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Client Testimonials

[ Reference contact information provided upon request ]

- Husband
Hennepin County Divorce with Children
"Mr. Nelson provided exceptional legal representation during my divorce. As an executive in corporate finance, I really value attention to detail and problem-solving skills. His expertise, guidance, and dedication surpassed my expectations.

I faced a challenging situation with an ex-wife seeking more than 50% custody of our two young children. My ex-wife attacked my character and was dishonest, attempting to get the kids more than 50% of the time. Mr. Nelson was able to dismantle the false narrative my ex-wife presented, secured me 50% custody, and maintained professionalism throughout to all parties involved.

Additionally, my ex-wife was seeking spousal maintenance, more than 50% of our marital estate, and attorney fees. Mr. Nelson’s skillful arguments to opposing counsel presented a clear, concise position in my favor, brokering no possible legal recourse for my ex-wife and her counsel.

Going through the divorce was the hardest time in my life. I encountered difficulties as my spouse shared inaccurate information and made false claims, leading to challenging family dynamics. If you seek a top-notch divorce attorney, or aren’t happy with your current lawyer, I highly recommend Eric Nelson—he's the best in the Twin Cities."
"I met Mr. Nelson after reading some information on his web page. I took him a copy of an offer my soon-to-be ex-spouse had presented me and my current lawyer was encouraging me to accept. He took one look at the offer and said, “This is the worse offer I’ve ever seen. You didn’t accept this did you?”

I went home and fired my lawyer and the next day hired Mr. Nelson to represent me. Mr. Nelson fought to retain my pre-marital property. He divided all stocks, retirement accounts and investments equitably. He sorted through our very complicated real estate transactions that included spousal inheritance, marital growth and co-mingled finances.

Best of all, he was able to avoid any court time and I came away with shared physical and legal custody of our two children, and only three years of spousal maintenance, which could have been a lot worse after 16 years of marriage.

The wording in the divorce decree helped with post-divorce issues, including child custody modification, child support reduction, yearly tax filings, and holiday custody of the children.

Mr. Nelson is very professional and organized, and listened to my concerns. He understood my requirements towards ending the marriage and worked diligently to achieve my goals. He responded quickly to my voice mail or emails, and kept me updated on negotiations and all aspects of the divorce."

- Wife
Ramsey County Divorce with Children

- Husband
Dakota County Divorce
(Post-Decree Spousal Maintenance Modification)
"As a director working for one of the Top 50 Fortune companies, I have high standards and expectations of the people who work on my behalf and when I find professionals who thrive on helping others, set their own high expectations and are results oriented, I feel compelled to recognize the work they do.  Eric Nelson is just that type of professional.  From the moment he reviewed my case his skill, knowledge and experience were obvious.  If that wasn’t enough, Eric demonstrated a keen interest in understanding every detail so he could represent me accurately.  I must admit, mine was a difficult divorce.  I was in a tough situation and the legal process seemed to work in my ex-spouses favor more than I had imagined.  When it appeared that my spouse’s lawyers were preparing a motion to move from temporary spousal maintenance to permanent spousal maintenance, my concerns became immense and I impressed upon Eric how this issue was the critical factor in my case.  That’s when it happened.  This is what separates Eric from other lawyers.  Eric, through his extensive and exhaustive research discovered a legal precedent upon which he built a compelling argument.  This was pure, innovative thinking.  I was impressed.  I finally had my day in court and was simply amazed.  Eric’s argument was on solid ground and he was quick with all retorts to such a degree the Judge’s ruling was quick and decisive – and in my favor!  I am very grateful to have found such a great professional, counselor, and gifted Lawyer to see me through my difficult divorce.  I strongly recommend Eric if you are looking for the best.

With my gratitude for Eric’s servitude, my thanks!”
"I had worked with a different attorney to process my divorce proceedings but needed to go back to court to address some very difficult custody and visitation challenges that were not working out per my divorce decree.  I needed someone that specialized in divorce and child custody cases and Eric has been a tremendous asset to me with handling these issues.  I would definitely recommend Eric to anyone that is looking to hire an extremely knowledgeable attorney.  Thanks Eric!"

- Wife
Hennepin County Divorce
(Post-Decree Parenting Time Modification)

- Husband
Hennepin County Divorce with Children
"I was going to file for divorce from my wife of 7 years. We had two small children Matt age 5 and Natalie age 3. I came to Mr. Nelson after a female lawyer I was going to hire switched careers. I knew nothing about Mr. Nelson but went to speak to him after seeing his name on a fathers resource site. I had interviewed several attorneys and what I liked about Eric was his professional detachment. He was not saying things like we'll get her and nail her to the wall. He listened and simply said: "You have a good case but in family court nothing is a slam dunk." He asked a lot of questions and made me come to a realization. That being I could have more than just 50/50 custody. I was ready to move on in my life with a 50/50 split of time with my soon to be x. Eric helped me to realize that fathers can get more. He never promised that he just said it was possible. For me that changed everything. We went ahead with a plan to get custody. Eric helped me map out a strategy that eventually won me full physical custody of my kids. I would never have been able to achieve that without his skillful guidance and genuine concern for my situation."
“I was a stay at home Mom with four very young children when my husband served me with divorce papers asking for full custody of the children and requesting I pay child support! It was devastating and scary. From the first time I met Eric, he was empathetic and understanding. He outlined what the law stated and helped me to understand the process of divorce and what I could expect from him.  He delivered on all of it. We were successful in both our ENE and FENE, where the experts recommended I be the full time custodial parent and granting me a high spousal maintenance award, so I could remain raising my small children.  It took 120 days start to finish and in retrospect it was about as painless as it could be. Eric is the best and one would be lucky to work with him.”

- Wife
Hennepin County Divorce with Children

- Husband
Washington County Divorce with Children
“I’ve been where you are today and it's unimaginably stressful.  You feel powerless and to make matters worse, you feel like the process favors the mother over the father.  All that time you spent working to provide for your family may now be used against you in an attempt to keep things "stable" for the kids by leaving them mostly in the care of their stay-at-home mother.  It's not the courts fault; they play it safe, and that usually means at your expense.  If you're like me then you're saying hell no.  You worked those hours knowing when you came home the kids would be there. Now that it can't happen, the rules have changed, but somehow you're expected to work those same long hours.  If you're like me, you want to have your kids at least half time.  It sucks, but it's better than just the weekends.  You also need assurances your future ex-wife can't shack up with some loser and take your kids with her.  You want joint physical custody.

What I needed was a superhero to make it happen.  I needed someone to defend my rights, stand up for me, for truth, and justice for all.  It's the "all" part that Eric is best at.  Stand up for your wife?  Think about it, the best divorce attorneys take everything into account and advise you from the perspective of their vast experience;  the kids' needs, your needs, and yes, your ex-wife's needs.  The best thing you can do is hire Eric to defend your interests.  The second best thing you can do is have your ex-wife hire him.  On either side, he's on the right side.

He was the rock I depended on, he was my knight in shining armor, and I don't know how I could have made it through the divorce without him.  Professional, wise, and above all trustworthy.  Eric got me joint legal, joint physical custody, with essentially equal parenting time. All of the financial issues were very fairly resolved too (equal division of the marital estate, child support pursuant to the guidelines, and spousal maintenance that was very limited in amount and duration).  And Eric achieved all this without us ever having to go to Court.  I highly recommend Eric C. Nelson.”
"Eric Nelson represented me during my divorce and through several post decree issues. He is an excellent attorney and I would highly recommend him.

Although I realize that every divorce has it's own pain points and nuances, my situation was especially difficult due to the fact that my ex-husband had mental issues at the time that manifested in emotional manipulation and abuse, generally unpredictable behavior and irrational thinking. Because we had a child and I was the primary breadwinner, my greatest fear was that my ex-husband would win sole custody and receive both child support and spousal maintenance, in addition to the expected 50/50 division of our financial assets.

One of the things I appreciated most when Mr. Nelson first took my case was that he was able to shield me from a lot of the emotional chaos my ex-husband created. Threats were dealt with swiftly and professionally. There were many times I would call Mr. Nelson panic stricken over an email or phone call and he would very calmly talk through the situation with me. Most of the time a well worded letter, clearly laying out the consequences of his actions, was enough to keep my ex-husband from following through. It also helped tremendously to have my feet under me while I was making decisions that I knew were going to have a substantial impact on my daughter's life and Mr. Nelson provided me with solid ground to stand on.

Another aspect of Mr. Nelson's practice that I appreciated very much was the his attention to detail, thoroughness and careful handling of my case. There were a lot of decisions to be made along the way and options were clearly laid out with the pros and cons of each approach as well as his recommendation and the reasoning behind it. I was awarded 50 - 50 custody and parenting time in a scenario where my ex-husband had a reasonable chance of winning sole custody. Speaking from hindsight, that has clearly been the best outcome for my child. Mr. Nelson put together an agreement that included no child support and no spousal maintenance. When my ex-husband filed for child support a couple of years later, Eric was able to negotiate concessions that ensured expenses that were solely covered by me in the original agreement were now prorated between us. My case was also settled without having to go to court which saved me thousands of dollars.

Lastly, Mr. Nelson's invoicing is very detailed. I had no problems understanding what I was being charged for and his billing practice seemed very fair. After an agreement was reached and a divorce decree was awarded, I received a neatly organized binder that contained every correspondence and copies of every legal document. It's very nice to have that to refer back to if needed."

- Wife
Divorce with Child

- Husband
Ramsey County Divorce with Children
“I interviewed seven attorneys before deciding that Eric Nelson was the man who would fight the hardest for me.  From day one he took a personal interest in my case.  He was never too busy to return a phone call or email, and he calmly guided me through the entire divorce process.  He tried his best to get a negotiated settlement but when my ex-wife would not make a fair offer, he fought hard to get me custody of my children.  Every other attorney I talked to said I would probably lose my custody battle but Eric understands custody issues better than anyone and with his steady guidance and savvy advice, against the odds we won our custody battle.  Then when my ex-wife tried to extract unreasonable amounts of spousal maintenance from me, he once again used his years of experience to win that court battle as well.  I couldn't be more pleased with the outcomes of my case, and know things would not have turned out so well for me without Eric.”
"I was seeking relief from permanent spousal maintenance and, after a bad (and expensive) experience with another attorney, had the good fortune to discover Eric Nelson. It took us two tries but Eric was ultimately successful in not only reducing but eliminating my previous obligations.

In my opinion, besides being extremely competent in his field, Eric is highly ethical in his dealings with his clients and the courts. He seems to be truly concerned with the well-being of his clients. If he doesn't have a case he feels that he
can win, he will tell you. He is straightforward and down to earth. Besides being very good at what he does, Eric is also the type of person who I would want as a neighbor or a friend. I recommend Eric Nelson highly to anyone seeking an attorney specializing in family practice and would be happy to speak personally with anyone who might have specific questions."

- Husband
Hennepin County Divorce
(Post-Decree Spousal Maintenance Modification)

- Husband
Dakota County
(Post-Decree Custody Modification)
"Mr. Nelson helped me with my case modification of custody and child support. He was very diligent and worked extremely hard to represent me in the most professional way. Throughout my case Mr. Nelson demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the law and a keen ability to communicate with the court, both through written documentation and verbal argument in hearings. He zealously represented me and made me feel like I had a champion on my side during very stressful moments. Mr. Nelson worked very hard to settle our case outside the courtroom through compromise. However, the other party would not compromise forcing a trial to occur. His brilliance in the courtroom led to a favorable outcome. Mr. Nelson won the argument and sole physical custody of my son was awarded to me. I would highly recommend using Eric Nelson to represent anyone in a complicated family law case, especially custody modification."
"If you are reading this testimonial, you are in one of two possible states of mind. First, you may be searching for help without the slightest idea of which attorney to choose. If you fall into this category, stop immediately, and retain Eric Nelson. You will not regret it. Second, if you are like I was, I had already been working with a lawyer, and spent upwards of $8,000.00, and I was dumbfounded by her ineptitude and lack of interest. She went on vacation for our first court date and turned my case over to another attorney who had not even read the case file before meeting me at the court. He was totally clueless. I could not go forward with either of these attorneys. As fate would have it, I found Eric. If there is such a thing as a 180 degree change in my fortunes, Eric was the reason. What I came to appreciate was that a lawyer’s “standing” with the court, aka, reputation, is critical to your success. Eric’s knowledge of the law, respect for the court, his willingness to seek a balanced and equitable solution that took into consideration the concerns of all parties was instrumental in the outcome of the case. The plaintiff hired a big name attorney from a big name firm whose sole strategy was to defame me in the worst possible ways. It was very ugly and very stressful. As a testimonial to Eric’s ability, was the $5,000 in “bad faith” attorney’s fees, I was awarded against my ex-wife and her attorney. I believe it may be the largest award of its kind in this court. I also received a substantial return of assets including the bad faith attorney’s fees. In her case, she did not get what she paid an incredible amount of money for. You do not always get what you pay for; with Eric you will. More importantly, I was rewarded with the restoration of my emotional health and self-confidence restored. Please do yourself a favor: Retain Eric Nelson: it’s a decision you will never regret."

- Wife
Hennepin County
Divorce

- Wife
Hennepin County
(Divorce)
"Eric's natural calm, quiet, upbeat attitude and easy acceptance helped to make getting my divorce simple. And his quick handling of details, and knowledgeable responses to my questions was a godsend. I never once had to wait to hear from him; he got right back to me and eased my mind in every instance."
"To whom it may concern: A divorce is unimaginably stressful. You feel powerless and to make matters worse, you feel like the process favors the mother over the father. All that time you spent working to provide for your family may now be used against you in an attempt to keep things "stable" for the kids by leaving them mostly in the care of their stay-at-home mother. It's not the courts fault; they play it safe, and that usually means at your expense. If you're like me then you're saying hell no. You worked those hours knowing when you came home, the kids would be there. Now that it can't happen, the rules have changed, but somehow you're expected to work those same long hours. If you're like me, you want to have your kids at least half time. It sucks, but it's better than just the weekends. You also need assurances your future ex-wife can't shack up with some looser and take your kids with her. You want joint physical custody. What I needed was a superhero to make it happen. I needed someone to defend my rights, stand up for me, for truth, and justice for all. It's the "all" part that Eric is best at. Stand up for your wife? Think about it, the best divorce attorneys take everything into account and advise you from the perspective of their vast experience; the kids' needs, your needs, and yes, your ex-wife's needs. The best thing you can do is hire Eric to defend your interests. The second best thing you can do is have your ex-wife hire him. On either side, he's on the right side. He was the rock I depended on, he was my knight in shining armor, and I don't know how I could have made it through the divorce without him. Professional, wise, and above all trustworthy. Eric got me joint legal, joint physical custody, with essentially equal parenting time. All of the financial issues were very fairly resolved too (equal division of the marital estate, child support pursuant to the guidelines, and spousal maintenance that was very limited in amount and duration). And Eric achieved all this without us ever having to go to Court. I highly recommend Eric C. Nelson."

- Husband
Washington County
(Divorce with Children)

- Husband
Lyon County
(Post Decree Grandparent Visitation Matter)
"Eric is not only a consummate professional but also has a talent for setting people at ease and listening sympathetically to his clients' concerns. As my wife and I talked, Eric quickly saw the merits and challenges facing us as we struggled to gain visitation rights with our young grandchildren. Eric worked tirelessly and kept us informed almost daily. Any questions we had were quickly addressed. We believe Eric's attention to detail and exhaustive knowledge of family law were crucial to us achieving a positive result with the courts."
"Divorce happens. If you're in it; you know the unimaginable stress involved. Everything in my life was impacted; family, my business, home, and my sweet girls. My situation was made worse with an extremely unhappy spouse. I suspect most people going through divorce share a similar experience. Speaking with Eric Nelson provided near instant relief. His calm manner and keen insight put me at ease. His focus on divorce and custody have given him a wealth of knowledge and expertise. His intelligence and confidence made him a champion at the arbitration table and in the court house. I always felt I was in good hands. My ex-wife was really unhappy. I'll leave it at that. Eric helped me secure a very reasonable settlement. I retained my business. Most important; I share 50/50 custody with my girls. That's what I really wanted. I'll always feel indebted to Eric for that."

- Husband
Hennepin County
(Divorce with Children)

- Husband
(Divorce with Children)
"After doing a great deal of research, I sought out Eric Nelson as my divorce attorney. Ours was a high conflict situation and I was preparing for a long drawn out divorce. I quickly felt comfortable with Eric and appreciated his approach of not asking for the world with the intention of accepting less, but rather one of setting an equitable goal and staying the course. His insight into the process and courts meant that I was sometimes given direction which I did not always wish to hear as a father, but this experience is why I sought him out. His advice was direct and communications very timely. Eric did a splendid job in negotiating a settlement despite an unresponsive and difficult opposing counsel. While he diligently looked out for mine and my children's interests, I was thoroughly impressed by the kindness he exhibited in making sure my ex understood what was going on, even when her own attorney would not. As a father I achieved joint legal and 50/50 physical custody, with Eric Nelson representing me. I highly recommend Eric Nelson."
"I am starting this process and was super impressed with Eric's credentials, past client testimonials, and his responsiveness. He called me back within a few hours of my voicemail, was extremely knowledgeable, and didn't sugar coat anything. I am hoping to avoid litigation, but if I have to, I will be giving him a call."

-Wife
(Divorce)

-Husband
(Pre-Nuptial Agreement)
"Eric drafted a prenuptial agreement for me with less than a week to go before my wedding date. Over and above, he worked with me to get the document properly and timely executed. Unlike many attorneys I've worked with, Eric showed he cared by being attentive to my needs, he was responsive to my calls and emails, and he made sure I understood the provisions in the document I was signing."
"I hired Mr. Nelson in early to mid 2006. As all would know, divorce is a VERY difficult time. Mr. Nelson is a gift of easing the stress with divorce. He always shot straight regarding this situation. He was not the lawyer where his client can do no wrong, if there was a mistake that was made, it was instantly noticed and addressed. With Mr. Nelsons personality, I feel that over the course of 7 year we have built a very personal and professional relationship, and as a former client, I can always count on him to run things by him."

-Husband
Hennepin County
(Divorce with Children)

-Husband
Ramsey County
(Divorce with Children)

"Eric helped me navigate through a very difficult time in my life. He was sensitive, knowledgeable, and kept me abreast of what was going on. I did not get everything I thought I was entitled to, but given MN law, I believe the divorce agreement was about as favorable as possible."
“A small portion of a long list of things I most appreciated include, for instance, advising me of every single step of the process; always, immediately, emailing me copies of every communication with opposing counsel and the courts and every document you prepared and/or received, including drafts for my approval; answering very promptly my requests for more information, clarification, and further advice by phone or email; and equipping me with all the basics of the case, including all the options and possibilities, and what we could argue for a settlement and how much (re: inheritance and probable alimony). The latter was extremely critical to my being able to work out a settlement with my wife that was agreeable to her. The agreement was unfortunately way beyond, more than twice, what we would have argued for in the courts, and I knew that. But it was my best effort with her to accommodate her wishes so that I could end the process as quickly and least painfully as possible. This was my biggest concern and stress -----the possibility of going on and on in the courts for many years. This would entail not only additional expenses but a huge reduction of "life" at my near-retirement age.

But for me to accomplish this settlement abroad (because, as you know, my wife moved back to her country), I needed frequent contact with you to advise me on my options and how to proceed. And it had to happen during the short period I could stay. So, sometimes, I needed to talk with you on a weekend. Finally, because I had very little time to come to a settlement and there was only one American notary in the entire state, the American consul, who was gone most of that particular time, your making yourself available was absolutely essential to accomplishing the settlement and processing all the documents in that period. I also greatly appreciated your furthering the process, continually, by taking up the slack of opposing counsel. You often had to encourage her, for instance—always very courteously, of course---to complete her part as quickly as possible (e.g., review documents you sent to her and get them back to you, or sign those she had already approved). Sometimes, because opposing counsel would take weeks or more to prepare or sign the simplest of the documents, your jumping ahead to prepare them the same day made an enormous difference in the speed with which the process could unfold.

I also very much appreciated the friendly demeanor and very professional work that John, your paralegal, offered.”

-Husband
Nicollet County
(Divorce)

-Husband
Hennepin County
(Divorce without Children)

"My divorce was an experience I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, but Eric provided me with sound advice, and walked me through a very painful OFP and divorce with my sanity and finances intact at the end. Eric was very attentive during the process, often answered his phone at the first ring, responded to emails promptly, and even called me back while he was on vacation. Eric handled both my divorce case and a civil Order for Protection case that was brought against me. The allegations in the OFP case were very serious, but untrue. Eric tried the case and due to his 20 years of knowledge and experience, and got it entirely dismissed. In the divorce case, Eric managed to negotiate a clean settlement that was at the most favorable end of the range of possibilities in my case. I always felt that Eric truly cared about me and about my case, which meant a lot in a very difficult time of my life. I would wholeheartedly recommend Eric Nelson for those that are in need."
I have met many attorneys in my day. Of those I have met, Eric is the one who truly stands out above the rest when it comes to truly being concerned about my needs and my family's needs. He is an excellent listener, thorough in his documentation, and effectively communicated with me throughout the whole process. It was easy to sleep at night knowing he was diligently at work representing me. Thank you Eric! Sincerely, Adam

-Father
Hennepin County
(Post Decree Modification of Custody)

Peer Endorsements
"I have referred multiple clients and friends to Eric Nelson over the years when they needed a Mpls/St. Paul Metro area family law attorney and they have all been grateful. They have universally praised his knowledge, professionalism and advocacy, and never have any expressed regret over their choice. I do not hesitate to recommend Mr. Nelson to those seeking a good family law attorney in Minneapolis. "

John Schulte, Family Law Attorney in Duluth, MN

Christopher Rosengren, Criminal Defense Attorney in Mankato, MN
"I endorse this lawyer. Eric is a zealous advocate for his clients. He is very knowledgeable in family law matters and uses that knowledge to achieve excellent results for his clients. He is honest and ethical and does what he says he will do in a timely and efficient manner. "
"I endorse this lawyer. I have been practicing law for almost 20 years and Mr. Nelson is the MOST dependable and honest lawyer I have ever met. I have referred many friends to him for his services and I have no doubt that I will do so many more times in the years ahead. Thank you. Robert A. Bodeau "

Robert Bodeau, Attorney in Minnetonka, MN

David Anderson, Business Attorney in Eden Prairie, MN
"I endorse this lawyer. I have found Eric Nelson to be reliable, honest and diligent in his representation of private clients. I would not hesitate to recommend my clients to Eric for all family law matters. "
"Very knowledgeable and helpful. I highly recommend Eric for child support issues."

Karen Marvel, Child Support Lawyer in San Antonio, TX

Barbara May, Bankruptcy Attorney in Roseville, MN
"Eric Nelson is a hard working, disciplined attorney with a good attitude."
"I endorse this lawyer. Eric is a well known and respected Minnesota attorney."

Kenneth Labore, Nursing Home Abuse/Neglect Lawyer in Minneapolis, MN

Kristine Zajac, Family Law Attorney in Minneapolis, MN
"I endorse this lawyer. I was opposing counsel with Mr. Nelson on a matter that was a highly contested custody/parenting time matter. Mr. Nelson was a gentlemen even though he had a very difficult client."
"Eric is the most dedicated family law attorney. I have known him for more than 15 years and have had the pleasure of referring clients to him. He is passionate about the practice of law; his client's interest and very knowledgeable about the the law. I heartily endorse Eric and highly recommend him."

Paschal Nwokocha, Immigration Lawyer in Minneapolis, MN