Ottawa Lawyers

Paul is an experienced civil litigation attorney. With a strong background in the insurance defense field for 30+ years, he is a knowledgeable and experienced trial and defense attorney. As well as being a litigator in trial courts, Paul has also argued cases before the Third District Appellate Court and the Supreme Court of Illinois.
He is currently a member of the LaSalle County, Illinois State Bar Assocation and the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel. Paul served on the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Professional Responsibility from 2006 to 2015; and served as a special assistant Attorney General from...

James T. Reilly has been practicing since 1979. He is an experienced trial lawyer with over fifty jury cases tried to verdict. He concentrates his practice in both civil and criminal litigation. Jury awards include medical malpractice, wrongful death, fraud prosecution and various types of personal injuries. He has defended cases in criminal courts ranging from fitness trials in murder cases to DUI’s. In addition to these, he has successfully defended persons charged with arson, aggravated battery, drug offenses and other felonies and misdemeanors.

Reilly has served as a LaSalle County Assistant Public Defender since 2000. He represents clients before the...

Jennifer Bunker Skerston has worked in the Illinois Valley legal community for the past seven years handling many litigation related matters including will contests, property tax appeals, breach of contract, and personal injury claims.

Jennifer Bunker Skerston is actively involved in the Illinois State Bar Association Trusts and Estates Section Council. She is the Editor of the Council’s monthly publication distributed to members throughout Illinois. She also assists the Council in providing continuing legal education to attorneys, determining the need for new legislation, and reviewing and suggesting changes to current legislative proposals affecting wills, trusts and estates....

Mr. Wilson began his legal career in 1996 practicing in Peoria County before relocating to LaSalle County in 2003. In his career, he has successfully tried numerous cases involving motor vehicle accidents, construction accidents, employment disputes, and premises liability. Additionally, he has extensive Appellate Court experience having successfully handled numerous appeals particularly in the area of workers’ compensation. In 2004, he obtained the second largest personal injury jury verdict in Marshall County history at the time. In 2017, he negotiated the largest settlement ever obtained for a workers’ compensation claim with the Chicago Public School District. ...

Donald J. Ramsell, author of several DUI articles and books, is the one of the few DUI defense attorneys to appear and argue on a DUI case before the United States Supreme Court in its entire 213 years of existence. In his 33 year career his firms have defended 15,000 clients.

As an Attorney, Former IRS agent and Retired CPA, I fight serious tax matters for business owners. I specialize in IRS problems with larger IRS liability – that greater than $100,000. My specific services include:

• Offer-in-Compromise Settlements
• Emergency or Hardship Stop to IRS Levy
• Release of IRS Levy on Payroll Bank Accounts
• Removal of IRS Liens on Real Estate
• Representation in IRS Special Agent Investigations
• Removal of IRS Civil Penalty
• Sensitive Innocent Spouse Cases
• Tax from Death, Divorce, Sale or Loss of Business

I serve clients across the U.S., and am licensed to practice at the U.S. Tax Court, multiple federal courts, and the State of Illinois, ...

John S. Fotopoulos, former Cook County judge serving at the Daley Center in Chicago, established his law firm on two simple firm principals: to have competitive rates allowing everyone to afford the advice they need, and to have legal counsel that is always available for clients. John takes immense pride in his work, fulfilling a great deal of credits in continuing education seminars to ensure compliance and competency. In addition, his countless hours of legal research ensures that he stays ahead of the competition and is fully educated to take care of clients' legal needs. John's practice ensures that you are...

Jeremy Wang of Oak Brook, Illinois, is a successful trial-tested litigation lawyer. 630-712-9264. Free 20 minute consultations. Du Page County, Cook County, Will County Attorneys is a division of the Wheaton law firm, J. Wang Law, LLC.

When he first started his legal career, Jeremy often heard complaints due to the lack of attention clients received from attorneys they hired in the past. These well established lawyers, although successful, may have been so busy - they did not have the time to give each client the attention they needed. As a young attorney, this is how Mr. Wang built his...

In matters of the law in the areas of criminal defense and DUI, experience counts.

Attorney Gene Fimbianti's experience inside and outside the courtroom is unmatched. A former police officer and felony prosecutor, Attorney Gene Fimbianti understands the law from all perspectives.

He uses his unique "real world" experience and vast knowledge of the law to effectively advocate for his clients in criminal defense and DUI cases.

He ardently believes in and fights to protect the rights of his criminal defendants as defined by the U.S. Constitution.

Benedict Schwarz, II has limited his practice to matrimonial and family law for over 40 years. He is a past director of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) and is also a trained divorce mediator; Mr. Schwarz has taught numerous 40-hour divorce mediation training and conflict resolution seminars and has also co-authored chapters on the subject in the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education publications.

In 1992, Mr. Schwarz was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court as a Commissioner of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC). In 2001, Mr. Schwarz was appointed the Chairperson of the Commission from January...

Mr. Shaw attended the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and graduated from Illinois College, Magna Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1983. He continued his education at the Northern Illinois University College of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctorate Degree in 1986, and became a Licensed Attorney in Illinois on November 6, 1986. Having previously practiced in general and family law practices, and having served as the Child Support Attorney for Kane County Circuit Court Clerk from 1987-1995, Mr. Shaw opened his own law practice concentrating in family law in 1991. In 2000 he co-founded the law firm...

You are getting divorced, and you want to save your kids, your money, and your sanity. We understand your needs. We help smart, successful people get divorced efficiently while helping stay sane during tough times. Satisfied clients have referred us to friends and family since 1994. I'm a divorce lawyer with over 20 years of experience. My bestselling divorce guide, I Just Want This Done, has received rave reviews on Amazon.com and in the media. My law firm, STG Divorce Law, has been in business over 25 years. Our firm has a large team of skilled and empathetic divorce lawyers....

Mazyar M. Hedayat is the principal of M. Hedayat & Associates, PC, a law firm that has represented Clients for nearly 25 years in the areas of business law and litigation, bankruptcy law and litigation, real property transactions and litigation, construction law and mechanics liens, corporate law, and more. After attending the University of Chicago and University of Michigan, Mr. Hedayat received his MBA from the U.M. Ross School of Business, and his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law. Mr. Hedayat is a title insurance agent and operated a full-service title company for 6 years....

When you’re injured in a car accident or through another situation involving the negligent actions of another party, you want to put your case in the hands of a lawyer who has the knowledge and experience necessary to fight for you to obtain the compensation you deserve. I have been practicing personal injury law since 2000, and have dedicated my career to improving the situations of individuals and families affected by various matters, including car accidents, medical malpractice, workplace accidents, and more. With nearly 20 years of experience representing clients in the Chicago area, I am dedicated to helping you...

Known for promoting innovative litigation alternatives in family-related legal disputes, Rachel Nicole Hernandez is a collaborative family lawyer & the founder of Bruckner Hernandez Legal Solutions, LLC, a collaborative law & family law firm with offices in St. Charles & Sycamore, Illinois.

Bruckner Hernandez Legal Solutions, LLC helps families resolve legal issues without going to court, whether it be through mediation, collaborative process, uncontested divorce, pre-divorce legal counseling, or limited scope representation. Rachel Nicole Hernandez provides advice to clients regarding their rights with respect to marital/non-marital assets & debts, maintenance, & child custody issues. Rachel Nicole Hernandez solicits the expertise of...

Experienced. Tough. Driven. Put these three words together and you have defined the lead attorney at the firm of Woodruff Johnson & Evans. Over the course of his career, Mr. Woodruff has handled thousands of injury claims, recovering millions of dollars for people who have been hurt. Through it all, Mr. Woodruff has fought tirelessly to prevent corporations and big insurance companies from trampling on the rights of working men and women. For instance, on 40 different occasions, Mr. Woodruff represented employees from the University of Illinois who were denied their workers’ compensation rights after suffering repetitive-work injuries to their...

Don is a passionate and enthusiastic problem solver who loves the intellectual challenges of family law from the initial consultation to the final agreement or judicial ruling. As an experienced divorce and family law attorney, Don handles every type of case from the simple agreement to the most intricate and delicate situations with precision, persistence and care. Don takes pride in his ability to communicate with clients. Don gives clients one-on-one attention every step of the way. He thoroughly explains the legal process from the first action to the last. Don always makes it his goal...

Monika M. Blacha provides knowledgeable and experienced legal counsel in the full range of family law matters, including divorce and the difficult decisions that must be made when ending a relationship. Because she understands how stressful resolving divorce issues can be, Monika emphasizes a personal approach with every client, tailoring her legal strategies to each individual’s unique needs. She provides clear communication throughout so her clients understand their options and are always informed on the status of their case.

In addition to family law issues, Monika helps clients navigate the Illinois probate process if a loved one has died. Whether you...

Wendy M. Musielak attended DePaul University in Chicago, IL where she graduated with highest honors with a B.S. in Finance and Management. She earned her Juris Doctorate from DePaul University College of Law in 2003. Wendy is admitted to practice law in the U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois. Wendy concentrates her legal practice in family law matters including child custody and visitation, child support, alimony and spousal support, collaborative law, mediation, prenuptial agreements, litigation and appeals and complex litigation. Prior to being a partner with Andrew Cores Family Law Group, Wendy was a Staff Attorney for the...

Lauren Jackson focuses her practice primarily in the areas of real estate and estate planning, although her background includes probate, contracts, corporate formation and business succession planning. Lauren’s unintimidating, caring approach has garnered her a respectable reputation all over Northern Illinois. With her dedication for efficient cost effective services, you will learn that with Lauren on your side you have a reachable attorney with your best intentions in mind. Lauren prides herself on quality work over quantity and it has proved she is a success based on past customer positive reviews. Lauren eagerly represents...

Robert Motta II is the Managing Partner at Motta & Motta LLC. He concentrates his law practice in criminal defense, DUI, divorce & family law. Robert was named 2014 Top 100 National Trial Lawyer and is known in the legal community for his unparalleled pre-trial and trial strategies.

Julian Hoshell began his path to a legal career at the University of St. Francis, where he graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He then went on to earn his Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2017. Julian worked for Zayed from the beginning of his legal career, serving as a law clerk for the firm during law school. After graduation, Julian joined Zayed Law Offices full-time as an associate attorney. Julian has achieved fantastic results for his clients, including a $250,000 verdict for a motor vehicle accident victim and $200,000 for a...

Adam Zayed is the founding attorney of Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, one of the top personal injury and medical malpractice law firms in Chicago. He has led the firm in recovering over $50 million for injured clients in Illinois. As an experienced trial lawyer, Adam only takes on a selective number of cases so he can provide individualized service to each and every client. He uses his academic background and experience with statistics, behavioral science, and trial strategy to develop a case that will bring his client a favorable result. This approach has helped him recover several seven-figure...

Aviation Injuries and Accident Attorney
Steven M. Sandler has worked as a civil litigation trial attorney for the last 35 years. “In the courtroom, there is no substitute for experience,” shares Mr. Sandler. What a fulfilling experience it has been.

Mr. Sandler has spent the majority of his career representing the victims of catastrophic injury. While doing so, he obtained several multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts for his clients. For the ten years prior to joining Woodruff Johnson & Evans, Steve defended individuals and corporate entities faced with lawsuits arising out of airplane, trucking and auto accidents. This unique perspective from both...

Our criminal defense attorney has been serving clients in DuPage County and nearby areas for over 30 years. Attorney Philip Nathe is dedicated to ensuring the best defense representation for his clients who face criminal charges. He recognizes the difficulties involved in such cases and is determined to safeguard their rights and future against the negative effects that a criminal conviction can have. If you are accused of a crime, it's important to protect your rights. You can seek help from the Law Office of Philip R. Nathe. Our extensive experience allows us to offer a strong defense for our clients....

I am the founding attorney and owner of Qazi Law Offices. I received my Juris Doctorate from DePaul University Law School and my Bachelor of Arts from Loyola University Chicago.

In law school, I became fascinated and horrified by the prevalence of human trafficking. As an intern and associate at the International Human Rights Institute, I handled cases from hundreds of victims of trafficking who lived in Latin America. As horrible as their experiences were, I realized this was my calling: I could help them regain their voices and I was determined to fight for their liberties.

As an...

Barbara Morton graduated from the University of Colorado with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication in 1992. Ms. Morton followed her BA with an MBA in Finance and Accounting from Regis University in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1996. Ms. Morton received her law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan in 1998. She has been licensed to practice law in Illinois since May 1999. Her practice emphasis is in Family law issues, Real Estate, Wills, Powers of Attorney, Traffic and Personal Injury. She has represented clients in litigation matters before Federal and State Courts, arbitration and...

An outstanding trial attorney, Shawn Collins is at his best in a courtroom. Shawn has extensive experience handling “high stakes” litigation in environmental contamination, toxic tort, personal injury, and commercial cases. Most recently, Shawn served as co-counsel in a case resulting in a $363 million jury verdict for a woman who contracted breast cancer after decades of exposure to ethylene oxide. He has also been instrumental in acquiring clean water and contamination-free homes for thousands of families. Shawn has recovered millions for clients, including: $34.5 million for a neighborhood contaminated with toxic vapors; $8.5 million for the family of a...

Denice A. Gierach is a business and estate planning lawyer with more than 30 years of experience representing business owners in the formation, franchising, and dissolution of businesses; contract negotiation and reviews; business litigation; partnership disputes, succession planning; commercial real estate; and aiding individuals in matters of advanced estate planning, and charitable giving. She also leads her firm’s YourOGC program providing Outsourced General Counsel services to small and medium size businesses to assist them in preventing legal issues, providing proper planning for reaching goals, and insight into issues preventing them from further success. As a Certified Public Accountant with a master's degree...

John Lynch became interested in debt relief and bankruptcy before he went to Law School. John was employed at Eastern Airlines in Miami, Florida, which at that time was the second largest airline in the US. Eastern Airlines filed for bankruptcy in 1990 and by 1991 it had closed its doors. John knew so many people that could not find work, had cars repossessed and faced mounting debt. Then, in 1992 Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida and Pan Am airlines also closed its doors. By that time John was a Paralegal and owner of a Title Company. He worked as...

Mark T. Schneid is a highly accomplished trial lawyer. He focuses his practice exclusively on personal injury law and complex civil litigation matters arising from another party's negligence or wrongdoing.

Mr. Schneid has recovered millions of dollars in settlements and awards for his plaintiff clients. He has earned a reputation as a compassionate lawyer, aggressively fighting for the rights and entitlements of those he serves in order to achieve the most favorable outcomes possible.

America's Top 100 Attorneys voted Mr. Schneid among the Top 100 trial advocates in the country. He also holds Superb peer rating from Avvo for personal injury law....

By way of educational and professional background, I have extensive knowledge of accounting, valuation, statistics, taxation, econometrics and economics. Skill set enables superior asset/liability allocation, discovery of hidden income/assets, support payment litigation, etc.__________EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC CONTEXTS: Appraisal of Residential and Commercial Real Estate Valuation of Closely Held Companies Forensic Accounting and/or Tracing Analysis of Diverse, Complex and/or Prodigious Classes of Assets/Liabilities Arguments Regarding Upward/Downward Deviation from Guideline Support Determination of True and Actual Income__________REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS: Senior Corporate Executives (including CEOs, CFOs, Presidents and Directors) Entrepreneurs & Owners of Closely Held Entities Medical Doctors (surgeons,...

Rachel received her undergraduate degree from Northern Illinois University, where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with double minors in Philosophy and History. In 2014, Rachel received the History Department’s James R. Shirley Essay Prize for her research paper on the Soviet Union’s gulag system.

After graduation, Rachel enrolled in Northern Illinois University’s College of Law, where she served as the Symposium Editor for the Northern Illinois University Law Review and as Clerk for Phi Alpha Delta’s Dooley Chapter. Her Law Review article, Battle for Baby: Proposed Legislation for Custody Battles over Frozen Pre-Embryos, was published in the...

Admitted to practice law in 1982, Maureen Sullivan Taylor graduated with a J.D. from Northern Illinois University Law School. In addition to interning at the United States' Attorneys' Office, Maureen was awarded the American Jurisprudence Award for Outstanding Achievement in Matrimonial Law and also served on the Law Review. Founder of the firm, Maureen is a trained and experienced mediator, and is both a Fellow of the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois and a member of the International Association of Collaborative Professionals. Maureen is admitted to the United States Supreme Court and the Northern District of Illinois Federal Court and...

In 2007, Brett Appelman established Appelman Law LLC with the primary mission of safeguarding the rights of individuals accused of crimes. His fundamental belief is in providing the highest quality legal defense to all defendants, irrespective of the charges they face. Brett personally manages the most complex cases at the firm, which encompass a wide range of offenses, from Attempted Murder, Kidnapping, and Aggravated Sexual Assault to individuals facing repeated DUI charges. His successful defense record extends across various crimes, including but not limited to DUI, Aggravated Battery, Solicitation, Attempted Murder, Armed Robbery, Tax Evasion, and Felony Drug Possession and...

Mr. Arnquist is an experienced courtroom litigator who understands what it takes to win your case. Whether you need representation for an issue related to child support, a complicated divorce case, or a contested custody dispute, Mr. Arnquist will aggressively advocate on your behalf. Mr. Arnquist practices in Ogle, Lee, Whiteside, DeKalb and Stephenson Counties. Please call for a free consultation.