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Experience. I have been practicing law in Joliet since 2006, mainly focusing in Real Estate Transactions, Mechanics Liens, and Social Security law.  I have since stopped taking new clients for Social Security with the exception of a few long-standing clients.  My primary practice area these days consists almost exclusively of transactional real estate (representing clients who are buying and selling homes).. Real Estate Practice. The three keys to a good real estate practice are organization, simple fee rates, and professional relationships.  The typical things a real estate attorney handles in conjunction with a client are negotiating repair issues, preparing the closing documentation, drafting encumbrances (in the appropriate case), working with the lender to insure that the final figures are correct, drafting deeds to insure that the property is held in the most-beneficial type of holding, and reviewing real estate contracts for problems or issues.  My organization skills focus on date-planning and capping my cases; I set out a calendar for the closing and follow those dates and I cap my cases at 20 at any given time so that each case gets the attention it needs and deserves.  This helps avoid errors.  I also have professional relationships with surveyors, realtors and mortgage lenders to assist clients who are just starting the process of buying or selling their home.. All of my fees in real estate matters are for a set price (no padding my hours) and are usually contingent (you don't buy/sell a house, I don't get paid).  The only exception to this flat-fee, contingent rule is drafting of encumbrances (such as easements and leaseholds, for example).. All my clients and their realtor are given my cell phone number very early in the transaction so either of them may call me any time they want.  I take evening and weekend calls and appointments (subject to availability).  With me, you get the personal service you deserve and do my best to earn every dollar you pay me.. Mechanics Liens. Mechanics liens cases is a specialty area of mine which I have pursued since graduating law school.  I primarily focus on "perfecting" mechanics liens so that they can survive a court challenge; I have filed suits in court to foreclose mechanics liens as well, both for owners and contractors.  These included a $1.9 million claim in which I co-chaired a two-week trial defending against a claim on behalf of the owner and a $750,000 suit in which I prosecuted a claim on behalf of a contractor.. Education. I earned my B.A. from Eastern Illinois University in 1999.  I earned my J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2002.  I have been licensed to practice law in Illinois since 2002.. Malpractice Insurance and ARDC Claims. I carry a malpractice insurance policy to protect my clients, but have never had a claim filed against me in 14 years.  I have never been disciplined by the Attorney Regulatory and Disciplinary Commission.. Personal. I live in Joliet with my wife, Katie, and our three children: Henry, Stella, and Everett.  On my days off, I run "Daddy Daycare" while my wife goes to work.

Andrew’s philosophy is to be your trusted advisor. He will provide you with the highest quality legal services to ensure that you and your organization possess the tools you need to be successful. Andrew Downs Law, LLC is a full service law firm, serving small businesses, nonprofits, political action committees (PACs), candidates, and individuals alike. Andrew can be reached by calling or email at. In law school, Andrew clerked for a city attorney’s office of a major Portland metro area city and then served as a Policy Advisor in a caucus office in the Oregon State Legislature, becoming an expert in state and local government. After law school, Andrew continued to hone his budding legal skills by serving as the Legal Director to a caucus office in the Oregon State Senate.. In 2017, Andrew founded Andrew Downs Law, LLC in Portland, Oregon. Since, he has served as outside General Counsel to one of the state’s largest long-standing Senate leadership Political Action Committees (PACs), as Fund Counsel to central Oregon’s premier private equity Opportunity Fund, and as outside General Counsel to nonprofit social welfare organizations. In addition, he has represented other various PACs, candidates for office, Opportunity Funds, and small businesses—building a broad base of legal experience in business law, state and federal securities law, and state and federal elections and campaign finance law.. Andrew is passionate about helping your organization grow and thrive. He possesses the skills, know-how, and experience to represent numerous clients in a wide range of legal matters, including establishing and advising Opportunity Funds, entity formation, securities regulation, employment issues, elections and campaign finance matters, estate planning, real estate and business transactions, landlord-tenant issues, civil litigation, and appeals. If you don’t see the specific area of law you need help with above, please, contact Andrew to inquire whether he can effectively assist you with your unique legal matter.

As a partner at Hellmuth & Johnson and a member of both the real estate and community association practice groups, Joel Hilgendorf helps a wide variety of clients make their mark. They include commercial and residential property owners, developers, banks, condominium and townhome associations, and businesses and individuals.. While he focuses his practice primarily in real estate law – commercial and residential; both as a litigator and transactional attorney – Joel also provides counsel and representation in community association law, foreclosure law and creditor’s remedies, and commercial and residential real estate transactions. Along with the skills he has honed in these areas, he marshals broad experience in:. One of Joel's particular areas of concentration is representing condominium and townhome associations. He is active in the Minnesota Chapter of the Community Associations Institute, for which he has served on the Board of Directors. Joel has extensive experience representing community associations in all of their legal needs, including:

Jim Stearman grew up in Fullerton, California, and has been involved in service, civic and philanthropic activities throughout his life.  He has been practicing real estate, business and general civil law for over 37 years.  Jim is also a licensed real estate broker, private investigator and travel agent.  He is a past member of the board of directors of the Fullerton Chamber of Commerce and past chair of the St. Jude Memorial currently serves as the Trustee of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Fullerton Endowment Fund.  He also sits on the Finance Committee for the St. Jude Memorial Foundation and is a current member of the board of directors of Coast-to-Coast Foundation which provides services and resources to the homeless community.  In his leisure time, Jim is an avid mountain bike rider and enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.