My name is Mike Wilbur and I am an attorney in Salida, Colorado. I am a small, specialty law firm. I have restricted my practice to three areas of land law; real estate, land-use and property law. I do not practice outside of these specific fields, as these are the areas of law I am most proficient and enjoy the most. Additionally, they are often times interrelated, which is helpful to the practitioner, because one aspect of these areas of law will inevitably affect another. Should you need an attorney who practices in another area of law I will be more than happy to recommend someone to you. We are fortunate in Salida to have a number of highly qualified attorneys who practice criminal defense, family law and wills, trusts and estates law, as well as other areas.

I am also a transactional attorney, and not a litigator. I believe most situations can be resolved without filing a law suit. That is particularly true of land law. The parties to a dispute may not know all the facts or the laws pertaining to their differences, and once they do, they are often willing to resolve their dispute in a manner which is beneficial to both parties. As a transactional attorney I draft or review a wide variety of documents, which include, but is not limited to; leases, contracts to buy and sell real estate, easements, deeds, title insurance.

I believe in educating my clients. The more you know about an issue the better decisions you will make. I want my clients to be informed, because at the end of the day, it is you who must make a decision. I can advise you on the possible courses and the potential legal ramifications of those courses, and then it is you who must decide which to choose. I also believe you should seek legal counsel before you take any action, such as purchasing a property. It is usually more difficult and costly to “fix” something than it is to know beforehand what you are getting into.

I also offer unbundled legal services.  If you would prefer that I work on an hourly basis I can accommodate you. You are the client, and the choices are yours to make. After an initial, no cost and confidential interview, we will determine if I am the attorney who can best serve your needs. If we decide I am, I will issue you a letter of engagement. The letter will describe our legal relationship, the work you expect me to do and the cost to you. If we decide I am not the attorney best suited to assist you, or that you do not need an attorney at this time, then I will give you a letter of non-engagement. This letter simply states that we met, discussed your situation, and have determined at this time that I will not be serving as your attorney in the matter. I believe it is very important that you clearlyo know whether or not I am your attorney – in writing.