Michele K. McNeill
Skyline Law Group PLLC
2155 112th Ave NE
Suite 290
Bellevue, WA 98004
Map
Phone: (425) 241-3052
http://www.skylinelaw.com
Reliable and Responsive Legal Representation
Legal Topic
Employment Law
Preferred New Clients
Employment Law (contracts, discrimination, sexual harassment).
Sub-Topics
Compensation, Benefits, & Pensions
Employment Contracts
Employment Discrimination
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender (LGBT) Rights
Mediation/Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA)
Severance Packages
Sexual Harassment
Wage & Hour Laws
Wrongful Termination
Legal Topic
Real Estate Law
Preferred New Clients
Residential Real Estate (litigation, contracts, short sales, loan mods, landlord tenant); Contract Law (reviews, preparation, litigation/breach), Construction Law (liens, contracts, litigation).
Sub-Topics
Architecture & Engineering
Broker & Transaction Litigation
Building Codes
Buying Property
Construction Contracts
Construction Defects
Conveyancing
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender (LGBT) Rights
Homeowners' Associations
Land Contracts
Land Use & Zoning
Landlord-Tenant
Mechanics' Liens
Mold Claims
Mortgages
Property Taxes
Real Estate Loans
Renting & Leasing
Title Insurance
Title Litigation
Bar Admissions
WA, Mar 2002
Bar Number: 32052
Other Court Admissions
State of Washington (all Courts), and U.S. District Court (Western).
Association Memberships
Washington State Bar Association, King County Bar Association, and Eastside King County Bar Association.
Continuing Education
I regularly attend continuing legal education seminars on the topics of real estate, contract law, construction law, employment law, and general litigation.
Papers and Publications
Example Cases
GLG Homes v. Milkin - Breach of contract and construction defect case involving new construction. I represented the home owner who refused to pay for defective work. The contractor sued the homeowner for failure to pay, and homeowner countersued for breach, violation of the consumer protection act, and defective construction. Settlement was obtained in favor of my client.
Alexander v. Gualdoni - Successfully represented defendant contractor at trial. Result: Six figure judgment against plaintiff. Please note that past performance is no guarantee that your case will result in a favorable outcome. Every case is fact specific, and there are many variables that determine how or when a claim or defense is resolved.
Education
University of Washington School of Law
Juris Doctorate
Seattle
WA
2001
First Place Oral Advocacy, Faulkner Moot Court Competition, 2001; First Place Best Trial Brief, Faulkner Moot Court Competition, 2001.
University of Washington
Bachelor of Arts
Seattle
WA
1997
Dean's Honors List, 3.9 GPA.
English Literature.
Clark College
Associate of Arts
Vancouver
WA
1996
Highest Honors, 4.0 GPA; Dean's Honors List.
Number of Attorneys
1
State Licensed In
Washington.
Firm Focus and History
I founded Skyline Law Group in the spring of 2003 to focus solely on real estate, contracts and construction issues. A year later, I added employment law to my practice. I have maintained this focus over the years as it allows me to keep up with changes in the law, and these areas have a tendency to overlap.
My mission is to provide clients with high quality, practical, and cost-effective legal solutions in the areas of real estate, contracts, construction and employment law. Your needs will be fully assessed by me personally, and you will be given a full range of legal options customized to meet your particular situation. I also keep clients informed about their case through regular telephone, email, and/or written communications. Whether you have a simple contract review or a complex commercial dispute, I work hard to provide my clients with the peace of mind that comes with having a skilled legal advisor by their side.
Previous Employment Summary
Prior to opening my firm in 2003, I worked for a firm in Kirkland where I practiced primarily business and construction law, and the King County Prosecuting Attorneys' Office contract division.
What is your opinion regarding clients educating themselves on legal issues?
Love it! I think law should be accessible to the public as much as possible. It only becomes a problem when they think they know more than I do. Unless you have a law degree and spend your days in a court room arguing legal principles to a judge, it is not possible for a client to know as much as a lawyer. What they do know is that they should have a claim or might have a problem with a claim and my job is to help them further understand and/or confirm what they already know or suspect from their own research.
Are you willing to review documents prepared by clients?
I do it all the time. If a client wants to draft a letter, pleading, or agreement and have me review it for comment or revision, I am open to whatever the client wants me to do. If it saves them money, even better.
Are you willing to coach clients who want to represent themselves?
I do this as well, especially with small claims and unemployment appeal hearings. Not everyone can afford a lawyer, so I think it is important to offer less expensive alternatives that empower clients to represent themselves when no other options exist for them. I also have clients that are very comfortable with the idea of arguing their case to a judge and just need someone to help them formulate a plan of action and to provide legislative or case law to support their arguments.
Why did you decide to be a lawyer?
To help people, why else? Okay, perhaps I like to argue, read and write as well. I was also a professional comedian in my early twenties, so going before a Judge or jury is a bit like performing and it was just a natural fit for me. I love my work, and enjoy helping people resolve their legal issues.
What work experience and education helps you be a better lawyer?
Prior to becoming a lawyer I was a small business owner and worked in the construction industry. In addition to my law practice, I am the co-owner of a crop-dusting business and I invest in real estate. I believe my background provides me with a practical, realistic approach to the law and to my client's situations.
Why did you decide on your primary area of practice?
My background is in construction and real estate, so these areas were a natural fit. Employment and contract law flow from my experiences as a business owner and routinely overlap with the construction and real estate sides of my practice.
What do you like best about your career?
I get to help people solve problems, plus every case is different so being a lawyer is both challenging and rewarding.
Tell us about your law firm:
I have the best paralegal West of the Mississippi. I know this because practically every client I have tells me how great he is. His name is Peter Eichman. He is smart, patient, informative, and available to answer just about any question that does not require a legal opinion. He helps me prepare legal correspondence and pleadings, which are always reviewed and finalized by me, which in turn reduces the overall cost to my clients. I also have another legal assistant, Kennedy Swan, whose primary job is to assist Peter. She has over 20 years of experience working in the real estate industry and joined my practice in 2008. Like Peter, she is very personable, approachable, and has a great sense of humor.
What are your strengths and style?
I am client-focused in that I not only help solve legal problems but I help to resolve the legal problem in a manner that is best suited to my clients objectives and goals. I am down-to-earth, and I provide a realistic assessment of my client's situation. If I think a client does not have a winning case, I will tell them so versus just taking the case and feeding into unrealistic expectations.
Personal Interests:
My family, reading, camping, and fishing.
Office Manager/Assistant
Office Hours
Monday through Friday
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Evening and weekend appointments available.
Emergency After Hours
Yes
Fixed-Price Services and Fees
I offer fixed-price services for loan modifications, short sales, most document reviews, employment appeal hearings, quit claim deed preparation and recordation, unlawful detainer actions, and standard landlord tenant lease agreements. Please call (425) 455-4307 for a no-obligation price quote. Mention Nolo after you receive your quote and receive a 10% discount off all fees (new clients only).
Hourly Rates
$110 to $225.
Free Initial Consultation?
I provide a free 30 minute initial consultation for employee discrimination and sexual harassment claims. I also provide clients with a $100-$200 fee discount if I am retained to assist them in a legal dispute that does not involve employee discrimination (e.g., breach of contract, boundary dispute, easement dispute, commercial dispute, employment discrimination, etc.). Otherwise, I charge a $250 fixed-fee for the initial meeting, which includes a full discussion of all legal issues, concerns, options, and risk analysis.
Typical Retainer
My retainers are based on the fixed fee amount, if any, or the amount of work involved. Retainers typically average between $300 to $5,000.
Nolo's Licensing Check
Attorneys have passed a licensing check. Nolo has confirmed that every member attorney has a valid license and is in good standing with the state agency that licenses lawyers upon joining the directory.
Directory lawyers are required to notify Nolo immediately if they become the subject of any disciplinary action by any state licensing agency.
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