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06 Feb, 2017 by Anonymous
I have been working with Mrs. Gale for a couple years now and not only has she been extremely helpful to me and my entire family, she has also drafted trust documents and other estate planning documents for several of my friends who I referred to her. I would not hesitate to give Jeanne my highest and best endorsement. She is extremely knowledgeable and takes the time to explain difficult concepts in a way we can all understand.
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15 Jul, 2016 by Lorraine
Jeanne Vatterott-Gale won my case in re-establishing my elderly mother's estate and finances when the case seemed totally impossible to retrieve to safety and well-being. It took 2.5 years to settle and Ms. Gale had monies returned to the estate before they were exhausted. The family dispute over who would control my mother's persona, future and wealth between arguing siblings in court became alarmingly bizarre. Any other attorney may have lost their wits. The case at times was heartbreaking and sad; near hopeless. The greater the challenge the sharper Ms. Gale's determination to win what is right. I was my mother's advocate and Ms. Gale was advocate for both of us. In the end it was a remarkable outcome, return to normalcy for my mother and a good outcome for the entire family. Putting differences and selfishness aside it was yet the best outcome for us all. Dignity was restored for my mother.
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24 Mar, 2015 by Anonymous
Ms. Vatterott-Gale is knowledgeable in taxation of estates and estate planning issues. I frequently seek her advice in these areas of the law.
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28 Sep, 2024 by Pam jordan
What an AMAZING Law firm! I cannot say enough kind words about the staff or services we received from Attorney David Rogers, Mariela, and Dianna. They are all very knowlegeable, professional, and most helpful. We had a family Conservatorship case regarding my 84 year mother from my sister as well eviction of my sister from my moms house and Attorney Rogers represented us at both court hearings and we WON both cases! Attorney David Rogers knows the law and both times prior to court, he informed us of the potential outcomes and he was 100% correct in both matters. Going through family turmoil and stress from a narcissist family member is very hard and can be challenging and difficult however, the calmness and assurance we received from Attorney Rogers seriously helped ease our concern and worry for our mothers future and care. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You David, I appreciate You and your staff. Mariela and Dianna thank you both for your immediate call backs and helping me with my inquiries. You three are wonderful people and I am grateful we had all your support. My husband said today after we acquired access back to my mothers house, once the Constable evicted my sisters friend, David is one Smooth guy. Thank you David for being available for us, we greatly appreciate you and know if we ever need an attorney again, the Noble Law Firm is where we will return. God Bless you and your team ♡
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29 May, 2024 by Rudy
Mr. Claridge heard me out and took immediate action against those who were trying to accuse me of wrong doing. As soon as Mr Claridge contacted the individuals involved everything was dropped and never heard from them again. Mr. Claridge does not get intimidated by anybody or any agency. I highly recommend him.
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07 Apr, 2024 by David yarbrough
In 1978-79 I became acquainted with the Wade Noble Law Firm. Since then this Law Firm has been an.example to everyone in honesty, professionalism, and fairness. By David Yarbrough, Grantsville Utah.
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06 Feb, 2024 by Rockydippel@gmail.com dippel
Our case took close to a year, and was difficult, Araceli Rodriguez was outstanding in court, and inr researching case related matter. We prevailed. Thank you for your service on long and difficult path we traveled for.the right reasons.
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03 Oct, 2023 by Michael samaniego
Great service
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18 Sep, 2023 by Franklin 3 (yada blah blah)
Lovely folks.
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23 Jan, 2022 by Robert hoagland
Very professional, friendly and knowledgeable.
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15 Jan, 2019 by Wendy
My father set up a special needs trust fund for me with Attorney Gerald Hunt. My father passed away 5/31/2018. The money in the special needs trust fund is still not available to me as of 1/15/2019. I contacted Mr. Hunt by letter in November of 2018 asking for information that was needed for the Section 8 program I am enrolled in. I clearly specified the information needed for my Section 8 worker and requested that the information be supplied by 11/20/2018. I received no response. I called Mr. Hunt's office in December, asking to speak to him. I was told he was out of the office. I called twice more before a date and a time was set up for me to talk to Mr. Hunt on the following week. In the meantime I received a letter from Section 8 stating that they needed information from the attorney handling the special needs trust fund in order to process my Section 8 information. When I finally talked to Mr. Hunt, for all of five minutes, he agreed to fax the information to Section 8 in a few days. He transferred me to his secretary to take care of setting up the fax number for Section 8. I also asked his secretary to email me a copy of the information sent to Section 8. I also sent Mr. Hunt an email detailing what exactly was needed to be sent to Section 8. A few days later I received a copy of the information sent to Section 8. The information didn't include the list of what the special needs trust fund couldn't be used for, which was the most important piece of information that needed to be sent. I had specified this in my letter sent in November and in the email sent after I spoke with Mr. Hunt. So I had to contact Mr. Hunt's office again to get that information sent to Section 8. Mr Hunt charges for every contact made to his office. The money comes out of the funds being set up for my special needs trust fund. I am being charged for the November letter that was ignored, the phone calls I made to Mr. Hunt's office and the extra call I had to make so that his office would send the all the information I specified to Section 8. If Mr. Hunt had responded to my November letter, I would not have needed to contact his office in December, calls I will also be charged for. I don't believe this is ethical. In addition, in an earlier bill, I was charged for a phone call to his office regarding a dental bill. This is not accurate. I called to see when I would receive paperwork about accessing a special needs trust fund which Mr. Hunt had told me he would send me at a meeting about my father's will held the first week in June. The secretary told me I would receive the paperwork after the meeting with the trustee which was to be held the next day. Not only is the notation on this earlier bill incorrect, I still have not received paperwork telling me how to access my special needs trust fund when it is finally set up. In letters I have received from Mr. Hunt's office, there have been a number of inaccuracies, including incorrect monetary amounts, incorrect name of one of my Father's accounts which was with Unify Credit Union but was incorrectly called Unity Bank, and address errors. This is not what I would expect from a professional legal office. I live in Minnesota and Mr. Hunt works out of Arizona, which means I can't just make an appointment and go see him and get my questions resolved. He has not been clear, helpful, or responsive, causing me to have to make unnecessary additional contacts which I will be billed for. I read online that the cost for a simple probate is usually $1,500.00. Mr. Hunt's charges are nearly $2,000.00 so far. I would not recommend this lawyer to anyone.
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28 Apr, 2024 by Dona m brashear
Elizabeth is awesome, we got a call saying they were gonna repo are motorhome because we had a laps in insurance, which we didn't. But they put forced insurance on us. Saying we didn't make are payments. She fixed everything in 3 weeks and everything has been reversed. I was so scared 67 years old. Never defaulted on a loan in my life. My credit score was gone defaulted on a major loan, was scared I was gonna wind up in the streets. She saved this old man's life. Life is good again thanks to her
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11 Jan, 2023 by Jayne browne
This law firm is a joke. Exorbitant fees and poor service. I am still dealing with the aftermath of the mess caused by them and their poor advice/actions. After years of dealing with them I fired them. Perhaps the addition of Benesch will help.
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30 Mar, 2022 by Josh larson
My grandmother passed away and Trevor White became the executor. I am an heir and was left quite a few things. Trevor White tried to say that items were not left to me and even sent me an email saying that he thought I only wanted those items for my parents, which wasn't true. As an executor, I didn't think it was any of his business what I did with items left to me. I could have chopped them up and burned them and it still wouldn't be any of his business. My grandmother left them to me, not Trevor White. He seems very arrogant and doesn't seem to like to be questioned. I don't trust the guy and I would never hire him for anything.
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28 Apr, 2024 by Dona m brashear
Elizabeth is awesome, we got a call saying they were gonna repo are motorhome because we had a laps in insurance, which we didn't. But they put forced insurance on us. Saying we didn't make are payments. She fixed everything in 3 weeks and everything has been reversed. I was so scared 67 years old. Never defaulted on a loan in my life. My credit score was gone defaulted on a major loan, was scared I was gonna wind up in the streets. She saved this old man's life. Life is good again thanks to her
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11 Jan, 2023 by Jayne browne
This law firm is a joke. Exorbitant fees and poor service. I am still dealing with the aftermath of the mess caused by them and their poor advice/actions. After years of dealing with them I fired them. Perhaps the addition of Benesch will help.
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30 Mar, 2022 by Josh larson
My grandmother passed away and Trevor White became the executor. I am an heir and was left quite a few things. Trevor White tried to say that items were not left to me and even sent me an email saying that he thought I only wanted those items for my parents, which wasn't true. As an executor, I didn't think it was any of his business what I did with items left to me. I could have chopped them up and burned them and it still wouldn't be any of his business. My grandmother left them to me, not Trevor White. He seems very arrogant and doesn't seem to like to be questioned. I don't trust the guy and I would never hire him for anything.
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25 Feb, 2022 by Veronica
Ryan was handling a PI matter against Emerald Springs for our deceased friend's estate. She was seriously injured on her way to a doctor's appointment in the facility's van. I am one of her executors. When the other executor went to his office to discuss the status, his office was shut down and his name was off the door. We have no idea where he is or where our file is. Not sure how to go about finding him and getting our file so we can give it to another lawyer to handle. She's been deceased since October 2020 and he has done nothing except send a few letters. We need our file. I've been in the legal field for 30+ years in Connecticut and Ryan is the worst attorney I have ever had dealings with. If my friend hadn't started the PI work with him, I would never have hired him.
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FAQs
Questions? We have answers

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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