Stephenson County Lawyers

After graduating with honors from DePaul University in 2009, Mr. Vako attended Southern Illinois University School of Law in Carbondale. There, his constant pursuit of excellence allowed him to succeed academically, as well as compete as a member of the Moot Court Board in various advocacy tournaments around the country. His moot court team won best brief two years in a row. These experiences helped Mr. Vako develop a casual yet effective style of courtroom advocacy and demeanor; one that has helped him throughout his career. His compassionate approach and willingness to work with opposing counsel, and against them when...

Experience, integrity and flexibility form the backbone of my client oriented practice in Cook and DuPage Counties. My twelve years of negotiating, mediating, trials and appeals, inform my opinion of your case, and from our initial consultation onward, you always receive an honest assessment of the likely outcome. I strive for innovative solutions to your issues, minimizing expense and grief, strategizing to let you retain control over the results, while always being ready to "go all the way". Throughout, I will always be accessible to you and bill you fairly, tailoring payment options to your circumstances. About Me: ...

Respect for working men and women is the driving force behind Jay Johnson's commitment to workers' compensation law. It is a respect that runs deep. One of Jay's grandfathers was a Kentucky coal miner; the other, a member of the United Rubber Workers. Because both his grandfathers worked extremely hard in less-than-ideal environments, Jay has great empathy for those who get hurt on the job. Over the years, Jay Johnson has recovered millions of dollars for people suffering from a variety of work-related injuries. He prides himself on thoroughly preparing for each case and staying in close, personal contact with clients....

Former Attorney for the United States Department of Labor and United States Department of Justice. Years of complex litigation experience.

Admitted to practice law in 1995, Juli A. Gumina graduated with a J.D. from Illinois Institute of Technology-Kent College of Law, where she was on the Dean's List and a member of the Bar & Gavel Society. Juli received her B.A. from Loyola University in Chicago, where she graduate cum laude and was a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the national Jesuit honor society. Juli honed her litigation skills for several years as a public defender in DuPage County, prior to joining the firm to focus on family law. Juli is a trained and experienced mediator, and is frequently appointed...

Mr. Molho concentrates his practice on business counseling and employment law. Mindful of the cost of legal services, Mr. Molho works efficiently to solve his clients’ problems. Most cases he settles favorably. Others are tried to verdict effectively and creatively. Mr. Molho serves as lead counsel through all facets of trial and appeal. Mr. Molho routinely counsels private employers and their chief executives on ADA, FMLA, Title VII, ADEA, OSHA, NLRA, and union avoidance issues. He is conversant with all human resource policies including employment agreements, restrictive covenant agreements, handbooks, and more.

Over a decade ago, I embarked on my professional journey with a steadfast commitment to enhancing the lives of my clients and the community I call home. This unwavering dedication remains the cornerstone of my practice, and I eagerly anticipate many more years of service to my cherished neighbors and friends. My roots trace back to Libertyville, where I completed my educational milestones at Copeland Manor, Highland Jr. High, and eventually graduated from Libertyville High School in 1997. I pursued higher education at Miami University, earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Business with a specialization in Marketing. During my college years,...

Charles is a shareholder at The Law Office of Lofgren & Wentworth, P.C. in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, where he practices business, property, and appellate litigation. After graduating from the SJ Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah, he clerked for Chief Justice John Broderick of the New Hampshire Supreme Court. He was then a litigation associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago before opening his own practice. He recently joined Richard Lofgren to form The Law Office of Lofgren & Wentworth, P.C., The Entrepreneur's Legal Resource. Charles' experience as an officer and director of multiple closely-held companies...

Angel M. Traub is a civil litigation attorney & principal owner of A. Traub & Assoc.. She graduated in 98 from NIU with her B.A. & was awarded the Outstanding Woman Student Award & Outstanding Communication Major Award in 98. Angel graduated from The John Marshall Law School with a J.D. In 01 where She was selected as a John Marshall Distinguished Scholar & was a member of the Order of John Marshall, Honorary Scholarship Society. She was admitted to practice in the State of Illinois & the Northern District of Illinois in 2001. Angel is trained & certified...

Jennifer is a Partner who focuses her practice in commercial and business litigation and appellate practice. She has successfully tried both bench and jury trials. Jennifer has also written and argued appeals before the Appellate Courts of Illinois and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. She is currently the Chair of the Appellate Law Committee of the DuPage County Bar Association. Jennifer is a Kentucky native and graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2001. In 2006, she graduated from Tulane University Law School. While in law school, she earned an Environmental Law Certificate and was...

Prior to forming the law firm, Tedone & Morton, P.C., he was the senior associate with Chuck Bretz and Associates, P.C. for eight years along with experience as an Assistant Will County Public Defender & private practice in the area of insurance defense and general civil litigation. He was involved with several appeals that resulted in three murder convictions being overturned in 2011.

With over 20 years of experience, Mr. Tedone's current practice emphasizes in criminal defense (DUI, Suspended Driver Licenses, Drugs, Domestic Battery, Homicide and Appeals), personal injury, and Secretary of State Hearings, representing a wide variety of clientele. He...

Barbara Morton graduated from the University of Colorado with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication in 1992. Ms. Morton followed her BA with an MBA in Finance and Accounting from Regis University in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1996. Ms. Morton received her law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan in 1998. She has been licensed to practice law in Illinois since May 1999. Her practice emphasis is in Family law issues, Real Estate, Wills, Powers of Attorney, Traffic and Personal Injury. She has represented clients in litigation matters before Federal and State Courts, arbitration and...

Daniel R. Flaherty, founder and managing attorney of Flaherty Law,LLC is a respected and accomplished trial lawyer with a history of success representing both plaintiffs and defendants. His practice focuses on personal injury matters, wrongful death, nursing home negligence, product liability, and estate planning. Daniel began his career in insurance defense litigation representing individuals in personal injury and property damage matters. In 2010, he decided his true passion was representing individuals injured due to no fault of their own. So, Daniel joined a larger, Chicago-area trial firm and began exclusively representing individuals in various personal injury matters. In his...

Attorney Naveed Husain is the managing partner of Farooqi & Husain, LLC. He specializes in the areas of family law, estate planning, and business for clients in DuPage County and Cook County in Illinois.

Naveed’s primary area of practice is family law. He has handled a wide range of complex divorce litigations, including multi-million dollar marital estates, contentious custody battles, and issues related to international law and child abduction. He routinely assists clients in child support, child custody, father’s rights, and other related issues. He often uses his background in business, estate planning, and asset protection...

Mr. Shestokas earned his B.A. in Political Science from Bradley University in 1975 and his Juris Doctor from The John Marshall Law School, cum laude, in June of 1987. He also studied law at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. Mr. Shestokas is the author of Get Your Illinois Suspended License Back. He has appeared in court on cases involving suspended/revoked driver's licenses more than 10,000 times as a prosecutor or a defense attorney. He is the feature writer in the area of Law, Crime & Justice for the online magazine, Suite 101. David J. Shestokas concentrates...

Jennifer Bunker Skerston has worked in the Illinois Valley legal community for the past seven years handling many litigation related matters including will contests, property tax appeals, breach of contract, and personal injury claims.

Jennifer Bunker Skerston is actively involved in the Illinois State Bar Association Trusts and Estates Section Council. She is the Editor of the Council’s monthly publication distributed to members throughout Illinois. She also assists the Council in providing continuing legal education to attorneys, determining the need for new legislation, and reviewing and suggesting changes to current legislative proposals affecting wills, trusts and estates....

I am an attorney at Tuohy Law Offices with over 40 years of experience. I concentrate in providing Living Trust estate plans and small business representation for working-class families. My passion for serving the community stems from my roots in the West Side of Chicago, where I grew up as the grandson of a police chief and son of a detective. Through Dreams for Kids, the nonprofit organization I founded in 1989, I have represented thousands of police officers and other public servants and mentored and trained thousands of youth as social entrepreneurs. As an adjunct professor at DePaul University, I...

Patrick D. Austermuehle, a partner at Lubin Austermuehle, P.C., has experience in complex business and commercial litigation and consumer class actions. He has assisted in the successful representation of a number of state and federal matters, including cases at the appellate level.

Mr. Austermuehle received a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin and earned a J.D. with Honors from Chicago-Kent College of Law at the Illinois Institute of Technology where he was Notes and Comments Editor on the Law Review.

Prior to joining Lubin Austermuehle, P.C., Mr. Austermuehle served as a law clerk at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and as...

Sam Neschis works with businesses and business owners in a variety of industries. Sam began his career at the New York County District Attorney’s Office, where he gained valuable trial and investigative experience. He has been practicing corporate and commercial law in Chicago since 2002 representing businesses and individuals in a wide range of areas including shareholder and partnership disputes, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, theft of trade secrets, general employment matters, restrictive employment covenants (including non-competition and non-solicitation matters), commercial fraud, and unfair competition. He also represents clients in real estate, trust, and probate...

Howard has showcased over 25 years of prowess in litigation, arbitration, negotiation, and claims review, consistently delivering effective action plans with a sharp focus on success. His track record speaks volumes, with a string of favorable decisions and settlements benefiting his clientele. Howard excels not only as a project manager but also as a team builder and mentor, passionately advocating for each project or case he handles. Moreover, Howard Peritz is an enthusiastic networker and connector, recognizing the significance of fostering connections and bringing people together.

The principal of the firm, Francis J. Discipio, has been practicing law for almost twenty years. Mr. Discipio is a veteran trial attorney and has successfully tried cases in both workers' compensation and personal injury. Throughout his practice, Mr. Discipio has defended cases on behalf of large insurance companies such as Traveler's Insurance Company, Alexis Insurance Company, Cambridge Insurance Company, and the Illinois Insurance Guarantee Fund. Working on behalf of plaintiffs in personal injury cases and petitioners in workers' compensation cases, Mr. Discipio has also prosecuted many claims against the above insurance companies and many others. Mr. Discipio has been...

My career began as a Ralph J. Bunche Fellow for Amnesty International which brought me from Miami to Chicago. In Illinois I became involved in the International Human Rights/Civil Rights cases which lead write a manual to encourage the use of International documents in local courts. After joining specialty law firms in Employment discrimination, Section 1983, business, I became a Federal Panel Attorney litigating full time. Subsequently I opened TEIL Firms After 12 years of practice and enjoy the growth of employees and successful clients who consult with me on a variety of national and international business transactions involving...

I am an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois since 2017. I have been continuously licensed in Illinois since 2017. I am admitted to practice in all state courts in Illinois. I have been continuously licensed in Wisconsin since 2021. I am admitted to practice in all state courts in Wisconsin.

I work with senior citizens, their families, and small business owners to get their affairs organized, safeguard their estates, and prepare succession plans. In matters of probate or trust administration, I work with personal representatives to properly manage the administration of the estate and advise them of their legal duties along the way. My experience in these practice areas has been exclusive since I have been private practice. In 2010, I expanded my practice territory to include Lake County, Indiana by obtaining an Indiana law license.

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

Mark Grzymala is the founder and President of Grzymala Law Offices, P.C. a commercial litigation law firm with a focus on the construction industry based in Skokie, Illinois. He is licensed to practice in the State of Illinois and the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois since 2001. Mark has over 20 years’ experience representing a wide range of clients from the small business owners to Fortune 500 companies. He aggressively represents his clients with a variety of issues including contract disputes and negotiation, construction defect claims, mechanics lien claims, foreclosures, transportation, collections, judgment enforcement, intellectual property issues,...

Admitted to practice law in 1982, Maureen Sullivan Taylor graduated with a J.D. from Northern Illinois University Law School. In addition to interning at the United States' Attorneys' Office, Maureen was awarded the American Jurisprudence Award for Outstanding Achievement in Matrimonial Law and also served on the Law Review. Founder of the firm, Maureen is a trained and experienced mediator, and is both a Fellow of the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois and a member of the International Association of Collaborative Professionals. Maureen is admitted to the United States Supreme Court and the Northern District of Illinois Federal Court and...

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...

When faced with the hard times and decisions that come with a family law matter, the most comforting aspect is having an attorney that cares about the situation and how the best way it can be handled. Andrew Rankin always has the best interest of the client in mind, and manages the family law situation with authentic care. Drew is originally from Highland, Illinois. Drew is a Partner at Stange Law Firm, who manages the East Region of the Firm, including all of the Illinois offices and the Arnold, Missouri office of the firm. Drew has been with Stange Law Firm...

Jeremy Lee earned his law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2011. During law school, he served as a law clerk for the Chicago Teachers Union, and after graduation, he immediately dove into personal injury law. Jeremy joined Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys as a Senior Associate Attorney in 2019 and became a partner within two years. To date, Jeremy has taken over thirty jury trials to verdict as lead counsel, and he personally has recovered over $18 million for his clients. Even before he joined Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, Jeremy recovered $1.5 million for a client...

At a very young age, Dexter John Evans envisioned himself as an advocate for the sick and injured. The grandson of a Chicago union worker, he has always felt a strong urge to help those trying to protect their rights. It is from this foundation that Dexter established himself as an aggressive advocate for the rights of his clients. “The greatest satisfaction in my profession is the gratitude of my clients. There is no better feeling than to get a hug from a client who is in tears because they finally received the justice they deserve. The thank you letters...

George S. Frederick is the managing partner at the law firm of Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella, LLC. Mr. Frederick’s practice focuses on all aspects of divorce and related family law matters, including parental allocation, parenting time, child support, maintenance, and enforcement proceedings. Mr. Frederick also counsels and litigates on behalf of his clients on a wide range of employment matters involving sexual harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, retaliatory discharge, and wage and hour claims. In addition, he assists and counsels clients on their employment policies and procedures, contracts, and other employment-related agreements. Mr. Frederick handles cases in both state and...

With over 30 years of legal practice, Sandra Petras Bruckner is adept in assisting clients with navigating complex financial matters & providing options that maintain assets within families as they transition. In addition to her deft analytical skills, Sandra Petras Bruckner is known for her compassion, always carefully respectfully recognizing each client’s unique interests and concerns.

As a trained family law mediator & collaborative attorney, Sandra Petras Bruckner believes that the mediation & collaborative process options can better help people resolve family related legal disputes. In these roles, she helps clients unravel their legal issues, analyze their situation, and get to...

Rory T. Weiler is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) who concentrates his practice in family law, with an emphasis on cases involving child custody and more complex economic issues, especially those involving family and closely held businesses. He is a member of the Leading Lawyers Network, and has been recognized as an Illinois “Super Lawyer” and as one of the “Best Lawyers in America.”

Rory is a member of the Kane County Bar Association (KCBA) and Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA). He actively serves the ISBA and its charitable arm, the Illinois Bar Foundation. He has...

Ms. Bartik has extensive experience in all aspects of family law, including, divorce, parentage, allocation of parental responsibilities, visitation, complex and high asset marital estates, business valuations, relocation, appeals, and post-decree matters. Ms. Bartik recognizes that family law matters are complex and that every family’s situation is different and unique. Ms. Bartik strives to communicate effectively with her clients and develop strategies and goals to meet the individual needs of her clients.

Ms. Bartik practices in DuPage, Kane, Will, Cook and Kendall Counties and is a member of the DuPage County and Illinois State Bar Associations.

Ms. Bartik earned her J.D. from...

Steven N. Peskind has reinvented Illinois Family Law. Mr. Peskind believes that a successful divorce results from the intersection of three competencies: legal skill, positive decision making, and financial analysis. As a result, he has compiled a team of highly trained professionals dedicated to helping our clients achieve that success. The lawyers at Peskind Law Firm are skilled negotiators, legal analysts, problem solvers and courtroom advocates. Mr. Peskind is one of only 100 lawyers in the nation elected as a Diplomate to the American College of Family Trial Lawyers, an honor society reflecting accomplishments in Family...

Marissa’s main areas of concentration are family law matters such as Divorce, Child Custody, Child Support, Paternity, Visitation and Adoption. Marissa is also a court approved family Mediator and Guardian ad Litem in Kane and Dekalb County. In addition, Marissa is one of the few Kane County foreclosure mediators for the sixteenth judicial circuit.

Concentrating in helping and defending people accused of crimes, DUI and traffic offenses. Aggressive.

Zealous representation of private and court appointed clients in trial and appellate
courts. Practice includes crimes such as homicide, assault, drug distribution, drug
possession, fraud, DUI, Home Invasion, Sex Offenses and traffic tickets; Jury trials,
bench trials, and contested motions dispositive of the case; Research, draft, file and
serve Appellate briefs, Petitions for Leave to Appeal to the Illinois State Supreme Court,
Post Conviction and 2-1401 petitions for trial courts; Oral Arguments before the Illinois
State Appellate Court, Second Judicial District.

Cherissa "Reese" Loire Krajniak obtained her undergraduate degree in Sociology from Marquette University before going on to attend Florida Coastal Law School. She graduated with honors in 209 and was active with the school's Pro Bono Clinic, donating more than 200 hours of legal work to underserved members of the community. While taking a full course load and giving her time to the clinic, Reese was still able to complete her Juris Doctorate program in just over two years. She passed the bar exam in 2010 and opened her own practice in downtown Chicago. After medical issues sidetracked her career for...