Michael "Mike" H. Wasserman
Founder and Managing Attorney
Contact Mike: michael@mhwasserman.com
Call/text: 312.726.1512
I'll never allow this to happen again. It's the reason why clients can depend on us.
Before I was a closing lawyer, I was a junior litigator. The work was a never-ending grind of depositions, court calls, and trials in and around Chicago.
One day, my (awful) boss threw a crumpled real estate contract at me and said, “You’re doing a residential closing today.” And, “This is the buyer’s first home and the most important thing in his life right now. He is also my car mechanic. That makes it important to me too.”
As I protested, my boss waived me off, and said, “Just find Seymour at the bank, and DON’T SCREW IT UP!” Nervously, I read and re-read the contract, then headed out to the bank.
It was intimidating. I was there to be a first-time buyer’s advocate for the largest transaction of his life. As I walked into the bank, I was 100% determined to do my best to protect his interests.
Seymour, the bank officer, took me to a conference room and introduced the seller’s lawyer, the title agent, and finally Javier, the client, who was visibly relieved to see me. He clearly needed someone on his side of the closing table.
There was an awkward silence until Seymour took the lead saying, “Mr. Wasserman, would you like to review the loan agreement and have Javier sign it?” Me, “Yes I would.” And so it went: Seymour prompted me, and I reviewed each document with Javier before asking him to sign. The closing lasted 40 minutes but seemed to go on for hours.
When I handed Javier the keys to his first house, he smiled broadly and gave me a big hug—the first of my career. But I felt like a fraud.
That experience taught me two lifelong lessons.
First, I did not want to work for a law firm that sent an unprepared, untrained lawyer to represent a client. I swore that if I were the boss, I would never put my clients in that position.
Second, I liked real estate law! After seven years of studying and four years of lawyering, I'd finally found my calling. Within a year, I left that firm and I opened my solo practice.
That first closing sticks with me to this day. It's exactly why my firm is so committed to guiding our real estate clients to make informed decisions—and why we provide the highest level of service.
Each time I encounter a new lawyer taking a stab at their first closing, I can’t help but smile. I remember how awful I felt that first time. Yet, I am eternally grateful for all the things it taught me.
Michael belongs to three bar associations:
The Chicago Bar Association
The Illinois State Bar Association
Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association