Varna Lawyers

Abigayle (Abby) Endress grew up in Pearl City, Illinois. She graduated from Highland Community College in 2018. In 2020, she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She earned her Juris Doctor from Drake University Law School in 2023, with a certificate in Food and Agricultural Law. While in law school, Abby was selected as a teaching assistant for an introductory legal research course and worked as a student attorney in the Drake Legal Clinic. She was also a member of Drake Law Women, Drake Agriculture and Environmental Association,...

Large corporations and small companies alike need sound legal advice from attorneys who understand the demands and dynamics of the business environment. Clients of Meyer Capel will find these skills in Matt C. Deering. A native of Champaign-Urbana and a graduate of Champaign Central High School, Mr. Deering holds a bachelor of arts in economics from the University of Kentucky and a juris doctorate from Ohio Northern University. He joined the firm in 1994 as a law clerk and became a full-time associate in 1996 and a shareholder on January 1, 2003. In addition to handling general corporate and business law concerns,...

- Chicago-Kent College of Law - Loyola University Chicago - Former Sergeant of United States Marines

Mr. Gerstein concentrates his law practice in the areas of insurance law, workers' compensation, negligence, business disputes and criminal defense. He has over 40 years of trial experience in the above areas of law. He has represented people and companies involved in complex business disputes; people and companies whose insurance claims were denied; people injured on the job or otherwise; and people accused of crimes. He has tried hundreds of cases to either juries, judges or arbitrators. As a result of the complexity of the law today, Mr. Gerstein believes every client matter requires thorough thought, investigation, research...

EXPERIENCE Mr. Davis’ experience ranges from helping clients with all issues surrounding their start-up venture to assisting clients with the purchase or sale of multi-million dollar businesses. Mr. Davis concentrates his legal practice in the following areas: •representing corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships in connection with the legal matters these entities may face, including initial incorporation/organization, corporate governance issues, drafting and review of contracts and leases, licensing issues, securities issuances and debt financing transactions •representing clients with the sale or purchase of a business, including due diligence matters and the negotiation and documentation of the transaction •representing clients, both lenders and borrowers, in debt...

Planning and Estate

John H. Elder brings a special degree of experience to the clients of Meyer Capel. John works with his clients to deal with the tax issues of estate planning, but has always realized that this is only one component of the planning process. It is very important that an attorney work with the family members to learn about the needs and personalities of the various individuals and to develop a plan that meets the family goals and objectives. Some of the greatest qualities of an estate planning attorney are compassion, trust, and communication skills and it is only...

With his accumulated knowledge of Health Care Law and Litigation Services, Keith Emmons offers a unique perspective on the legal issues important to the professional clients of Meyer Capel.

Mr. Emmons has been recognized as both an Illinois Leading Lawyer and an Illinois Super Lawyer in the Health Care Law field. His practice includes the general representation of health care providers and their professional practices, general litigation, and alternative dispute resolution ("ADR") as a mediator and arbitrator. Mr. Emmons also represents health care professionals in proceedings before the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation (IDFPR). He...

Grant Gulovsen, Esq. has been advising and representing technology startups since late 2017. The work he regularly performs in this role includes the following: • Managing clients’ day-to-day legal operations (e.g., corporate filings, SEC filings, USPTO filings, drafting and negotiating employment agreements, software license agreements, NDAs, etc.) • Handling compliance and regulatory questions/issues as they arise, including communicating with U.S. regulators (and occasionally regulators in other jurisdictions such as the FCA in the U.K. as appropriate); • Managing relationships with outside counsel for issues that are outside his wheelhouse (especially in non-U.S. jurisdictions); and • Constantly researching laws and regulations in the U.S. and...

David graduated from Kansas State University where he was not only a member of the school’s first national-qualifying Trial Team but also the head of the university’s judicial system. As the head of the judicial system, David represented victims of sexual harassment, theft, and property damage and advocated for their rights before student and faculty judicial review boards. After college, David moved to Chicago, where he went to the Chicago-Kent College of Law and earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude. While at Chicago-Kent, David competed nationally on the school’s Moot Court team. A finalist or semi-finalist in all of his prior...

Nicole’s experience involves cases having injuries such as bedsores, fractures from falls, malnutrition, dehydration, infection, aspiration, and sexual abuse. She takes great joy in forming relationships with the residents and their families, hearing their stories and concerns, and advocating for their rights. Nicole Morrison gives her entire legal practice to the representation of injured nursing home residents and their families. After joining Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates in 2008, as a law clerk, Nicole established a passion for representing nursing home residents and their families. She veiws each resident not just as a client, but as someone’s beloved relative or friend. This passion...

Tyler Berberich dedicates his entire legal practice to representing and defending the rights of injured workers to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Tyler was raised in southern Michigan, then attended Michigan State University. After college, he moved to Illinois to go to law school at Chicago-Kent College of Law. After graduation, Tyler started his legal career practicing workers’ compensation law in Springfield, Illinois before moving back to Chicago to join Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, Ltd.

Moises Barraza's passion for immigration law developed through personal experience and faith conviction. His parents are immigrants, so he knows firsthand the work necessary to become a part of America. He also understands Christ's special concern for immigrants (Mt 25:35). Moises is fully bilingual in English and Spanish, and, in addition to practicing immigration law, he enjoys spending time with his family, writing and recording music, traveling, and learning about other cultures.

La pasión de Moises Barraza por la ley de inmigración es una combinación de su experiencia personal y su convicción de fe. Sus padres son inmigrantes, y él...

Ward F. McDonald brings a wealth of experience in real estate, banking and commercial law to the clients of Meyer Capel. His background includes 13 years as CEO of Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, Inc., a title insurer with multi-state operations, and 25 years as an attorney in private practice. Over the course of his career, Ward has handled numerous transactions in the $1-100 million range for commercial and residential real estate developments, including sales, acquisitions, refinancing and consolidations. Ward holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Land Economics from the University of Illinois as well as his Juris...

Lorna Geiler brings Meyer Capel the benefits of a distinguished academic career. A 1986 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law and a 1983 cum laude graduate of Illinois State University, she joined the firm in 1988. Ms. Geiler is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and the American, Illinois State and Champaign County Bar Associations. She is also involved in the employment and labor law section of the Illinois State Bar Association and was listed in Who's Who Among Rising Young Americans in 1992. Lorna has represented employers before the Illinois...

Randy Green is a shareholder in Meyer Capel’s Business and Real Estate Practice Groups. His unique experience allows him to serve not only as legal counsel, but as a trusted business advisor to his clients. Experience Mr. Green has represented both public and private companies ranging from top U.S. financial institutions to single-member LLCs in a variety of transactions such as mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, private equity investments, financing, entity formation, franchising, and leasing. He has also helped organizational and individual clients sell, purchase and lease various types of real estate across the U.S. Before he began his legal career, Mr....

Since joining the firm in 1970, Francis J. (Jerry) Jahn has been responsible for building and expanding the business practice of Meyer Capel. He served as President of the firm from January 1999 until December 2010. A 1967 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, Jerry was winner of the Frederick M. Green Moot Court Competition and the Horner Cup and Waterman Prize for Excellence in Moot Court Competition as a law student. He was also recipient of the Harno Scholarship. Jerry is a member of the Illinois State and Champaign County Bar Associations. He served on CCBA's board of...

Jenny Park always knew what she wanted from a career. She wanted to help people. But it was not until a few years after earning her undergraduate degree that she decided the field of law would offer her the best opportunities to do just that. When Jenny first entered the University of Illinois as an undergrad, it was with the intention of becoming a medical doctor. In 1993, she graduated from the U of I with a Bachelor of Science in biology. Then, she took some time off from school to reassess her career goals. While working as a paralegal during...

Colleen C. M. Ramais joins Meyer Capel’s litigation team as a full-time associate after serving a two-year judicial clerkship with the Honorable Justice Rita B. Garman of the Illinois Supreme Court. Colleen graduated summa cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law with her juris doctorate in 2010. As a law student, she was named to the Dean's List for all six law school semesters and was awarded the Celia M. Howard Fellowship for graduate study from the Illinois Federation of Business and Professional Women. She is a ten-time recipient of the CALI Excellence for the Future Award for...

David B. Sholem joined Meyer Capel in 1978 and was named as a shareholder of the firm in 1982. He graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Mr. Sholem attended the University of Illinois College of Law and Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree in 1978. He was admitted to the Illinois State Bar in 1978. Mr. Sholem’s professional affiliations include Champaign County (Illinois) Bar Association (former President), Illinois State Bar Association (Real Estate Section) and American Bar Association. David Sholem has represented a number of real estate developers and...

Richard T. West has been practicing law for over forty-one years. He has been a shareholder of Meyer Capel for over half of his career, having practiced in other firms in the community prior to joining Meyer Capel in 1991 as a shareholder. Throughout much of his career, his focus has been in the areas of complex litigation involving, for example, intellectual property, construction, banking, products liability, contract disputes and corporate and fiduciary obligations, as well as business representation, construction law, and health care law. In recent years, he has begun to shift his focus from an active litigation practice...

Patrick Fitzgerald begin his legal career with Meyer Capel in 1987 as a law clerk. Now, as a shareholder with the firm, he concentrates in real estate. Mr. Fitzgerald is a 1989 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law where he earned a spot on the Dean's List. In 1986, he received a bachelor of arts in economics, also from the University of Illinois. Mr. Fitzgerald is a member of the Champaign County Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, and American Bar Association. Further, he is actively involved with the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce as well as the Champaign...