Kane County Family Lawyers

Mr. Boyd graduated from John Marshall Law School in 1975 and immediately began working for the DuPage County Public Defender's Office where he remained as a felony trial attorney for 10 years. During that period of time, Mr. Boyd also established a successful family law practice. In 1995, Mr. Boyd joined The Stogsdill Law Firm, P.C. as a trial attorney specializing in complex financial matters and custody trials. He has tried more than 150 domestic relations cases involving issues of business valuations, complex financial structures and custody and modification of custody issues.

Thirty-five years of being an effective litigator and dogged...

Margaret M. O'Connell is a Senior Partner at A. Traub & Associates. Margaret practices in all areas of family, criminal, traffic, and expungement law, and is a court-approved Guardian ad litem in DuPage, Kane and Kendall County. Margaret is a graduate of Bradley University 1986 and the John Marshall Law School 1991.

Margaret worked as an Assistant State's Attorney in DuPage County from 1991 to 1996. During her tenure as an Assistant State's Attorney, Margaret prosecuted cases involving domestic violence, child abuse, felonies, and misdemeanors. From 1996 to 2003, Margaret was a Senior Assistant Attorney General. During her tenure as a...

Since joining The Stogsdill Law Firm, P.C. in 2000, Mr. Smit has remained committed to providing his clients with the client first attention to detail along with the knowledge and experience required to accomplish the client's desired outcome. Mr. Smit approaches each individual client with the understanding that it is very important to actually listen to the client and reach a consensus as to what they can expect from the given situation.

Mr. Smit obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Law Enforcement Administration from Western Illinois University in 1994. Mr. Smit then went on to graduate from the John Marshall...

I have been a licensed attorney in the State of Illinois since 2003. I began my legal career as a an Assistant State's Attorney in the County of Kendall, State of Illinois. In 2007 I opened my private practice and have successfully represented hundreds of clients in matters ranging from criminal defense to various family law issues, including divorce. I have a unique perspective in criminal defense from my experience in criminal prosecution. I believe that in order to successfully represent client's in criminal and family law matters one must know what the available options are, have a very thorough...

Christopher J. Zaruba joined The Stogsdill Law Firm, P.C. in June of 2014. Prior to that, Chris was an Assistant State's Attorney at the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office from 2009-2014. Chris began his career at the State's Attorney's office handling traffic and misdemeanor offenses, including DUI's, orders of protection, and domestic batteries. In 2012, Chris received the Outstanding Misdemeanor Prosecutor of the Year award. He was promoted to the Felony Juvenile Division where he worked closely with DCFS in handling cases involving abused or neglected children. After working in the Juvenile Division, Chris was again promoted to the Felony...

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...

Bradley R. Kaye (“Brad”) is a licensed attorney concentrating in the areas of divorce, post-decree issues, estate planning, and criminal law. Brad is based in the Schaumburg office of Anderson & Associates, P.C., and handles cases primarily in Cook, DuPage, Kane and Will counties.

Nancy Kasko earned her Bachelor Degree from Northern Illinois in Finance. Early in her career Ms. Kasko worked in the finance industry for Fortune 500 companies such as Hewlett Packard and Westinghouse Electric. Yearning for a career in law, like her mother before her, Ms. Kasko returned to school to fulfill her ambition and earn her law degree.

Ms. Kasko attended The John Marshall Law School in Chicago where she attained her Juris Doctorate. During law school, Ms. Kasko was a teaching assistant at the John Marshall Law School and was a paralegal with Davi Law Group, LLC in Wheaton. Upon...

Attorney Tom Elsner, Partner at Lafata Law LLC. Tom received his undergraduate degree in business management at Arizona State University. Tom had found his calling for helping others attain what was just and right while working as a business manager. He then was admitted into law school at Northern Illinois University. While enrolled, Tom worked as a Clerk for the US District Court in Northern Illinois and as an intern with the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office. Since graduating from law school, Tom went on to become an Assistant State's Attorney for DuPage County where Tom worked in the traffic, misdemeanor and...

Megan Lafata (Elsner) is the Founder of Lafata Law LLC. Megan received her undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and went on to work as a law clerk with a DuPage County Law Firm specializing in local prosecutions, criminal defense and family law. She then was admitted to Northern Illinois University College of Law. After graduating from Northern Illinois University College of Law, Megan embarked on her legal career as an Assistant State's Attorney for DuPage County. Her hard work and ambition catapulted her from prosecutions of traffic offenses to misdemeanors including DUI, battery, domestic battery, orders of protection, theft,...

Brian Nigohosian is known as a skilled litigator who is able to direct his clients towards a successful resolution of their cases. He works hard to establish trust based relationships with each client, and provides the guidance necessary to get them to their goal. He employs an approach that provides his clients with the maximum amount of information with which to make an informed decision. While the majority of cases result in a settlement, he has found that the best approach is to prepare each case thoroughly, thereby placing his clients in a strong position to settle, or if necessary,...

Rina Infelise is currently a partner at Rohde and Infelise, PC where she practices in all areas of Criminal law, traffic offenses, domestic violence and orders of protection. Additionally, Rina defends parties that are the subject of Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) investigations. and abuse and neglect proceedings.

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...

Liz has presented seminars to divorce recovery groups, counselors, lawyers, hospitals, doctors, and insurance companies and was an instructor for several years for a personal injury trial practice course presented by the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel and classes for medical practitioners to area hospitals and staff regarding how to respond to legal inquiries and how to avoid malpractice. She has also presented seminars for the Illinois State Bar Association including a recent basic family law seminar.

Liz tried several cases to juries including a case that was decisiv with respect to the use accident reconstruction experts, evidence of...

Axel R. Cerny grew up in the DuPage County community, attending Wheaton Academy in West Chicago. Following graduation in 2006, Axel attended Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications/ Journalism studies in 2010. From there, Axel returned to the area to study at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree in 2013, and after passing the bar exam was promptly hired to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office as an Assistant State’s Attorney. There he worked for two years under DuPage County State’s Attorney, Bob Berlin, prosecuting...

Nichole’s understanding of the great emotional toll family law disputes have on her clients helps her to assist her clients during a very difficult time. Nichole’s approach to her client’s matters is to advocate for her clients and find legally reasonable solutions which don’t exacerbate the financial toll divorce often takes on families, while also keeping her client’s best interests at the forefront. To help achieve this goal for her clients, Nichole has had extensive training with the Center for Conflict Resolution in Chicago, Illinois where she further developed her skills in the art of mediation. Nichole also trained in...

Nick Kulagin is a dedicated family law and estate planning attorney who has represented residents of DuPage County and Kane County for 15 years. Based in Wheaton, Mr. Kulagin works diligently to protect his clients’ families, homes, and businesses. He believes that successful advocacy begins with investigating each person’s particular needs. With a strong reputation in the legal community, he is committed to helping his clients understand their legal rights and options so that they can make fully informed decisions.

Mr. Kulagin attended De Paul University for his undergraduate studies, graduating with a Political Science degree. He went on to earn...

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.

I practice divorce and family law and my goal is to be both understanding of my clients situation and compassionate as they deal with a rough time in their life.

I have been practicing law since 2008 after graduating from Michigan State University College of Law with my Doctor of Jurisprudence.

I was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 2008 and Illinois in 2011.

I hope to helping families move forward towards a better future.

A graduate of University of Illinois and DePaul University College of Law, Attorney Anthony Abear has been practicing law for almost two decades. He began his legal career in the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office. A former felony prosecutor, Mr. Abear gained valuable experience in investigative interviewing and litigation.

In 2003, Mr. Abear established his own firm, Abear Law Offices, which is dedicated to family law matters. Mr. Abear brings the skill set of a prosecutor into his family law practice. He offers clients aggressive representation and is not afraid to go to court to argue on his clients’ behalf. ...

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...

Carin Brio started her practice at one of the largest real estate law firms in the State of Massachusetts as one of a handful of associates who represented clients in over 200 real estate cases every month. Since then, she has added estate planning, probate, family law, and other areas of law to her practice and helped hundreds of clients with the legal matters that are important to them. Now based out of Knoxville, Tennessee, Carin and her staff work diligently on their cases - whether it is a contested divorce case, setting up a trust for your family, or...

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.

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...

Mr. Benison earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago. While attending Law School, Mr. Benison achieved the JMLS best oralist award for his participation in the 2L Herzog Moot Court Competition. He was selected for a student externship with the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office during his final year of law school. Prior to entering Law School, Mr. Benison was in private practice as an accountant, working with local business in Northern Illinois. In his free time, Mr. Benison enjoys spending time with his wife, Erika, and their three children.

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...

Since 2012, Anthony Vechiola has chosen to concentrate his practice in matters related to family law. Mr. Vechiola’s unique financial background combined with many years in the family law industry provide him a competitive advantage to resolve a divorce or family law matter, either in or out of court. In 2016, Mr. Vechiola earned a certification as a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst from the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts. In 2019, Mr. Vechiola was designated a Certified Financial Litigator by the American Academy of Certified Financial Litigators. Mr. Vechiola has also received several awards throughout his legal career. Personal Statement My...

Chantelle A. Porter is a graduate of The Ohio State University (2003) and graduated from DePaul University College of Law (2006). Chantelle was admitted to practice in 2006. While at DePaul University College of Law, Chantelle received her Family Law Certificate and was the recipient of the Public Interest Law Association Grant - Judge Jeffrey Coman Designation, the Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center Grant, and the Dean's Scholarship.

Chantelle is a Partner at A. Traub and Associates, practicing all areas of Family Law, Juvenile Criminal Defense, DCFS Abuse and Neglect, Domestic Violence, Orders of Protection, and Civil Litigation Defense....

An experienced trial attorney, Michelle G. Wiejaczka excels in helping individuals and families who need assistance with legal issues and representation. Recognized for her work in dispute resolution, collaborative law and cooperative problem solving, she is often appointed by the Court to serve as a mediator. Michelle is trained in Collaborative Law and periodically presides over cases that are assigned to mandatory arbitration. A former Assistant State’s Attorney (McHenry County) for almost nine years, she entered private practice in 1994, and founded Wiejaczka Law in 2005. Michelle graduated with High Honors from Southern Illinois University and...

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...

Brandy Wisher primarily practices family law, representing clients in all aspects of domestic relations proceedings, including dissolution of marriage, legal separation, property distribution, maintenance and spousal support, the allocation of parental responsibilities, child support and college expenses, post-dissolution enforcement and modification proceedings, and parentage actions. Brandy counsels her clients with knowledge and compassion throughout all stages of their cases, including during settlement negotiations and at court appearances and in other adversarial settings throughout litigation.


Brandy has been an Associate Attorney with the Law Office of Miriam Cooper & Associates, LLC since April 2016. Brandy received her Juris Doctor degree from...

Andrew believes in the simple premise of providing clients with high-quality legal services and individualized attention. For many years, that philosophy has driven the Andrew’s approach to helping clients with not only their professional legal needs, but their personal ones as well. Andrew concentrates his practice in Family Law, Estate Planning, Guardianship, Probate, Business Development, Business Litigation, and Civil Litigation. His experience has taught him to zealously represent on behalf of his clients and recognize their needs for the present and future. Andrew works with individuals and families in the Greater Chicago Area including Barrington, Arlington Heights, Lake Zurich, Hoffman Estates, Bartlett,...

Attorneys Paulette M. Gray and Robert L. Gray are the principal attorneys at Gray & Gray LLC located in Crystal Lake, Illinois.

Attorney Paulette M. Gray is a Past President of the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Paulette continues to be active in the Illinois Chapter of the AAML having served as an Officer within the Chapter as well as being on its Board of Managers for several years. She previously served as Chair of the Illinois State Bar Association Family Law Section Council (2008-09) during which time she testified in Springfield in...

have been a licensed attorney and practicing attorney since 1995. Although I have practiced in Kane, DuPage and Cook counties, I currently limit my practice to McHenry County. I focus on issues affecting families and represent spouses, parents, children and disabled adults in divorce, post decree, paternity, adoption, juvenile, probate and guardianship matters. I am a trained Guardian ad Litem and Child’s Representative and appointed by the court in divorce or probate matters. I am also a trained Collaborative Attorney and mediator. Although I no longer accept court appointments for mediation, I use these skills in my roles as negotiator,...

Robert Medansky is an experienced Divorce and Family Law Attorney providing clients and their families throughout Cook, Lake, DuPage, Kane, and McHenry Counties in Illinois with quality guidance and legal representation. He is a skilled negotiator and accomplished trial attorney who is widely recognized and respected for his integrity and vigorous advocacy to protect his client’s rights and interests. Since 1986, Mr. Medansky has successfully represented numerous clients in complex financial and high-conflict divorce matters. He approaches every family law matter with compassion, integrity, and a focus on personal service. As a skilled negotiator, he takes a strategic...