Our Areas of Practice

Personal Injury

When you or a family member is seriously injured in an accident, it is a life-changing event. Your health is critical to sustaining the quality of your life, relationships, and ability to support yourself and your family. A sudden injury and resulting disability is a troubling and confusing situation for most individuals. We are experienced with all legal aspects of personal injury and wrongful death. Experienced, effective, and compassionate representation is critical for you and your family in dealing with insurance companies, opposing counsel, adverse parties, and the legal system.
We have handled these types of matters typically on a contingency fee basis. Fees are usually based upon a percentage of any settlement or recovery. Generally, we charge a competitive fee of 25% of any pre-suit settlement for cases resolved by way of settlement. Once litigation is formally commenced, our fee is usually one-third of the gross recovery. We pride ourselves on obtaining favorable results for our clients. We are effective in obtaining justice and full compensation through settlement, arbitration, mediation, and litigation.

We will provide a free consultation to review the merits of and potential steps to take with your personal injury claim with you.

We are experienced in handling the following types of matters:

• Automobile Accidents
• Wrongful Death Claims
• No-Fault Automobile Claims
• Dram Shop Claims
• Slip & Fall Claims
• Dog Bite Claims
• Adulterated Food Claims
• Products Liability
• No-Fault Automobile Insurance Claims
• Underinsured Motorists & Uninsured Motorist Claims
• Negligence Claims
• Other Tort Claims

Real Estate Law

We have helped several thousand individuals and families purchase, sell, and refinance their homes. Our firm has experience with handling all legal services in all types of real estate transactions. Buyers and sellers require prompt and accurate advice, assistance, and attention to detail and substantial experience in addressing their issues. We will try to make the real estate process more comfortable, safe, understandable, and predictable for you and your family.

We have reviewed and conducted title matters and closings for all types of property, including residential, commercial and lake property.

• Closing services
• Contract for Deed transactions
• Private mortgages
• Covenants and restrictions
• Leases
• Zoning matters
• Easements
• Quiet title actions and boundary disputes
• Drafting & review of purchase agreements, deeds & documents

Estate Planning, Trusts & Wills

It is both practical and wise to give serious thought and deliberate planning to what should occur for your family and with your assets upon your death or disability. None of us know exactly how or when we are going to face our mortality or critical health issues. A sound, personalized, and comprehensive estate plan is one of the most important and responsible things that one can give their loved ones. We have expert knowledge with helping clients in a wide variety of personal situations creating or reviewing their individual estate plans.

Our services include:

• Drafting Wills & Trusts
• Powers of Attorney
• Health Care Directives
• Farm & Family Business Succession
• Lake Cabin Trusts
• Incapacity Planning
• Transfers on Death
• Guardianships & Conservatorships
• Ante-Nuptial Planning & Agreements
• Life Insurance Trusts
• Non-Traditional Family Planning
• Special Needs Trusts
• Blended Family Plans

Probate & Trust Administration

Once a loved one dies, there can be a need to have their estate or their trust administered and property distributed to their families and beneficiaries. These types of proceedings may be fairly simple and straight forward, or sometimes they are fraught with problems and challenging family dynamics. Dealing with the unique needs and challenges that each estate and family situation warrants.

Our firm can help you with:

• Informal, formal unsupervised or supervised estate proceedings
• Trust administration
• Will contests
• Decrees of Descent
• Post-death asset and property collection and distribution
• Collecting personal property and small estate administration
• Joint tenancy and transfer on death survivorship documentation
• Life insurance claims processing
• Medical assistance lien clearance issues
• Estate and decedent tax return issues

Business Law

Your business has important, in fact, essential legal issues that need to be handled properly for you. You need sound and accurate advice to make the best decisions for your business. From formation through governance and eventual succession, your business warrants expert legal advice and assistance. You strive to provide the highest quality products and services for your customers. You will receive the same level of quality and service from us.

We are proficient with all types of businesses for their legal needs:

• Formation of all types of legal entities, including corporations, limited liability companies, and non-profits
• Preparation, review, and amendments for Articles & By-Laws
• Governance issues, including employment agreements, covenants not to compete, and non-solicitation agreements
• Contract preparation, review, and negotiations
• Asset Purchase Agreements
• Stock Redemption Agreements
• Buy-Sell Agreements and Member Control Agreements
• Business litigation advice and representation

Landlord/Tenant Law

Safe and secure housing is a critical need for tenants and their families. If you are a landlord, regular and timely rent payments by the tenant and lease compliance are also critical. We represent landlords, tenants, mobile home parks, and apartment building owners, in evictions and unlawful detainer proceedings. We also have experience with mobile home repossessions and manufactured home park evictions and sales. We draft  and appropriate rules and regulations for tenants.

Our services include drafting, reviewing, or revising:

• Residential leases, Apartment Leases, Commercial Leases, Mobile Home Leases and Regulations
• Eviction Proceedings
• Unlawful Detainer Actions
• Security Deposit Disputes
• Abandoned Property Issues
• Ownership Transfer of Rental Properties

Debtor/Creditor Law

Over the years, we have represented numerous banks and lenders in many cases and proceedings involving distressed loans and loans in default.

Our services include:

• Mortgage Foreclosures
• Replevin Actions
• Forbearance Agreements
• Work-Outs for Lenders & Borrowers
• Mediation Notices & Representation
• Contract for Deed Cancellations

Construction Law

We have been a trusted advisor and representative of many successful construction related businesses in our community; including general contractors, plumbers, mechanical systems contractors, electricians, excavators, lumberyards and owners.

Our services include:

• Mechanic's Lien Creation and Enforcement
• Construction Loan Closings, Draws, and Disbursements
• Drafting of Construction Agreements
• Dispute Resolution for Owners, Contractors, Sub-Contractors, and Suppliers
• Mediation Advice and Representation
• Municipal and Contractor Bond Claims and Foreclosures