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21 Feb, 2024 by Bill
I just filed lawsuit against this moron. He wil flout any law as long as he can bill. Do NOT use this idiot.
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28 Oct, 2013 by Anonymous
So I had to deal with this guy when my HOA decided to sue me. When I met him at the Adams county Court House, I told him I had filed for Bankruptcy yet he still insisted I talk with him. He handed me a contract and told me to sign it. I asked him what was the contract for and what did the contract do for the both of us. And before I was able to complete the sentence, he said, “I don’t have to explain anything to you.” So I asked him one more question, where do I go to grieve this? (Using an old union term). Soon as I said that things got really bad. He raised his voice and said, “I’ll take you to trial if you want to play this game.” He further went on to tell me how he was only doing his job and ranted for 2-3 minutes about the law and his job. So here is the history on this guy. He graduated from a tier II college and a tier II law school. Now there is nothing wrong with that we have to go to schools that we can afford… But keep in mind you get what you pay for. Because after law school I am sure everyone says. “I want to become a collections lawyer for an HOA.” If you have to deal with this guy, be careful. He is rude, high strung, and board line unprofessional. Use your phone to record the whole conversation, just in case you need to grieve his license with the Colorado state bar. Read his contract very carefully! There are parts in that are very tricky. For example, you are not allowed to use the memo section on your checks. If you have any stray marks on your check they can refuse it. You also need to be careful when talking with her paralegals. They are just as rude and unprofessional as Stephane.
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24 Mar, 2021 by Anonymous
This office is not professional. Trust me when I say stay away from this attorney's office! Sure they seem to care and be professional at first but once you give them money it is a whole different story. I lost my appeal with child support. Then I said ok we can do another appeal but the attorney wrote me an a email saying I would lose and no longer be representing me because I was upset they wrote a terrible appeal in the first place! They turned in an appeal last minute to the court as well as overcharged me for telling them they forgot certain detail and to fix some grammatical errors.
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21 Jan, 2016 by Terry
In the end did not deliver on our personal injury case and was very, very slow. We needed closure and feel like Craig Johnson and associate Hank failed.
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08 May, 2023 by Anonymous
Dealing with an extraordinary case of someone squatting, he is living in my home with myself and four others, he is not only squatting, he is harassing, terrorizing, and traumatizing the lives of five people. Someone else already refused to pay and left claiming they were constantly scared. It's been months, costing me thousands of dollars, and the money means nothing. This has been traumatic and It's happening to five people. This is cruel and unusual. He has done nothing extraordinary to help, just going through the steps, has taken over three months to get this processed, still planning on processing him for not paying, there will be no recourse for all the trauma, and now he just called me saying he needs to extend the trail again for personal reasons. Disgusting incompetence. I cannot believe this is even possible.
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24 Apr, 2015 by Victor
Hired this lawyer to collect a debt. 4 months later he has done nothing for the case. I even physically went to the assessors office to get documents that he needed to move forward and when I called him a couple weeks after I gave him the documents to see where he is. (BTW he has not called me once to update me because there is nothing to update when he hasn't done anything). He told me over the phone that his agency has only went down and collected the documents from the assessor. He implied that his agency did the traveling and paid the document fees. When I did that. Unreliable and Untrustworthy. Do not waste your time and money hiring.
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21 Nov, 2017 by Charlene
November 13, 2017 consult $150. The phone consultation was a waste of my time and money. Dan was arrogant and kept asking me why my neighbor would want that little strip of land. That there must be something I was not telling him. He was more occupied with wanting $1500 and up retainer because I live in another county. I would not recommend this arrogant lawyer to anyone. His secretary was sweet and easy to get along with but Dan was not.
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13 Oct, 2016 by Anonymous
He was the most pessamistic lawyer I have ever met. Told me my chances was slim to nothing, filed some paper work then didn't show up to my mediation.
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25 Sep, 2013 by Anonymous
Diane will charge you as if she's an experienced, NYC lawyer but she's never had competent counsel review her work as a junior practitioner so her error prone legal thinking leaves much to be desired at trial. I've now used her twice and her legal arguments both times have missed salient issues or she dismissed those issues as unimportant which ended up crucifying me when we were up against more competent counsel that understood the law much more clearly. You could hire her to bluff but if you ever needed to go to trial, make sure you get your legal arguments supported from someone else because you're likely to lose if you trust her legal judgment.
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10 Jul, 2021 by Anonymous
I’ve worked across this attorney and he was so incredibly unprofessional I felt compelled to warn others. Cursing, screaming, ignoring phone calls. Hopefully this is not what people look for in a lawyer. He even threatened to fight me lmao.
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12 Feb, 2024 by Ho
Sides only with major corporate landlords. Cares not for the people of Boulder. Vote him out of Boulder.
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04 Nov, 2014 by Anonymous
Anne Parmley was my child's attorney and did not keep their best interests in mind. She never communicated with me, and tried extremely hard to keep my child from h** parents. She did not listen to any complaints that we had and did not keep us in the involved in any decision making. Most importantly, Anne Parmley is very biased and lets her emotions cloud her judgment which in return did not allow her to keep my child's best interest in mind . She is very temper mental and always has an enemy and an alliance. Also, she does not appear appropriate for court. Do NOT suggest this attorney.
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12 Oct, 2014 by Paul
I ended up with this lawyer only because everyone else at the law firm was busy, so they wanted to fob her off on me. I should have known right then to go somewhere else. Joanne Herlihy did not seem to understand either the law or courtroom procedure, and the other lawyers in the case had no respect for her. Eventually I had to pay to settle the case and stop the bleeding, though if I had had a good lawyer I probably would have won. What a disaster.
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26 Mar, 2013 by Anonymous
This lawyer was hired for a landlord/tenant matter where I am the tenant and Robert Pavelko charged me a $500 retainer to work on my case and he told me the cost shouldn't exceed $500 and whatever is not used would be refunded. I told him to call me before he made any charges above $500 and he did not. And so, I got billed for another $218. Then he asked for a second $500 retainer to work on drafting a settlement. I paid the $218 I owed plus an additional $141 to go toward the retainer for drafting a settlement. I told him I would send him the other portion of the $500 retainer if a settlement is reached and a settlement letter needs to be drafted. AGAIN, I told him to please contact me before making any future charges and he failed to contact me once again and now he says I owe $309! No settlement was reached! He charged me for the day of cancellation and AFTER! Got the bill today and told him I was going to file a complaint and he is threatening to put a lien on my property TODAY! Robert Pavelko is not good. I trusted that I could give him money in advance and that he wouldn't make any unauthorized charges, but he did. Robert Pavelko is not responsive. After I paid him the $218 plus $141 for the retainer for future services, he did not contact me for a full two weeks. Then all of a sudden I get a forwarded email that my landlord sent to him saying, "Please call to discuss" and then I also got a voicemail saying the same thing except he added, "to discuss a settlement". I called back his office phone, left a message. I called his cell phone, left a message. 48 hours goes by when he said he would get back to me in 24 hours. I got fed up with him and my landlord and said via voicemail and email that there will be no settlement and I am canceling my services. Instead of Robert Pavelko that I got through a employee assistance program, I go see a professional lawyer for a $100 consultation. The consultation was free with Robert Pavelko as a benefit through my employer. His presentation during the consultation was poor, but I had trust that my employer would refer me to someone ethical and professional. Robert Pavelko upholds neither of those qualities. Robert Pavelko is not knowledgeable. He told my husband that my landlord could illegally evict because we were on a month to month lease. I relayed this information to a second professional attorney and she told me that was absolutely false! Robert Pavelko has a very rude and disrespectful demeanor as he will not let you finish when talking and will talk over you and every time he talks over you, he will raise his voice a notch to the point of yelling at you. This occurred during the consultation as well but I trusted the services provided by my employer and overlooked his sour demeanor. Stay Away!
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29 Jan, 2014 by Anonymous
Iwashco was hired to handle a small estate of less than $200,000.00. Rather than represent all heirs she aggressively represented the young and inexperienced personal representative against the other heirs. Final legal fee was nearly $40,000.00 when it could have been handled for $1,500.00. She did a terrible disservice to our family and accomplished nothing except to balloon her fees, also costing us heirs another $40,000.00 in outdide representation.
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15 Jul, 2013 by Andy
He sold us a house and carried the note. You would think you could trust an attorney that claims he has your best interest then prepares all the documents. We gave 32k as down payment and have made payments every month since never late. We were approved to refinance the house to find out he was behind on the mortgage and had judgements against him that we're placed on our property. He is horrible to communicate with and does not return calls. I may loose my home because he has no ethics. Anyone who comes across him should beware!!!
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28 May, 2019 by Chris
I received legal advice from this purported attorney that was plain wrong. He seems to have a strong emotional reaction to people with disabilities, assuming they “go around making demands to which they are not entitled.” What was asked was a simple question: is it possible to request a reasonable accommodation from a builder due to severe asthma? The accommodation would be to have a slab poured rather than a basement or crawl space. It would require a code variance. He began to pontificate on my medical condition about which he knows nothing and then claimed that asthma was not covered under the ADA. Mild asthma is not covered, but my condition is severe, long-standing and life-limiting and most certainly IS covered - and a simple google search could have quickly corrected his ignorance. But Mr. Janssen’s ignorance is intractable. Furthermore, he was very rude and unpleasant even though I was polite and professional in the face of his boorish bad manners and ignorance of the law in an area where he does not specialize. Had this ignoramus a modicum of professionalism, he would have referred me to someone who does know disability law. I was content to get away from him as quickly as possible. Regardless of the area of law you seek, avoid this man. A lack of knowledge and professionalism will not serve you in any forum.
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18 Oct, 2018 by Anonymous
Don Goulart was my first lawyer. I was naive in my expectations. He warned us that we would have large legal bills, but in the end the only ones we ever had were defending ourselves against him. I used to laugh at bad lawyer jokes, now I still cringe.
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30 Aug, 2021 by Anonymous
This business is an agent of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On September 11, 2021 it will be 20 years since the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia committed an act of war against America, Our leaders have not only covered up Saudi involvement in 9/11, they call the Saudis allies, enable their financing of subversive Islamist entities in the US and elsewhere, aid in the Saudi-led war in Yemen, stifling and violent oppression of their own people, election meddling, military aid and even transfers of sensitive technology, including nuclear technology. Much of the blame for this outrageous situation falls on the army of politically connected law firms and public relations firms that lobby for Saudi interests, trading filthy Saudi money for the freedom and safety of future generations. Of course these firms do not advertise their representation of the Saudis, playing the role of respected organizations instead of shills for the nation that attempted to deliver a deathblow to America and now seek ever greater infiltration and influence in the government and media. On this 20th anniversary of 9/11 it is far past time to call attention to these firms, an effort to shame these traitors to whom Saudi money trumps the futures of their children and the nation.
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28 Sep, 2022 by Teri
I was referred to Mr. Kitsmiller by a peer. The two firms were going to handle my case. While Mr. Kitsmiller expressed knowledge of and interest in the matter, he consistently failed to respond in a timely manner and advised me nearly four weeks into our conversations that he wasn't going to be able to handle my case. Very unprofessional.
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28 May, 2023 by Bill
Thomas Fenton Smith III resigned as the town council for Basalt under controversy. Moreover, this article was in the Aspen paper: Accusations brought against Basalt town attorney Tom Smith in February by resident Mary Kenyon could have serious ramifications. But the process is protracted and convoluted, with only a small percentage of cases making their way up the investigatory ladder. On May 2, the Attorney Regulation Counsel of the Colorado Supreme Court sent Smith a “Request for Investigation,” in which it outlined four accusations made by Kenyon.... According to James C. Coyle, director of the 
Attorney Regulation Counsel, about 3,500 “Requests for Investigation” are filed each year. “They are often filed by opposing parties in a case, such as one party of a divorce case who thinks the opposing attorney misrepresented facts,” Coyle said. “Other types of disputes can also trigger a request for investigation.” Coyle stressed that he is not familiar with the Smith case and, even if he was, he would not be able to comment upon it. According to Kenyon, she filed her Request for Investigation with the Attorney Regulation Counsel because of what she perceived as conflicts of interest stemming from Smith’s representation of Basalt town mayor Jacque Whitsitt and Basalt town clerk Pam Schilling during questioning by Colorado Fifth District Attorney Bruce Brown last July. The questioning was in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation into the conduct of both Whitsitt and Schilling related to alleged improper communications that Kenyon alleged took place before, during and after the April 2016 municipal elections. Kenyon contends that, during that questioning, Smith was representing the interests of both Whitsitt and Schilling. But, according to Kenyon, Smith eventually billed the town of Basalt for his services — meaning he was allegedly functioning as the town attorney when Brown was questioning Whitsitt and Schilling as individuals, rather than employees of Basalt. It was during that protracted process, during which Whitsitt and Schilling were exonerated, that Kenyon contends Smith’s lines blurred. “He billed the town for personally representing Jacque and Pam,” Kenyon alleged. “Then Aspen Public Radio interviewed him and asked if he didn’t think that was a conflict of interest. During that interview, he issued what amounted to a mea culpa and promised to pay the town back the money he was paid. He has never done that.” According to an invoice obtained by Kenyon, the amount is $641. Smith, who has been Basalt’s town attorney for about 10 years, vociferously disputes the allegations made by Kenyon, who practiced law in Michigan. “On July 1, 2016, the District Attorney’s office was deciding, based upon allegations made by Mary Kenyon, whether to pursue criminal charges against Jacque and Pam,” Smith said. “Since the issue was based upon the performance of their duties as town employees, and since I am the town attorney, I was there to represent them, which was perfectly appropriate. Had criminal charges been brought against them, that would have been a different story. The DA decided to not bring criminal charges, so the point it moot.” Smith added that, since he attended the interrogations in his capacity as town attorney, it was appropriate for him to bill the town for what amounted to about three hours of work. “No one in the town government — including staff or council — has ever asked me to reimburse the town,” Smith said. “If they had asked, I would have been happy to do so.” According to the Request for Investigation letter sent from the Attorney Regulation counsel to Smith, Kenyon accuses Smith of billing improper fees, conflicts of interest, something called “lawyer as witness” and, according to Coyle, the potentially most serious charge, dishonesty. Google Tom Smith "dishonesty" Aspen for more articles
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06 Nov, 2013 by Anonymous
Mr. Kumli did not respond to our requests or communicate with us for almost two months and delayed in drafting an agreement which we hired him to produce. We were never given an explanation or excuse. He also did not transmit the requests from the state water board for legal affidavits which were necessary for our case to proceed. We were dumbfounded that he had completely dropped the ball and delayed any progress in our legal matter. His office also double billed us on a number of documented occasions.
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26 Mar, 2015 by Sue
My mother was a client of Bob O'hayre. Instead of looking out for my mothers best interest, he looked out for her P.O.A's best interest. My mother wanted several years ago to change her P.O.A. but I could not take her, she was in her 80's. I called and asked him if he could visit with her at her house and he refused. My mothers P.O.A. left my mothers bills go for several months w/ disconnect notices and he said she was looking out for her. My mothers family left her in filth w/ mice feces but they were looking out for her. Bob O'hayre stated to my daughter and I that he saw my mother was easily manipulated when her brothers and sisters took her in to change her will. I wrote a letter to Bob O'hayre and on it I put only for Bob O'hayre. This letter was distributed to several people. My moms P.O.A. did not pay my moms nursing home bill and got her sued for 9000.00 of which the attorney knew, but she was looking out for her best interest. This attorney is careless.
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19 Nov, 2021 by Stacy clark
Their phone receptionist is rude.
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19 Nov, 2021 by Stacy clark
Their phone receptionist is rude.
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19 Nov, 2021 by Stacy clark
Their phone receptionist is rude.
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19 Nov, 2021 by Stacy clark
Their phone receptionist is rude.
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What a Real Estate Lawyer Can Do for You

A real estate lawyer provides legal assistance in transactions and disputes involving property, including residential and commercial real estate. Whether you're buying, selling, leasing, or developing property, a real estate attorney can help ensure that your transactions are legally sound and your rights are protected. They review contracts, perform due diligence, resolve disputes, and provide legal representation in negotiations and litigation involving property matters.

Real estate lawyers are crucial in safeguarding your investment by ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal real estate laws, as well as protecting you from potential legal pitfalls related to property ownership and transactions.

When Should I Hire a Real Estate Lawyer?

Hiring a real estate lawyer is beneficial in various scenarios, including:

  • Buying or selling property: When navigating complex real estate contracts, it’s advisable to have a lawyer review and ensure that the terms are favorable and legal.
  • Commercial property transactions: For leasing, purchasing, or selling commercial properties, a lawyer can help manage the intricate legal aspects of such transactions.
  • Zoning or land use issues: If you're planning to develop property or change its use, a real estate lawyer can guide you through zoning laws and land use regulations.
  • Resolving property disputes: For boundary disputes, title issues, or disagreements over property rights, a lawyer can help mediate or litigate the matter.
  • Foreclosures or evictions: If you're dealing with foreclosure or managing a tenant eviction, legal representation ensures that the process adheres to local laws and protects your interests.
  • Title and deed issues: Lawyers can help clear title disputes, ensure the legitimacy of property deeds, and handle transfers of ownership.

What Does a Real Estate Lawyer Do?

A real estate lawyer provides a range of services to help with property transactions and disputes, including:

  • Contract drafting and review: Ensuring that purchase agreements, leases, and other contracts are legally binding, fair, and protect your interests.
  • Title search and clearance: Conducting a thorough title search to ensure that the property has no legal claims or liens that could affect ownership.
  • Facilitate closing: Managing the closing process in real estate transactions, including reviewing final documents and ensuring that everything is in order before the transfer of ownership.
  • Resolve disputes: Handling legal disputes related to property ownership, boundaries, zoning, or tenants.
  • Assist in financing: Reviewing loan agreements and mortgage documents to ensure the terms are fair and legally sound.
  • Zoning and land use advice: Guiding clients through the complexities of zoning laws and building regulations for property development or renovation projects.

How Are Real Estate Lawyers Paid?

Real estate lawyers typically charge for their services in the following ways:

  • Flat fee: Many real estate transactions, such as reviewing a sales contract or assisting with a closing, are charged on a flat-fee basis.
  • Hourly rates: If a lawyer is handling complex disputes or litigation, they may charge by the hour. Hourly rates can vary significantly based on the lawyer’s experience and location.
  • Contingency fees: In rare cases, such as property disputes or claims for damages, a lawyer may work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they only get paid if you win or settle the case.
  • Retainer: For ongoing legal support, some clients may pay a retainer, which is an upfront fee used as a deposit for future legal services.

It's important to clarify the fee structure with your attorney before hiring them to avoid any surprises.

How Much Does a Real Estate Lawyer Cost?

The cost of a real estate lawyer varies based on the complexity of the matter, the location of the property, and the lawyer’s experience. Key factors that affect pricing include:

  • Type of transaction or issue: Simple tasks, like contract reviews, typically cost less than handling a complex property dispute or litigation.
  • Experience and location: More experienced lawyers or those in high-demand areas, like urban centers, often charge higher rates.
  • Billing structure: Lawyers may charge a flat fee for basic services like document review or hourly for more time-intensive work such as disputes or litigation.

Flat fees for straightforward services like closing assistance may range from $500 to $1,500.

Hourly rates can range from $150 to $400 or more, depending on the attorney’s experience and location.

Always discuss fees upfront to understand the overall cost of the legal service you're receiving.

Top Questions to Ask a Real Estate Lawyer

Before hiring a real estate lawyer, ask the following questions to ensure they are the right fit for your legal needs:

  1. What experience do you have with real estate law?
    Ensure the lawyer has experience in the type of real estate transaction or dispute you’re facing, whether residential, commercial, or development-related.
  2. What is your fee structure?
    Ask how the lawyer charges for services - whether it's a flat fee, hourly rate, or retainer - so there are no surprises later on.
  3. How long will the process take?
    Especially important for real estate transactions or disputes with deadlines, ask for a general estimate of how long the process will last.
  4. Have you handled cases similar to mine?
    Experience with similar transactions or disputes can give you confidence that the lawyer knows how to handle your case.
  5. Will you handle my case personally, or will it be passed to another attorney?
    Confirm who will be handling the bulk of your case work, especially in larger firms where junior lawyers may take on some responsibilities.
  6. Can you provide references?
    Speaking with past clients can give you insight into the lawyer's experience and how they handle cases.

How to Check the Credibility of a Real Estate Lawyer

To ensure you’re hiring a reputable real estate lawyer, take these steps:

  • Check with the state bar association: Verify that the lawyer is licensed and in good standing with no disciplinary actions on their record.
  • Read online reviews and testimonials: Look for reviews on legal directories and platforms like Avvo or Martindale-Hubbell to see what past clients have said.
  • Ask for references: A credible lawyer should have past clients willing to share their experiences.
  • Review their track record and expertise: Look at the lawyer’s website or LinkedIn profile for information about their experience in real estate law and any relevant cases they’ve handled.
  • Membership in professional organizations: Lawyers who are members of respected legal or real estate organizations, like the American Bar Association’s Real Property Division, often signal credibility and expertise.

What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?

To make your first meeting with a real estate lawyer productive, you should prepare the following materials:

  • Relevant property documents: Bring purchase agreements, lease contracts, mortgage documents, zoning permits, or any other paperwork related to your case.
  • A summary of the issue or transaction: Be ready to explain the situation, whether it's a property dispute, contract negotiation, or development issue.
  • Questions about the legal process: Prepare a list of questions about how the lawyer will handle your case and what steps are involved.
  • Financial documents or loan agreements: If the case involves financing or a mortgage, bring any related documents for the lawyer to review.
  • Your goals and timeline: Be clear about what outcome you're hoping for, and if there are any deadlines that need to be considered, such as closing dates or legal filings.

By coming prepared, you can ensure that your consultation is efficient and informative, allowing you to assess whether the lawyer is the right fit for your real estate needs.

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