Wilfried P. Schmitz

Mr. Schmitz is a fantastic attorney. I contacted his office to handle my high conflict case after hiring four other attorneys. My case was very messed up, and it was highly stressful. I was delighted with the results I got in the trial. Mr. Schmitz is very knowledgeable about family law. He taught m...e a lot as well; I will be graduating next week in paralegal studies. He returns phone calls and emails quickly. He is personable and helped me to calm down. Mr. Schmitz restored my faith in attorneys. His paralegal, Molly, is terrific as well. He is more expensive than other attorneys but well worth it. Do not waste money on other attorneys.

I was in a complete crisis and Mr. Schmitz came through for me with no hesitation. I had a very difficult case and was told by several people including legal counsel to friends, that there was no way that I would be able to win. At the very last chance of something positive having to happen and walk...ing into court for my trial, I had no idea what was instore. My ex and family just stared and smirked at me as I was in the court room waiting for the hearing to start. Soon after the hearing began and Mr. Schmitz, the mood of the whole room changed. Not knowing what lyed ahead as far as my life and what direction I was going to have to take, I knew what I was trying to prove was the right thing and Mr. Schmitz believed in my case as well. All I can say is as soon as we started and I watched him practice the law, I began to breath again and I sat back in my chair and I Just knew my prayers where answered. In my experience with having to find the right lawyer, there is nothing more fulfilling than having a lawyer who can represent you with the knowledge, wisdom, and guidance as I did with Mr. Schmitz, he not only helped win my case, but in my opinion taught a lot of people a valuable lesson of " It's not so much who you know, but what you know, and when it comes down to it , if you want a experienced, intelligent lawyer'whos not afraid to shoot you straight, I highly recommend you look no further.

Wilfred Schmitz represented me in a divorce proceeding involving my adopted teenage son and his (biological) mother (my wife) who emotionally abused him and has now since deserted her son. I am also a business owner. The case was complex due to me being a business owner and extraordinary due to me,... an adoptive father, getting custody of my wife’s child having only been married 6 years and being his adoptive father only 4 years. Despite the opportunity to pit one against the other, as most divorce cases present, Mr. Schmitz was level-headed, diligent, professional and primarily used a problem solving approach as opposed to a confrontational style. I never sensed he was only in it for the money. I was tempted to go to trial to prove the truth to the Court, which would have resulted in significantly more money for Mr. Schmitz. However, he advised me the settlement offered by my wife was an incredible opportunity and I’d likely pay her 3-4x more and run up significant legal fees if we went to trial. Additionally, I’d have to potentially split my business income during our divorce process which would have surpassed the settlement amount. Financially it was a grand-slam for me. Again, Mr. Schmitz, although compensated well during the process, could have earned double the fee if we went to trial and I’d have suffered a severe financial setback. As “wrong” as my wife had been it would have been easy for him to nudge me in that direction for his own benefit. Instead he had conversations with opposing counsel which resulted in a settlement that was incredibly favorable. He also could have easily tipped off opposing counsel of my financial position to serve his own financial purpose but he didn’t. My wife put forth a settlement prior to discovery being completed. Mr. Schmitz personally counseled me as well. He told me I couldn’t make her be a mother to her son. Paramount to him is the child’s vulnerability during the process. He frequently asked about my son. It was my only divorce, so his objective, experienced viewpoint of the process and my situation was priceless. His concern was genuine. She now lives 2 miles from her son with no contact; she repeatedly violates the divorce decree. If I engage a family law attorney again it will be Mr. Schmitz. He has proved to be a man of integrity. He is fair and is a comforting influence in a potentially ruinous situation. His staff was professional and considerate as well. With him as your counsel you will not walk away feeling like you were fleeced, either by him or your ex-spouse.

Mr. Schmitz helped me work through a situation where my ex had become VERY lackadaisical in her responsibilities of parenting. As an example, my child didn't want to come to my house after school. After a semester of school last year, he had approximately 38 zeroes and 40 other failing grades. This w...as his last year of Junior High and I could no longer stand by and watch the deterioration of what had been a very good academic career. The process was long and arduous and every case is different, but I felt like that Mr. Schmitz was very open, honest and didn't set expectations that were beyond reason. Go in with full knowledge that Mr. Schmitz won't be taking your case because he wants money. My impression is that he has been in practice long enough. That is not his driver. Mr. Schmitz wants what is best for your kids. He will be tough on you, because that is how he determines what the truth is. I worked with Mr. Schmitz for a year before he finally decided to take my case. It was not cheap, but I was integrally involved in my child's first year of high school. The custody papers were changed. And the freshman grades of high school improved dramatically. It's going to be close, but National Honor Society is pretty darned good and that was the expectation that was set at the beginning of the school year. My original lawyer was lazy and unorganized. Mr. Schmitz is a hard worker that works seamlessly with his staff. It helps if you are the same. Don't go thinking that you are going to give him your sob story, write a big, fat check and come back in 60 days and everything will be tied up in a bow. Treat this situation like - you have a certain amount of time and input before your kid grows up and there is a sense of urgency to get a problem fixed. If you need him, Mr. Schmitz or one of his staff will respond quickly. Give them the courtesy of doing the same. Finally...be prepared to compromise. This is not about you "winning". It's about your child.