Read before they find out how to delete this actual/real review. I AM a former client, regardless…read moreof their response. Schwebel Goetz & Sieben (SGS) Be prepared: this process is about money, not justice or principle. Over two years ago, tragedy struck our family. Our 20-year-old son died, and our wrongful death claim involved the bar he visited that night. In our first meeting with our SGS attorney, we stressed that our priority wasn't money--it was justice. He said he understood, would file charges, and would be willing to go to court (bait and switch-read on). Their investigator gathered evidence supporting our claim. Then months of near silence passed. Eventually, our attorney said he would file charges (he never did). First red flag: he addressed me by my deceased son's name, twice. Over the following months, I personally uncovered two more critical pieces of evidence. That I had to do this myself was a major red flag--this was their job. With this new evidence, our attorney requested early mediation--without our approval and before filing charges. Reluctantly, we agreed. Before the mediation, he oddly showed doubt about our claim, then shook my hand and said, "You've done more than my investigators." Mediation failed. The mediator, hand-picked by SGS, was arrogant, dismissive. Our attorney repeated: Next step was to file charges. Again, it didn't happen. Later, the insurance company made another offer based on the mediator's suggestion. We rejected it--too low and we still wanted charges filed. But our attorney insisted we accept, otherwise find a different attorney. He gave no specifics as to why, just vague comments about the evidence, which I suspect he never fully reviewed. Integrity was simply absent, a total 180. We never requested early mediation. We were pushed into accepting a settlement we didn't believe in. Thrice, promised that charges would be filed--they never were. Meanwhile, the bar avoided court, responsibility, and bad publicity. For these reasons, they won, not us. The opposing side had better legal representation than we did. For us, this wasn't about money--it was about preventing this from happening to someone else. But without filing charges, there's no accountability. Maybe we were naïve, but we believed an attorney would fight for our principles. We were wrong. SGS focuses on volume over quality. Profit is #1. An SGS lawyer's success is measured by how efficiently they settle, not by how fiercely they fight for justice. Our attorney knew the opposing counsel, had worked with him before, and likely will again. He described him as a "reasonable guy, a real pro"--translation: a guy who'd settle quickly. There weren't just two sides--there were six: the bar, its insurance company, their attorney, the mediator, our attorney, and us. The closest bond in this party? The two attorneys. This was a business negotiation, not representation. When our lawyer said he'll "do everything he can," what he really meant was "everything he's willing to do"--Make a claim, then settle. We thought the circumstances justified more, but our claim was treated like any typical car accident. Through this process, I asked our attorney many questions, requested clarity, and posed potential scenarios. Early on, he responded vaguely. Later, arrogantly deflected and laughed-off concerns. Over 90% of claims never reach court. The system encourages mediation, and settlements can't set legal precedent. So, nothing changes, and that's the way they want it-profitable. The reality? SGS is only about profit, manipulating facts and people--not seeking justice. In our case, it meant manipulating a grieving family. (They manipulate google reviews too). SGS Attorneys say they'll "fight for you," but the key word is "for"--and it's by their definition. Once you hire an SGS lawyer, you give up control. Your goals become secondary to their financial incentives. Who holds them accountable? No one. Practicing law at SGS means knowing how to avoid it. SGS can't afford compassion, but spend millions on advertising. Justice wasn't served and our son deserved better. B.S. needs to retire.

I see my review was conveniently removed Cole dixen takes under the table pay outs and screws his…read moreclients I lost out on 250000 dollars on a case he called a slam dunk because it was a slam dunk but at the last minute he was afraid to go to trial and recommended I take a small settlement in fact guilt tripped me into it if your looking for honest representation you should look elsewhere you will remain a victim if you seek out schweble geots and sieben I've been bait and switched by them and everything was pretty standard I don't see how hiring them is a good choice and I wish I had an honest review to read before I made my mistake but of course they take down the reviews that aren't 5 stars

Noack Law had handled a couple cases for me and have always did amazing…read more They took care of all the legal stuff so I could focus on my healing and recovery. Would recommend them to everyone.

William K Wangensteen kas been my estate attorney since 1982…read more I have found Bill to be honest, competent, and compassionate. He has helped me through the death of two husbands, a complicated conservatorship and end of life paperwork. I highy ecommend him. Take it from someone who has been his client for 43 years.

Judith lied regarding my plea bargain and even submitted it to the courts without the DA agreeing…read moreor me being advised of my rights. When confronted she said she assumed the DA agreed. Not only did I receive ineffective counsel but I was lied to by own lawyer. I am reporting her to Minnesota Professional Board of Responsibility. She shouldn't be allowed to practice law in the State of MN if she is lying to her own clients. I also had to retain new counsel and she only offered to refund a little bit of the money we paid. I had to start all over with my new lawyer. Judy never did anything to build a defense for me. She never went over my discovery in detail with me. When I asked her to go over my criminal history points and my sentencing range she said that it doesn't matter. Then she only sent me over 3 out of 4 pages of the document I requested. She did as much as push paper for me. I'm extremely disappointed in the way she treated me and treated my case as a lawyer who is paid for. Do not recommend and highly encourage to stay away! I have all the documentation of even further grievances of ineffective counsel and we will be getting our money back.

I can honestly say that Judy is well connected and very competent , she has guided my daughter thru…read moremultiple felony charges in both Hennepin and Ramsey county's, is always available and on time for all court appearances. If I had not hired her I am certain my daughter would be looking at a minimum 3 years in prison, Judy has managed to give her another chance at becoming a functioning active member of society. Choosing the right attorney is not always easy, what I am saying is you won't regret hiring her.

Not sure how good they actually are. Amy bills for things she shouldn't. She charged me $50 to pick…read moreup my check from the proceeds from my home being sold. I don't think I should have had to pay just to be given the check.

Parental rights and estate planning are two very big things that are not talked about enough and…read morethis firm has a great team and lots tools . Also, DIY divorce options that are totally online and fabulous.

Wanta Thome wasted a great deal of my time, and I understand they have great reviews - so I don't…read moretake putting a 1 star lightly because I appreciate good business. *** BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE - THEY DEMAND 40% CONTINGENCEY FEE FOR PRE-LITIGATION WHICH IS HIGHER THAN USUAL, AND IT GETS WORSE*** I was referred by AI which maybe was my first mistake - but the website looked legitimate and the language seemed to match what I was looking for. I was on the website, and, without acting - a calendar popped up. I was strong-armed into booking an appointment with Carla the intake Lead. Well I book it, but then in the morning Carla e-mails me and tells me she's kicking it down to an entry level intake employee - which I resisted because my case is complex and I wanted someone with experience. Well I didn't get my way, the firm insisted that I get a greenhorn. The new intake person ended up getting fired or quit, but not before wasting my time. The first call was a standard 25 minutes and I submitted a timeline for her as well. 6 days later I get a text saying "Since you're not fired, we can't represent you, but reach out to us immediately if you DO get fired." Those were exactly the terms of rejecting me and leaving the door open. Well a few weeks later my employer ramps up the shenanigans threatening to fire me, then finally does - so I reach back out as instructed. The file is re-opened at Wanta, I'm told GREAT NEWS the attorney is taking a look! Then I had an attorney Kristan call me for another intake. I took the time to send her a detailed updated timeline. She called back with a retainer offer on another day and asked me to open it on the phone. I questioned the high fee and the fact that Wanta Thome will NOT coordinate with EEOC or NLRB inquiries/charges. Compared to what the website says, this seems to make no sense for an employee who did diligence before getting fired who already wants to use those agencies to help out his co-workers and himself. What's disturbing is the amount of wasted time. I TOLD THEM RIGHT AWAY ON THE PHONE AND IN MY TIMELINE THAT I HAVE AN NLRB CHARGE AND EEOC INQUIRY!!! IT TOOK THEM 45 DAYS TO REALIZE IT. I could have been told that initially, it could have been listed on the website in some form. Nobody on the planet it my situation would read the website and be led to believe anything otherwise. The intake process was wonky. Kristen on multiple phone calls assumed I was in Minnesota WHEN I CLEARLY AM IN CHICAGO and corrected her multiple times. They're just not paying full attention. ALSO she said She'd have to ask the partners about the EEOC/NLRB clause in the contract - she said she can't speak with them for 5 days because they're "away" -- I'm sorry, You have a huge law firm in multiple states - and the top 2 partners are going to be off the radar for a week? Do they meditate in the far east? That makes no sense. I respect any attorney's decision to decline a case for whatever reason - but at no point was I led to believe anything other than WANTA THOME IS THE PERFECT FIRM TO REPRESENT ME. I knew it was a wonky process but I told myself - as long as I get retained and they can help me - it'll be worth it. I was wrong. They offered to retain me - and all I said was "hey - do they mind doing something that their website makes it seem like they would totally do?" Advice to the firm - don't put Retaliation, Wrongful Termination, Discrimination on your website if you're not going to coordinate with NLRB or EEOC. Just put in big letters at the top "WE WANT TO SEND A LETTER FOR A HIGH FEE AND IF IT DOESNT WORK WE'RE BACKING OUT." A severe waste of my time - it's not OK - I'll never get it back. They don't really pay attention. I'm not sure what types of cases these reviews come or if they're incentivezed to send them in - but for the sake of helping people who need help - if you see any of these warning signs, consider going somewhere else. IM SO GLAD I DIDNT SIGN THAT RETAINER WITHOUT FIGHTING FOR A SENSIBLE CONTRACT. Change your website

Benedict Linsenmeyer informed me that my case is well rounded and I don't need representation…read moreunless their is a failure in the system. Most law firms don't have the decency to not snactch 40% of your money for green. Wanta Thome is a good lawyers and morally decent.

I've been a client of MKE for over six years across multiple legal matters. They're some of the…read moremost strategic and capable attorneys I've come across, with a level of expertise in constitutional law that's hard to find. They've done what 99% of law firms never do: gone to the U.S. Supreme Court twice (and won both times). That alone speaks volumes. The atmosphere is very down-to-earth, and the whole firm is easy to work with. Greg Erickson (the "E" in MKE), especially, is a straight shooter with a blunt (but great) sense of humor. I've seen him depose defendants for hours on multiple occasions, and it's honestly like watching boxing and ballet in one breath--he's sharp, controlled, and incredibly quick on his feet. John (main paralegal) is like an encyclopedia of constitutional and municipal law--extremely detail-oriented, and Mary (Office Manager) keeps everything running smoothly. It's a boutique firm that runs on word-of-mouth reputation, not advertising. They represent everyone from large banks, corporations, and small business owners to cities, law enforcement, and prisoners. They also take on cases against cities and public officials, which says a lot about their depth and versatility. I want to comment on a recent negative review here from someone using the name "Turbine G." What this person describes does not line up with what I know about the situation. This individual ("Jay") was yelling profanities in the 8th Circuit courthouse that day--I know because I had a hearing there as well. In that context, if Greg advised him to stop acting like "a child," that is more than fair. Lawyers have to maintain professionalism in court--not just for their firm, but for their other clients (I certainly wouldn't want that kind of behavior affecting the judge's view of my case or the court's perception of MKE--would you?). More broadly, I know and respect the attorneys this reviewer criticizes. Greg is quick-witted, highly skilled, and deeply dedicated to his kids. Erick Kaardal is brilliant, kind, and clearly prioritizes his family. These are genuinely good people. As for the younger attorney, Elizabeth--who is also unfairly dragged in that review--I want to be clear: she did an outstanding job. In fact, in a separate case, a district court judge (who had previously presided over one of my own hearings) even wrote a letter to MKE commending her work. She's a young attorney with a very bright future. No law firm wins every case. Outcomes depend heavily on which judge you get and the specific circumstances. That doesn't take away from the quality of the legal work. And to be fair--I do agree with one thing the reviewer said: sometimes MKE drafts come close to deadlines. That's the reality of a busy, in-demand firm handling complex litigation. But what matters is how they show up when it counts. I've had John stay on the phone with me late into the night to make sure everything was accurate before a strict deadline. That level of commitment is rare. For further perspective, I'm a lifelong liberal, and the firm is known for having (mostly) conservative attorneys. It's never mattered. I've always gotten along super well with everyone there. There's a mix of political perspectives among both their staff and clients, and there's clearly mutual respect. It's worth noting that many of the negative reviews on Google don't come from actual clients, but instead appear to be from online trolls reacting to a few controversial cases--something that represents only a tiny fraction of the firm's overall work. Most satisfied clients don't leave reviews--they get what they need and move on. I only felt the need to write something after stumbling upon this person's review because it didn't match what I know or my experience. From my (real) experience as a client: if you want serious, high-level legal representation, this is exactly the kind of firm you want in your corner.

Unfortunately, I feel I am obligated to write this review to hopefully prevent others from going…read morethrough what we have with MKE. We have spent near half a million dollars with this firm to have only 1 meaningless court victory in 5+ years. My personal belief is MKE is more worried about what the judges, court and opposing lawyers think of them than what their client's outcomes are. Frankly, I have typically not left hearings with MKE at my side in which I felt I had a chance to win. Only once have I been comfortable with how MKE lawyers argued in court (out of dozens of hearings). I kept my mouth shut about my perceived incompetence of MKE lawyers over time in hopes that the facts would win out in our favor as we had nowhere else to go and were locked in with MKE. When I presented mild criticism to Greg Erickson (E from MKE) along with my opinion form observing that he and his lawyer both did a terrible job in federal court that day, he literally stated, "You are a child Jay. Elizabeth did an outstanding job" (You got that right, Erickson's response was to denigrate me instead of listen to what I said). Yet Elizabeth got hammered and lost so bad for my wife that MKE has refused to respond to any communications from me or my wife at this point. This includes our longtime attorney, and somebody I thought was a friend, Erick Kaardal (don't let Erick fool you with his stories and charm, he certainly appears to me to not be the good catholic he professes to be). No lawyer at MKE bothered to contact us to determine next steps after the loss, merely decided to shut us out (which certainly appears to be an ethical violation on their part). Further, we had a set fee of $255k for the entire litigation, and when MKE lost because of their own incompetence (not understanding they had to include arguments of why the claim was in federal court), MKE puts their hand put for more money even though they are the ones who screwed up. In fact, we even set up a basically unlosable lawsuit against the city, that MKE somehow seemed to piss down the toilet (because they refused to put forth the obvious facts that would most likely have swayed the judges). Finally, I have won more cases for myself pro se than MKE ever did for us, not even close. In my opinion, If you are looking for a high priced lawyer that does not put forth the arguments you want them to in court, waits until the last minute to get the paperwork done, gets scolded by the judge right in front of you for being excessively wordy, gets half the arguments right and half wrong in court, fails to defend your character when personally attacked over zoning issues, and, calls you names when you put forth some mild criticism of their efforts ... then MKE is your team!! I would suggest otherwise and to stay away.

This firm is your one stop shop for serious injury claims. Greg and Pete are conscientious…read moreadvocates, and they travel the world handling complex litigation. If you have the misfortune of running into a problem they can handle, you will be in good hands.