Wadsworth Lawyers

William ("Bill") F. Bochte is a graduate of Fenwick High School, obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Mary's University (formerly Saint Mary's College) in Winona, Minnesota in 1965. Bill went on to receive his Juris Doctor degree from The John Marshall Law School in 1969 and has been in the private practice of law serving his client's needs ever since. Mr. Bochte practiced in the city of Chicago for approximately 10 years before relocating to Kane County and the Fox Valley area. Mr. Bochte has received a United States of America Presidential Commendation in "recognition of exceptional...

Ed Fox received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois in 1976 and obtained his law degree from Southwestern University in 1985. For the past 20 years, the first 10 in Los Angeles and the second 10 in Chicago, Ed has worked for those whose rights were violated by those in a position of trust or authority, such as nursing homes, police officers and employers.

In 1996, Ed came to Chicago, his original hometown, and began practicing here. In 1999, he started his firm, Ed Fox & Associates, Ltd. with one other lawyer.

Ed's work philosophy is to litigate his cases...

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),...

A former Cook County criminal and DUI prosecutor, Attorney Uche is a nationally recognized criminal and DUI defense attorney. Attorney Uche has successfully defended and won acquittals for his clients in hundreds of cases that span broad areas of criminal law including but not limited to: DUI charges, murder charges, gun/weapons charges, drug charges and financial crimes amongst others

For instance, Attorney Uche has successfully argued and persuaded the Illinois Appellate Court in People v. Litiwn 2015 IL App (3d) 140429, to throw out his client’s conviction and 12-year sentence for drug trafficking; a case now often cited as legal precedent....

Timothy was born and raised in the southwest side of Chicago. He attended St. Laurence High School, and graduated from Northern Illinois University.

Before going to law school, Timothy was working as an Illinois Certified Public Accountant (CPA), having received his certification in 1989. He spent four and a half years working for Arthur Andersen & CO., Chase Manhattan Bank and Shand Morahan & Company.

Timothy went to John Marshall Law School, graduating and being admitted to the Bar in May 1994 (Cum Laude) and was a staff member of the Journal of Computer and Information Law. He opened his own law...

Mr. DeBlasio is the founder and managing member of DeBlasio & Gower LLC. Tony has over 22 years of experience as a trial lawyer and advisor. He has counseled individuals, business executives, for profit and not-for-profit companies and government bodies in complex litigation matters, internal investigations and dispute resolution strategies. Tony has been selected as an Illinois Super Lawyer in Business Litigation on many occasions. Only 5% of attorneys receive this distinction. Tony has represented clients from a multitude of industry sectors, including, health care, technology, communications, financial, education, real estate, manufacturing, construction, management...

Michele is an accomplished litigation and litigation management attorney with a proven track record of winning results at trial, arbitration and administrative hearings. She is known for her creative litigation strategies and communication skills. Result-oriented.

Amanda concentrates her practice in the areas of trusts and estates. She prosecutes and defends trustees, executors, and administrators, relating to will contest, undue influence, breach of fiduciary duty, business wind-up, estate accounting, and trust accounting disputes through initial filings, discovery, trial, and post-trial issues such as appeals. Amanda also provides services in trust administration, probate administration, and general litigation. Amanda is an experienced litigator, having represented clients in appeals, estate and trust contests, business disputes, commercial disputes, elder abuse issues, and guardianships. She is known for building and maintaining relationships with clients through trust and collaboration.

Kathryn Whitacre is a Partner at Whitacre & Stefanczuk LTD where she practices in the areas of Real Estate Law, Business Law, Family Law and Estate Planning. Kathryn received her J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2011 and her B.A. in Business from Bowling Green State University in 2006. Kathryn is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association.

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...

After completing his term of service with the United States Army’s 24th Infantry Division, Matt went on to earn his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, followed by a law degree from The John Marshall Law School. Matt’s practice is focused on protecting the rights of injured workers throughout the State of Illinois. He has argued cases before the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, the Circuit Courts and the Illinois Appellate Court. Matt also represents clients before the Social Security Administration’s Office of Disability Adjudication and Review.

Matt is a member of the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association, and the...

Spiros Nicolet earned his Law Degree from Marquette University in 1991. Attorney Nicolet worked at Madgrigrano, Gagliardi, Zievers & Aiello during Law School and then worked for Westlaw, the premier provider of legal research materials for law firms. After 13 years in the legal publishing industry he joined forces with Attorney Ronald Shapiro of Chicago, Illinois with offices in Northbrook, IL an employment expert in relation to all aspects of visas for employment and the family.

Mr. Nicolet believed that in starting his own practice, he could be more effective in helping people deal with a variety of legal issues....

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...

Jim Kane is a seasoned tax professional with more than 30 years of experience working with large and mid-sized companies on tax and incentive matters throughout the United States. Throughout his career, Jim has worked collaboratively with his clients to help them achieve significant financial benefits. Early in his career, Kane benefited from a long career with Arthur Andersen, gaining great training and experience, and developing a strong focus on developing and implementing processes to ensure service delivery quality and consistency. After launching Andersen’s Chicago property tax practice, Kane was instrumental in developing standards and processes for Andersen’s...

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...

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...

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...

My interest in the law began before attending law school. After attending college at the University of Illinois at Chicago (1996), Christopher worked one of the largest insurance companies in Illinois as an injury claims adjustor and later, a senior claims adjustor. After graduating from John Marshall Law School (2002), he worked as an insurance defense and divorce trial attorney. Since the start of his career as an attorney advocate, my practice focuses on divorce and other litigation matters including an active trial practice. My office handles matters in Cook County, Lake County, Will County, DuPage County...

Unique to Ms. Taraska’s chosen career in personal injury law, she was the victim of a propane gas explosion, in which a commercial building collapsed on her, her mother, brother and a close family friend. The explosion left Taraska with extensive second and third degree burns early in her life. She was hospitalized for 3 months, during which she underwent skin grafting of her arms, legs, hands, and chest. Incredibly, a year prior to the explosion, Ms. Taraska’s father and a reconstructive surgeon opened the only downstate burn unit in Peoria where she was successfully treated despite the severity of...

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...

Carolyn Daley Scott joined Power Rogers & Smith as an associate in 2006. Obtaining a B.A. from Georgetown and a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law, Ms. Scott practices litigation in medical malpractice, automobile negligence, bicycle collision, premises liability, product liability, and defamation cases. She harnesses her knowledge and experience to secure justice for victims, and has won multiple large sum verdicts and settlements.

I represent clients in lawsuits in Illinois and courts around the country. My clients include whistleblowers, employees with pay and discrimiantion claims, students who face challenges at school, LGBTQ individuals fighting discrimination, individuals with significant personal injury claims, and complex business disputes. I bring substantial individual lawsuits and class action cases to fight discrimination in housing and healthcare, to stop racial bias in property tax asesssments, to end sexist employment tests by local governments, to protect the rights of individuals who live in nurising facilites, and to fight fraud. I also handle appeals in state and federal courts that include multiple successful...

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...

Plaintiff litigation firm concentrating in personal injury since 2009.

Chiacchio IP, LLC, is a law firm that specializes in intellectual property law. Mr. Chiacchio has been practicing intellectual property law for over 15 years. He regularly prepares and prosecutes U.S. patent and trademark applications. Mr. Chiacchio counsels clients regarding a wide range of intellectual property issues, including patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret issues. Mr. Chiacchio prepares cease-and-desist letters for clients whose intellectual property rights are being infringed or misappropriated. Mr. Chiacchio has also spent well over a decade litigating intellectual property disputes on behalf of his clients. He has served as lead trial counsel in federal trademark infringement,...

I graduated from the University of Kentucky as a philosophy and political science double-major. I then worked in the financial services department of a Fortune 500 company for two years prior to attending The John Marshall Law School in Chicago. After obtaining my Juris Doctor, I worked as an associate attorney at a general civil litigation firm with a focus on personal injury and insurance law. There I settled countless cases for my clients, both individual and corporate. As a litigator, I obtained favorable outcomes through mediation, arbitration hearings, and bench and jury trials. Building on that experience, in 2014...

Chicago Workers Compensation attorney with over 25 years of experience. Illinois workers compensation and related work injury claims in Chicago and surrounding areas in Northern Illinois.

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...

At Tomasik Kotin Kasserman, Loren handles personal injury and wrongful death cases arising out of medical malpractice, product defects, trucking and motor vehicle collisions, and dangerous construction and premises conditions.

Prior to joining Tomasik Kotin Kasserman, Loren worked as a trial attorney at another Chicago personal injury firm, where he was part of trial teams that obtained millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients wrongfully killed or injured, including a $5.97 million record verdict in DeKalb County for an injured worker who fell 30 feet from a bucket truck after the support arm of a boom lift...

Laura Canulli joined the Cogan & Power, P.C. the summer of 2023. Laura handles matters involving motor vehicle collisions, premises liability and medical malpractice. Laura is a 2012 graduate of Seton Hall University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing. She went on to earn her law degree from the John Marshall Law School, now known as the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, in 2017. While attending law school, she received academic honors and was a finalist in the Dean Fred F. Herzog Moot Court Competition. After passing the Illinois bar examination, Laura obtained her license to practice law...

Tracy Robb joined Curcio Law Offices in 2001 and was named managing partner in 2016. She concentrates her practice predominantly on appellate law. Tracy has also established herself as a strategist for brainstorming with the trial team at the firm. She provides support at the trial court level with her research and writing skills which has served as the foundation for victory on many dispositive motions including motions in limine successfully barring defendants’ key evidence and experts from the trial. Ms. Robb has successfully defended the firm’s verdicts appealed by the defense firms and insurance companies both at the appellate...

Kristen M. Stoicescu is an attorney at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, joining the firm in 2024. She focuses her practice on mass torts, medical malpractice, personal injury, and products liability cases. Prior to her role at the firm, she clerked for Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and worked as a litigation associate at leading defense firms, where she represented corporate clients in complex mass torts, intellectual property litigation, and other high-stakes legal matters. Ms. Stoicescu earned her Juris Doctor with honors from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in 2020. During law...

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...

Jeff is Consumer Law, Securities Law, Stockbroker & Investment Fraud, and Arbitration & Mediation. He has unique experience with a background in law, as well as econometrics, mathematics, and computer programming. Jeff holds a B.A. in Economics and Mathematics from the University of Michigan and an LL.D. in Antitrust from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Additionally, he received a M.S. (ABD) in Industrial Organization and Econometrics from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jeff's academic and professional training have facilitated many successful outcomes in complex litigation cases. With more than 40 years of experience, Jeff is committed to providing exceptional legal...

Bridgette A. Kolb joined Katz Friedman in 2014. Her practice is focused on protecting the rights of workers in Workers’ Compensation, Labor, and Employment law.

Bridgette represents clients in Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Disease cases. She is a zealous advocate who is dedicated to obtaining the compensation that injured workers and their families deserve. Bridgette has successfully represented clients with a wide variety of injuries, including injuries to the back, neck, and shoulders as well as burns, infections, and significant injuries to eyes. She has represented injured workers’ in claims against United Continental Holdings, American Airlines, Ford Motor Company, PepsiCo, DHL,...

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...