Varna Lawyers

In private practice, Scott has handled both civil and criminal matters. Since 2002, he has handled criminal defense matters exclusively. He practices in Cook, Lake, McHenry and DuPage counties. He has successfully defended numerous matters ranging from traffic, misdemeanors and DUIs, to the most serious felonies, including property crimes, drug offenses, violent crimes and homicides.

I have been a trial attorney in a courtroom almost daily for 20 years. Having spent 10 years as a prosecutor with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office I have handled cases ranging from DUI to Murder. I have worked in Domestic Violence and with Orders of Protection and followed misdemeanor and felony cases through every stage. I currently have my own practice and help clients with criminal, DUI, traffic, family law, expungements, juvenile, and federal employment discrimination.

Marc Whipple grew up in Iowa and has a degree in Physics and Math from Drake University. After receiving his J.D. from John Marshall, he became the General Counsel for Meyer/Glass Design, a Chicago invention studio descended from legendary innovation firm Marvin Glass & Associates. When Meyer/Glass started an interactive division, he helped set up, grow, and eventually spin off the software studio, in the meantime negotiating development agreements with companies like Hasbro Interactive and Microsoft for PC and console titles.

After his work at Meyer/Glass, he became the General Counsel of Incredible Technologies, Inc., and helped it take its first...

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...

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...

Marques A. Eason is an attorney serving clients on the South Side of Chicago and throughout the South Suburbs in matters involving real estate property and a range of other legal issues. His areas of concentration include residential and commercial real estate, probate, and estate planning. Eason has 10 years of legal experience, including three years as a licensed practicing attorney in the State of Illinois where he founded his own practice, The Marques Eason Law Group, in 2017. He also worked for seven years as a paralegal on cases involving real estate, contract, and family law, including with the Law...

Attorney David P. Gonet comes to family law with a background in appellate law and intellectual property law. A business major in college, David went on to get his law degree from the University of Houston College of Law, where he participated in clinical work, researching and drafting state and federal appeals, and petitioning for writs of habeas corpus. Prior to practicing exclusively in the area of family law, David worked at a law firm concentrating in civil appeals, were be drafted appeals to the Illinois Court of Appeals, State of Illinois Supreme Court, Federal Court of Appeals, and...

Lee A. Marinaccio is a partner in the law firm of Botti Marinaccio, LTD., an established litigation law firm that specializes in the practice of family law.

In Mr. Marinaccio's early career as an attorney, he concentrated his practice in the area of criminal trial prosecutions. As a special assistant attorney with the United States Department of Justice; an assistant United States Attorney; a first assistant State's Attorney in Kane County, Illinois; and an assistant DuPage County State's Attorney, Lee obtained extensive and valuable experience as a trial lawyer. Since leaving his commitment to public service, Lee has concentrated his legal...

Kyle D. Sellett is a Partner at Weiss-Kunz & Oliver, LLC, where he practices matters in Divorce & Family Law. Mr. Sellett’s legal career began as a Creditor’s Rights attorney and eventually acting as a Supervisor at one of his previous law firms. During his time practicing in Collection Law, he routinely handled trials, hearings, and other contested matters. His experience in this field makes him an ideal option to handle any case where there are delinquent debts involved. Additionally, he is an experienced negotiator who has a history of settling cases with favorable terms for his clients. Mr. Sellett joined...

Shahina grew up in Skokie, Illinois and has lived in the Chicagoland area most of her life. She graduated from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2018 with Juris Doctorate. Before coming to Driver Defense Team, she was a staff attorney for numerous judges at the Cook County Criminal Division for over two years. While in law school, Shahina clerked for one of the largest and most respected prosecutor’s offices in the United States – Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. As a 711 law clerk, she successfully litigated several bench trials and gained a wealth of experience in advocacy. She also clerked at...

Inspired at a young age by family members practicing criminal defense law, John has had a lifelong passion for legal defense. John attended Indiana State University graduating Magnum Cum Laude in 2012 with a degree in criminology, criminal justice and political science. While attending Indiana State, John pursued his interest in flight by becoming a pilot. John then attended Indiana University Robert McKinney School of Law. While in law school, John was admitted to the Dean’s Tutorial Society and tutored other law students. John also participated in moot court, trial team and was awarded two scholarships for his extensive knowledge...

Attorney who helps bring peace and comfort to his clients by providing the individuals and businesses with solutions to help protect their interests and pursue their dreams and aspirations.

Eric J. Vogel was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 2008 after graduating from John Marshall Law School. He served as Assistant Public Defender in the McHenry County Public Defender’s Office for over 10 years. In his time at the Public Defender’s Officer, he handled cases in several areas of the law, including, misdemeanor and felony criminal, juvenile abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency and specialty courts. Mr. Vogel has extensive experience in all aspects of litigation. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and History from Arizona State University in 2002.

Attorney Vogel understands that every client’s...

With 25 years’ experience, Vince provides his clients with a diverse skill set for advising on and resolving most legal issues. As an experienced trial attorney, Vince advises his clients on how to resolve conflicts before litigation; yet, when a lawsuit is filed, Vince transitions to the role as staunch advocate, having been involved in a diverse array of cases related to business disputes, non-compete/non-solicitation claims, business dissolution and accountings, construction defect, mechanic’s lien and breach of contract claims, estate planning and probate matters, and municipal and pension hearings. Vince has conducted more than 100 jury and bench trials, involving...

Paul D. Richter is an experienced trial attorney who has spent over 20 years practicing personal injury & wrongful death litigation. His career has been dedicated to representing those who have suffered serious, life-altering injuries caused by the negligence of others and seeking justice for the families of those victims who have lost their lives due to negligence. Paul has successfully resolved multiple personal injury & wrongful death lawsuits, including cases of nursing home abuse & neglect; medical malpractice; commercial & private aviation crashes; accidents involving semi tractor-trailer trucks, watercraft, & other motor vehicles; construction accidents, & negligently manufactured and/or...

Cameron knows no single approach works for every situation, so in addition to extensive experience as a litigator and trial lawyer, he has training in divorce mediator and in collaborative law. Cameron works with his clients to find the most appropriate approach. He looks for opportunities to utilize the elements of each process if he believes it will move a case toward a favorable resolution.

Cameron’s educational background includes a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law. He also holds a Certificate in Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution from Chicago-Kent College of Law and...

Welcome to the Law Office of Nirav S. Patel, P.C. We pride ourselves on being a different type of law firm; the kind of firm that focuses on the needs of its clients and understands their bottom line. We incorporate creative problem solving in order to achieve your goals. Our mission is to provide excellent legal services to each and every one of our clients. We are constantly in the pursuit of perfection while representing our clients. Each of you can expect highly personal service with regular interaction with an attorney.

Criminal Appeals Attorney Omer Jaleel started Jaleel Law and focused his practice on criminal appeals because he realized as an appellate prosecutor that most people were not receiving the quality of legal representation that they deserved. So many times he saw arguments that should never have been made or arguments that should have been made that weren’t. It has been said that being an attorney is more art than science and that is even truer in appellate litigation. Appealing a criminal case is like a game of chess between yourself and the prosecutor where before each move critical analysis must...

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...

In 1987, after ten successful years as Chief Counsel to the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, Irene F. Bahr established the Bahr Law Firm, which in 2019 became the Bahr Anderson Law Group, LLC. Our firm is one of the few firms in Illinois that concentrates its practice in advising and defending members of the Beverage Alcohol Industry, from the smallest mom and pop business, to large national and international companies who wish to sell, manufacture, or distribute alcohol anywhere throughout the State of Illinois.

Irene has a national reputation for handling these matters in Illinois. Whether you are buying an existing...

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...

Daniel Ramon Chaidez is a life-long Chicagoland resident who grew up in the Northwest Suburbs. While attending Fenton High School, he participated on the Academic Team for three years, captaining his senior year, and played boys' volleyball all four years. However, he never lost sight of his ultimate goal of becoming an attorney. Even as a child, Mr. Chaidez was an active problem-solver for almost any situation and, as he matured, he discovered a great joy in helping other people. Growing up as a Hispanic in the United States, he noticed how difficult it was for Spanish-speakers to...

William P. Boznos is the founding attorney of Boznos Law. He brings a unique 360 degree perspective to its advice and advocacy. He has served as in house senior counsel for a Fortune 500 Company for over a decade. In addition, he has served as Director of Human Resources and Vice President of Human Resources for both privately held and large publicly held companies for years, including Harrah’s Casinos, the largest gaming operation in the world. This unique background gave him an unprecedented access to company CEO’s, human resources departments, and the corporate insight you need. He has represented both...

Hipple Law, P.C. specializes in bankruptcy and estate planning cases. We handle Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy cases throughout the Chicagoland area for individuals and small businesses. We serve clients located in Kane, DuPage, Cook, Will and Lake counties. BANKRUPTCY: Ms. Hipple's education and prior work experience sets her apart from other bankruptcy attorneys. She has extensive financial services industry experience, including working closely with numerous types of financially distressed small businesses. Ms. Hipple's education also includes an MBA, which is unique for the majority of attorneys. She has also handled numerous divorce cases which provides her...

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...

Julia A. Pucci, managing partner with Pucci Pirtle, focuses her practice in the areas of divorce and custody litigation. Ms. Pucci attended Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois where she received a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, in Sociology and Political Science. Ms. Pucci subsequently earned her Juris Doctor from St. Louis University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri. During her law school career, Julia taught legal research and writing as a teaching assistant and was also active in the mediation clinic where she obtained her mediation certification. As a certified mediator, she mediated court-ordered child custody matters and...

Owner and Principal Attorney at DLAW, PC As an attorney with more than 25 years of legal experience, Deanna Aguinaga Walker enjoys the flexibility that having her own law practice gives her. She is able to become personally involved with each of her clients, and she appreciates the opportunity to assist them on a wide range of legal matters. Deanna earned her Juris Doctorate degree from the Northern Illinois University School of Law in 1995. Since then, she has dedicated her career to meeting the needs of her clients. When you work with Deanna, you can expect her to provide legal advice...

Mr. Sowa was a Special Agent in the Illinois Bureau of Investigation, the State Police agency for investigating narcotics and organized crime, and later became an Assistant State's Attorney in DuPage County. Prominently active in the Kane County Bar, he is a member of its Criminal Law Committee and Courthouse Design Committee, and a lecturer on ethics and criminal law for the Kane County Bar Association Criminal Law Committee Seminars. Mr. Sowa is the past Chairman of the Criminal Law Committee.

Mr. Sowa manages our office in Geneva, handling cases in Kane, DeKalb, Kendall and outlying counties.

Mr. Sowa has extensive experience...

Although I have been in practice since 1987, I actually began my legal career as a clerk in a small Chicago law firm at the age of 15. I worked at this firm through high school, college, and law school and eventually as an associate attorney once I passed the bar. My position as an associate gave me much litigation and negotiation experience which I used in my next position as house counsel for an insurance company. This position increased my litigation skills and also improved my negotiation and client relationship skills. After several years, I left this...

Gus Kostopoulos is a former prosecutor with over 18 years experience successfully handling criminal defense matters.

We help people throughout the greater Quad Cities area, including Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, Davenport, Bettendorf, and surrounding areas. For a free personal injury, criminal defense, or family law case evaluation, please call (563) 265-1714.

I joined Spiros Law, P.C. in August 2024 after completing my education and gaining unique work experience. I earned my B.A. in History from The College of New Jersey in 2015 and later pursued my J.D. at the University of Illinois College of Law, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2024. Before my legal studies, I was a professional winemaker in New Jersey, which provided me with a diverse background and a unique perspective that I bring to my legal practice. While attending law school, I worked at the University of Illinois’s Family Advocacy Clinic. This legal aid clinic focuses on representing...

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...

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...

Former Will County prosecutor with over 25 years experience within the Will County court system. Past chairman of the criminal law committee of the Will County Bar Association. Capital litigation lead counsel certified by the Illinois Supreme Court.

Mr. Reeder fights for his clients bringing over 15 years of defending persons charged with violating the law to serve his clients. Mr. Reeder is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law and has a Bachelor of Arts in History and Philosophy. Mr. Reeder coached youth football for five years, participated in the American Pool Association, and founded a charity softball games between attorneys and the police department in Joliet which helped raise almost $3000.00 to help feed children in Will County.

Mr. Reeder served five years as an Assistant Public Defender in Will County at the felony,...

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...

Eric J. Blatti was born in the Joliet area and has since remained closely connected with the local community. After graduating from Joliet Township High School, he received his Associate’s Degree in Arts from Joliet Junior College. He continued his education and graduated cum laude from Lewis University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. Eric then attended the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, MI., where he earned his way onto the Dean’s List and was awarded his Juris Doctor in January of 2008. Eric began interning for the Will County Public Defender’s Office in April of 2007....