James William Burmeister

Mr. Burmeister is a "no nonsense" attorney, well versed in the law, and gets tenants out! His price is fair....he has ability to do background checks, court issues, etc....just very capable. My daughter Lisa and I thought he would be rough to work with, after a telephone call...but not so! Highly... recommend him!!

This "lawyer" was hired to run my background when I applied to rent a house. Back in 2006, I was hospitalized for several months, making it impossible for me to pay my rent. The property manager changed the locks without notice or legal action. Because of my illness, I ended up losing everything I ow...ned. Years later, in 2011 I applied for my current apartment, and no evictions showed up on my record. I figured I must not have an eviction. So, when I applied for the house this week I reported no evictions. I guess I was wrong. I got a call today from this lawyer, calling from a blocked number, yelling at me, calling me a liar, and when he asked me to explain, he kept interrupting after one or two words saying "ANSWER THE QUESTION, LIAR! WHY WONT YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION!?!" He then hung up on me. I called the owner of the house, the only contact person I had, and who happens to be a former coworker, and told her what happened. He later called me and left a message accusing me of "going behind his back" and "trying to get him in trouble". If that's the weirdo washed up "attorney" turned landlord I've got to deal with, I wouldn't have rented the house even if I was approved. He also told the owner that "my credit was so bad I don't have a score". Which I know to be BS since I've just gotten my credit report while looking for houses.

I hired Mr. Burmeister in 2005 and again in Aug 2012. Rarely do landlords and property managers need to reach out to an eviction attorney if the tenant prescreening process is done correctly. When circumstances change and the tenant relationship with the owner/manager become unruly, James Burmeister ...is the professional to call! I met him in 1999 when a Mira Costa College professor asked him to speak at our property management class about tenant-landlord law. He’s a fair minded person that has a fiduciary to his client, with that said a reasonable a tenant could approach him to explore a fair/equitable outcome for all parties vs. the judge and maybe the sheriff getting involved. I’m very aware of deadbeat landlords/managers – some are sloppy and others can be malicious. There’s a vetting process that Mr. Burmeister uses and in the end there are cases he can’t or won’t take.

I made a courtesy call to this Eviction Attorney, who represented one of his clients. I was bringing him updated information about the property. He could care less, he told me, "I don't have time to listen to what you have to say, Goodbye!" He hung up rudely. I called back and spoke with his as...sistant, and she told me the same, "We don't have time for your concerns, I have 30 cases on my desk and have no time. Goodbye" and hung up rudely. They must be under great stress that they can not speak with concern. I would never use him as an attorney, don't care how good he is.