Edelstein Lawyers

Although I have been in practice since 1987, I actually began my legal career as a clerk in a small Chicago law firm at the age of 15. I worked at this firm through high school, college, and law school and eventually as an associate attorney once I passed the bar. My position as an associate gave me much litigation and negotiation experience which I used in my next position as house counsel for an insurance company. This position increased my litigation skills and also improved my negotiation and client relationship skills. After several years, I left this...

Hipple Law, P.C. specializes in bankruptcy and estate planning cases. We handle Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy cases throughout the Chicagoland area for individuals and small businesses. We serve clients located in Kane, DuPage, Cook, Will and Lake counties. BANKRUPTCY: Ms. Hipple's education and prior work experience sets her apart from other bankruptcy attorneys. She has extensive financial services industry experience, including working closely with numerous types of financially distressed small businesses. Ms. Hipple's education also includes an MBA, which is unique for the majority of attorneys. She has also handled numerous divorce cases which provides her...

A native of Illinois, Mr. Sotelo is the proud son of a working class family. Mr. Sotelo graduated third in his law school class, summa cum laude, at Northern Illinois University College of Law. Practicing law since 2012, Stephen prides himself in providing legal services in the areas of real estate, probate, and civil matters. A s a former real estate agent, he provides a unique perspective to the legal side of real estate transactions.

Since entering private practice, Attorney Smith has maintained a general practice with a concentration in family law. He has been a member of the American Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association and Winnebago County Bar Association for over forty years each. Attorney Smith is currently a member of the family law section of each of these associations. He is currently on an advisory panel for the American Bar Association. He has been a presenter to other attorneys locally on family law and child related topics.

For over forty years Attorney Michael J. Smith has provided experienced family law representation. Family law...

Ben Schneider is a client focused which means that it is important to him to cultivate a personal relationship with each of his clients. By doing this, he is able to give each new client’s case individual attention and analyze every legal issue thoroughly and completely.

Ben Schneider acts as the one of the principal bankruptcy attorneys for Schneider & Stone where he focuses on individual Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings as well as business Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 filings. Ben also practices in the areas of family law and litigation and is the point attorney for divorce and...

John A. Sopuch III, a trial lawyer with a history of winning some of the nation’s biggest verdicts, has joined The Collins Law Firm as Of Counsel.

In 2002, the National Law Journal recognized John’s nearly $43 million verdict (in Miami Cigar v. UST, et al., a business fraud case) as among the top 100 verdicts in the nation that year. In 2004, John did it again, with his $30 million verdict in a breach of contract case, Basic Capital Management Inc. v. Dynex Commercial, Inc.

Hailing from St. Louis, MO, John was born on March 21, 1965. Attending prep school at...

I have dedicated my practice to family law matters since 2007. I am a certified mediator and a fellow of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals and the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois. I help people who want to work through their uncontested divorce with the guidance of legal counsel so they get it right the first time. I work diligently and efficiently to help my clients obtain the best possible outcome in their cases.

Aaron J. Lytle is one of the firm's suburban Chicago attorneys who practices in several key areas: estate planning and wealth protection, wills and trusts, probate administration, trust administration, business planning, taxation, real estate and special needs planning for children with disabilities. Mr. Lytle has spent several years working in the business sector on corporate issues relating to succession planning, valuation, acquisitions and generating capital. Before joining AHR, he worked for companies such as American Express and Bank One (now JP Morgan Chase).

Mr. Lytle also previously served on the Board of Trustees for DayOne Reliance, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that...

Karrsten Goettel concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial and residential real estate, real estate development, leasing, zoning and land use, business, merger and acquisition transactions (sales and purchases of assets and/or stock), corporate and business law and estate planning and administration. He has practiced among our firm's attorneys since 1997 and as a partner since 2002.

Mr. Goettel currently serves on the Board of Commissioners of the St. Charles Park District (where he is President), as a member of the St. Charles Housing Commission and as a Board Member of the Celtic Sports Foundation. From 2000 to 2002, he...

Julia A. Pucci, managing partner with Pucci Pirtle, focuses her practice in the areas of divorce and custody litigation. Ms. Pucci attended Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois where she received a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, in Sociology and Political Science. Ms. Pucci subsequently earned her Juris Doctor from St. Louis University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri. During her law school career, Julia taught legal research and writing as a teaching assistant and was also active in the mediation clinic where she obtained her mediation certification. As a certified mediator, she mediated court-ordered child custody matters and...

Steven H. Mevorah is the founder of Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices and began his practice in 1979. Mr. Mevorah brings significant experience to bear in achieving positive results for his clients. With offices in Lombard, Bloomingdale, and Naperville (by appointment only), Mr. Mevorah makes his practice accessible to all of those in need throughout the Chicagoland area and surrounding counties. Since the firm's inception, Mr. Mevorah has been committed to building a practice made up of attorneys who share his vision and dedication to offering clients the best legal advice and advocacy combined with unparalleled service. Taking an...

I was born and raised in Springfield, Illinois, where I attended Christ the King Grade School followed by Sacred Heart Griffin High School. I pursued higher education at the University of Missouri, earning a degree in Political Science with minors in American Constitutional Democracy and Leadership and Public Service. During my undergraduate years, I gained valuable experience working in the Missouri House of Representatives in Jefferson City, MO, and the United States House of Representatives in Washington, DC. Before embarking on my legal studies, I served as a committee clerk in the Illinois House of Representatives. I attended St. Louis University...

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...

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...

Attorney Lauren A. Anaya has over 20 years' experience in the practice of law and is ready to put her experience to work for you. Dr. Anaya began her legal career with the United States Department of Justice after being hired pursuant to the Attorney General's Honors Program, the largest and most prestigious federal entry-level attorney hiring program of its kind. She served with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and subsequently went to work for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in the Office of the General Counsel. She knows immigration law and can assist...

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...

John L. GreenLeaf, Jr. has been in practice over 37 years representing consumers and businesses in Central Illinois. The firm concentrates in all forms of Bankruptcy, Business formation, and the preparation of Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning and administration of Probate Estates and Guardianships.

Clifford Horwitz has won every case that he has taken to trial over the past 24 years with over 25% of those verdicts being record-setting jury verdicts. Cliff works with and manages the lead trial team at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates. Together, Clifford Horwitz, Jay Luchsinger and Michael Carter won the largest personal injury verdict in Illinois history for an individual and the second largest in U.S. history. The $64 million verdict was awarded for an injured ironworker who fell and was left paralyzed from a job-site accident.

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...

Dave Carlson is a seasoned attorney based in Illinois, with practice areas encompassing Personal Injury and Criminal Defense. He was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 2001 and subsequently admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in 2002 and the Northern District of Indiana in 2003. Dave's educational journey reflects his deep dedication to the legal field. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1993, where he majored in Political Science and was an active member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity. Demonstrating a strong work ethic from the outset, Dave paid for...

I founded The Holder Law Group, LLP after eleven years of practicing privately in the personal injury field. My career began as an associate attorney at Phebus & Koester, LLP, which is now known as Koester & Bradley, LLP. Subsequently, I served as a contract attorney leading the personal injury litigation department at Steigmann Law, PC. A significant portion of my practice is devoted to cases involving car accidents, motor vehicle accidents, and trucking accidents. My primary goal is to assist my clients in obtaining the highest possible compensation for their injuries. I possess a deep understanding and considerable experience in...

Jason Spangehl is the Principal Attorney at the Law Office of Jason Spangehl in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. For nine years this practice has exclusively addressed immigration law in one of the fastest growing immigrant academic communities in the United States.

Jason brings nineteen years of experience in education at every level from elementary through post-secondary to his practice, including broad experience as an instructor at the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary levels, as a college administrator. He also works as executive consultant to senior administrators and governing boards at Universities across the country through his separate consulting practice, Spangehl Higher Education Associates.

The Law...

Monica P. Patankar is a partner with the law firm of Patankar Law P.C. Monica takes a compassionate approach to helping clients solve their legal issues. She listens to each story carefully and understands that no two issues are alike. Monica's legal training and experience have prepared her to handle your legal needs. Monica gained her legal knowledge at University of Notre Dame Law School in Notre Dame, Indiana. Upon graduation, Monica worked for a large law firm, Chapman and Cutler LLP in Chicago, Illinois. At Chapman, Monica worked with large municipalities and other governmental entities to raise capital for large...

My academic interests encompass both information technology and law. I am a Professor and H. Ross & Helen Workman Research Scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Law. I have a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a JD summa cum laude from Georgetown University. I have served as a technical expert in numerous patent lawsuits in the communication and computer areas, especially wireless communication, RF, e-commerce, software applications, integrated circuits, microelectronics and semiconductors. I am an inventor and hold 20 U.S. patents and serve on the boards of directors/advisors...

Former Will County prosecutor with over 25 years experience within the Will County court system. Past chairman of the criminal law committee of the Will County Bar Association. Capital litigation lead counsel certified by the Illinois Supreme Court.

Attorney Robert (Bob) Canfield was born and raised in Rockford, IL. He graduated from Guilford High School in 1965. After joining the Army in February of 1968, he went on to Army flight school and graduated 2nd in his flight class. He spent a year in Vietnam flying CH-47 Chinook helicopters for the 101st Airborne Division and then returned to Fort Rucker, Alabama, as an Instrument Flight Instructor.

Following active Duty, he attended the University of Minnesota where he received his BA in psychology in 1976 and his Law degree in 1978. After taking and passing both the...

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.

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...

I am Toma Makedonski, and I have been practicing law in Chicago, Illinois, for over 22 years. Since I opened my private practice in September 2000, I have committed myself to assisting clients with a variety of legal issues, including criminal and traffic defense, real estate transactions, family law, and immigration law. I am passionate about offering personalized, results-driven representation that is tailored to the unique circumstances of each client. My extensive experience in these areas ensures that my clients receive high-quality legal support when it is most crucial. One common concern for clients seeking legal representation is the uncertainty surrounding...

Midwest Legal Care serves clients all across northern Illinois, including Winnebago, Boone, Stephenson, DeKalb, McHenry, and Kane counties.

At Midwest Legal Care, we believe the first role of attorney is that of counselor. Midwest Legal Care is dedicated to understanding what results you want and will help you understand what actions we can take on your behalf to obtain the best outcome. We will work with you every step of the way to make sure that you understand the choices you are making and feel empowered to make them.

Margaret Galka joined the Collins Law Firm in 2018 as an associate attorney. She focuses her practice in environmental litigation and personal injury.

Margaret graduated Magna Cum Laude from Vermont Law School, where she concentrated on environmental and energy law. While attending law school, Margaret worked as a clinician in the Environment and Natural Resources Law Clinic and clerked for a prominent law firm in Burlington, Vermont. Margaret also served as a Co-Chair of the Women's Law Group and as an editor of the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law.

Prior to law school, Margaret graduated from the University of Vermont with a...

At Forkan Law, we provide affordable, effective and personalized legal counsel and representation in the areas of bankruptcy law, criminal defense, divorce and real estate law. With offices in Burr Ridge and Chicago, we serve clients throughout the greater Chicago area of Illinois.

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.

Ms. Pirtle uses her extensive knowledge in helping each and every client find a solution that is tailored to his or her circumstances while also exhibiting strong advocacy in the courtroom. She understands that not every case is a trial case nor can every case be kept out of the courtroom. Whether your needs are getting through a tough situation now or planning to avoid tough situations in the future, Ms. Pirtle can help you achieve your goals. Practice Areas • Divorce • High Asset Divorce • Maintenance & Alimony • Child Custody & Child Support • Prenuptial Agreements • Family Law • Residential Real Estate Bar Admissions Education...