Everyday Law · Albany Park, Chicago
a home, a will, a divorce, your business
I’m J. Molly Wretzky, a Chicago attorney licensed since 2005. I help people buy and sell homes, put a simple estate plan in place, finish an uncontested divorce, and get contracts and severance agreements right.
4901 N. Central Park Ave, a short walk from the Kimball Brown Line.
The margin note
Time is of the essence.
The dates in this contract are real deadlines. Miss one and the other side may be able to walk away.
Legal documents are written for lawyers, and you are the one who signs them. Molly’s clients keep saying the same thing in different words: she explains it until it makes sense. The notes in the margins of this page are a small taste of that.
How I help
Matters of all sizes, from a single contract review to a closing, a will or a divorce both of you have already agreed on.
Representation for buyers and sellers of residential real estate, from the signed contract to the closing table.
Attorney review
A short window after both sides sign when your lawyer can approve the contract or ask for changes. It closes fast.
Simple estate plans: a will, a power of attorney and a healthcare power of attorney, so the people you choose can act when it counts.
to my descendants, per stirpes
If one of your children dies before you, their share goes to their own kids instead of being split among the others.
When both spouses agree on the terms, an uncontested divorce is usually the quickest and least costly way to finish.
irreconcilable differences
Illinois has been a no fault state since 2016. Nobody has to prove anyone did anything wrong.
Contract review for small businesses, freelancers and consultants, employment contracts and severance agreements, and help setting up a new business.
release of all claims
Sign this and you usually give up the right to sue over the job. Read it before you sign it.
The photographs in this section are scenes generated for this page. The notes are general information, not advice about your situation.
In their words
“I was a first time home buyer and I was going into this nervously and on my own. I was SO happy and lucky I had a good team- especially Molly. She’s patient, she’s going to fight for you, and help guide you through the process. She went above and beyond. There were steps of the process that I really should know and definitively understand before starting or going into this (or at least I felt I should have). I was a high-strung/anxious person and also slightly paranoid that I would make the wrong decision because buying a home- especially for the first time- is mentally exhausting. I would ask about the same terms, choices, whatever it was over and over and she would explain everything to me over and over until I felt comfortable and got it. There are so many moving parts and she kept me on track. I felt like I had more than just an attorney, but a true advocate and someone that never made me feel like I wasn’t a priority.
She’s a straight shooter and so am I- and she’s going to be there for you every step of the way. If you’re going into this alone, you won’t feel like that with Molly. She’s in your corner.”
“We recently used Molly as our attorney for the sale of our home and the purchase of our new home. She is fantastic! Molly is very accessible and gives clear explanations. We felt comfortable the entire time having her on our team and answering all of our questions. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for an excellent attorney!”
“Molly was exceptional every step of the way, very approachable with some of my novice questions (as I was a 1st time buyer), always quick to respond and forthcoming with information that helped me understand the home buying process. I highly recommend Everyday Law!!”
“I have had nothing but great experience working with Molly and Everyday Law. Very communicative, attentive, insightful, and knowledgeable about legal matter for real estate transactions.”
Reviews as published on everydaylaw.co, unedited. Every matter is different, and no review promises a result. More on Redfin, where Molly holds a 5.0 rating from 4 reviews.
About
J. Molly Wretzky on the paperwork
“What I discovered after 10 plus years in litigation is that I did not want to spend my energies fighting with people over money for the sake of fighting over money.”
Those years were at a small litigation firm, where Molly worked every stage of a case, from the documents to trial. In the spring of 2017 she went out on her own and built Everyday Law around the legal moments of ordinary life: buying a home, starting a business, signing a severance agreement, making a will.
“I’m happy to work with you on matters of all sizes, whether it be simply a contract review, buying and or selling residential real estate, assistance and counsel in setting up your next business, or preparing wills and other documents to get your ducks in a row. I’m smart, experienced, friendly and casual. Just an everyday person, like you. I can help.”
Quoted from Molly’s introduction on everydaylaw.co.
Questions
Illinois does not require one for every sale, but in the Chicago area it is the custom for buyer and seller to each have a lawyer. The standard local contracts include an attorney review period, a short window after signing when your lawyer can approve the contract or propose changes, and your lawyer usually sees the deal through closing.
Both spouses agree on everything the court needs to decide: property, debts, support and, if there are children, a parenting plan. Illinois only asks whether the marriage has broken down because of irreconcilable differences, so no one has to prove fault. When the terms are agreed, the case is usually faster and cheaper than a contested one.
Usually three documents. A will says who receives what you own after you die. A power of attorney for property lets someone you trust handle money matters if you cannot. A healthcare power of attorney names who makes medical decisions when you cannot. Some families add a trust, depending on what they own and who they want to protect.
Usually not. Most severance agreements trade a payment for a release of claims, so it pays to know what you are giving up before you sign. If you are 40 or older, federal law generally gives you at least 21 days to consider a release that covers age claims, and 7 days to change your mind after signing.
Illinois law says final pay, including earned vacation, commissions and bonuses, is due in full at separation if possible and no later than the next regular payday. A written demand that cites the Wage Payment and Collection Act is a sensible first step. If it goes unanswered, the Act lets you sue for the wages, damages and attorney's fees.
General information about Illinois law, not advice about your situation. Every matter is different.
Contact
Call, email or send a short note about what is going on. Please leave out confidential details until we have talked.
