"Thank you so much! I have to say, you have been one of the most worthwhile investments I have made towards this house since this whole fiasco started. Thanks again, Jean."
~ Michelle Y., Merced, CA
"My tax accountant recommended Jean Shrem to assist with a sewer easement situation on an inherited property. I contacted Jean via e-mail and she called me right away. She investigated the situation, met twice with the neighbors involved as well as inspectors and gave me excellent advice. I so appreciated that she always called when she said she would (not my previous experience with attorneys) and was prompt and efficient in providing information and options. She was more than fair with her time and honest in her dealings. The bonus was that she was completely pleasant and very easy to talk to into the bargain. I would highly recommend her and I will most certainly contact her again should the need arise."
~ Robyn G., Ashland, OR
"I work for a publicly traded internet and technology company with offices in San Francisco and the United Kingdom. We have several subsidiary companies and a broad range of offerings and business dealings. Jean Shrem of Shrem Law Group has been our outside General Counsel since early 2009. She handles our content and technology licensing issues, vendor disputes and whatever other legal business matters arise. I have found her to be very responsive to our tight time frames and her advice to be an excellent balance of legal risk assessment coupled with practical business savvy. Hiring Jean is a great solution for a company that is too small to have in-house counsel or a company that is big enough to need overflow legal help."
~ Matt Service, CFO, blinkx, Inc.
"Jean has been my company's counsel since 2001. She is a top notch attorney and very professional. Jean has played an integral part in helping me make solid business decisions while minimizing my risk and her legal advice and work has been exemplary. I would not make a big business decision without consulting with her and I can unequivocally recommend the use of her legal services to anyone."
~ Sean Fields, President & CEO, Ace Rankings Inc.
"Jean is all you want in an attorney, without acting like one. She was able to communicate with me in terms that I understood, and resolve the issue at hand. Her prices were very reasonable, and the results were exceptional. I would recommend her to anyone."
~ Soumil Amin, Owner/General Manager, CertaPro Painters
"Working with Jean Shrem creates peace of mind. I know that by having her on my legal team, my bases are covered. She has helped me with a variety of different business contract issues and they have all been handled thoroughly and efficiently, helping me further grow my business! Thanks Jean!"
~ Michele Molitor, CEO, Nectar Consulting, Inc.
"Thanks so much for taking such good care of my clients. I want you to know that you have moved to the top of my attorney referral list because I've gotten such excellent feedback from some of my clients about you. I can't tell you what a relief it is to know that I can send them to someone who really knows their stuff and is available!"
~ Kimberly J. Miller, Realtor
"I asked Jean to review a bank addendum for me in an REO purchase. This addendum in particular was dense with legalize that neither I nor my client could comprehend. I asked Jean to help us. I gave her the document in the afternoon, and she sent me an analysis by that evening. Her timely response was very much appreciated, because the bank wanted us to act quickly. Jean provided us with an analysis that my clients could easily understand, and we proceeded with the transaction. I would recommend her services, and I will use her again."
~ Eric H. Wong, Prudential California Realty
"I really appreciate your real estate knowledge, straightforward communication style and attention to detail. For my transaction I liked knowing that I only needed to hire one professional but by hiring you I had both a real estate attorney and a real estate broker representing me. I would wholeheartedly recommend you to any other busy professional; I know that you will deliver for them."
~ Jarod Buna, Attorney
"Thank you for your fine professional work in selling our conservatees' real properties over the years. Your knowledge of real estate probate procedures, combined with your legal background make you one of our most valued service providers."
~ Yvonne Dardenne, Property Division,
Alameda County Public Guardian
"I have now completed my twelfth 1031 tax-deferred real estate exchange with you. You are an extremely knowledgeable and skillful professional. I have found your legal background invaluable. Thank you for all of your help increasing my net worth. I would not use anyone else and I will be enthusiastically recommending you to everyone I know!"
~ Cesario Godinez, Jr., Private Investor
"I have known Jean Shrem since 2002. She is serious yet practical and has a keen attention to detail. Given the changing real estate landscape, it is imperative to have good legal advice in any complex transaction. I would comfortably refer any buyer or seller to Jean."
~ Marion Henon, Managing Broker and Owner,
Marvin Gardens Real Estate
"I have worked with Jean Shrem for 8 years. I am impressed by her business acumen and sharp intellect. She is a fantastic real estate attorney and is also willing to work within a client’s financial parameters. I highly recommend her."
~ Kitty Cole, Business Coach and Trainer
OUR YELP REVIEWS
(Yelp us out, we always welcome feedback!)
***** Jane D., Oakland, CA - 11/4/2011
My husband and I met with Jean in October of this year. We needed clarification on how to best handle our house underwater by 350k. Jean replied promptly to my voice mail and we made the appt. It was worth every penny. Information you read on the internet may not be specific to CA. You need an expert on California law etc and Jean is that person. An hour is plenty of time to get your questions answered. Jean gets right to the point and you will leave her office with a plan. We have a few more questions and will call her for a 15 minute appointment. This is a great service. Her website clearly explains the consultation and what it includes. We are very glad we met with Jean.
***** Doreen J., Oakland, CA - 11/2/2011
My husband and I were recently referred to Jean via our accountant. My husband and I had sought out many avenues for nearly two years trying to determine what to do with our "underwater" house and ARM loan. Our accountant had just learned of Jean thru one of her speaking engagements and raved about her knowledge so we scheduled an appointment immediately! Jean was quick and got back to us ASAP with her fee amount and we scheduled an appointment. The bottom line is Jean worked hard and went to law school and we did not so she must charge these fees to earn her living like anyone else. She is very knowledgeable and no-nonsense and gives you all the info and then some. She is worth every penny if you want to talk to someone who knows what your "next step" is...Jean is THAT person. We walked out of there an hour later sure of what and how we were going to proceed. Thanks Jean for putting us at ease and giving us the answers we had been looking for for the last two years. We were at a dead end before we met you! She also can bill you per 15 min of her time here and there if you need follow up help during your process after your initial meeting. My husband and I really like this option. I feel better knowing Jean will be available to us down the road with our process. Her profile photo does not do her justice, she looks really nice with her glasses on, too!
**** S.R., Concord, CA - 10/18/2011
My wife and I were pointed in the direction of Jean from a real estate agent in regards to short selling our townhouse... or not. Jean provided us very good information in a way we could easily understand and she was very easy to speak with and ask questions. An hour well spent, time and cost, and we would suggest anyone needing some advice to please consider Jean. We're glad we did.
***** Marty M., Oakland, CA - 8/8/2011
We are very grateful for Jean's invaluable guidance through the murky waters of selling a house without an agent. Due to her wide experience with real estate transactions, she has much knowledge of contracts and disclosures which was very helpful to us.
She had an excellent relationship with the title company -- clearly a result of her honesty and intelligence. She helped make our recent experience selling our house as low stress as possible. We highly recommend her!
***** Graham K., Oakland, CA - 7/7/2011
I am a business owner and I recently hired Jean as my attorney for all things business. She's extremely responsive to emails and phone calls. Jean is a wealth of information in many areas of law and when she isn't sure of something, she researches it and emails me later with her findings. If you're a business owner, I highly recommend you get her on your team!
***** Evan K., El Cerrito, CA - 7/1/2011
Several months ago, my wife & I were looking to purchase the house we rented in El Cerrito from our landlady. I found Jean through Google/Yelp and we made an appointment. We spent an hour with her to have her help us understand some of the specifics of a purchase contract. We used this information to prepare an offer, which (after some back & forth) was eventually accepted and resulted in a transaction. That hour with Jean was very useful for us. I wouldn't hesitate to solicit her services again.
***** Jeremy M., Oakland, CA - 6/3/2011
I needed to know everything that could possibly go wrong with a short sale or a foreclosure and she had the answers. She's up to date on all the current laws and has handled many different situations with short sales and foreclosures so whatever situation you're in, she's seen it before. The one hour consultation was $400 but it's well worth it.
***** Jeff W., Oakland, CA - 6/2/2011
As a busy realtor, I appreciate the opportunity to work with another professional who is fair, responsive, effective, pragmatic, and highly knowledgeable. Jean helped get me out of a bind with an uncooperative tenant and I recommend her highly!
***** Johanna L., Richmond, CA - 5/14/2011
My husband and I were referred to Jean by my brother-in-law to seek advice on our home situation. She is very knowledgeable, clear, personable, and gave great advice. I recommend her.
***** KeAloha C., El Cerrito, CA - 5/5/2011
Jean Shrem - "She's the solution". I have known Jean since 2002 when she represented me in the purchase of my home. She is knowledgeable, personable, and full of integrity. I have also known Jean to be levelheaded in a dispute or negotiation. Jean performs flat fee real estate transactions for buyers or sellers without real estate agents. This is significantly cheaper than the usual broker fee and I believe, also fairer. I recommend her to my clients, because it is very rewarding to match a need to a solution. I think that sums up how I feel about Jean - she's the solution."
***** Lisa H., El Cerrito, CA - 4/26/2011
I was referred to Jean from my real estate agent. She quickly worked to resolve the dispute with calmness and certainty. I highly recommend working with her!
***** John F., Oakland, CA - 3/28/2011
I'm a home inspector and Jean has referred me to her clients for many home inspections over the years. I enjoy working with Jean because she is honest, extremely knowledgeable and absolutely dedicated to her clients. Her legal credentials combined with her real estate knowledge, make her my choice when I have a client that needs a real estate attorney. One example where Jean has helped my clients is "for sale by owner" properties. She knows what reports are needed, the ins and outs of the contract and can work with all parties involved. Definitely my recommendation to clients and for my own legal questions about real estate.
***** Gordon J., Oakland, CA - 1/21/2011
I was in need of some foreclosure / short sale home information and needed someone to help me filter through all of the internet information my brain filled with. I met with Jean Shrem and then had a followup call with her a month later. She helped focus me on the pertinent information and was very accommodating to my schedule. I would strongly recommend her for someone trying to figure out what our rights as homeowners are.
***** Mark N., Berkeley, CA - 11/5/2010
My real-estate broker recommended Jean Shrem for advice saving a friend of mine who was being evicted from her rental house by the bank that foreclosed on it. I sent Jean an e-mail, and then called, and she picked up the phone. She understood the situation and predicted that the bank would want to buy out the lease rather than go through eviction procedures. This was an 8-minute consultation. I conveyed this to the bank: the tenant holds a lease, and wishes ardently to stay. They came back in 24 hours asking for a figure - a financial relocation assistance amount - i.e., how much do you want? By tragic-ironic coincidence, my friend passed away in the intervening night, releasing the bank from any obligation whatsoever. They did, however, offer to pay moving costs for the estate. Jean's was the most succinct and useful real-estate related legal consultation I've ever had. I'll be back to her for anything at all in the real-estate realm.
***** Jennifer K., Albany, CA - 10/15/2010
Jean was of tremendous help in clarifying our options in a difficult housing matter. She was both professional and compassionate during a high stress period for us and handled our angst with great aplomb. Although we retained her, legal services were not ultimately needed. And get this, she returned the retainer! Yes Virginia, there is such a thing as a knowledgeable AND ethical attorney out there. Her name is Jean Shrem.
***** Cant L., Oakland, CA - 7/21/2010
I was in the middle of a complicated foreclosed real estate deal and Jean totally helped me out. I had to deal with quasi-legal contracts from out-of-state banks on an immediate basis. Many other lawyers turned me down, but Jean read through it all and translated the salient points into understandable language in a 24-hour period. On another occasion she also got back to me with an urgent question while she was on vacation! So helpful.
***** Gina B., Benecia, CA - 7/3/2010
If you are underwater in your home I HIGHLY recommend that you consult with Jean Shrem. First we called to give her our scenario, decided to meet with her and left with invaluable information. Although it is an awful feeling to be in a predicament such as ours, she was able to provide us with great solutions and resources. We are so grateful to her. Thanks Jean!
***** Edible S., Portland, OR - 6/7/2010
I found Jean on Yelp and contacted her for a consultation about a foreclosure on my rental property. She was very friendly and informative and took time out of her day to consult me for free! Thanks Jean.
***** Mark C., Kensington, CA - 5/29/2010
I recently referred my clients that are currently in a short-sale that was approved by the first and second loans for review. Jean reviewed the approved documents and gave great advice and direction for my clients. She even went out of her way to respond to the negotiator on behalf of the clients at no charge! If anyone is in a short-sale or needs contracts to be reviewed by an attorney; Jean is the person to go to.
***** Albert T., Berkeley, CA - 4/5/2010
I found Jean on Yelp and thought I'd give her a call. I had An issue that was really stressing me out, and she helped me out tremendously over the phone! She was very courteous and listened as I explained my situation, and promptly gave me advice that helped put my mind at ease. If I ever need more help, she's the one I'm going to go to!
***** Frank S., Oakland, CA - 2/3/2010
I met Jean through a BNI network but never expected to have to call upon her for legal advice. When I did, she was as clear and concise as any attorney I have ever spoken with. She listened to my questions and concerns and gave me feedback and input that fit the situation correctly. She was also quite quick, leaving me well at ease about the time required and cost, a most pleasant and refreshing approach. For business legal matters I highly recommend Jean.
***** Jacob H., Berkeley, CA - 1/16/2010
Great lawyer! I was stressed out in a landlord tenant dispute. I thought there was no hope in me getting out of the lease until I hired Jean! She got to work on it right away and within 3 days, my landlord had offered to release me from the lease.
***** Meg H., Berkeley, CA - 10/15/2009
Our real estate agent referred us to Jean for some legal advice regarding our rental home. She called us back right away, talked to us for 20 minutes (for free), answered all of our questions, and we will certainly be in touch with her if we need more in depth assistance. Thanks, Jean!
**** Joseph R., Oakland, CA - 10/14/2009
My wife and I went to Jean to get perspective on our home mortgage future. She gave solid advice, provide excellent reference for question outside of her expertise and followed up to clarify "fuzzy" legal/governmental issues. She was also sensitive to our time constrains and offered rapid fire, concise answers. Her information made it possible for my wife and I to proceed in a rational fashion as we navigate our home ownership future.
***** Lydia Z., Hollister, CA - 9/17/2009
Jean and I went back in forth over email a few times to set up my free 30 minute consultation. She was very flexible with her schedule and called me to discuss the possible foreclosure of my home - which is currently on short sale. She gave some good advice on my options and said I could use her services if in fact I did go through with the short sale. However, if in the future I still had more questions, she made herself available for more advice. With all the financial ramifications of foreclosures and short sales, I wanted to make sure I knew what my options were. So I definitely appreciated her advice!
***** Adri A., El Cerrito, CA - 8/4/2009
I have had the pleasure of working with Jean Shrem for several years after she joined the real estate office I work for as a Broker Associate in 2002. Working closely with her during her real estate transactions, Jean has always demonstrated a high level of professionalism, knowledge of real estate-related matters (and the legal intricacies of such transactions), effective communication skills, and a strong dedication to her clients. I have a genuine high regard for Jean as an attorney and would not hesitate to refer people to Jean as I have used her legal advice successfully for my own purposes. Also, after a recent office meeting where transaction reviews were discussed, it was well noted that her rates are among the most competitive out there.
***** Martin S., San Francisco, CA - 6/4/2009
I hired Jean to review, draft and negotiate vendor contracts while at large bay area company. She did a great job!
***** Mitch L., El Cerrito, CA - 5/19/2009
I have been a Realtor since 1996. I have recently referred Jean to buyers purchasing bank owned (REO) properties. She reviewed the addendums provided by the banks, advised buyers regarding potential risks and issues to be aware of and gave the buyers a list of what research to do. She then drafted an addendum to provide to the bank which minimized the buyers' risks that the bank actually signed! After researching what several attorneys charge, I found Jean's rates to be a great value for the services that she provides. Especially for clients with limited funds. Her work product was excellent, as was her response time and follow through. I will continue to recommend her to all of my clients and friends.
***** Justin A., Vallejo, CA - 5/9/2009
We needed advice on a real estate transaction and the possible draw backs. Information was delivered in a timely and concise manner. While not the best news, we now know where we stand. Jean was thorough in her explanation and it alleviated a lot of our anxiety. We have already recommended Jean to other friends.
***** S.F., San Francisco, CA - 4/27/2009
Top notch, very professional. I have been working with Jean for legal services for my business for the past 8 years. Jean has played an integral part in helping me grow my business and her legal advice and work has been exemplary. I can unequivocally recommend the use of her Legal services.
