Lawyers map
Julianne Marie Markiewicz
Data reflects the status as of the most recent database update. We generally conduct data reviews and updates on a
monthly schedule.
4.2
Avvo rating
16 Reviews
Top review highlights
AI generated excerpts from the customers reviews
Pros
1
Excellent legal skills and expertise
“She is a great listener. When it came time to go to Court, she rocked!”
2
Strong communication and client-focused approach
“Julianne patiently explained the divorce process with respect and compassion, even when I would ask the same questions repeatedly.”
3
Thorough and diligent representation
“She was very thorough and made sure that I was getting all that I was entitled to. I felt confident that she would do a good job!”
4
Ability to achieve favorable outcomes for clients
“She helped me stand up and fight for what I deserved when I had nothing left in me to fight. She took all my worries away within the first 2 minutes of meeting her and helped me get custody and child support.”
5
Personalized and caring service
“She extended a hand of hope at a dark time in my life. Julianne is especially competent, having experienced a divorce herself, she understands the female prospective.”
Cons
1
Potential for a drawn-out, adversarial approach in some cases
“She approached our prenup as a hostile divorce (rather than a loving marriage) pitting my future bride and I against each other, employing emotionally charged adversarial negotiation tactics and dragging out an expensive lawyer intensive process to...literally...the day before our wedding.”
2
Concerns about unethical billing practices in some instances
“Despite the fact that we met for a "free" consultation, and the only thing I authorized was the creation of a letter, J. Markiewicz only returned a little over half of my retainer. She unethically charged me $455 – over an hour of her time – for reading the documents that she asked me to send to her before I had even met and hired her, and a $117.50 charge just to "Open a new file."”
All reviews
22 Feb, 2021 by Anonymous
This attorney omitted labor market data that documents a racial gap in unemployment for monitories and furthermore, this attorney adds to racial injustice in our court system. I am encouraging all minorities to boycott this attorney.
16 Dec, 2019 by Mary
My ex-husband wanted to take me to court to change a few items in our
divorce decree that I did not agree with. We were trying to reach a
compromise over email but that did not appear to be working. I called J.
Markiewicz Law Office to set up a consult.
The day before my consult with her, J. Markiewicz called me on the phone
and asked me to email documents to her so she could become better
familiar with my case. I emailed them to her. At the consult, we
discussed sending a letter to my ex’s lawyer with a potential
compromise. I hired her and placed a $2000 retainer. She wrote a letter
to my ex’s lawyer, but I didn’t want to send it because my ex and I were
still emailing about a compromise which we did within a week. During
that week, J. Markiewicz emailed and texted me to approve the letter
which I said I wasn’t ready to do just yet. After receiving a text that
she was uncomfortable with my waiting, and exasperated that I had to
defend working on a compromise, I told J. Markiewicz that I no longer
needed her services and asked for my un-used retainer back.
Despite the fact that we met for a “free” consultation, and the only
thing I authorized was the creation of a letter, J. Markiewicz only
returned a little over half of my retainer. She unethically charged me
$455 – over an hour of her time – for reading the documents that she
asked me to send to her before I had even met and hired her, and a
$117.50 charge just to “Open a new file.”
I asked J. Markiewicz to refund the charges since she was the one to ask
for the emailed documents before I had met her or hired her, and,
because she gave no upfront information about the “Open New File” costs.
She initially said she would be open to discussing this concern, but
then ignored my email communications until I filed this review. She has
since emailed and stated that she’d refund only $345 and that she’d
consider the case closed. She mailed a check for this amount which is
less than her unethical charges.
14 Jul, 2017 by Ron
My fiance' and I recently engaged Ms. Markiewicz to help prepare a prenup agreement and had an absolutely horrific experience. It appeared that Ms. Markiewicz approached our prenup as a hostile divorce (rather than a loving marriage) pitting my future bride and I against each other, employing emotionally charged adversarial negotiation tactics and dragging out an expensive lawyer intensive process to...literally...the day before our wedding.
She dismissed the process I had proposed where my fiance' and I would work together (doing much of the work ourselves) to craft a fair and equitable agreement through an amicable collaborative process with guidance and feedback from our respective counsel. She also ignored my request to provide an overview of the process, key milestones and timeline that she would suggest as an alternative. Instead, she just moved forward in a manner that lead to a drawn out, time consuming, resource intensive (read "lots of billable hours") process that dramatically increased our legal fees; created intense stress, conflict and emotional trauma; and dragged the "negotiation" process out to...literally...the day before our wedding. And to top things off, she billed us double the hours that our other lawyer did...even though he crafted and authored the multiple drafts of the proposed prenup and the key legal documents.
This nightmare of a process resulted in prenup that neither one of us felt good about, legal fees that were 3-4 times what we had expected, a prenup that got signed the AFTERNOON before our wedding and an excruciatingly stressful...downright traumatic...process that led to my fiance' and I "breaking up" twice in the two weeks prior to our wedding (including 4 days before).
P.S. This review features no embellishment or exaggeration (and I have the email audit trail to back up every word). I had never met...or even heard of...Ms. Markiewicz prior to this prenup process, do not work in the legal profession nor have any other potential conflicts of interests. I invested the time to write this review solely in the interest of helping others avoid repeating what was one of the most traumatic professional experiences of my life. One that came very close to aborting my wedding and costing me the woman that I love, adore and cherish with all my heart.
29 Feb, 2016 by Ambir
It's imperative to find the best lawyer around. Well you found her.
She helped me stand up and fight for what I deserved when I had nothing left in me to fight. She took all my worries away within the first 2 minutes of meeting her and helped me get custody and child support. When I felt defeated she assured me consistently that I need not worry. She was overly professional and down to business...no jokes...no dinking around. Thanks Julianne.
01 Jan, 2016 by Heather
Julianne helped me through a very challenging and emotional post divorce decree situation. She gave excellent counsel and guidance through every step. I was so thankful to have her on my "side" to support me. She is very knowledgeable about the law and explains things in a way I understood. 5 stars for sure!
See more
Best lawyers in White Bear Lake, MN
22 Apr, 2024 by Frannie seitz
Heather agreed to meet with me and provided incredible legal advice regarding my work contract. She helped determine my employer was wrongfully withholding earnings which resulted in them paying out my paid time off. I don’t think I would have been successful in battling my employer without her knowledge and expertise.
Read more
27 Mar, 2023 by David zimmerman
Very helpful and makes me do my homework to clarify the details.
Read more
03 Mar, 2023 by Lauren deyo and brantley deyo deyo
05 Feb, 2024 by James
I worked with Robert as my attorney for the last 2 years for my custody case. As a unmarried father in Minnesota, the odds are definitely against you. Robert was there for me through and through, and he wouldn't quit fighting for me to have equal parenting time with my son. We just recieved the good news, after going to trial, that we won! I was awarded joint physical/legal custody with my son! I couldn't have done it without him! He's made a bigger impact in my life than he knows! I can't wait to spend quality time with my boy. A special shout out to his assistant Amber as well. If I ever had a question about the small details, she was always there to answer it for me. Thanks again guys!! If you want an attorney that will fight for what you deserve, I'd definitely recommend Robert Manson Law.
Read more
05 Jan, 2024 by Beth
Robert Manson was referred to me by a very good friend of mine. She was extremely satisfied with his work with her brother’s divorce proceedings. Based on that referral, I had the utmost pleasure in meeting with Robert Manson to discuss my divorce issues. Immediately it was evident that he was focused on what was fair and reasonable for me and my son in the divorce. He was able to provide a safe space for me to discuss my issues, what my goals were and allow me to ask for the things that were needed in making sure I was able to get through the divorce proceedings fairly with his ongoing support. His knowledge and experience of Family Law is invaluable. Especially since he has sat in front of so many Family Law Judges, he really has a wealth of experience in what to expect when there are issues that are being argued between parties in Court. He also was always available when any emergency occurred. He knew exactly what to do, took the appropriate action and was able to advise me on what my next steps were to be. He validated my concerns throughout the process. He also never compromised the safety of myself or my son in any decisions that were made throughout the proceedings. In a time that was very stressful, he made it so much more tolerable. I would recommend Robert Manson anytime for any Family Law issues that one may have. You will be extremely satisfied during a tough season of high stress.
Read more
14 Nov, 2023 by Anonymous
I hired Robert (Bob) to represent my daughter and I in Family Court. I was seeking full legal and physical custody of my daughter. When Bob and I first met, we were quickly able to see my situation was in dire need of legal assistance. As a single father, this was by far the scariest thing I have faced in my life. Bob was able to take a pragmatic approach, explain to me the processes within the court system, and guide me through litigation with confidence. There were false claims of abuse and Bob was able to not only deal with them, but to bring an emergency motion that granted me temporary custody. As a trial lawyer, I couldn't have been more pleased with Bob's professionalism, knowledge and legal advice. Bob represented me in court on several occasions leading up to and ultimately throughout a 4 day trail. Bob's experience and knowledge of MN state law was key in our outcome.
I was awarded full legal and physical custody of my daughter and mother had to do supervised parenting time. My situation deserved this outcome, but Bob was the individual who brought the argument to the court and ultimately won the case. He chewed up mother's expert witness. He also represented me in post decree matters and was always responsive and on point. His fees were reasonable as well.
I have since referred my friends and family to seek Mr. Manson's services if they find themselves with any family law issues. They have all been as pleased as I was with his services.
Read more
21 Jan, 2012 by Elizabeth
Justin, met with us and describe the opportunities and options which we had. He described and gave examples of how different mechanisms work and gave us the opportunity to make good decisions. His guidance and our trust in his were invaluable.
Read more
Discover the ideal lawyer
You can search a lawyer by practice area, lawyer name, city, state, or ZIP code
FAQs
Questions? We have answers
What Questions Should I Ask Before Hiring a Lawyer?
Hiring the right lawyer is crucial for the success of your case. Here are some important questions to ask during your initial consultation:
-
What experience do you have with cases similar to mine?
Ensure the lawyer has relevant experience in the specific area of law pertaining to your case. -
How do you charge for your services, and what are the estimated costs?
Understand the fee structure, including hourly rates, flat fees, retainer fees, and any additional expenses. -
Who will be handling my case?
Find out if the lawyer will handle your case personally or delegate tasks to other attorneys or paralegals. -
What is your approach to resolving cases like mine?
Learn about their strategy, whether they prefer negotiation, mediation, or litigation. -
What potential outcomes can I expect?
While no lawyer can guarantee results, they can provide an assessment of possible scenarios based on their experience. -
How will you communicate with me throughout the process?
Establish expectations for updates, preferred communication methods, and response times. -
What is the expected timeline for my case?
Get an estimate of how long the process may take from start to finish. -
Do you have references from past clients?
Testimonials or references can provide insight into the lawyer's professionalism and effectiveness. -
What challenges do you foresee in my case?
Understanding potential obstacles helps you prepare and sets realistic expectations. -
Are there alternative ways to resolve my legal issue?
Discuss options like mediation, arbitration, or settlement to resolve the issue efficiently.
Can a Lawyer Represent Me in Courts Outside of White Bear Lake, Minnesota?
Whether a lawyer can represent you in courts outside of your city or state depends on their licensure and the jurisdiction of the court:
-
Within the Same State:
Lawyers licensed in a particular state can typically practice anywhere within that state, including all cities and counties. They can represent you in both state and federal courts located in that state. -
Outside of Their Licensed State:
If your case is in a different state, the lawyer must be licensed in that state to represent you. However, there are exceptions:- Pro Hac Vice Admission: An out-of-state lawyer can request special permission to represent a client in a specific case in another state. This requires filing a motion with the court and often working in conjunction with a local attorney.
- Federal Courts: If your case is in federal court, a lawyer licensed in any state may be able to represent you, provided they are admitted to practice in that particular federal court.
-
International Representation:
For cases outside the United States, different rules apply, and the lawyer may need to comply with the foreign country's legal requirements or collaborate with local counsel.
It's important to discuss your specific situation with the lawyer to determine if they can represent you in the desired jurisdiction and what steps may be necessary to do so.
How to Check the Credibility of a Lawyer
Before hiring a lawyer, it's crucial to verify their credibility and ensure they're qualified to handle your case:
-
Verify Their License:
Check with your state's bar association to confirm the lawyer is licensed and in good standing. Most state bar websites have an online directory for this purpose. -
Experience and Specialization:
Ensure the lawyer specializes in the area of law relevant to your case. Review their website, professional profiles, and case history. -
Disciplinary Record:
Look up any history of disciplinary actions or complaints through the state bar association's records. -
Client Reviews and Testimonials:
Read reviews on legal directories like Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, Google, or Yelp to gauge client satisfaction and experiences. -
Professional Memberships:
Membership in professional organizations or specialty bar associations can indicate a commitment to their field and adherence to high ethical standards. -
Awards and Recognitions:
Honors from reputable organizations reflect expertise and a positive reputation in the legal community. -
Consultation Assessment:
Use the initial consultation to evaluate their communication skills, responsiveness, and willingness to address your concerns. -
Ask for References:
A credible lawyer should be willing to provide references from past clients who can speak to their abilities and professionalism.
What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?
To make the most of your initial meeting with a lawyer, come prepared with:
-
Relevant Documents:
Bring all documents related to your case, such as:- Contracts or agreements
- Correspondence (emails, letters, texts)
- Legal notices or court papers
- Financial records (if applicable)
- Evidence (photos, videos, receipts)
-
Written Summary:
Prepare a concise written summary of your situation, including key dates, events, and parties involved. This helps the lawyer quickly understand the context. -
List of Questions:
Write down any questions you have about your case, the legal process, fees, or the lawyer's experience. -
Financial Information:
If your case involves financial matters, bring relevant documents like pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements, or invoices. -
Contact Information:
Provide details of any witnesses or other parties relevant to your case, including their names and contact information. -
Personal Identification:
Bring a valid photo ID for verification purposes. -
Pen and Notebook:
Take notes during the consultation to remember important points discussed. -
Budget Constraints:
Be ready to discuss your budget and any financial limitations so the lawyer can provide appropriate guidance on fees and payment options. -
Openness and Honesty:
Be prepared to discuss your case candidly. Full disclosure allows the lawyer to give accurate advice and anticipate potential challenges.
