Whiteside County Lawyers

Thomas has over 22 years of experience serving clients with respect and compassion in family law and real estate purchases and sales. Thomas has the experience and skill to handle both complex and more routine matters. He comes from a divorced family, which inspired him to become a family law attorney, Guardian ad Litem and mediator so he can help other families who are facing these similar difficult experiences. Thomas is also divorced with two children from his previous marriage and is remarried with a step-daughter, and these experiences help him understand and advocate for his clients in matters including...

Attorney Robert M. Kaplan has been practicing law for more than 20 years. He is dedicated to assisting clients with family law, real estate law, bankruptcy law, estate planning and probate matters. After receiving a degree in law from The University of Florida College of Law in Gainesville, and working as a Public Defender in Miami, FL, Attorney Kaplan made the move to Illinois to start his own practice in 1991.

Born in Chicago, IL. Admitted to Illinois bar, 1995. United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 1995. Preparatory education: Loras College, Dubuque, IA (B.A., 1992). Legal education: IIT, Chicago-Kent College of Law (J.D., 1995). Former Will County Assistant State’s Attorney. Member: Illinois State Bar Association, Will County Bar Association, Illinois Worker’s Compensation Lawyer’s Association.

Brian has been practicing law in Will County for over 20 years, and handles a variety of legal issues, be they simple, complex or something in between. He is a trial lawyer, with a current focus in the area of workers’ compensation and general civil litigation....

Ron has been a member of several area boards of directors, including the Will Grundy Medical Clinic and the St. Raymond School Athletic Board. Ron, along with his wife Kim, a Will County Assistant State's Attorney, are members of the Cathedral of St. Raymond Parish and are heavily involved with Joliet Catholic Academy, where their two children attend high school.

Ron has represented petitioners before the Illinois Industrial Commission for the past 18 years and has represented applicants for Social Security Disability benefits for over 24 years. He prides himself on achieving maximum results for his clients under the law. He...

Kent graduated from Carthage College in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He obtained his law degree from Nova Southeastern University of Law in 1977.

Kent has practiced bankruptcy law for over 35 years. He represents clients in Chapters 7, 11, and 13 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and in non-bankruptcy workouts and reorganizations. His clients include both consumers and businesses, for debtors and well as creditors. Kent is experienced in all facets of bankruptcy litigation, having represented both plaintiffs and defendants in lawsuits arising out of the bankruptcy process. Several cases in which he has represented litigants have...

Jeffrey S. Keller founded his law firm in 1994. Mr. Keller concentrates his practice in the following main areas: Litigation, Divorce/Family Law, Real Estate, and Business Law.

Criminal defense attorney practicing in Will, Du Page, Cook, Kane, Kendall and surrounding areas handling matter from minor traffic tickets, DUIs, domestic battery, drugs cases, sex cases and all misdemeanors and felonies.

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...

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...

Ted Donner (Attorney) started his legal studies at Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 1987 after a ten-year stint as the box office manager of The Second City in Chicago. His professional experience since then includes work as a law clerk for Corboy & Demetrio, P.C., a summer internship at Welsh & Katz, Ltd., and work as an associate with Rock, Fusco, Reynolds & Garvey, Ltd. Before opening Donner & Company Law Offices LLC, he was an Associate and then Of Counsel to the litigation practice group at Altheimer & Gray, where his practice was concentrated in insurance...

Working to help clients protect their property and deal with difficult financial situations

Lisa Knauf is an attorney that combines her legal expertise with real world experience. She had a successful sales career before going back to school to attend Northern Illinois Univ. College of Law for her law degree, She is licensed to practice law in Illinois and is the owner of Knauf Law Office PC in Addison Illinois, which merged with Pankau Law in January 2020. The Knauf Law practice concentrates in the areas of estate planning, including wills, living trusts, and powers of attorney, probate administration, real estate and elder law. Lisa is an active member of her community, having served...

James Kelly has practiced in the areas of divorce and bankruptcy for 21 years. The Law offices of James M. Kelly handles and enjoys complex cases and trial work. Divorce work, especially trial work, requires a certain competency that not all attorney's have. Regardless of your particular fact pattern you can be sure that that the Law Offices of James M. Kelly will handle your matter in an expeditious and professional manner. In matters involving bankruptcy and debt restructuring, the Law Offices of James M. Kelly takes all matters seriously and has an...

JEELANI LAW FIRM, PLC is an immigration law practice which provides legal services to individuals and businesses throughout the U.S.  With regard to immigration matters, our firm  can represent you no matter where you are located.  We handle all immigration matters including family based adjustment of status/green card cases, citizenship filings, representation of businesses and employees when filing L1A/B Petitions, H1B petitions, and Permanent Labor petitions.  In the case of investors who wish to receive status as an E1/E2 Treaty Trader/Investor or an EB-5 Investor, our office can help you structure a qualifying investment.  Our firm also litigates immigration cases dealing with delayed adjudications as well as appellate matters before the U.S. Federal Courts, U.S. Immigration Courts, USCIS...

Miriam E. Cooper is the founder of the Law Office of Miriam Cooper & Associates, LLC, a law firm based in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Ms. Cooper provides legal services throughout the Greater Chicagoland area. Her primary focus is family law, including divorce, child support and allocation of decision-making and parenting time, spousal support, and post-decree modifications. She also provides real estate services complementary to her practice. Ms. Cooper graduated from The John Marshall Law School and has been practicing family law in Illinois for nearly 30 years. She is an advocate for children’s best interests and serves as a certified...

Alex Ion is a litigator and regulatory attorney that focuses his practice in healthcare law, employment disputes, cannabis law, and commercial litigation. Alex also provides independent consulting services on issues of healthcare and cannabis regulatory law, policy, and compliance. He currently serves as Precinct Committeeman in DuPage County, Illinois.

Alex has represented and advised businesses ranging from international organizations and Fortune 500 companies to non-profits, sole proprietorships, and closely-held corporations. Alex’s intimate knowledge in navigating local, state, and federal regulatory schemes have helped his clients excel within the current difficult legal landscapes in both the healthcare sector and the legal...

Ms. Cornelison is a certified mediator; collaborative and cooperative divorce lawyer; and divorce trial lawyer with over 13 years of courtroom experience.

John Botti is honored to help clients through challenging times in their lives. John Botti guides clients through difficult and complex legal matters with honesty, compassion, knowledge, and dedication to their cause. As a felony prosecutor, John worked closely with victims of crimes and fought to protect their rights and obtain justice in the courtroom. He uses this perspective to create exceptional attorney-client relationships. This serves him extremely well when he represents divorce clients as well as those people seriously injured as a result of someone else’s misconduct. John has tried hundreds of cases before judges and juries and...

Attorney Robert Schaller has practiced law for more than 35 years. He is licensed to practice in the State of Illinois. Attorney Schaller is the founder of the Schaller Law Firm, P.C. and concentrates his legal practice on clients who need relief from IRS back-taxes. Schaller directs the National Offer in Compromise Academy, which offers online educational courses. Robert Schaller received his B.S. in Accountancy in 1982 from the University of Illinois at Champaign – Urbana. He earned his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law in 1985 and served on the College’s Law Review. He studied for an...

As a dedicated attorney in Chicago, I provide strategic legal solutions across a broad range of practice areas. With a keen eye for detail, efficiency, and results, I approach each case with a practical mindset—cutting through complexity to deliver real, actionable solutions for my clients. I pride myself on being approachable yet relentless, ensuring my clients feel informed and empowered while I aggressively advocate on their behalf. Whether handling intricate financial matters, navigating litigation, or tackling complex negotiations, I bring a blend of sharp legal acumen and creative problem-solving to the table. Beyond the courtroom, I’m committed to staying ahead of the...

John Lara handles a wide-range of legal matters including civil litigation, real estate, estate administration, and bankruptcy.

As a civil litigator John zealously advocates for our clients. He engages in complex litigation including, contract disputes, forcible entry and detainer actions, foreclosure defense, collection matters, 42 U.S.C. § 1983 suits, administrative hearings and various tort proceedings.

John facilities commercial and residential real estate transactions while aggressively negotiating favorable terms and conditions for our clients.

John is an integral part of Fornaro Law and embodies the firm’s “never give up” attitude. John graduated from Benedictine University and then earned his Juris Doctor from the John...

Michael is a licensed attorney in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota who founded the Virtual Attorney to bring estate planning and business law into the 21st century. Through the use of technology and the internet he offers estate planning to young families, co-habitating couples, homosexual couples, and everyone in between. The Virtual Attorney is also the one-stop shop for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Starting out is tough and you don't have money to throw away on an in-house lawyer. With the Virtual Attorney's flat-fee based Essential In-House Counsel arrangements you'll get exactly what you need and you won't pay unexpected hourly...

Thomas Hansen was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up on the South Side of Chicago and Park Ridge, Illinois. Thomas lives in Park Ridge, with his wife and three children. Thomas received a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from Northern Illinois University, a Certified Public Accountant Certificate from the University of Illinois, a Master of Science in Taxation from DePaul University, a Juris Doctor with Distinction from John Marshal Law School. Thomas is a member of the Illinois Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, the Northwest Suburban Bar Association, American Association of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants, Illinois Society of Certified Public...

I have been practicing law since 1992. My practice has been devoted to helping individuals and families through the areas of criminal defense, DUI, and immigration. I have dealt with individuals and families from all walks of life. I have represented doctors, lawyers, union workers, factory workers, corporate business personnel, immigrants, mothers, fathers, children, students, grandparents, athletes, musicians, members of organized street gangs, nurses, sales people, and truckers. I strive to give honest and hard-working legal representation to all clients.

CRIMINAL DEFENSE: I have represented clients charged with drug cases, gun cases, domestic battery,...

Gene received his Juris Doctorate Degree from DePaul University College of Law.

He is admitted to practice law in the Supreme Court of the United States, Supreme Court of the State of Illinois, U.S. Federal District Court For The Northern District of Illinois, Federal Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, and to practice Immigration Law in all jurisdictions of the United States.

Mr. Meltser is also licensed in the U.K. as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.

Gene is a co-founder of Immigrant Legal Defense Committee. Mr. Meltser is a member of the American...

Andrew Burkavage concentrates his legal practice on personal injury, defective products, mass torts, and medical malpractice cases. Mr. Burkavage served as a law clerk for the United States Court Of Appeals for the Third Circuit and for an Illinois non-profit legal organization. Mr. Burkavage received his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame and his law degree from Loyola University Chicago’s School of Law. While in law school, Mr. Burkavage was an Associate Editor for Loyola’s International Law Review, studied abroad in Beijing, China, received an International Law Certificate and was named...

When you’re ready to grow your concept into something bigger, you need an attorney who will help build your business every step of the way, who will be there to answer your questions. You need an attorney who understands the business of invention. More than just getting you a patent, trademark or copyright, Lesley Wallerstein is your startup’s idea counsel. Educated at MIT and trained at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, I have the technical and legal skills to get the job done right.