I consulted Erwin Law to draft a will since it was one of those things I've been procrastinating on - who wants to prioritize the creation of a will? Alas, I found Erwin Law to assist me. I reached out via Yelp and we communicated mostly through email. I was given web forms to pay via credit card for the deposit and final transaction. We did most of the will creation over email, I was sent a form to complete then scan, and email back. For the final will creation, I had to visit the office in person and sign, along with Erwin's team. In all, it was a pretty realistic transaction for the creation of a will. Granted my will is not complex, so I cannot speak for someone with a lot of requirements, but Erwin Law did a great job for a basic will. read more

I did not use their services. I was asked to email documents. I called to follow-up. I was told the attorney was behind on emails. I literally never heard back. The documents contained sensitive information. While I am sure they securely handle the documents, to receive no correspondence back was disrespectful of my time and efforts to meet their requests. read more

You would be better off with printing out docs from a random legal website than paying these people because it seems like their model is volume rather than quality and if you only pay for the paper you'll at least get your money's worth. I hired them to evict my hostile tenant. All they did is cost me more money in legal fees and unnecessarily prolong the time it took to get the tenant out compared to what I could have done on my own. One of the lawyers was even rude and disrespectful and hung up on me when I questioned why they missed yet another deadline and hadn't responded to me. I got rubber stamp representation that was literally less than worthless bc I could have just googled and made the same filings myself without paying their fees. Or I could have just let the tenant leave without paying because that's what ended up happening anyway. I also realized too late that this is the same law firm that handled the sale of a house that I purchased. Even as the buyer, I was frustrated with their shoddy handling of that deal as well. At least that time it might have worked in my favor because I got a pretty good price on the place. I'm glad I wasn't the seller. I am not saying you should represent yourself but I am saying that you should get a better lawyer than these people. I strongly advise that you find a different law practice for your needs especially if you have something like a sale or eviction because they do not have the attention to detail. read more

BEWARE OF THEM, MUST READ FOR ALL LANDLORDS: I needed an attorney to draft a residential lease agreement for my property. They offered me a flat fee of $500 and agreed. The whole purpose of hiring an attorney to draft a lease to make sure that we get proper legal advice and customize the lease as per our requirements. William Hacker and James Erwin didn't clarify this upfront that they won't add any specific clauses per my requirement. And then we had a retainer agreement when they used the word "standard" lease making which as a non-legal person I overlooked. When I received a lease I was shocked to see that he filled a publicly available template of "Chicago Realtor Association" and reverted back to me. When I asked to Edit and Add some of the clauses according to my need, they blatantly asked another $500 to add a rider quoting "Standard" word in their retainer agreement. Why would somebody hire a lawyer to make a document which is available to fill on public platforms all over internet and pay them $500. PROFESSIONALLY UNPROFESSIONAL LAW FIRM.. HIRE THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK!!! read more

I submitted an inquiry on an erroneous "debt collection" notice I received from Erwin law which had the incorrect statement balance including legal fees tacked onto it. When I emailed him requesting that he send an updated statement balance with the correct fee listed, instead of trying to understand the issue in more detail or asking questions to clarify, he responded in a completely unprofessional tone and bluntly stated "our firm owes you no explanations" and "invoice you sent me does absolutely nothing to show that the account statement was incorrect or that you have made all required payments." Although I am not a direct client of Erwin law, I am very disappointed by the extreme lack of professionalism and condescending tone of his email and would not recommend them. read more

My husband and I are getting up in years and wanted to get our financial affairs in order. We contacted several lawyers to compare pricing for wills and get their feedback on legal questions we had. Bottom line, his pricing was very fair, and he responded quickly to any questions we had. Some of the law offices didn't want to bother! His work was thorough and he was a pleasure to work with. In the future, if we need any legal help, we know where we will go. We highly recommend Jim and his office. read more

In the interest of full disclosure I am a real estate agent and I have worked with Andrea on several occasions. I routinely refer her to my clients (both buyers and sellers,) who need an attorney for their transactions. Now...let me tell you why... I met Andrea when she was representing the "other side" on a closing for my client--the buyer. It was a completely messed up closing (the sellers and their agent were both nincompoops and Andrea had the deal thrown in her lap just that morning!) Andrea handled the entire debacle with such poise and grace that I decided to give her a call the next time I had a client who needed an attorney. Since then, I have referred her on numerous occasions and my clients have loved the work she has done. She is as smart and thorough as they come and--don't let her petite stature fool you--she is unflinching when advocating for her clients. She is a great communicator and her rates are very competitive. As an Realtor, I really appreciate her level of dedication and her communication. I have also used Andrea on my own personal deals and so I count myself as one of her many satisfied clients. If you have legal questions involving a real estate issue or are simply looking for an attorney to handle your closing, do yourself a favor and give Andrea a call. You won't be disappointed. read more

It's good to know there are still GOOD GUYS out there! Let me first say I didn't hire James Erwin because he gave me the information I needed over the phone. In researching attorneys on the phone, I felt rushed to spit out my question before I felt like the meter was running. James patiently listened, asked questions, was quickly able to assess my situation and took the time to review the document in question and provide his expert advice. Within the space of a ten minute relationship Erwin and Associates managed to show professionalism, empathy and expert advice to a non-client. So imagine what he'll do for you when you hire him! (I know that sounds like a commercial---but I was so impressed!) When I DO find that I have a future dilemma needing a resolution, I'll be sure to give this firm a call. read more

My wife and I had Jim at Erwin and Associates help us with some issues we were having with our condo and home owners association, and ended asking him to write up a lease to rent our unit out, too. Overall it was a pretty good experience, but here's a breakdown of how things went: -Lease: Not good. It was not very thorough and missing what I would consider some pretty basic provisions for a good lease. I was able to find free leases online that I would consider better than what was prepared for me. And it was expensive. $360 for the preparation, which seems especially expensive given how poor it was. -Condo/HOA issues: Much better experience. We felt the work was good and at a reasonable cost. Our issues worked out in the end, and these were really what required the help of a lawyer more than the lease. -Service: Jim was very nice and helpful, and took the time to explain everything thoroughly. We felt very comfortable working with him, and felt he was genuinely interested in finding a good solution to our situation. In the end I'm satisfied with the experience, and considering how expensive any qualified legal counseling is, I guess I'm not too unhappy with the cost. But I'd say if you're looking for something really basic like a lease preparation, just go with some software that you can purchase or try to utilize online resources. read more

We recently had James Erwin and his associate Andrea Jardine represent us on our home purchase and were extremely impressed with the level of service that we received. We are/were first time home buyers that really didn't understand the process from having our bid accepted through closing. Fortunately, James and Andrea patiently explained everything to us. Communication was also excellent. Our emails and calls were answered immediately. During the last couple of weeks, we worked primarily with James and really enjoyed working with him. He's a normal guy and pretty honest too (rare for lawyers right, j/k ;) The rates are very reasonable too! Overall, we highly recommend Erwin and Associates especially for first time home buyers like us. read more

Jim is an excellent lawyer and advocate! He gave us rock-solid advice as we navigated our first commercial real estate purchasing experience. He is prompt, supportive, and highly knowledgeable. I highly recommend working with him! read more

Erwin law gave me a very good free consultation. I had some questions regarding the Chicago RLTO, tenant's security deposit and James gave me thorough, informative and helpful advice. read more

Honest law firm. I contacted James Erwin in regards to changing a trust. He took a look at the trust and told me that the changes wouldn't require a consultation if I didn't want one, and sent me the appropriate forms to get it done. I will definitely keep this firm in mind when I have more extensive work in the future. read more

We hired him in the past and had a good experience but sometimes had an issue trying to a hold of him. Now we've tried to reached out to him again for over 2 weeks via email , multiple phone calls and even stopped by in person but was told he was on a conference call that could not be interrupted. So we left a message to contact us. It's been 3 days since and still no response. At this point we've given up. read more

James Erwin and Alicia Erwin were wonderful to work with to aid my husband and I in buying our first home. I interviewed several attorneys before picking one. I had a good feeling about Erwin and Associates from the start and I am glad I chose them. At the beginning of the process I did wish they communicated a little more, but I quickly realized I could trust them, they were aware of and on top of every deadline, they would update me when they had new information, and they would let me know if they needed anything from me. Jim was great at the closing, thoroughly reviewing every document, catching a few errors, and making sure everything was corrected before closing was finalized. I would highly recommend James Erwin and his team to anyone buying a home in Chicago. read more

Erwin & Associates, LLC represented me in the recent sale of my condo. While selling my condo, I had taken a new position at work and was moving into a new condo. Jim Erwin and his team made the sale of my condo effortless and let me focus on my new job instead of worrying about all the little details of selling a home. The best part was that Jim went above and beyond, researched potential real estate tax credits and ended up saving me over $3,000. The savings easily covered the attorneys fee. I highly recommend this firm if you need an attorney. read more

I would give Erwin & Associates 100 stars if I could. I worked with Jim Erwin on my short sale. From the first time I met with him, he had my best interests in mind. He always gave me honest advice, was quick to respond to my questions, was very knowledgeable about the process, and helped get my short sale approved. He went above and beyond for me so many times. It seemed so different working with a lawyer that cared more about saving me money than his own profits. It was a great experience. Although I hope to never short sale again, I would HIGHLY recommend Erwin & Associates for anyone else that was thinking about doing it or any real estate needs. I couldn't be more thankful for all of their help! read more

James Erwin is terrific lawyer. I sent him inquiry via his website and he emailed back the same day. He is very accessible and prompt. Any question I had was answered right away. He explained the process and helped me in my situation in dealing with a difficult seller. Had it not been for his expertise and professionalism, the sale could have gone south. read more

As a real estate broker and investor I can't explain how much I appreciate Jim Erwin and his team. I have used Erwin & Associates for several personal transactions and I refer my clients to them as well. Jim and Kerry have added tremendous value to my transactions through their diligent work and quick responses to all issues that pop up. During this tough market, real estate deals can quickly turn for the worse, and without a fast-acting and seasoned pro in your corner you may be putting yourself in a compromised position. Jim and his partner Bill sat down with me face to face before beginning to work together to explain the value that they could add to my real estate business. They have been extremely patient with me and I have learned a much about the legal side of real estate transactions. Highly recommended. read more

I have been using Erwin Law for over three years. Initially we hired them for a foreclosure purchase that took an extended period of time. The purchase ended up not going through but Jim's patience and flexibility with the process is what I was most impressed with. We moved on to another property and went back to them. I was very glad we did as the process was unbelievably smooth. Jim just seemed to handle all technicalities with ease which took everything off our plate. A little over a year ago we encountered an issue with a rental property. At this point I knew exactly where to go. Once again, they took over all dealings with the attorneys on the other side. Issues with rental properties are no fun and I have to say that I was completely at ease knowing that Jim was going to bat for me. It was resolved quickly as expected. Jim is always accessible and my emails have always been answered in a timely manner. One of his best attributes is his ability to listen and assess quickly. His knowledge is extensive and is wide-ranging which is why he is my go-to source for quick questions/concerns. I will continue to use them and I give the highest recommendation possible. read more

We worked with Jim Erwin on the sale of our townhouse in Chicago and were extremely pleased with everything. Jim is easy to get a hold of and communicate with and made the whole process really easy. We moved out of state before our closing and Jim took care of everything so that we wouldn't need to fly back in for the closing. We highly recommend Jim and his staff and would work with them again in a heartbeat. read more

What a great guy! I had a dispute over a plumbing bill with my condo association, and called him to see if he would represent me. They asked for an email describing the situation, which I sent. He returned my call the same day, but declined to represent me because the dispute was over a mall amount of money compared to how much it would cost to represent me. He did, however, take the time to explain how I might prevail in Small Claims Court. Thank you so much Jim Erwin! read more

Jim was patient, thorough, exact, and focused throughout the lengthy closing process, including dealing with an out-of-state Underwriting department and enough last-minute issues to almost drown the deal. He is a wonderful resource for real estate and we will be using him for our other legal needs. read more

Jim Erwin and his paralegal Kerry guided my fiancée and I through the difficult terrain of buying our first place. They were incredibly detail oriented, patient with all of our questions, quick to respond to emails and phone calls, and really knowledgeable. From the time we first spoke to the time we closed, Jim and Kerry exceed our expectations and made the purchasing experience significantly less stressful. I can't recommend them enough. read more

I recently had Jim Erwin represent me in the sale of my Chicago condo. I cannot recommend the firm highly enough for this type of transaction. Jim and his staff (shoutouts to Alicia and Celeste) were all outstanding in terms of courteous, patient, frank, thorough and prompt communication in response to my calls and emails (and I had *many* questions/concerns for them to address as the process unfolded), and thorough, detail-oriented knowledge of the fine points of real estate law (specifically Chicago condo sales--if you're buying or selling a Chicago home, you really want an attorney familiar with the Chicago real estate legal landscape specifically). There were some thorny issues that needed to be dealt with in terms of ensuring clear title on the property, which required me to dig up old documents (from my own files and through my mortgage lender, which required tenacity and patience, to put it politely) in order to put things in order, as well as negotiations with my buyer. Jim advised me on these issues candidly and timely, where time was very short. Had I been unrepresented, I would never have even known these were issues, and the results would almost certainly have been ugly. Finally, Erwin Law's flat-rate fee for handling the closing (which encompassed title search and related advice, negotiations both pre- and post-inspection with the buyer's agent/lawyer, drafting of closing documents, and representation at the closing) was eminently reasonable; in retrospect, it was an absolute no-brainer for me to retain them, as my lack of knowledge of real estate law would have cost me far more had I tried to go it alone (or even with a less thorough, diligent attorney). I've never been so appreciative of a professional service as I was here. I've thanked Jim and his staff directly already, but repeat those thanks here. read more

Jim recently represented me on my condo purchase. I was in regular communication with Jim and his paralegal, Kerry, for about two months. Both were always communicative, professional, courteous, and thorough. For the most part our communication was either via phone or email; I did not meet Jim face to face until the closing, to which he arrived earlier than I did! As a first-time homebuyer, I'm sure I had lots of oddball questions about the process, but I never felt like I was being treated like a "rookie" - all my questions were taken seriously. I was extremely pleased with my experience with Erwin & Associates. read more

Erwin and Associates represented me on a closing last week. The transaction required a lot of negotiating that Jim and Kerry handled beautifully. Going in, I was a wreck but they answered any questions I had thoroughly and made it a very simple and stress free process. I recommend them highly! thanks! read more

I had received a referral to use James Erwin & Associates from a friend to handle the short-sale of my primary residence condo property. To put it on the straight and arrow - James delivered. He and his team made my experience effortless and painless through which could have been a very arduous process with the various exchanges of documents, etc. between the parties. James was professional and very thorough on following up on every piece of necessary legal paperwork, etc. and through the entire process he kept me in the loop. James and his team are Rock Stars - especially in my case. Thank you James. read more

Erwin and Associates was recommended by a not for profit Legal Assistance company in Chicago. William (Bill) O. Chatt was my attorney. He specializes in Mechanics Liens. I had a complicated case. Bill was excellent to work with. He won my case which was a tough one. In fact I think he set a precedent for the type of suit I was involved in. It was so complicated that it is difficult for me to explain. All I know is I was sued, it went on for 3 years, the Plaintiffs were crazy and Bill won in spite of many obstacles. It was difficult to find an attorney who specializes in this type of law. I felt it was expensive. But it did drag on for 3 years. I learned why there is such a phrase " Don't make a Federal Case out of It". I would definitely recommend Bill Chatt and Erwin Law firm and I would use them again if I had to and I hope to never see them again!!! You do not want to be sued. It is not a pleasant experience. But if you were and it was for a lien call Bill. read more