Bellwood Lawyers

Timothy Richardson has been exposed to the law for virtually his entire life. His uncle served as a judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County, and his aunt served as a federal administrative judge for the Northern District of Illinois. He has followed in their footsteps with same determination and commitment to professional excellence, integrity, and respect among his peers in the legal community. In 2002, at only 34 years old, Tim received the distinguished honor from the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, being chosen as one of the "40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 To Watch." He has had verdicts...

Chris is a savvy litigator and negotiator who specializes in workers’ compensation law and social security disability law. Over the course of his career, he has represented thousands of clients from all walks of life: from teachers to truck drivers and from factory workers to nurses, and union members from the UAW, IEA, INA, SEIU, Teamsters, and various building trades. He is a tireless fighter on behalf of his clients and will do whatever it takes to make sure his clients receive their benefits. He has obtained awards for disability benefits and penalties against employers for not paying disability benefits...

Plaintiff litigation firm concentrating in personal injury since 2009.

LARRY WINS!
Chicago personal injury, disability, workers’ compensation and employment lawyers. Disparti Law Group has recovered over 1 Billion dollars for our clients and named one of the most influential law firms by Trial Lawyer Magazine. Our top-rated lawyers have represented those injured in car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, slip & fall, work injury and social security disability. No fee unless we win. Have you been injured? Call now Chicago (312) 600-6000. Tampa (727) 600-6000.

Chris Norem has recovered over $100 million dollars in complex personal injury and wrongful death cases resulting from transportation disasters, construction site accidents, medical negligence, dangerous property conditions and code violations, unsafe products, and many other cases.

With undergraduate training in both biology and chemistry, Christopher Norem is unafraid to rigorously cross-examine medical experts to prove the seriousness as well as the cause of a client’s injuries in any personal injury lawsuit. His legal work has helped change the policy of a national rail system and has served as a deterrent to numerous businesses and individuals who might be tempted to...

Athena Farmakis was born and raised in the Chicagoland area, graduated with a B.A. from Northwestern University, and received her law degree from DePaul University College of law. With over 25 years of litigation experience, Athena has tried 67 jury trials and hundreds of bench trials in complex and media-sensitive cases. Athena currently practices in all areas of personal injury including motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, product liability, construction accidents, animal attacks, negligent security, wrongful death, nursing home abuse and medical malpractice.

As a former prosecutor, Athena dedicated much of her legal career to serving the public for over 20 years...

Clarissa Rietveld was born in Iowa and raised in Rushville, Indiana. She received her Associate’s Degree in Nursing in 2009 and worked as a registered nurse in operating rooms across the Midwest and on the East Coast. While working as a nurse, Ms. Rietveld had a patient whose medical history documented that he did not have regular access to food and was starving. Ms. Rietveld spent the afternoon working with hospital social services to arrange for her patient to gain access to regular meals and was shocked to learn that he didn’t qualify for any of the available programs. She...

James Goodnow is Fennemore’s President and CEO. Nearly two decades after starting his career at our firm as a file clerk, he became the youngest known chief executive of a major law firm in U.S. history. He holds his JD from Harvard Law School and dual management certificates from MIT, where he was an enrolled MBA student before pivoting to the University of Cambridge Business School (U.K.). He earned a BS at Santa Clara University, where he graduated first in his class. James is known for his thought leadership at the intersection of law and business. He has been featured on...

Shelly Aberman obtained a B.A. in Political Science from Yeshiva University of New York in 1991, where he graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors. Next, he attended Chicago-Kent College of Law, the law school of Illinois Institute of Technology, where he earned a doctorate in Juris Prudence in 1994. Shelly is a tenacious trial lawyer who passionately advocates the interests of his clients. Since his admission to the bar, Shelly has handled a wide variety of personal injury matters, which he has successfully resolved through settlement, arbitration and trial. Shelly is a dedicated litigator who devotes his considerable experience and skill...

Nathan Hakimi grew up in Skokie, Illinois, influenced by his attorney grandfather and psychologist parents, leading him to pursue a career in law. After earning his J.D. from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2017, he practiced at prominent firms like Sax Law LLC and HeplerBroom LLC, specializing in medical malpractice defense. He later worked at JPMorgan, handling complex corporate financing. In 2022, he founded a solo legal practice that eventually merged into the partnership of Kulek, Hakimi, & Katz in 2024. Nathan is known for his strategic and tactical approach in commercial litigation, business transactions, and negotiation. He is respected...

I have nine years of experience as an Immigration Attorney. Additionally, I have a very strong knowledge of employment law and the connection between immigration and Federal and State employment regulations. While I have not counted exactly how many immigration cases I have handled, reviewed, consulted with or been associated with, I estimate that the number is easily in the thousands. Based on this experience there is rarely a situation that I have not seen before. I am AV rated perfect “5.0”, Avvo rated “Superb”, Avvo Client choice awards 2011, 2012, 2013, “Rising Star” Orlando Style Magazine, Lead Counsel Rated...

Kent Sinson is a personal injury trial attorney in Chicago, Illinois. Since 2000, Mr. Sinson has proudly advocated for victims in personal injury cases throughout Northern Illinois and the surrounding areas. A native of Elmhurst, IL, Mr. Sinson received his undergraduate degree in Economics from Hamilton College in Clinton, NY. He also played varsity hockey and varsity football during each of his four years at Hamilton. Mr. Sinson went on to attend DePaul University College of Law where he was a member of the trial advocacy team, and he received his Juris Doctor in 1987. Upon his admission to the...

Nicole Sommerfeld has focused her law practice on workers’ compensation and personal injury law ever since passing the Illinois bar exam and getting licensed in 1994, so she now has over 25 years of experience on the job. Nicole grew up in the Chicago area, attending Highland Park High School. She went to college at University of Wisconsin - Madison and earned her juris doctorate from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago. When she first started practicing law it was a family affair, going to work at her father and brother’s law firm where she focused on helping workers...

Paul Ciesielski is dedicated to providing assistance to those that find themselves in need of help navigating the complicated area of personal injury law. Not everyone knows what to do following a Chicago car accident, truck crash, health care error, or other incident. Paul walks clients through the legal process step-by-step.

Paul received his B.S. from Indiana University. He earned his J.D. from the John Marshall Law School, where he gained valuable knowledge, as well as relevant experience outside of the classroom. While in school, he volunteered at JMLS Veterans Legal Support Center & Clinic. The veterans he helped...

As a native of Chicago, Mr. Nawrocki was distinguished as the top U.S Navy criminal defense counsel from 1989 to 1990. He joined the law offices of GWC Injury Lawyers LLC in 1995 and regularly represents injury victims and their families throughout Illinois. Attention to detail and persistence are hallmarks of Jim's character, which has resulted in numerous successes in the courtroom. If you or a loved one has been injured at work and requires the assistance of a highly skilled lawyer, contact Mr. Nawrocki today at (312) 464-1234.

Mr. Keiser is an Illinois personal injury attorney at the law offices of GWC Injury Lawyers LLC. Timothy is dedicated to fighting for the rights of his clients and focuses his practice in the areas of automotive accidents, construction negligence, product liability and also premises liability. If you or someone that you love has been injured in an accident that was caused by the negligence of another person or defective product, contact Timothy today at (312) 464-1234.

Licensed attorney in Illinois since 1984 with an active civil litigation practice relating to complex injuries, premises liability, insurance coverage, construction claims, scaffold, crane and work platform matters, commercial litigation, intellectual property and other legal concerns. Past Chair of the Illinois State Bar Association's Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council. Past Chair of the Illinois State Bar Association's Standing Committee on Professional Conduct. Recipient of Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation's Distinguished Service Award. Frequent lecturer and author.

Mr. David Caplan is a partner at the law offices of GWC Injury Lawyers LLC and focuses his practice in the area of workers' compensation. With more than 30 years of experience helping to represent injury victims throughout Illinois, David co-manages the workers' compensation section of our law firm and provides comprehensive legal solutions to his clients. If you or someone that you love has been injured at work, contact Mr. Caplan today by calling (312) 464-1234 or toll free at (800) 464-4772.

Concentrates solely in Family Court Mediation. He is on the “List of Certified Mediators” with the Domestic Relations Division, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois

The Hon. Edmund Ponce de Leon (Ret.) gained a reputation as an eminently qualified and even-handed jurist, who was highly efffective with helping litigants resolve cases through the pre-trial mediation process. While on the bench, Judge Ponce de Leon helped facilitate hundreds of settlements.

He has an extensive 19+ years' experience presiding over a wide array of civil disputes, including divorce cases. He has a combined 33+ years' experience as...

I am a founding member of Flachsbart & Greenspoon, LLC. A registered patent attorney, I concentrate my practice in the litigation and trial of patent cases involving computer and electronic technologies. My cases have involved computer, computer network and electronic technologies of the highest complexity, but also simple mechanical devices. I have successfully argued numerous cases before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, including IMS Technology, Inc. v. Haas Automation, Inc., 206 F.3d 1422, 1430 (Fed. Cir. 2000), HyperPhrase Technologies LLC v. Google, Inc. (Case No. 2007-1125), and 1st Technology v. Rational Enterprises (Case No. 2008-1132). I served in...

Ryan Stephan is a founding partner of Stephan Zouras, LLP. Ryan represents people from all walks of life in class and individual civil litigation. Specifically, Ryan has helped thousands of clients recover damages in cases involving unpaid overtime, employment disputes, business litigation, products liability and personal injury. Ryan has successfully tried cases to verdict including obtaining a $9,000,000 verdict on behalf of 200 employees who were misclassified and denied overtime pay. Ryan has also served as lead or co-lead counsel on numerous complex class and collective action cases involving wage and hour matters and has helped...

I've been a trial lawyer for over 30 years. I graduated from Yale and NYU Law School, and my legal career began as a criminal prosecutor in New York City. Then I moved to Chicago and became a partner with a mid-sized litigation firm for 10 years, receiving litigation training from some of the best trial lawyers in the city. I opened my current law office in Chicago in 1998. In addition to practicing law full time, I've also been teaching trial skills to practicing lawyers every year since 1994 as a faculty member with The National Institute for Trial...

Mr. Thacker is an attorney at the law offices of GWC Injury Lawyers LLC. With more than 30 years of experience and a proven track record of success, Stephen is a valued asset to our law firm. If you require comprehensive legal counsel in Illinois, contact Mr. Thacker today at (312) 464-1234 or toll free at (800) 464-4772.

Andrew Gable represents individuals arrested and charged with federal and state felony and misdemeanor crimes throughout the Chicago and Cook County area. He also handles state and federal criminal appeals. He has handled a wide range of cases from murder, felony sexual assault, and felony drug possession to DUI, marijuana possession, and domestic violence. He has represented alleged organized crime members, alleged gang members, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, lawyers, prosecutors, state and federal law enforcement officers, prison guards, military personnel, bus drivers, truck drivers, teachers, students, entertainers, and executives. ...

Laureen Anderson-Stepanek has concentrated her practice in complex immigration matters since 2002. A graduate of Illinois State University with a degree in History and Political Science, Ms. Anderson-Stepanek did post graduate work in International Relations at the University of Wisconsin, Parkside and eventually obtained her Juris Doctorate from the University Of Iowa College Of Law. Ms. Anderson-Stepanek practices all areas of immigration law; she started her career on the corporate side where she advised internal and external clients on matters related to non-immigrant employment based visas, PERM, international relocation as well as general employment matters related to foreign...

Patrick A. Salvi II joined Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. in 2007. He concentrates his legal practice on cases concerning personal injury, medical malpractice and product liability. During his first trial as lead attorney, Mr. Salvi secured a $1.28 million verdict on behalf of a teen who had her leg and knee cap broken in an accident. Mr. Salvi also achieved a record breaking jury verdict on behalf of one of his clients in excess of $33 million. The case involved a teenager who was paralyzed in a motor vehicle collision. Additionally, he has secured a $29.1 million medical malpractice...

Attorney David Bryant is a partner of the firm and has been named as a rising star in the areas of Employee Benefits and ERISA by Super Lawyers magazine. He is also proud to have been recognized by his peers with the coveted AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated SM by Martindale-Hubbell.

Kathleen C. Chavez, founding partner of Foote, Mielke, Chavez & O’Neil, LLC, earned her Juris Doctor degree in 1998 from Northwestern University School of Law. Chavez is a nationally recognized civil litigator with a reputation for obtaining exceptional results in challenging cases. She is a results-driven, highly focused “problem-solver” with an unmatched ability to strategically frame critical issues, develop innovative solutions and negotiate outstanding results for her clients. She is admitted to practice law in California, Illinois and Washington D.C., as well as various federal courts, the Federal Trial Bar and the United States Federal Court of Claims.

Keith concentrates on complex class action and individual suits involving unwanted robocalls to your cell phones under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Keith has been selected as a Illinois SuperLawyer for 2013-2018 and Rising Stars for 2008-2013. He was also named the 2015 Consumer Attorney of the Year by the National Association of Consumer Advocates. He has extensively lectured on the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

Brian LaCien, a founding partner at Smith LaCien LLP with Todd A. Smith, leads a Chicago-based personal injury law firm dedicated to serving clients throughout the metropolitan area. Brian specializes in cases involving aviation negligence, class actions and mass torts, medical malpractice, wrongful death, premises and product liability, professional negligence, and trucking litigation. With over 25 years of experience, Brian has a proven track record of resolving complex injury cases through both negotiation and litigation, working tirelessly to secure fair compensation for Illinois residents impacted by catastrophic injuries due to negligence. His commitment to exceptional representation and aggressive advocacy consistently yields...

I am a partner in a small suburban firm for over 35 years that provides excellent legal services to thousands of satisfied clients. I regularly lectures on various legal topics and am appointed by the court to mediate Family Law issues. I also love playing tennis and am on the Board of several charitable organizations

Raleigh is the Past President of the DuPage County Association of Women Lawyers, the Past President and a current Board Member of the DuPage County Bar Foundation, a Past-Editor-In-Chief and current Editor for the DCBA Brief Magazine and a member of the following organizations: DuPage County Bar Association including the Family Law Committee, and Illinois State Bar Association. Raleigh received her Bachelor of Science from Purdue University in 1993 and graduated from Quinnipiac University School of Law in 2001. Raleigh is a solo practitioner in Wheaton, IL. The firm handles matters in Wheaton, Kendall, Kane, Will, DeKalb, and...

Chris graduated from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville, in 2012 with a Bachelors of Science in Education degree in Sports Management and minors in Business and Political Science.
Chris graduated from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law in May of 2016 and sat for the Bar Examination in July of 2016. Chris was admitted to the Illinois Bar in November of 2016. During law school, Chris held several internships: one with a Civil Litigation firm in Glenview; another with the City of Naperville, where he had his 7-11 License and assisted the City Prosecutor in Traffic Court and DUI Court; and...

Richard J. Miller was born on July 1, 1966, in Chicago, Illinois. He attended Arizona State University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. After graduating from ASU he relocated to Southern California whereby he worked as a top finance executive in the high technology business during the .com boom. While living in California, Mr. Miller received an MBA degree in Finance from California State University located in Long Beach. Mr. Miller received his JD degree from John Marshall Law School and was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 2007. Additionally, Mr. Miller was admitted to the Federal...