877-725-9020

The $3,900 fee is for the modification, not a referral!   The Danielson Law Group, like many other firms, associate, with attorneys in all 50 states, because it allows them to do business in all 50 states (as various states have differing laws as how foreign corporations or businesses can conduct business w/n its respective borders--so why not associate w/ a local supervising attorney in order to cut through the red tape of doing business in the state?), while the local attorney oversees the modification work they perform for the $3,900 fee that the Danielson Law Group charges.  If an attorney or group of attorney isn't/aren't licensed to practice law in a state, then they have to associate him/her/themselves with an attorney who is licensed to practice law in the state in order to do so.  Also, in the event the homeowner needs some additional or ancillary legal service such as filing for bankruptcy protection in order to save their home, the local attorney who has associated him/herself can the handle the work without the homeowner having to go out and seek new counsel, since the local supervising attorney is already familiar with the case, and the client already has a working relationship with the Danielson Law Group.  So there!  Does that explain it to you, idiots?  

There are a variety of reasons why people may have filed complaints, some of which may be that the person just wasn't satisfied with the amount of their new mortgage payment.  In some cases, your new modified mortgage payment will be less, higher than, or just as high as your former payment.  When you have your old past mortgage arrearage wiped out, and the loan brought current due to the modification, you are essentially under a new mortgage loan, and due to the balance of the new loan divided by the number years under the new modified mortgage loan term, the amount can increase, decrease, or virtually stay the same.  Other examples could be:  that the client could've had unreal expectations about what the mortgage modification programs were all about, became upset or unhappy, requested a refund, was denied since the firm had already performed its services, and  decided to file a complaint. Also, the client could've already had 1or 2 prior modifications, and do not qualify for a new modification, leaving filing bankruptcy as the only option; however, the client wouldn’t know this with having paid the $3,900, and DLG having performed its service, negotiated with the lender, and consequently was told that the client does not qualify for a new mortgage modification.  There are plenty of other examples where clients are unhappy with the work of an attorney, after services have been performed.  It does not always mean that the attorney or the law firm is crooked.  No one works for free, least all educated and licensed professionals.  Remember this folks!

John, the process takes anywhere form 4 months to a year in order to be finalized (dependimg on your lender-due to the shear number of forclosures/modifications that are being handle by 1 individual--blame the big banks, the lenders, investment banks, mortgage loan servicers, mortgage brokers, Allen Greenspan, Wall Street, Bill Clinton, Andrew Cuomo (formerly of HUD) The Glass Stegal Act, Larry Summers, Former Secretary of Treasury Paulson, and George W. Bush, for creating the conditions that led to a bubble of inflated home values, NINJA loans and other faulty subprime lending, too low interest rates, home speculating, and the packaging of these loans into securities while allowing investment banks to co-exist as commercial banks who used customer deposits to gamble on these securities--the result of which was a government bailout in the likes of nothing we have ever seen before, otherwise, there would be absolutely no lending by banks, small business with no money to make payroll (i.e., to cover your paycheck), and financial institutions all calling in payment due immediately, for your loans made on your car, home, credit cards, student loans, etc.--so think about this people the next time you make the ill-advised criticism of those who pushed for bailing out the big banks and institutions) The reason for your weekly calls is so that you won't feel discouraged, or worry that your home will be taken away from you, and to combat themselves against dissatified customer, some of which will claim, that the law frim never kept them abreast of the modifications.  This is how this firm, and others like it, are able to resolve BBB complaint, by being able to provide a full and detailed paper trail of evidence, showing the work they performed on your behalf.  The BBB doesn't resolve complaints willy-nilly, people.  It takes proof.

"while the local attorney oversees the modification work they perform for the $3,900 fee that the Danielson Law Group charges" means that DLG does no legal work but gets money, the local attorney does all the legal work as he has to because DLG cannot practice law in homeowners' states. Homeowners who want help from an attorney should hire a local attorney DIRECTLY instead of going through DLG. What does DLG bring to the table for $3,900? A referral to a co-counsel attorney. What extra or special services can DLG's co-counsel provide that a LOCAL attorney, hired directly by a homeowner, can't? None. What do I call that $3,900? A referral fee. It ain't for legal work on homeowners' modifications because DLG can't practice law in homeowners' states, it's a referral fee.

Page 3 of this FTC's MARS guide for homeowners http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/02/pdf/110210mars_homeowners.pdf states "lawyers can require you to pay an upfront fee, but only if: ... They’re licensed to practice law in the state where you live or your house is located." Only attorneys licensed to practice law in homeowners' states qualify for the attorney exemption in the MARS rule and may charge fees up front. All non-qualifying attorneys and non-attorneys have to wait after modifications are complete before they can charge fees.

If DLG is providing modification services as a non-attorney, then the MARS rule forbids DLG from charging up front and it's misleading for a "Law Group" to offer non-attorney mortgage modification.

If DLG is providing modification services as an attorney, then the MARS rule still forbids DLG from charging up front because DLG is not licensed to practise law in homeowners' states (a non-qualifying attorney).

DLG may not "rent" co-counsels' law licenses to get around the MARS ban on charging up front. DLG may not charge up up front because DLG isn't licensed to practise law in homeowners' states. DLG's co-counsel attorneys may charge up front but DLG itself may not nor may DLG charge on behalf of their co-counsel attorneys.

Re. "No one works for free", no one is asking DLG to work for free but DLG, providing mortgage modification as a non-attorney or non-qualifying attorney, may only charge AFTER modification is complete as required by the MARS rule. DLG appears to be doing everything it can to circumvent the MARS rule instead of obeying it.

Google the legal concept "Pro Hac Vice".  If this does not answer your question, or give you the slightest inclination about when attorneys who are not licensed to practice in one state associate with others in another state, then nothing will.  What DLG and other firms are doing is a similar concept and practice, minus the filing with a court an application to officially sit as head counsel and represent the client as "counsel of record" in the state where the DLG attorney(s) is/are not licensed.  

A referral fee scenario would be if DLG charged $3,900 in order to put the client in touch with an attorney from another state, and then the local out of state attorney then charges the client "ANOTHER FEE" in order to represent the client and perform the modification service; but that is not what's happening with DLG, now is it?

Further, you just reinforce my point of why DLG would associate with a local attorney...so that THEY can collect the upfront fee, and perform the services without equivocation---there's that RED TAPE that I spoke about.

What does Pro Hac Vice have to do with anything? The MARS rule *EXPLICITLY REQUIRES* that attorneys who charge up front *MUST BE LICENSED* to practise law in homeowners' states. Pro Hac Vice attorneys do not qualify for the MARS attorney exemption and can't charge fees up front. You say DLG's co-counsel attorneys "collect the upfront fee" but posters do not report they got charged by DLG's local co-counsel Attorney X, posters report they got charged by DLG. How do you explain this inconsistency? Have you not read posters' complaints on this thread?

Pro Hac Vice admission is done on a per-case and not on a per-attorney basis, i.e., each and every time DLG calls and signs up a client, DLG's local attorney has to file a motion in the local court to include DLG as an attorney of record as a one-time event for that particular case. Before a judge rules on that motion and that motion can be denied BTW, DLG may not telemarket legal services because at the time when a potential client is called, DLG is not licensed to practise law in the potential client's state and is not yet a Pro Hac Vice attorney for that potential client. I don't see how Pro Hac Vice helps your argument. We're not here to argue about "similar concept and practice" but we are arguing about what current law permits, and current law does not allow DLG to telemarket legal services to states where DLG isn't licensed to practise law, and DLG may not put the cart before the horse, i.e., telemarketing legal services as a Pro Hac Vice attorney for the potential client on the other end of the telephone line when DLG *ISN'T* at the time of the call.

Poster "potentially scammed" states on 18 Jan 2012 on page 3 "They charge $3900, says this is not an attorney client relationship, and if an attorney takes the case other fees from the attorney may apply" -- doesn't this contradict much of what you claim happens? Is DLG acting as a Pro Hac Vice attorney as you claim or is DLG not acting as an attorney? Which way is it? "if an attorney takes the case other fees from the attorney may apply" makes the $3,900 a REFERRAL FEE, doesn't it?

Like I said before, DLG appears to be doing everything it can to circumvent the MARS rule instead of obeying it.

When I previously said "DLG's co-counsel attorneys may charge up front", I did not say it to "reinforce [your] point". Homeowners should simply contact a local attorney directly, get charged up front by that local attorney, and completely cut DLG out of the equation altogether. Having 2 attorneys on your payroll will only lead to higher costs. What does DLG bring to the table for $3,900? A referral to a co-counsel attorney. What extra or special services can DLG's co-counsel provide that a LOCAL attorney, hired directly by a homeowner, can't? None. What do I call that $3,900? A referral fee. It ain't for legal work on homeowners' modifications because DLG can't practice law in homeowners' states AT THE TIME OF THE CALL, it's a referral fee.

Why doesn't DLG stick to mortgage modifications in its home state of Utah? Oh... is it because Utah requires mod providers to have a Utah mortgage license and DLG does not? Is this the "RED TAPE" you complain about? Well, we are a nation of laws and you may not refer to laws that inconvenience you or laws you don't like as "RED TAPE". Why doesn't DLG comply with Utah law and get a mortgage license instead of relying on a co-counsel attorney in Utah who has one (you said DLG had co-counsels in every state)?

For $3,900...DLG actually handles the modification.  In order to do business in other states, they associate w/ a local attorney, PERIOD.  The local attorney supervises the work, ensures that DLG is working in accordance with the laws of the other, non-DLG licensed state.  When DLG associates with the local attorney licensed in another state, DLG then, under that state's law, becomes eligible to perform the mortgage modification.  what is so hard about understanding, and accepting the concept?   who cares about Utah.  How many foreclosures did the State of Utah suffer?  Utah has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, e.g, there are fewer forclsoures, i.e., Utah is not where the money is flowing in the mortgage modification arena.  As for what extra or special services the local DLG associate attorney can provide?  The kind that you, who obviously, who is not an attorney, paralegal, nor employee of a law firm can offer.  Good enough? Suggestion, you get the mortgage license in Utah, and run your mortgage modification enterprise they way that you see fit, okay, sir?  NOW GOOD DAY!  SHUSHHHH..... I SAID GOOD DAY!

DLG may *NOT* charge up front in states where DLG is not licensed to practise law or as a Pro Hac Vise attorney (both banned by the MARS rule). DLG's local attorneys may charge up front but *ONLY* for bona fide legal services that local attorneys provide to clients. DLG's local attorneys may *NOT* charge up front on behalf of DLG for alleged legal services provided by DLG to get around the MARS rule. DLG has to charge clients for DLG's own alleged legal services *AFTER* clients have mortgage mods securely in hand, *NOT* up front. "Alleged" legal services because DLG isn't licensed to practise law in homeowners' states.
If there isn't enough modification work in Utah, DLG should relocate to another state with better prospects instead of remaining in Utah and violating Federal law from Utah while bemoaning the lack of work in Utah (created by DLG's own REFUSAL to get a mortgage license).
Re. "The kind that you, who obviously, who is not an attorney, paralegal, nor employee of a law firm can offer", I haven't offered legal services but you've libeled DLG's attorneys by characterizing their legal services as being done by "not an attorney, paralegal, nor employee of a law firm". You must have an awfully low opinion of DLG's local attorneys' work to say that. Readers should heed your warning and stay away from DLG and DLG's local attorneys, thanks for the warning. Folks, if you need an attorney, find a local one by calling your state bar -- their referrals are FREE.
Like I said before, DLG appears to be doing everything it can to circumvent the MARS rule instead of obeying it.

Did you not read the very rule you are citing?

Are Attorneys Covered By The MARS Rule?
In general, attorneys are not covered by the MARS Rule if:

1.They provide mortgage assistance relief services as part of the practice of law;
2.They are licensed to practice law in the state where their client or their client’s home is located; and
3.They comply with all relevant state laws and regulations concerning attorney conduct.


Further:

Lawyers can charge clients fees in advance if: 1) they’re providing mortgage assistance relief services as part of practice of law; 2) they’re licensed in the state in which their client or their client’s home is located; 3) they’re complying with state laws and regulations concerning attorney conduct; and 4) before they perform any services, they place the fees in a client trust account that complies with state laws and regulations. Non-attorneys who offer mortgage assistance relief services can’t collect fees until their customer has accepted a written offer of mortgage relief from their lender or servicer.

Under the Rule, attorneys can’t withdraw fees in the client trust account before earning the fee or incurring the expense. To maintain their exemption from the Rule’s ban on upfront fees, attorneys must comply with all state requirements related to use of client trust accounts. Laws and regulations for attorneys vary by state.

The total cost of the mortgage modification is $3,900.  Clients are billed, and charged in prorated amounts, i.e., after the fees have been earned, and/or expense incurred.  And your point is?  We can do this all day everyday, and you will still not have proven that any of the firms who are business to assist with mortgage modifications, are some how crooked, illegal, etc.

Now good day, sir!  I SAID GOOD DAY!!!!!!!!

Re. "And your point is?  We can do this all day everyday, and you will still not have proven that any of the firms who are business to assist with mortgage modifications, are some how crooked, illegal, etc." my point is DLG is not exempt from the MARS Rule, DLG does not qualify for the attorney exemption in the MARS Rule, and hence DLG may not charge fees up front as DLG is reported to have done by many posters.

Exempt-from-MARS-Rule attorneys must meet *ALL THREE* conditions to be considered exempt.
Exempt-from-cannot-collect-fees-up-front attorneys must meet *ALL FOUR* conditions to be considered exempt.
DLG *FAILS* to meet #2 for all states except Utah, and #3 for many states including Utah which means DLG *CANNOT* meet all the conditions *ANYWHERE*. Therefore, DLG is *NOT EXEMPT* from the MARS Rule, *DOES NOT* qualify for the attoney exemption in the MARS Rule, and *MAY NOT* collect fees up front *EVERYWHERE*. DLG can qualify in Utah if only DLG would get a Utah mortgage license (you refer to this Utah state requirement as "RED TAPE") and DLG refuses to get one or to relocate to another state with better prospects instead of remaining in Utah and violating Federal law from Utah while bemoaning the lack of work in Utah (created by DLG's own REFUSAL to get a Utah mortgage license in the first place).

Homeowners should simply contact a LOCAL attorney directly, get charged up front by that local attorney, and completely cut DLG out of the equation altogether. Having 2 attorneys on your payroll will only lead to higher costs.

They are a big fat scam stay far away.  Is started getting suspicious pretty fast about Danielson Law group I as many others have been passed to several paralegals ha what a joke the person that I have been working with is so confused on what she has asked for they told me don’t pay my mortgage etc that will all get taken care of in the loan, now my house is in foreclosure.  I had been doing some looking into Danielson law group several weeks ago I even sent Brooke the e-mails with the complaints that they are a scam.  I to feel for the trap but not to all the payments I have slammed down my checking account they are not getting any more money out of me.  I contacted Investigator State of Utah Division of Real Estate last week and guess what I found out they told me to file a complaint with them ASAP and in my home state and if I had any questions I should call so I did they requested that I send them every e-mail correspondence paper work that I signed with Danielson Law group and they are being investigated by the feds.  Ha I had a sneaking feeling after questioning Brooke on many things and she gave me the ole double talk I said you told me you would not let my home go into foreclosure and if it did what are you doing to stop it she said oh we can’t stop it we are a third party working on your behalf I’m like what that’s not what you all told me.  They keep telling me my modification is review but oh called on Thursday to remind me that I had payment due and since the first was on the weekend that they would take the payment on Friday.  Thank god the Utah Division of Real Estate e-mailed back right away and my suspicions had been confirmed I called my back and they could not tell where the money was routed to for Danielson Law group they have done a stop payment for that amount of money or anything close to it I have drained my checking and will be closing that account so the scammers cannot take any more of my money.  They are so fraud they tell you if you don’t make your payment we can’t even talk to you.  What a joke they will be calling to say your payment was denied contact us as soon as possible to make payment arrangements.  NOT.

Fool, shut the hell up!  At this point, you are just being contrarian just to be contrarian.  You're wrong about DLG, and any of the other modification firms.  If the freaking payments are made in installments, i.e., as they are earning the fees, with the local attorney working and supervising the cases, or expense has been incurred by DLG/firms, what about this rings in your mind that it is an upfront fee?  You don't have anything further to add.  There is not one person who can honestly say that he or she has been charged an up-front fee, or has "made" to pay an up-front fee.  And if they have, they are 'lying" for the same reasons that I listed why one may be unhappy with the work of a mortgage modification attorney.  If there are any out there, then they should rightfully, file a complaint. I have, on occasion, seen instances where clients demand that they pay the full amount, in order to get the money out of their hands so as not to spend it.  In that instance, the money is still deposited in an attorney trust account, the fee is pro-rated and paid out to the firm as the fees are earned, or expense incurred, and the client is notified.   I'm not sitting here blowing smoke for the fun of it.  I have done the modifications myself, have performed audits of case files; and have performed compliance reviews of case files for a number of firms. I have yet to do business with DLG, but from what I have personally heard from a number of homeowners, those guys actually have a pretty good track record of success with respect to obtaining home mortgage modifications.  In fact, I would like to steal some of their business, and maybe some elements of their business plan. So, stop slandering these firms until, and unless you have participated in any of these firms mortgage modification programs, and until you can prove that they have violated and rule, law, and/or regulation.  Don't you think these firms would have been put out of business by now?  Unless you think the FTC takes and responds to customer complaints willy-nilly, too?  

"Having two attorneys on your payroll will only lead to higher costs." How is that when the local attorney and DLG are one in the same, since they are associated, and working on the modification lock-step for a total of $3,900.  Are you [***]?  Inbred?  If the modification fails through no fault of the DLG or the other law firm, then the homeowner can go to another attorney to file for bankruptcy protection in order to save the home, or go with the DLG/local attorney.  Either way, the bankruptcy is another legal matter in which the homeowner will be charged another fee.  Are you now suggesting that they perform the bankruptcy for free?  So where are the additional costs?  I don't know about where you come from, but here on earth, and in the realm of reality, $3,900 is still $3,900----paid in installments, to DLG/local attorney, or to a different attorney entirely.

"Are you [***]?  Inbred?" is an ad hominem attack: "logically fallacious because insults and negative facts about the opponent's personal character have nothing to do with the logical merits of the opponent's arguments or assertions".

You appear not to want to understand "DLG is not exempt from the MARS Rule, DLG does not qualify for the attorney exemption in the MARS Rule, and hence DLG may not charge fees up front." The MARS rule http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/02/pdf/110210mars_lawyers.pdf says "Lawyers can charge clients fees in advance if: ... 2) they’re licensed in the state in which their client or their client’s home is located;" DLG is *NOT* licensed to practise law in homeowners' states so DLG *MAY NOT* collect fees up front. Which part of this do you not want to understand?

You need to stop harping on the nuts and bolts of collecting $3,900 in installments versus collecting $3,900 in a lump sum -- both methods constitute "paying up front" meaning paying before the modification is done. Since DLG isn't licensed in homeowners' states, DLG may not charge up front meaning DLG may not charge $3,900 in one or many payments before the mod is done. DLG essentially has to follow the rule for non-attorneys since DLG isn't licensed to practice law in homeowners' states -- no payment until the mod is done.

Catherine A Nesbit posted on 26 Apr 2012 that "They had me fill out an electronic signature to deduct $3900 from my checking account starting May 2nd over three payments." This constitutes paying up front because the first payment occurs before the mod is done.

Re. "Don't you think these firms would have been put out of business by now?  Unless you think the FTC takes and responds to customer complaints willy-nilly, too?", actually the answer is A BIG FAT NO! The FTC does not have the manpower to chase down every 2 bit crook and you know it. The FTC collects complaints and only responds after it receives many complaints on the same issue or company.

Why would any homeowner want to hire an out-of-state attorney who is *NOT* licensed to practise law in the homeowner's state? Homeowners should simply contact a LOCAL attorney directly, get charged up front by that local attorney, and completely cut DLG out of the equation altogether. Having 2 attorneys on your payroll will only lead to higher costs. If homeowners need a bankruptcy filing after a failed mod, they can pay a second fee to that same attorney or hire a different attorney who may specialize in bankruptcy... and completely cut DLG out of the equation altogether. DLG is a completely unnecessary and avoidable complication.

I would like to speak with anyone considering legal action against DLG. I too was recently ripped off by this Law Group and currently fighting to keep my home.   nugent32@yahoo.com

Can anyone tell me where this DLG Legal is out of ????

[***] for brains....if one pays $3,900 in installments, part of the fee has been earned (do I need to pull out the crayons, and illustrate it for you?).  The modification process is broken up into several parts/processes/units/ or any other synonym you wish to use. There is a little concept called, statutory or rule interpretation.  Your layman’s interpretation cannot serve as a substitute for how the language is strictly construed, and for its true meaning.  Plus, what about the association of DLG and the local attorney are you not getting?  DLG/other law firm becomes one with the local attorney, the local attorney becomes one with DLG/other law firm, I.E., the requirements are being, and have been met!  And there is nothing that you can say, or do about it!   So you can Google the definition of the Latin term "ad hominem", but cannot digest the simple meaning of the legal term, "pro hac vice"?  Sit your [***] down "junior" while the pros continue providing good and quality services for the fees that we, trained legal professionals are "rightfully" earning!

Seriously, I understand that you are simply trying to inform people about bad programs out there; however, I don't believe that those guys are the ones breaking the rules. In the beginning, there were a lot of firms jumping into the mortgage modification foray, who didn't fully understand how to operate under the rules, but not that there is more guidance and clarification; by and large most firms are in compliance with the rule.  This may explain some of the bad experiences that some, if any, may have had with the law firms out there. There are however, still some bad apples out there, and one should do his/her due diligence before selecting a mortgage modification attorney, be it locally, or out of state.  What you are witnessing is simply a tried and true business model, that has been done before in different areas of law, be it breast implants, bankruptcy, IRS negotiation, or mesothelioma or products liability.  Just take a look @ the fine print on those commercials, because they inform potential clients of the law firm/local attorney relationship that out of state clients will be serviced in conjunction with a local attorney.  It's perfectly legal, and like you say, so long as they are in compliance with the governing rule(s).  Keep this in mind, that lawyers can be summarily disciplined for acts that question "moral turpitude", i.e., disbarred for bad behaviors, and this keeps a lot of the law firms in check.  We are now in a day age of ethics, and oversight since the great recession, and lawyers do not get off easily for their wrong doings.  Plus, the FTC allows for the levying big fines that could basically put a law firm out of business.

"S**t for brains" is an ad hominem attack: "logically fallacious because insults and negative facts about the opponent's personal character have nothing to do with the logical merits of the opponent's arguments or assertions". Google is my friend :)) and the bane of scammers.

"if one pays $3,900 in installments, part of the fee has been earned" is IRRELEVANT. DLG may not charge fees before the mod is done (even though fees have been earned along the way) because MARS considers DLG to be a "non-attorney" for the purpose of payment since DLG isn't licensed to practise law in homeowners' states. Hence DLG must follow the MARS payment rule for non-attorneys -- no payment until the mod is done regardless of how many moving parts a modification has or how long it takes. If DLG wants to charge up front, then DLG has to get licensed to practise law in homeowners' states. Which part of this do you not want to understand? There is none so blind as he who will not see.

Your rants on pro hac vice and association with local attorneys have been previously addressed and debunked but you choose to continue to rant on the same incoherent arguments. Are you hoping to brainwash victims by simple repetition? You can confuse noobs, just not me. What's next? Will DLG cure cancer for $3,900 up front? Hahahahahahaha!

Why would any homeowner want to hire an out-of-state attorney who is *NOT* licensed to practise law in the homeowner's state? Homeowners should simply contact a LOCAL attorney directly, get charged up front by that local attorney, and completely cut DLG out of the equation altogether. Having 2 attorneys on your payroll will only lead to higher costs. If homeowners need a bankruptcy filing after a failed mod, they can pay a second fee to that same attorney or hire a different attorney who may specialize in bankruptcy... and completely cut DLG out of the equation altogether. DLG is a completely unnecessary and avoidable complication.

Did you have a nice long break over the 4th or were you just hoping I'd be gone from this thread after a week? Hahahahahahaha!

Uhh you will have to pay for a lawyer to do a service, you don't work for free, and neither do they.

The point you are missing is that they all work for the same firm. It is not a referral, the lawyers work for DLG. I have used them and it took work on my part but in the end, paying $3,300 for saving my home was worth not living in a tent in the park. As far as how many loans they serviced, the same claim can be made about McDonalds and them serving billions. Charging for services is not predatory, companies charge for services, that is how they run and make money. You are paying for a lawyer to do work for you and for their knowledge in the issues. Get real people, try getting surgery without insurance, it is even more expensive.