Neal Adam Simon

I would have never anticipated it taking so long but it did and Neal was a big help through the process. To say the least I was frustrated and swayed by emotions and Neal did a fine job of keeping things on task, keeping an eye on the end goals, and moving things along. There were many times when c...ompromise was not at all what I wanted but with emotions removed from the equation, Neal was able to rationalize the need for compromise and making progress. The other attorney, Beth, was a far different personality that in our one face-to-face meeting behaved like Donald Trump during a debate, in the most condescending fashion and it frustrated or infuriated me. To Neal's credit he remained far more calm and unwavering and in the end benefited from her reckless behavior. The process is costly, although when I compare it to what I've heard others paying, either Neal was very fair or my divorce actually went quite smoothly. My guess it is more the former. I have never been through a divorce, wish I never had, and hope I never have a repeat of this ridiculous legal process. There are so many unknowns for the novice, and Neal did a nice job of explaining things and not making me feel foolish for not understanding. No relationship is all good. If I have any negative comment, and I don't know how much is in Neal's control, is that the turn around time for drafts is very long. There are numerous people who are needing to interact and offer opinions, and everyone of us has a busy life. Even if I diligently responded in 24 hours, we might not have our finalized draft make to the opposing side for several weeks. That may sound terrible, but typically it was about half the time that it took to hear back from the other side. So in comparison, our response time was efficient. I did see in real time how and why this delay can take place. On the day of our appearance in court, Neal was tied up with my needs from easily 8:00 through possibly 3:00, if yo consider drive time, and I am sure there is some downloading of information that must still be done once back in the office, besides tracking billable hours. In the end, on that given day, Neal got virtually nothing accomplished for his other clients, and I am sure it is unlikely that his phone didn't ring, or emails didn't arrive, while he attended to my business. I will take away two pieces of advice from Neal over the past three years. First, don't let the perfect get in the way of the good. Having our own agreement completed outside of court and not leaving it in the hands of a judge was vital to my outcome. Every now and then I needed to be reminded that neither of us was going to get the resolution to be perfect in our own mind, but getting a good result could be seen as a "victory". The other advice is that even if you didn't write your own prenuptial agreement, you have one - the one the State of Illinois wrote on your behalf, and frankly it sucks. If you, your son or daughter, a good friend, even a not so good friend is going to get married, advise them to write your own prenuptial agreement. Create fair terms for dealing with each other while you like and even love each other. Put in penalty clauses for infidelity or other transgressions. When the day comes that your world is torn apart and you are required to treat the guilty party fairly, like nothing ever happened and no one was harmed or hurt, it just causes that pain to burn even more deeply. A "good" divorce won't make everything fine, but it might eliminate feeling like you just got screwed again. Neal was a good choice for me. My sense is he will be a good choice for you.

Neal is very personable and he takes his time explaining all of the possible scenarios that may occur, while representing you. He responded to all of my questions or concerns within a timely fashion. I also appreciated his overall concern of my emotional health throughout the process. He is VERY know...ledgeable about the law and does an EXCELLENT job on ensuring that his client is protected throughout the process. I wholeheartedly RECOMMEND him to everyone that I know. He is one of the best and you will not be disappointed by him or his services.

Neal met with me to discuss my existing parenting situation and what I would like it to be. He then made recommendations as to how to move forward. He was always informative and patient. He did not use a lot of legal jargon and made every explanation simple to understand. Neal kept me informed as to ...what was going on with my case and I had no issue with trusting his judgement. Neal was accommodating to my financial and family needs I was more than pleased with my outcome and highly recommend Neal for child support representation.

Neal did a great job handling a divorce that should have been simple, but became tricky when my ex opted against mediation. Rather than waste time fighting no-win battles, Neal showed a knack for pragmatic strategic counsel that kept me focused. He is a strong advocate, yet comes across as reasonabl...e and fair-minded -- an approach that kept the process moving, protected my role as a father, and helped minimize emotional distractions that served no one. He was budget conscious as well, which was critical since money was extremely tight even before the divorce. Neal is a smart lawyer who wants the right things for his clients, and figures out how to make it happen.

I was referred to Neal Simon by a close friend, who knew I needed an attorney who could handle an uncontested divorce. Neal did an outstanding job. He met with me and explained all of the implications of the situation I was facing. He advised me that if my (now ex-) husband and I were in agreemen...t on the terms of our divorce, then we could just relay the information to him and he would draft the documents and make the process happen. And that's exactly what he did. He listened to everything I told him, he asked relevant questions, and then delivered the draft agreement to me within one business day. The agreement clearly and accurately reflected everything we discussed. He provided all of the many required documents that my (now ex-) husband and I would need to review and sign, and when we returned the paperwork signed and ready to be filed, he filed the documents promptly and handled the rest of the process seamlessly. Neal is located in the suburbs but handled our Cook County divorce quickly and without excessive billing for travel time. Neal was also very caring and made sure that I was OK throughout the process. He was very understanding when I became emotional, and gave me incredibly helpful advice based on his years of handling situations like these. I felt like I was taken care of by a true professional. The time between the initial meeting and the final hearing was less than 30 days total. Neal provided exactly what we were looking for, and I would absolutely work with him any time I have any family law related legal issue in the future.