Chestnut Lawyers

Todd received his Juris Doctor from Loyola University School of Law Chicago in 2005. For more than 10 years following law school, he served as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois Toll Highway Authority. In this trusted position, Todd litigated eminent domain cases on behalf of IDOT and the ISTHA. In addition, during this time Todd also served as a defense attorney in personal injury lawsuits. Todd also served as local liquor counsel for several high-end hotels and restaurants, including the Palmer House Hilton, Hilton Towers, Hilton Rosemont, Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport, Hilton...

After attending the University of Illinois for Undergraduate school I attended Northern Illinois University School of Law. I was a Prosecutor for the McLean County State's Attorney's office for a year and a half, before leaving the office to practice with my father Jim Finegan. I will be working closely with my father on bankruptcy, real estate and other civil cases in the Bloomington, Illinois area.

G. Edward Murphy is the Managing Partner of Murphy & Dunn, P.C. and has been one of the best divorce, custody and family law attorneys and lawyers in Peoria, Bloomington and Central Illinois for the past 36 years. He knows how to litigate your case when necessary, negotiate favorably if possible, and win your case for you and your children in court. He is a skilled trial attorney, but also a capable mediator and problem solver. He has been lead counsel running Murphy & Dunn, P.C. for the past 35 years since he was 26 years old and has been winning...

Jim Finegan attended the University of Illinois for undergraduate school and Northwestern University for Law School. He moved to Bloomington, Illinois after graduating law school and he has over 40 years experience. He specializes in bankruptcy, real estate, and civil litigation.

After attending the University of Illinois for Undergraduate school I attended Northern Illinois University School of Law. I was a Prosecutor for the McLean County State's Attorney's office before leaving the office to practice with my father Jim Finegan. I specialize in Criminal Defense, including DUIs, felony cases, drug cases, orders of protection and expungements and will use my background as a Prosecutor to help you defend your case.

Jeffrey R. Hall has practiced law since 2004, concentrating in the area of Criminal Law, DUI/DWI and Traffic Law. He began working as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Tazewell County, IL. Prior to that service, Mr. Hall worked as an intern/clerk at the venerable law firm of Miller, Hall & Triggs, LLC where he handled matters in Real Estate and Business. As an Assistant State’s Attorney, Mr. Hall prosecuted in the traffic and misdemeanor divisions, as well as the Felony Traffic Division. Mr. Hall gained experience as an aggressive trial attorney winning most of his...

Mr. Harrington joined the firm of Kanoski Bresney in November of 2014. Prior to making the move, he was a personal injury defense attorney for more than 20 years. This background and experience allow him to anticipate the defenses the insurance companies will use and stop them from wrongly denying your claims.

Suffering an unexpected personal injury can be frightening and traumatic. The most gratifying part of his job is the initial meeting with clients, where he can answer all their questions, explain exactly what to expect, and alleviate their concerns in their time of need. His practice includes all types...

Drew is originally from Highland, Illinois and is a Partner for Stange Law Firm, PC who manages the Illinois offices of the firm. Drew obtained his Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management from Southern Illinois University. After college Drew worked as a professional pilot and flight instructor where he worked hand in hand with pilots and student pilots. Drew then went on and earned his Juris Doctorate from Southern Illinois University School of Law in Carbondale, Illinois. After law school, Andrew gained experience working for another law firm in Illinois and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Madison County,...

Don B. Pioletti, Jr. has practiced law for over 35 years. He graduated from the George Mason University Law School in Virginia in 1976. He then served as an Assistant Illinois Attorney General and later as an Assistant State's Attorney. He now practices at Pioletti & Pioletti in Eureka, IL doing general practice law.

native of central Illinois, Attorney, Jerry A. Tuffentsamer, was raised in the local small community of Manito, Illinois. Prior to attending law school, Jerry worked for several years in the central Illinois as union construction laborer out of the Laborers’ International Union, Local 231. As a union laborer, Jerry worked several years for a local commercial concrete and masonry company.

Jerry received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Paralegal Studies/Pre-law from Southern Illinois University in 2008. Jerry then received his Juris Doctor from Southern Illinois University School of Law in 2011. While in law school, Jerry was a member of...

I am an experienced and aggressive Illinois attorney. I handle a broad range of criminal defense matters from from traffic offenses to serious crimes, as well as personal injury cases.

A Springfield, Illinois native, I am a graduate of SIU School of Law. I practice in Sangamon, Morgan, Maoupin, Menard and Cass Counties. I defend clients facing state prosecution as well as represent injured clients. I am dedicated to communicating with my clients and am available when you need help, even on the weekend or after hours.

Whether you are facing a serious criminal charge or have been issued a speeding...

Attorney Christopher S. McCall is a Peoria criminal defense lawyer who has dealt with a wide variety of criminal charges and is equipped and qualified to take on your case and support you at this time. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he received his undergraduate degree. From there, he went on to earn his Juris Doctorate at the University of Illinois College of Law at Urbana-Champaign. He has dealt with all kinds of cases and accusations, and his experience can of great benefit to you at this time. Prior to opening McCall Law Offices, he worked...

Gina received her Bachelor's Degree from the University of Illinois and Juris Doctor from Southern Illinois University School of Law. During her law school career, Gina served as the Assistant Managing Editor of the Journal of Legal Medicine's Legal Medicine Perspectives.

Additionally, she interned at the St. Clair County State's Attorney's Office. Following graduation from law school, Gina worked for a large general practice defense firm in Springfield, Illinois. In 2018, Gina decided to focus her career on helping the injured and joined Kanoski Bresney.

Gina's pro bono activities are as follows:
Prairie State Legal Services, Volunteer Attorney, 2016 – present

My academic interests encompass both information technology and law. I am a Professor and H. Ross & Helen Workman Research Scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Law. I have a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a JD summa cum laude from Georgetown University. I have served as a technical expert in numerous patent lawsuits in the communication and computer areas, especially wireless communication, RF, e-commerce, software applications, integrated circuits, microelectronics and semiconductors. I am an inventor and hold 20 U.S. patents and serve on the boards of directors/advisors...

For over 30 years Charles Covey has been practicing law. He has handled bankruptcy cases during the duration of his three decades of legal practice and for the past decade, he has practiced exclusively in bankruptcy, debt relief and foreclosure defense matters.

I grew up in Menard County, Illinois, attending Petersburg PORTA schools and graduating from PORTA High School. I then attended Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, where I graduated magna cum laude with a double major in communication and poliitcal science, and minors in music and pre-law. After college, I went on to earn both my Juris Doctor (law degree) and a Master of Arts in Speech Communication from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining Ackerman Law Office, I served for six years as an Assistant State's Attorney in Sangamon County, Illinois, where I tried numerous...

Chris Gramm was born and raised in McLean County. After graduating from University High School in Normal, he received his BA from Illinois State University(ISU) and MA from the University of Illinois (U of I) prior to attending law school at Northern Illinois University(NIU). Before opening a law practice in Bloomington, he was formerly a lawyer with the McLean County State’s Attorney’s Office where he prosecuted misdemeanors, DUI and traffic cases. Chris is a member of the McLean County and Illinois State Bar Association and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Chris is now a partner with the law...

With over 30 years in practice and being a fourth generation lawyer, I live to help my clients. I understand that our families and our jobs are largely how we define ourselves, and when things go wrong with either our whole world is turned upside down. If you have been wrongfully fired, harassed, underpaid, or treated badly by your employer, I may be able to help you get justice for the wrongs done to you. If you need a divorce, child support, custody, visitation, or some other help in your family situation, contact me to get you started...

Attorney Mark Johnson is the founder of Johnson Law Group and a valuable legal representative in Illinois. As a former Crew Chief for the Air Force National Guard, a former police officer and a former prosecutor with the Illinois Attorney General's Office, attorney Johnson is a well-versed legal professional with a detailed understanding of both sides of the law. Having many associations and memberships under his belt and several bar admissions, he goes above and beyond to equip himself to provide aggressive counsel for each person that he represents. Call today to schedule your free initial consultation.

Michael R. Nichols was born and raised in Galesburg, IL. Michael Received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from Southern Illinois University. He then received his Juris Doctor from Northern Illinois University College of Law. At NIU Law Michael graduated with honors and was a leader within the Professionalism and Ethics Society, while also working as a graduate assistant.

Michael approaches everyday in a positive manner with the sense of urgency that is required to produce an optimal result for his clients. Michael understands the importance of each individual case and enjoys walking his clients through every step in the...

A lifelong resident of Illinois, John Waldman raised his family in the Pekin/Peoria area, where he resides today. John attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, graduating with University Honors with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and Paralegal Studies. He began practicing law after graduating from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1988.

After law school, John began working for a law firm that primarily did work for insurance companies, defending personal injury and workers' compensation claims. Trying to save insurance companies money at the expense of innocent accident victims was not very rewarding. He joined Kanoski Bresney in...

John Chwarzynski is an experienced Illinois attorney who focuses his practice on representing clients in wrongful death, medical malpractice, premises liability, sexual assault, and automobile cases.

John joined Hale & Monico as a trial lawyer in 2019 after working at a well-respected personal injury firm in Chicago. John is known for his exceptional work ethic, charisma, and writing skills. He has successfully argued motions in both state and federal court.

Call or visit his website for more information.

From Speeding to Murder, we fight for our clients every day, and are known for aggressive criminal defense. Unlike many, we don't stop fighting after that. We work on getting them their driver's license back after the State has taken it, and on expunging or sealing criminal arrests and/or convictions, including obtaining pardons for our clients.

I am the founding partner of Koth Gregory & Nieminski (KGN). We take pride in helping the people in our local community.

Candice M. Thomason is an Associate Attorney at Murphy & Dunn, P.C. She is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois and is a member of the Peoria County Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association and the American Bar Association. Candice is a graduate of Valparaiso University School of Law, where she graduated with honors in May of 2014. She also earned her M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Valparaiso University. Candice works primarily with Managing Partner G. Edward Murphy and with her Paralegal Nathan P. Paquet in all areas of...

Emma Curtis is a Team Leader Attorney at Stange Law Firm’s Maryville, Illinois office. She puts the needs of her clients at the forefront.

Emma graduated with her undergraduate degree from Maryville University, Emma then went on to further her education and received her Juris Doctor from St. Louis University School of Law.

Prior to working at Stange Law Firm, Emma was an Assistant States Attorney then worked with a private firm totaling 16 years of experience in various areas of law. Emma is also proud to have served in the United States Navy.

The choice of a lawyer is an important...

Douglas B. Johnson is a skilled young lawyer that graduated law school at an astonishing pace of 2 years. Doug graduated cum laude at the top of his class regularly receiving awards and honors for his academic achievements. Doug is a Bloomington-Normal native, as he was born and raised in the twin cities, and prior to joining Johnson Law Group worked for many years with State Farm at their Regional and Corporate offices, in the area. Doug is an experienced negotiator as he conducted mediations representing State Farm's interests. He also worked for a private investigation agency where he gained...

A 1990 graduate of The John Marshall Law School, I practiced law privately before leaving to teach Criminal Justice and Paralegal courses at Illinois Central College in Peoria, Illinois. Since 1996 I have been retained primarily working for Municipalities as a Hearing Officer. I continue to fill this role in various communities, hearing cases related to building code ordinances, vehicle use and a wide range of municipal tickets written by the police department. In addition, I have many years experience consulting municipal government drafting, facilitating and implementing various ordinances. In addition to this work, I have been...

Harry Williams is a trial lawyer and former insurance defense attorney who has practiced personal injury law in Peoria, Illinois, for more than 35 years. His law firm – Peoria Injury Law Center – focuses on cases involving injuries that were caused by the carelessness of another person or a company. Harry fights for the rights of people who have been injured, making sure they receive proper medical care and every financial benefit that is available to them under the law. He is well-known and well-respected in downstate Illinois and has a reputation among his clients for his bold,...

Employment: • Former Felony Assistant State’s Attorney, Peoria County • Former Special Assistant to the Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, D.C. • Former Judicial Law Clerk, United States District Court, Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division • Former law clerk, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Washington, DC • Former Vice President of United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 881, Oak Brook, Illinois. School: • Graduated 2nd out of 159 students at John Marshall Law School. • Author: Picket Line Misconduct; Is Forfeiture of Reinstatement Rights for Purely Verbal Threats Sound? 18. J. Mar. L Rev. 445, 1985. • Team Member, Wagner Labor Law National Moot Court Competition, Spring, 1985. Rank 2nd place...

Noah Benckendorf was born and raised in Morton, Illinois. He graduated from DePauw University in Greencastle, IN in 2018 with a degree in history and economics. Noah went on to study law at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law where he was a member of the Business Law Association. While in law school, Noah worked for Liberty Mutual Insurance as a law clerk doing insurance defense work. Noah also spent time with Protective Insurance as a law clerk in their corporate legal team. Noah went on to work at first American Title Insurance as a post-closing agent. In...

Shayla Maatuka transitioned her private practice into the partnership of Dodd & Maatuka. She currently serves as managing partner for Maatuka Al-Heeti Emkes LLC. She combines her expertise as an entrepreneur - successfully establishing four businesses - with the practice of law, concentrating on civil and commercial litigation, personal injury, as well as business litigation. Her passion for the community helps others achieve their goals through entrepreneurship. She currently sits on the boards of Visit Champaign County and Mettler Studios, Inc. and formerly sat on the boards of the East Central Illinois Women Attorneys Association, the Executive Club...