Mark P. Stopa

One of the biggest mistakes that I made was calling Mark Stopa Law Firm. There is absolutely no communication from the firm. Staff never return your calls. I have never seem Mark Stopa's smiling face in person, and he has supposedly represented me for almost three years. Initially, you would think... that the lawyer would at least look at you in person. When I asked to have a meeting with him, I was told by a member of his staff that I didn"t pay enough. If you hire this lawyer, I give you my sympathy.

I had two homes in foreclosure and needed help. After finding Mark's blog via an internet search for foreclosure defense, I hired his firm to represent me. I was allowed to make three monthly installments same as cash to his firm and his costs were about half of others I had called. I had a free co...nsultation with one of his attorneys and this is where you want to ask all of your questions because you are basically paying for 5-6 hours of work which covers everything necessary for a full year. Do expect his assistants to email you any legal paperwork that was filed as it happens, usually same or next day. Don't expect to corner an assistant and talk their ear off during this time unless there is an absolute emergency. You aren't paying for those extra hours. I had maybe two lengthy emails from his firm concerning something i had asked them, but that was it over the two years they represented me. But, I was fine with that and knew this going in. Ultimately, he got one case dismissed within 8 months. The second case he couldn't get dismissed, but the mortgagor offered a loan mod. before it went to trial. I learned this much from watching the attorneys from both sides...Mark has a system and he follows it every time. The opposing counsel either has their act together or they don't. If they do, you will probably lose your case in the end, but you'll live in your home two years for free. If they don't have their act together, you can see it early on in their responses to Mark. There is also the luck of the draw on what judge is presiding over the courtroom the day he argues for you in court. Some of them are unsympathetic towards those who haven't paid their mortgage and no matter how strong Mark's argument is towards the specific technical legalities involved in the way the plaintiff must present his case - you will still lose. To date, he has had over 700 cases dismissed (according to his blog). That's incredible! Don't hire someone off of a tv or radio ad, call Mark.

I hired Mark Stopa's office a little more than three years ago in relation to my foreclosure case. Understandably, due to their fixed fee structure, his office only communicates when necessary. I hired Mark Stopa as soon as the lender filed for foreclosure (about a year after I stopped making p...ayments). I lived, rent free, in my home for more than four years. My foreclosure was initially scheduled for trial in July 2014. It got postponed to October 2014 due to scheduling problems in the court (not related to Stopa nor the plaintiff's attorney). This concerned me because my contract with Stopa's office expired in the middle of September 2014. I did not want to pay for an extra year. Stopa's people continued working on my case, without renewing for an additional year, and without any additional expense to me, until my case was resolved on October 9, 2014. After the initial trial date in July (which was postponed), I contacted his office many times. Their responses were very slow... sometimes as much as three weeks. I thought that they were ignoring me because I was unwilling to pay for an additional year of their representation. However, they came through in the end. When I first learned of the July trial, I made plans to move out at the end of July. I had already rented a new place when I learned that the trial had been postponed until October. I was really concerned about having to renew my contract with Stopa because I did not want to have no representation at the trial. The plaintiff was asking for reimbursement of their legal expenses. Not only did Stopa's office negotiate an agreement which absolved me of the plaintiff's legal expenses... they got the plaintiff to PAY ME $1500.00!!! Overall, I am very happy with the service I received. I apologized to the staff at Stopa's office for being a pain in the butt. They did the right thing, and I am very happy with the result.

I will never recommend him to anybody again, he has failed me and 2 people I recommend. His staff tells you we are in the discovery period just to find out that now they are telling me is hard to win my case in my county. What a BS, I do not think he fights for his clients, it feels as if you are bot...hering this people when you call to inquire about your case as if is free. I know is not a lot we paid, but darn at least show you care and you will fight. I regret hiring his firm, I may loose my house. They are telling me to try and get a loan modification, REALLY!! I am so pissed is not even funny. People do not trust all the things he says on his blog and social media. people think he is God gift to homeowners, NOT. Good luck to all if you hired them.

For good or bad over the years I have had my share of experience with attorneys, as I am sure most business people have. Most I've found arrogant, unreasonable and unresponsive to me. Mark and his staff, on the other hand, are amazing. Timely returned calls. Questions answered in direct plain spe...ech, instead of legalese double talk, and as friendly and courteous nature. Most of all, Mark WORKS for his clients. Most lawyers, it has been my experience, put the attorney for the other side of the case, the judge, their buddies from the club, seemingly everyone else before their client. Mark understands that he works for his client. His job isn't to be liked by opposing council, to keep the judges calendar clear, to help make things easy “the system.” His job is to represent his client, and he does with a ferocity and tenacity that I have rarely experienced in attorneys that charge twice his fees. When all is said and done, if you have a dispute in an area of law Mark handles, you couldn't make a better decision than to hire him to help with your problem. Besides, if you don't hire him the other side might and that would be disastrous for you!