Columbia Bankruptcy Lawyers

I represent individuals in Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcies in Illinois. Free consultation available. Payment plans available for qualified clients.

Bar Admissions
- State of Illinois, 2010
- United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 2011
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 2011
- United States Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Illinois, 2013
- United States Bankruptcy Court, Central District of Illinois, 2016
- State of Texas, 2020

Professional Memberships:
- State Bar of Texas

47 years experience in Immigration and International Law, Complex Bankruptcy and Health law Visiting Professor of International Law DePaul University College of Law Global Faculty International Law, Faculty of Law ,University of Liverpool School of Law U.K. Advanced law degree (LL.M) DePaul University Dissertation supervisor University of Cumbria U.K. Salford University U.K.. Assistant Professor Tulane School of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, New Orleans

Kiley M. Whitty is a licensed attorney specializing in the areas of family law, child custody, bankruptcy, and creditor negotiations in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Will and surrounding collar counties. While in law school at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Kiley earned a certificate in Child and Family Law as well as a certificate in Advocacy which aided in her success as a litigator. As an associate with Anderson & Associates, P.C., Kiley has handled complex custody cases involving issues with legal and residential custody, parenting time, allegations of abuse and neglect, and child removal. Kiley has also handled a...

I have been a practicing attorney since 1973. I used to handle a wide variety of legal matters for individuals and families. At present, my practice is concentrated in consumer bankruptcy. In addition to our main office in Chicago, we also have offices in Skokie, Schaumburg, Naperville, Joliet and Gurnee, Illinois. I am married with one son who is married, living in California, and who is a practicing attorney working for the State of California. I am a member of the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the Bankruptcy Committee of the Chicago Bar Association....

Capable Lawyer, Dependable Service, Sensible Solutions
Julianne (Julie) O'Grady has more than 15 years of experience handling immigration and consumer bankruptcy cases. She has helped countless immigrants achieve their goals of obtaining permanent residency and U.S. citizenship; uniting fiancés and families in the U.S., and keeping families together; defending immigrants' rights in immigration court despite prior immigration violations and criminal offenses; and helping immigrants successfully win their claims of asylum. She has also helped numerous individuals and couples to file Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy petitions, and obtain a fresh financial start. She is committed to helping individuals navigate their...

I am a partner and executive committee member. I view my job very simply: to make money for clients whenever possible and to protect their interests at every turn. My transactional work includes serving as outside general counsel to closely-held businesses and their principals; representing private equity funds and others in their M&A activities; and structuring new businesses, business lines, joint ventures, and other significant commercial relationships. I regularly advise clients on a wide range of topics including fiduciary duties, corporate structuring issues (between shareholders, members, joint ventures, etc.), credit negotiations, general contract issues, succession planning, employee matters, and...

Jim Finegan attended the University of Illinois for undergraduate school and Northwestern University for Law School. He moved to Bloomington, Illinois after graduating law school and he has over 40 years experience. He specializes in bankruptcy, real estate, and civil litigation.

Owner and Principal Attorney at DLAW, PC As an attorney with more than 25 years of legal experience, Deanna Aguinaga Walker enjoys the flexibility that having her own law practice gives her. She is able to become personally involved with each of her clients, and she appreciates the opportunity to assist them on a wide range of legal matters. Deanna earned her Juris Doctorate degree from the Northern Illinois University School of Law in 1995. Since then, she has dedicated her career to meeting the needs of her clients. When you work with Deanna, you can expect her to provide legal advice...

Richard Doerr is married and has two children and three teenage grandchildren. In his 40+ years' experience, Mr. Doerr has tried cases on matters ranging from speeding to murder. In 1972, he was selected out of 200 applicants as one of ten participants in the St. Louis County Prosecutor's intern program. During his 31 years in bankruptcy practice, he has seen two major revisions in bankruptcy laws, the first in 1978 and the second in 2005. Mr. Doerr's leisure activities include cross-country skiing, car shows, and driving his classic 1973 Corvette convertible.

After attending the University of Illinois for Undergraduate school I attended Northern Illinois University School of Law. I was a Prosecutor for the McLean County State's Attorney's office for a year and a half, before leaving the office to practice with my father Jim Finegan. I will be working closely with my father on bankruptcy, real estate and other civil cases in the Bloomington, Illinois area.

Kevin is the Co-Chair of the Insurance Recovery Group at Barnes & Thornburg. He is a litigator and trial lawyer, having focused his practice for more than 20 years on insurance recovery on behalf of policyholders, complex commercial litigation, and claim/dispute-related counseling. He represents policyholders and other commercial parties throughout the United States and abroad, having recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for policyholders. Kevin represents policyholders in a wide range of insurance coverage disputes, including long-tail environmental, toxic tort and asbestos claims under general liability policies; losses stemming from natural and man-made disasters under first-party and business...

The Law Office of Gregory J. Martucci concentrates primarily in the areas of Bankruptcy (Chapter 7 & 13), Criminal Defense, DUI/Traffic Defense,Personal Injury, Workers' Compensation and Civil Litigation, serving Du Page and Cook Counties, and surrounding communities. When you hire Greg Martucci, you get an experienced lawyer with over 30 years' courtroom experience, a compassionate lawyer who will listen to you, and a responsive lawyer, who will answer your questions - and your phone calls. CALL US TODAY AT 630-980-8333, to schedule your FREE INITIAL OFFICE CONSULTATION. And visit our website: www.martuccilaw.com.

Mr. Gountanis joined Therman Law Offices, LTD. directly upon completing his summer externship and graduating law school in November, 2010. Gountanis became one of Mr. Therman’s quick understudies, learning the art of aggressive negotiation, arbitration as well as trying cases to favorable verdict.

Mr. Gountanis received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin, Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Keller Graduate School of Management - Lincolnshire, and his Juris Doctorate from Western Michigan University, Cooley Law School at Grand Rapids, MI. He is admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), Chicago Bar Association (CBA) and...

I help people across central Illinois obtain relief from their debt through filing bankruptcy. I represent people in both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy. I am licensed to practice in Illinois, am a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, and am admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois.

I received my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management from Eureka College where I also minored in Spanish. I then received my law degree from Southern Illinois University School of Law. While in law school I worked in the...

Mark Varboncouer is the founder of Varboncouer Law. Mr. Varboncouer is an experienced trial attorney who previously spent 10-plus years with Kirkland & Ellis LLP (“one of the nation's largest and most prestigious law firms”/ “known for its world-class litigation practice”/ “one of the ‘Fearsome Foursome’ — the four firms most likely to strike fear in opposing counsel”); and 4-plus years with another highly-prestigious 1,000-plus attorney law firm, McGuireWoods LLP, where he litigated a variety of issues: contracts, non-competes, tortious interference, unfair competition, fraud, licenses and complex intellectual property issues (e.g., patents, trade secrets, trademarks, copyrights, false advertising etc.)....

For over 30 years Charles Covey has been practicing law. He has handled bankruptcy cases during the duration of his three decades of legal practice and for the past decade, he has practiced exclusively in bankruptcy, debt relief and foreclosure defense matters.

Marilyn Johnson is a partner at Johnson & Johnson, Ltd. She has been practicing law for over 30 years, concentrating in the areas of divorce, custody, support, and visitation. She has conducted numerous trials and hearings involving large marital estates and complex child custody issues. Prior to practicing law, Marilyn Johnson was a special education teacher who worked with children with learning disabilities and emotional and behavioral problems. Her vast experience as a lawyer, teacher, and mother has enabled her to acquire a deep, compassionate understanding of the family unit, which has enabled her to counsel clients through the most...

Wayne Johnson is a partner at Johnson & Johnson, Ltd. He has been practicing law for over 35 years, and his practice focuses primarily on family law, criminal law, bankruptcy law, estate law, and real estate matters. He has conducted numerous trials and court hearings involving large marital estates and complex child custody issues.

Kent graduated from Carthage College in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He obtained his law degree from Nova Southeastern University of Law in 1977.

Kent has practiced bankruptcy law for over 35 years. He represents clients in Chapters 7, 11, and 13 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and in non-bankruptcy workouts and reorganizations. His clients include both consumers and businesses, for debtors and well as creditors. Kent is experienced in all facets of bankruptcy litigation, having represented both plaintiffs and defendants in lawsuits arising out of the bankruptcy process. Several cases in which he has represented litigants have...

John Wonais has helped thousands of Chicagoans obtain a fresh start through filing bankruptcy while offering affordable and zealous legal representation. He previously worked at one of the largest bankruptcy law firms in Illinois where he appealed a case against the City of Chicago all the way up to the Supreme Court of the United States. He believes that everyone deserves a voice and a chance to be debt free. As a smaller law firm, John prides himself on being available to his clients 24/7 – call now for a free consultation!

Scott W. Brammer grew up in Crystal Lake, Illinois. He attended Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. After graduating from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 1992, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree, Mr. Brammer was admitted to practice law in the State of Illinois. That same year, he was also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Scott has spent over 18 years as an attorney in McHenry concentrating on family law, residential real...

Mr. Petti is a resident of Elburn, IL. He was born in Philadelphia, PA, and grew up in Pittsburgh PA and Evanston IL. He has acted as legal counsel for both small and large businesses. He has been associated with private law practice firms in Chicago and the Chicago Suburban area. For the past twenty two years, he has maintained his principal law office in Kane County, Illinois. Mr. Petti's corporate law work includes serving as staff counsel for Motorola and General Counsel of Andrew Corporation, two international electronic businesses. His trial work has taken him from Connecticut to...

Frank G. Cortese is a Graduate of Georgetown University Law Center. He has successfully represented over 7,000 clients in Bankruptcy throughout the Chicagoland area. With over 23 Years experience, you can be confident that he will successfully guide you through the Bankruptcy process. Mr. Cortese concentrates in Bankruptcy Law and will represent you in filing your Bankruptcy. At The Cortese Law Offices, P.C. you will be represented by an experienced attorney and not an inexperienced associate.

Chicago Bankruptcy Attorney Frank G. Cortese has been helping individuals and families facing financial crises throughout the Chicagoland area including Cook, DuPage, Kane and Will...

Established in 1972, Berry K. Tucker & Associates, Ltd. focuses on establishing a strong partnership with each of our clients. From the first consultation to closing the case, our experienced attorneys will work with you to establish the best solution that accommodates your needs.

Our lawyers not only remain knowledgeable of all current laws, but we work with a range of clientele that allows them to benefit from their experience with us. Our clients have also returned to us for other law services as they have established a strong partnership that is built on trust and respect.

Call us today for...

b 1952, Graduate Northern Illinois University, 1980

James Kelly has practiced in the areas of divorce and bankruptcy for 21 years. The Law offices of James M. Kelly handles and enjoys complex cases and trial work. Divorce work, especially trial work, requires a certain competency that not all attorney's have. Regardless of your particular fact pattern you can be sure that that the Law Offices of James M. Kelly will handle your matter in an expeditious and professional manner. In matters involving bankruptcy and debt restructuring, the Law Offices of James M. Kelly takes all matters seriously and has an...

Cheri Costa is an attorney serving the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago and Chicagoland since 2005. My goal is to provide you and your family with Legal Advice and Legal Representation that you may need throughout your life. I understand the difficulties life may bring and I wish to be your Personal Attorney there for you at those times, whether it is going through a Divorce, obtaining Child Support, Maintenance (Alimony) or Parenting Time with your Children, helping with debt situations using our Bankruptcy Laws, Preparing your Estate Plan with Trusts and Wills, buying or selling your home, or...

Mr. Shore is acutely aware that when an individual contacts Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices about a legal problem, that for the client it is also a personal problem. In addition to litigating or negotiating settlements in many major cases, he is a skilled listener who is adept at developing & implementing cost-effective and winning strategies. Mr. Shore represents divorce and parentage clients in settlement negotiations, pre-trials, hearings, and trials. He is also appointed by the Court to represent minors in custody proceedings. As an appointed guardian for the children (referred to as a Guardian Ad Litem or GAL),...

Attorney Robert Schaller has practiced law for more than 35 years. He is licensed to practice in the State of Illinois. Attorney Schaller is the founder of the Schaller Law Firm, P.C. and concentrates his legal practice on clients who need relief from IRS back-taxes. Schaller directs the National Offer in Compromise Academy, which offers online educational courses. Robert Schaller received his B.S. in Accountancy in 1982 from the University of Illinois at Champaign – Urbana. He earned his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law in 1985 and served on the College’s Law Review. He studied for an...

Mr. Houlihan was admitted to the State Bar of Illinois in 1986. He is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois as a member of the trial bar. He has been admitted to the Capital Litigation Trial Bar of the State of Illinois to represent criminal defendants in death penalty cases. Mr. Houlihan is a member of the DuPage County Bar Association, where he has served as Co-Chairman of the Younger Members Committee (1988-1989); Chairman of the Criminal Law Committee (1990-1991); and Chairman of the Membership Committee (2000-2001). He is...

Over 15,000 5-Star reviews from our satisfied clients! Since 1977, Geraci Law has helped over 100,000 people get debt-free by filing Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy. FREE LAWYER CONSULTATIONS, low/no attorney fees down to file. Over 35 offices near you, open late and weekends. Call today to talk, or meet with a lawyer for free. Find out why so many people Trust Geraci Law!

Paul Gentile has been practicing law for over 30 years. He started his career working for the leading law firm Baker and McKenzie. He served as an Assistant State's Attorney in the traffic, misdemeanor, and felony division for seven years, where he handled over a thousand drunk driving, hit and run, driving while revoked or suspended, misdemeanors, domestic violence, assault, weapons, drugs and countless other crimes. He established his general practice in Orland Park, Illinois in 1987. He expanded his practice to include family law. Over the course of his career, there are not many types of...

Michael R. Nichols was born and raised in Galesburg, IL. Michael Received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from Southern Illinois University. He then received his Juris Doctor from Northern Illinois University College of Law. At NIU Law Michael graduated with honors and was a leader within the Professionalism and Ethics Society, while also working as a graduate assistant.

Michael approaches everyday in a positive manner with the sense of urgency that is required to produce an optimal result for his clients. Michael understands the importance of each individual case and enjoys walking his clients through every step in the...

A partner in the firm, John Eggum concentrates his practice on insurance coverage disputes and commercial litigation. With respect to insurance coverage matters, Mr. Eggum is regularly retained in a wide range of property and casualty commercial lines disputes, and has represented insurance companies in property coverage litigation (fire, wind, hail, collapse, etc...), inland marine matters, and liability coverage litigation (including mass tort, products claims, cyber/technology liability, and professional liability claims). He also represents both private and public companies (including financial institutions) in commercial disputes around the country. Mr. Eggum is also frequently retained by insurers, banks,...

I received my law degree from the Emory University School of Law, with honors. Before attending law school, I worked in the accounting field, having received my finance degree from Arizona State University.

I began my legal career working for a midsize firm located in Atlanta, Georgia, before returning to the Chicagoland area. Over the course of my career, I have represented both debtors and creditors in a wide range of bankruptcy and insolvency related matters. Having sat on both sides of the table, I bring a unique perspective to both my bankruptcy and litigation clients.

I have filed personal and business...