Online Attorney-Client Agreement

Online Attorney-Client Agreement
Customized Real Estate Sales Package
1. PARTIES AND FORMATION OF ATTORNEY-CLIENT AGREEMENT: This Attorney-Client agreement has been entered into between the client who acknowledges this agreement ("Client") and authorizes Michael E. Byczek, an Illinois attorney, ("Attorney") to represent him/her/them, and Attorney, who has agreed to provide Client the below described legal services.

This written agreement is provided to Client through the Attorney's online store (www.byczeklaw.com) as part of a virtual legal office. Client was informed prior to sending payment to read and acknowledge this agreement. Confirmation of acknowledgement shall be sent via email to both Attorney and Client after Client enters his/her name through a website form and clicks the submit button.

An attorney-client relationship does not exist until both payment is received and this attorney-client agreement is acknowledged. If Client sends payment without acknowledging this agreement, Attorney shall provide an opportunity for Client to do so both online and in paper-format.

If the party to the transaction (i.e. buyer or seller) involves more than one person, each must submit their own separate written attorney-client agreement.

For example, if the seller is requesting a contract for real estate owned by a married couple, each spouse must submit their own agreement. If the buyers are requesting the package for real estate being purchased by two parents and their adult child, all three are required to submit their own agreement.

CLIENT IS INFORMED NOT TO SEND PAYMENT UNLESS ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT HE/SHE UNDERSTANDS THE LEGAL SERVICES BEING REQUESTED AND THAT THESE SERVICES ARE ONLY AVAILABLE TO ILLINOIS RESIDENTS OR FOR REAL ESTATE LOCATED IN ILLINOIS.

Attorney shall provide Client with every reasonable opportunity to acknowledge the attorney-client agreement if payment is sent first.

2. SCOPE OF LEGAL REPRESENTATION: Client represents that he/she/they are the buyer or seller of real estate located in Illinois. Preparation of the documents that are part of a sales contract are unique to the seller or buyer, but Attorney shall prepare these documents in accordance with Client's status. Attorney shall also communicate with the other party to the transaction, if necessary, to obtain particular details.

Under this attorney-client agreement, Attorney shall provide Client with the following documents for one-time personal use to assist their efforts to buy or sell the real estate on their own behalf.

I - Real Estate Sales Contract for residential real estate located in Illinois (instructions included)
II - Bill of Sale for personal property
III - Counteroffer form
IV - Illinois and Federal disclosures:

(A) Illinois Residential Real Property Disclosure Form (copied and formatted from Illinois statute)
(B) Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Form (directly from the Federal EPA)
(C) Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Pamphlet titled "Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home" (directly from Federal EPA)
(D) Radon Disclosure titled "Disclosure of Information on Radon Hazards" (directly from the Illinois IEMA)
(E) Radon Disclosure Pamphlet titled "Radon Testing Guidelines for Real Estate Transactions" (directly from the Illinois IEMA)

Attorney shall communicate with Client (such as a questionnaire) to fully understand the real estate being sold and customize the Sales Contract, Bill of Sale, and/or Counteroffer form to the seller/buyer and real estate. State and federal disclosure forms are determined by government regardless of seller/buyer or real estate and are left as fill-in-the-blank.

As part of this agreement, attorney shall offer one amendment to the documents at Client's discretion. For example, the seller to a transaction may prepare a sales contract before listing the real estate for sale. Once the buyer makes an offer and the parties negotiate the terms of the sale, Attorney shall amend or modify the original sales contract for a more precise document.

Legal services are only for preparation of the sales contract and corresponding documents to buy or sell real estate in Illinois. Attorney shall not provide any legal advice about the transaction itself, or conduct any additional steps required to transfer ownership. These documents are intended for situations where real estate is being sold "FOR SALE BY OWNER" without a broker. These documents shall provide the buyer and seller with everything necessary to form a legal contract to transfer ownership. Government imposes other steps, such as transfer tax, a deed, and compliance with local rules. These steps are not part of this attorney-client agreement.

To prevent fraud, Attorney shall contact the owner of the real estate through U.S. Postal mail to confirm they are aware that a sales contract has been requested to transfer ownership. A verification code shall be provided to the owner before the documents are delivered to the Client.

Attorney shall only provide a sales contract for a particular property with notice given to the legal owner. Blank documents will not be provided that allow Client to add real estate to the contract without notice to the legal owner.

Under this attorney-client agreement, Attorney shall provide Client with documents for one-time personal use. Representation ends when all documents are delivered to Client.

After payment is received, Client shall be given access to a secure file sharing and collaboration platform. It is through this collaborative platform that Attorney shall request the necessary details to complete the documents. The finalized document shall be uploaded to the collaborative platform for Client to securely download the files. All documents and files that are part of these legal services are transferred between Attorney and Client through a secure collaborative file sharing platform.

3. LIMITATION OF ATTORNEY DUTIES: Attorney shall, through professional courtesy, answer reasonable questions from Client about the documents. Attorney shall not answer any question that extends beyond clarification or constitutes general legal advice about a real estate transaction. Client acknowledges that they are otherwise solely responsible for completing any blank provisions, payment of transfer tax, and recording a Deed with local government. Attorney shall not provide any additional legal services once Client receives the uncompleted document.

4. LEGAL FEES: Client shall pay Attorney an upfront flat-fee of $99 prior to delivery of the above described documents. All documents shall be delivered via a secure collaborative file sharing platform.

Only one fee is required (a total of $99) regardless of how many individuals are involved with ownership, with regard to each submitting their own written agreement. It doesn't matter who sends the payment. Only one payment of $99 is required per sales package.

5. CLIENT REPRESENTATIONS: Client represents that they are the buyer or seller of real estate located in Illinois. Client further represents that they intend to use the documents obtained from Attorney for lawful purposes.

Prospective clients are instructed not to request legal services, sign this agreement, or send any payment if they are not preparing the sales contract as a legal party to a valid transaction.

An attorney cannot be required to engage in conduct which is illegal, unethical, or fraudulent. An attorney who cannot ethically abide by a client's directions shall be allowed to withdraw from representation.

6. TERMINATION OF ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP: Client may terminate this agreement at any time for any reason through written notice. Attorney reserves the right to withdraw from representing Client in certain limited circumstances, such as Client's refusal to provide requested information.

7. COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ATTORNEY AND CLIENT: Client consents for Attorney to contact them through text message, phone call, email, social media, or postal service. All notices that are required by this agreement shall be in writing, which includes email. Digital signatures satisfy any signature requirement. Client shall be truthful in all discussions with Attorney and provide all information or documentation required to enable Attorney to provide competent representation. Client shall provide Attorney with changes to contact details.

8. GENERAL PROVISIONS: This written contract represents the entire agreement between the parties. Client acknowledges having read and understood the entire document. The contract cannot be amended or modified except in writing and acknowledged by all parties. Any dispute shall be reviewed pursuant to the Illinois Supreme Court Rules (Article VIII - Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct of 2010).

CLIENT INFORMATION: Client is advised not to accept any agreement that Client finds to be unsatisfactory or does not understand.

ATTORNEY INFORMATION: Attorney shall provide competent representation, which requires legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness and preparation to handle those matters set forth in the written engagement agreement. Once employed, Attorney shall act with reasonable diligence and promptness, as well as use best efforts on behalf of Client, but cannot guarantee results. During the course of representation and afterwards, Attorney may not use or reveal a client's confidence or secrets, except as required or permitted by law.

Michael E. Byczek, Attorney at Law
(Sole Practitioner licensed in Illinois)
Email: michael@byczek.pro
Phone: 312.434.9409
Web: http://byczeklaw.com

Mailing Address:

Po Box 5983
Chicago, IL 60680-5983

Client Details

Name:

E-mail:

Address:

City (must be within Illinois):

Zip Code:

Phone Number:

Please identify the real estate being sold. Also, include the names of all parties to the transaction for purposes of forming an attorney-client agreement. For example, if the seller is requesting a contract for real estate owned by a married couple, each spouse must submit their own agreement. If the buyers are requesting the contract for real estate being purchased by two parents and their adult child, all three are required to submit their own agreement.

Message (Do not send confidential information through this form):

I, the Client, acknowledge that I have read and understand the terms of this written Attorney-Client agreement and further acknowledge that by pressing the submit button I have entered into an attorney-client relationship, pending full payment of fees, with Michael E. Byczek to provide the above described legal services.

Signature (Type your name):

Date:

A popup box will display whether the agreement was sent successfully.