wish I could go back in time and only had worked with Scott. He has been a big blessing to me and my family and he has been working with us for 5 years now. I am so thankful for all that he has done and i will continue to work with only him for as long as he is an attorney.
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24 Feb, 2024 by Darya
Ellen represented me in my recent order of protection case. Her professionalism and expertise were invaluable assets throughout this challenging process.
Prior to each hearing, I experienced significant anxiety. Ellen was able to skillfully navigate these concerns and help ease my anxieties. Her calm demeanor and clear communication instilled confidence, and her ability to explain complex legal matters in a straightforward manner was truly appreciated.
While Ellen always maintained the utmost professionalism, she also possessed a genuine empathy for my situation. This combination of legal expertise and personal understanding made me feel truly supported throughout the process.
Ultimately, Ellen secured a favorable outcome in my case, granting me the order of protection and restoring a sense of safety and security for both me and my child. I am incredibly grateful for her dedication and unwavering commitment to achieving the best possible result.
Without hesitation, I highly recommend Ellen to anyone seeking legal representation in a similar situation. Her expertise, professionalism, and genuine care for her clients make her an exceptional attorney.
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25 Feb, 2022 by Anonymous
Difficult to get a hold of. Would not return messages left. Rarely followed up on commitments. Did not meet promised deadlines.
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06 Mar, 2018 by Preston
Ellen was professional and precise when working against my ex wife's shady attorney. We remained calm and collected against multiple threats from the other attorney and ended coming out way ahead in my opinion. The divorce and alimony laws in Illinois are terrible, but I was happy with the outcome that Ellen was able to provide. She remained professional even when her counterpart did not and I appreciate that.
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25 Jul, 2024 by Kerry gifford
I would give them a zero if I could.
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21 May, 2024 by Anonymous
Stephanie Hall and her assistant @ Meyer Capel represented me in my divorce. It was an absolutely awful experience.
1. Very disorganized - I was constantly having to resubmit documents.
2. I repeatedly asked that motions of relief be submitted to the judge. I was told they would be....they never were.
3. Communication was terrible - I would have to send emails multiple times over a week or two before they were finally returned.
4. In a meeting with opposing counsel, Stephanie Hall was not prepared at all and had no questions prepared. I felt totally unsupported.
5. When the judge met with her and opposing counsel to go over the status of the case. The judge recommended a 55% - 45% split of assets and debts. This was what I expected. However, when opposing counsel submitted a settlement proposal which was much less favorable. Stephanie Hall advised I take that. When I asked why, she had no good reasoning for it, other than to just get the divorce finalized. ..........when I disagreed with her because of what the judge said, Stephanie threatened to stop representing me.....I told her I could not afford to change attorneys at that point and it was ridiculous for her to threaten that , just because I did not agree with her on the proposed settlement.
Again, I wish I would have sought out other counsel. However, I simply did not know if I could afford to start over with another attorney.
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04 Mar, 2024 by Anonymous
As a minority on this Community I felt misrepresented by Stephane Hall. I am a Hispanic woman who had to even remind her that she was working on my behalf. Today after 4 years of my divorce I am facing bad consequences of her misrepresentation
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19 Nov, 2020 by Scott
Brian helped me with getting a divorce granted because my ex would not sign the papers. He also helped me and my new fiancee get her children back in her custody after her ex had taken them. He kept us informed on what was going to be the approach. Then after court would meet with us to discuss how things went and what our next plan of attack would be. We couldnt be more grateful of an excellent job. Thanks Brian!
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15 Nov, 2019 by Luis
Brian represented me on two different occasions. The first time was during my pursuit of custody with my ex wife. Brian is an excellent attorney. He is very professional and precise. In the end, he helped me to obtain full custody of my child.
The second time was during a misunderstanding I had with a crazy ex. I was charged with something I didn't do and Brian was able to represent me and get the charges dropped and the arrest expunged very easily. I can't say enough about his credibility. If I needed an attorney today, he would the the one I would want in my corner.
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30 Oct, 2018 by Sondra
Mr. King was very kind and extremely professional. He made time to see me at my requests and was always punctual at appointments and court dates. He always worked well with the other attorney in the case which made the process run smoother. His wife is his secretary and she always responded to emails timely and took care of any requests or questions I had. He listened to my requests and provided and options for me to consider so that I could make the best decisions for me and my children. However; I did feel, at times, he could have been more aggressive and maybe my case wouldn't have taken as long it did - 2 years.
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24 Apr, 2024 by Donna foley
15 Apr, 2024 by F c
Scott is hands down the best attorney in Champaign his professionalism and expertise is second to none. I will not use any other counsel than Mr. Dempsey. He is honest and a good man and will make all your legal matters a walk in the park if you make the right decision and hire him.
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15 Apr, 2024 by Laura asani
Scott Dempsey is the best attorney in Champaign no one else comes close. I have had other attorneys in the past before I met Scott and wish I could go back in time and only had worked with Scott. He has been a big blessing to me and my family and he has been working with us for 5 years now. I am so thankful for all that he has done and i will continue to work with only him for as long as he is an attorney.
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05 Feb, 2024 by Kathy
Kate represented my husband and myself at a real estate transaction involving our purchase of an out of state property. In my dealings with Kate, I found her to be honest, reliable, and thorough in her practice. Kate made contact when necessary with the out of state parties to ensure that all work was done accurately and according to the other state’s guidelines. Our work was done in a timely manner and the details of this transaction were clearly communicated to us, the buyers. I found Kate to be friendly and approachable when we had questions. Her excellent communication skills were evident at the closing and throughout this process. I would highly recommend Kate when needing representation with real estate transactions and other legal matters.
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02 Feb, 2024 by Anonymous
I hired this person and she fed me a bunch of lies and stole my money when she was fired.
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04 Apr, 2021 by Tom j manley
This lawyer won’t take your phone calls if your trying to pay a payment that you ordered to pay. And when you do get ahold of him he is just rude and if you don’t agree to what he thinks is right he will try to take you back to court and get more money for himself worse person and lawyer ever I highly recommend people to find someone else to hire
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16 Oct, 2017 by Anonymous
Hired him for child support, then custody. Calm demeanor. Straight forward. Never told me what I wanted to hear and at times it was hard to take but he did his job and did it well. His assistant is a bulldog. Knows her stuff. Would recommend Mr. Parkinson 100 times over.
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19 Jul, 2017 by Anonymous
As a potential new client who was looking to have help as a landlord for a tenant eviction I believe the office manager was rude beyond belief. After constantly talking over me, talking down to me and mocking me I have decided to take my business elsewhere. Stevie, the office manager mentioned to me that she has been working in this industry for 45 years however customer service must not be one of the things she learned in the amount of time. She constantly talked down to me when I was only trying to gain clarity about how to send the retainer funds. She would rudely say are you done? I don't have any of your information in front of me in a very angry tone as if it was my fault. As she answered the door and put me on hold, she came back on the phone and I said may we start over? I think we got off on the wrong foot. I let her know that as a potential new customer I feel she was being very rude. She told me then, " I think that you were being very rude to me because I have told you how to send the money. " I told her that she did not let me finish and therefore was missing key information and therefore I was not able to convey to her the full scope of my concerns. I say all of this to say what a poor, poor office manager and I would never ever do business with such quality. It is unfortunate that an office manager has taken money from the table of her employer. If she has done this to me who knows how many others she has treated this way and who knows the amount of money that this company has lost due to her incompetence and lack of customer care
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28 Jul, 2024 by Anonymous
She barely handled my case. At one point, she admitted that she did not complete what she was supposed to in the time promised and had the nerve to say, “in my defense, I was in court last week.” That translates to “ you are not important.” Very lackadaisical approach to representing a client.
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05 Jul, 2024 by Sksmith62
This attorney rarely returned my calls or answered my email correspondence. I had a child support order reduced by the court in October, and as of the first of February, I am still paying the previous amount of support because the required paperwork has yet to be filed with my employer. When I questioned her correspondence practices and asked for reassurance in her ability to effectively represent me, she withdrew as my council - 2 days before court.
Attorney made me feel as if me, and my case, were unimportant.
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23 Aug, 2018 by Anonymous
Sami Anderson handled my complicated matter better than most would have. She was attentive and detailed orientated, while at the same time, not losing the personal touch that she is known for. She is one of the busiest offices in town, but her turn around time is better than my previous attorney!
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10 Jun, 2024 by Samantha s
We did a consultation with Marie and paid her. Everything was going good, so we thought. We didn't hear from her for months. I called her office several times and was always told "she's working on it". Months and months went by and we heard nothing from her. We are also a military family and made us to be in the wrong when she clearly doesn't know how military law works or any leading details. She even told us about a time when another military member came to her and she basically said yeah your not winning this and push him/her out of her office. Right there should have been a BIG red flag. I was even recommend to go to her from another attorney in town. I would NOT use her for anything! Horrible practice!!
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FAQs
Questions? We have answers
What a Family Law Lawyer Can Do for You
A family law lawyer provides legal services related to family relationships, including marriage, divorce, child custody, and adoption. Family lawyers help clients navigate emotionally charged legal issues, providing guidance and representation in disputes that affect spouses, children, and parents. Whether you're going through a divorce, seeking custody of your children, or drafting a prenuptial agreement, a family law lawyer ensures your rights are protected and your interests are represented.
Family law attorneys often handle sensitive matters and offer objective legal advice, helping clients reach fair outcomes either through negotiation, mediation, or litigation.
When Should I Hire a Family Law Lawyer?
Hiring a family law lawyer is beneficial in several situations, especially when legal matters involve close personal relationships. Common reasons to hire a family law lawyer include:
- Divorce or separation: When ending a marriage, a lawyer can help you navigate issues such as division of assets, spousal support, and child custody arrangements.
- Child custody and visitation disputes: If you and your co-parent can't agree on custody or visitation, a lawyer can represent your interests and work toward a solution that benefits your children.
- Child support: Whether you’re seeking child support or defending against a claim, a lawyer can help ensure the appropriate amount is calculated and enforced.
- Prenuptial or postnuptial agreements: A lawyer can help draft or review agreements that protect your assets in case of divorce.
- Adoption: Family law lawyers guide you through the legal process of adoption, ensuring that all requirements are met.
- Domestic violence or restraining orders: If you're a victim of domestic violence or being falsely accused, a lawyer can help you obtain or challenge protective orders.
- Paternity cases: If there are questions about the paternity of a child, a lawyer can help establish or dispute legal fatherhood.
Hiring a lawyer early can prevent issues from escalating, and they can offer you the best chance of achieving a favorable outcome in emotionally charged situations.
What Does a Family Law Lawyer Do?
A family law lawyer provides a wide range of services depending on your specific legal needs. Their responsibilities may include:
- Advising on legal rights and options: Helping you understand your legal rights regarding divorce, child custody, support, and other family law issues.
- Filing legal documents: Drafting and filing petitions, motions, and agreements with the court, such as divorce papers, custody agreements, or support orders.
- Representing clients in court: Arguing your case in front of a judge if a settlement can’t be reached through negotiation or mediation.
- Mediation and negotiation: Assisting with alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation, to reach agreements on issues like custody, property division, and support without going to trial.
- Enforcing court orders: Helping you enforce court orders related to child support, alimony, or custody if the other party fails to comply.
- Drafting prenuptial or postnuptial agreements: Creating agreements that protect your assets in the event of a divorce.
- Handling adoption proceedings: Ensuring that the legal process of adoption is followed, from filing paperwork to finalizing the adoption in court.
How Are Family Law Lawyers Paid?
Family law lawyers typically charge clients in one of several ways, depending on the complexity of the case and the lawyer’s experience. Common payment arrangements include:
- Hourly rates: Most family lawyers charge by the hour, with rates varying based on experience and location. Clients are billed for the time spent working on their case, including consultations, court appearances, and document preparation.
- Flat fees: For more straightforward legal services, such as drafting a prenuptial agreement or handling an uncontested divorce, some lawyers offer flat-fee arrangements.
- Retainer fees: In cases that are expected to require significant time and attention, such as contentious custody battles, a lawyer may charge a retainer, which is an upfront payment that covers the initial costs of legal services. The lawyer then bills against the retainer as they work on your case.
The exact cost will depend on the complexity of your case and the lawyer’s fee structure, which should be discussed upfront.
How Much Does a Family Law Lawyer Cost?
The cost of hiring a family law lawyer varies based on factors such as the lawyer's experience, the location, and the complexity of your case. Here are some general cost guidelines:
- Hourly rates: Family law lawyers typically charge between $150 and $500 per hour, depending on their experience and the complexity of the case.
- Flat fees: For simpler cases, such as drafting a prenuptial agreement or handling an uncontested divorce, fees may range from $1,000 to $5,000.
- Retainers: For more complex matters, such as contested divorces or custody battles, lawyers may charge a retainer ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 or more. The lawyer will bill against the retainer for the work they do on your case.
- Additional costs: You may also be responsible for additional costs, such as filing fees, mediation fees, or expert witness fees.
Always ask for a clear breakdown of the lawyer’s fees and any additional expenses during your consultation.
Top Questions to Ask a Family Law Lawyer
Before hiring a family law lawyer, it's important to ask questions to ensure they're the right fit for your case. Here are key questions to ask during your consultation:
-
What experience do you have with family law cases like mine?
Make sure the lawyer has experience handling cases similar to yours, whether it's a contested divorce, child custody dispute, or adoption. -
How will you charge for your services?
Clarify whether the lawyer charges by the hour, a flat fee, or requires a retainer. Ask for an estimate of the total costs involved. -
What are the possible outcomes of my case?
An experienced lawyer should be able to give you a general idea of what to expect based on the facts of your case. -
What is your approach to resolving disputes?
Ask whether the lawyer tends to favor negotiation and mediation or whether they prefer to take cases to court. This can help you determine if their style matches your goals. -
How long do you expect my case to take?
While it’s difficult to predict, the lawyer should give you an estimate based on similar cases. -
Who will be handling my case?
In larger firms, junior attorneys or paralegals may do much of the work, so make sure you understand who will be your main point of contact.
How to Check the Credibility of a Family Law Lawyer
To ensure you're hiring a reputable family law lawyer, follow these steps to verify their credentials and reputation:
- Check state bar association records: Verify that the lawyer is licensed to practice in your state and is in good standing with no disciplinary actions.
- Read client reviews and testimonials: Look for reviews on websites like Avvo, Google, or Martindale-Hubbell. Previous clients can give you insight into the lawyer’s professionalism and success in family law cases.
- Request references: Ask the lawyer for references from past clients who can speak to their experience with the lawyer.
- Review their website or professional profile: Look at the lawyer’s background, case history, and areas of focus to ensure they have substantial experience in family law.
- Look for professional memberships: Membership in reputable organizations, such as the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), can indicate a lawyer's expertise and dedication to family law.
What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?
To get the most out of your first consultation with a family law lawyer, it’s important to come prepared. Here’s what you should bring:
- Relevant documents: Bring any documents related to your case, such as marriage certificates, prenuptial agreements, financial records, custody agreements, or court orders.
- List of assets and debts: For divorce cases, prepare a detailed list of all assets (e.g., homes, bank accounts, retirement funds) and debts (e.g., mortgages, loans, credit card balances).
- Details of the family issue: Provide a written summary of the situation, including key dates and facts related to your divorce, custody dispute, or support issue.
- Questions for the lawyer: Write down any questions you have about the legal process, costs, and potential outcomes.
- Your goals: Be prepared to discuss your objectives, such as custody arrangements, property division, or spousal support, so the lawyer understands your priorities.
Being organized and clear about your situation will help the lawyer evaluate your case more effectively and offer the best advice for moving forward.
