Schlemlein Fick & Franklin, PLLC

I did not have a great experience with this law firm. Things started off promising with Colleen as the assigned attorney, but she soon brought in a second attorney to “help” with the case. I was explicitly told I wouldn’t be double charged when both were involved, but that wasn’t honored—there were charges for missed meetings requiring redundant communication, and even times when both attorneys billed for overlapping work. Eventually, Colleen stopped attending most meetings and was unresponsive to 90% of emails, though I was assured she was still observing and up to date on my case. The day before mediation, she informed me she wouldn’t be joining and that the other attorney would handle it instead—so I wouldn’t be double charged. That was the first time I realized Colleen was no longer functioning as the primary attorney, and that double-charging had clearly been considered despite her earlier assurances. To make matters worse, I later found out the second attorney’s hourly rate was actually higher than Colleen’s, which raised questions about the intent behind this hand-off. On the day of mediation, Colleen unexpectedly showed up anyway, and when I asked if I’d be charged for her time too, she simply said she’d “fall off now.” I felt my attorneys were completely unprepared for mediation. Despite billing me hours for reviewing documents and emails, they went into the meeting with only the absolute minimum I had communicated. They hadn’t even received or reviewed the list of items the opposing party claimed reimbursement for—many of which I shouldn’t have been liable for at all. When I asked about this, I was told “these mediations don’t follow logic.” If that’s the case, why were we spending so much time and money preparing documentation, hiring an inspector to value the house, and reviewing materials? I ended up having to advocate for myself in that room. I would not recommend this firm. It felt disjointed, uninvested, and lacking in transparency. I didn’t see evidence of strategic thinking, legal preparedness, or consideration for client costs. If you’re just looking to get through a lawsuit and don’t mind high fees, lack of communication, or a passive legal team, this might be the firm for you. Otherwise, I suggest finding a firm that actually invests in its clients, builds strong legal arguments, and treats your time and money with more respect. The one star is simply for effort and at the end of the day getting through mediation, but more than that expertise and quality matters most to me for services like this.