Joan Marie Fenstermaker

Joan Marie Fenstermaker

4.9
Rating: 7.3

Licensed for 31 years

Landlord or tenant Lawyer at Chicago, IL
Practice Areas: Landlord & Tenant, Litigation, Real Estate

105 W. Madison St., Ste. 600, Chicago, IL

About Joan

Biography

Practice Areas

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes

Hourly Rates

$ 300-425 per hour

Contingency

30%-50%


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in Illinois for 31 years

State: Illinois

Acquired: 1994

Active and Authorized to Practice Law

No misconduct found

Location

Joan M Fenstermaker, PC

105 W. Madison St., Ste. 600, Chicago, IL, 60602

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Joan Marie Fenstermaker's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.9 /5.0

132 Client Reviews

Showing 1 - 5 of 56 reviews | Practice Area Knowledge

Posted by Jasmine | March 16, 2026 | Hired Attorney | Landlord & Tenant

Outstanding Representation and Excellent Results

I had an excellent experience working with Attorney Fenstermaker. She represented me in a dispute with my former landlord regarding my security deposit, and thanks to her expertise and persistence, the matter was successfully resolved. From the beginning, Attorney Fenstermaker was professional, kn...owledgeable, and extremely responsive. She took the time to clearly explain the legal process, answered my questions, and made sure I understood my options at every stage. What I appreciated most was how seriously she took my case and how committed she was to helping me obtain a fair outcome. Her attention to detail and ability to advocate effectively made a stressful situation much easier to navigate. I truly felt supported throughout the entire process. I am very grateful for Attorney Fenstermaker’s help and would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a skilled, dedicated, and trustworthy attorney.

Posted by Taylor | October 07, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Landlord & Tenant

Thank goodness for Joan

Joan helped us get out of a terrible lease and experience with a landlord and ultimately helped lead a class action lawsuit. Thank you, Joan!

Posted by Sean | August 20, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes

Quick exit, and compensation

Joan was very quick to apprise me of my rights and get me out of a bad situation. Following up with their counsel took some time, but we got compensation for their bad practices. She specializes in this, and it shows.

Posted by Sean | May 11, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Landlord & Tenant

Outstanding Tenancy Dispute Representation

Exceptional legal counsel from start to finish. Joan was incredibly responsive, providing clear and informative guidance throughout our tenancy dispute case. Her detailed knowledge of the RLTO put us at ease, giving us full confidence that we had a strong case. Joan's swift communication and decisive... actions allowed us to successfully break our lease and recover all of our money from an uncooperative landlord. We were impressed by her professionalism and advocacy on our behalf. If you need a tenacious attorney to protect your rights as a tenant, Joan is the one to hire. Can't recommend her enough!

Posted by Andrew | February 08, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Landlord & Tenant

Joan and Nick are great!

Joan and Nick helped me get back my security deposit, plus a good amount of damages, from my nasty former landlord. (As a bonus, he also got stuck with a large attorney’s fee bill, so he paid for the great representation I got from Joan and Nick!) They really know how to use Chicago’s tenant ordinan...ce to get results for their clients. Another nice thing: I never once had to go to court or do anything other than send some docs and review/sign some stuff; they took care of everything with no hassle for me.

See All Client Reviews

Joan Marie Fenstermaker's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Joan
Mark V. Clay headshot
Mark Clay

Family lawyer | Aug 29

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I highly endorse Mrs. Fenstermaker. Very experienced and caring attorney who gets great results in representing clients. Keep up a great work!"

David Stephen Morris headshot
David Morris

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Aug 12

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Knowledgeable, empathic and committed to the passionate representation of tenants."

David Lyon Yanoff headshot
David Yanoff

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Feb 11

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Joan knows the law and how to apply it to her case. When working opposite her on cases she remains professional in her dealings."

Melinda Longford Power headshot
Melinda Power

Real estate lawyer | Jan 10

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. She is extremely thorough and prepared. She has a good relationship with her clients. She wants to help people. Melinda Power"

View All Endorsements
Gregory Forrest Coplan headshot
Gregory Coplan

Personal injury lawyer

Konstantinos T. Sparagis headshot
Konstantinos Sparagis

Bankruptcy and debt lawyer

David Lyon Yanoff headshot
David Yanoff

Landlord or tenant lawyer

Melinda Longford Power headshot
Melinda Power

Divorce and separation lawyer

Experience

Rating:  7.3 (Very Good)

Honors

2015

Certificate of Appreciation, Metropolitan Tenants Organization

Work Experience

2019 - Present

Principal, Joan M. Fenstermaker, PC

2001 - 2019

Partner, Kendle, Mikuta & Fenstermaker

1994 - 2000

Associate Attorney, Fischer, Kendle & Wahlers

Associations

2018 - Present

Metropolitan Tenants Organization

Board Member

Sample of Legal Cases

Landlord falsely claim property was owner-occupied

Ruling in favor of the tenant for return of the deposit plus 2 x security deposit and attorney's fees

See More Legal Cases

Education

1994

DePaul University College of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

1991

Indiana University

BS - Bachelor of Science

Speaking Engagements

2013

Un-Common Law on 4/28/13

Tenants' rights

2013

Hotline Volunteer Training 9/28/13

Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance

2013

Hotline Volunteer Training 6/8/13

Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance

2013

Hotline Volunteer Training 11/23/13

Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution