Woodland Lawyers

Over twenty eight years of legal experience working with businesses on the issues they face daily during their business cycles. I act in the capacity of an outside general counsel assisting business owners to make smarter decisions, build stronger relationships and make and save money. I stress the importance of recognizing that correct legal answers alone do not necessarily translate into the correct best business decisions. I represent all types of businesses in every stage of their business cycles from start up through eventual sale. Specialties: The Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize certifications of specialities in the...

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,...

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,...

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...

Mr. Gountanis joined Therman Law Offices, LTD. directly upon completing his summer externship and graduating law school in November, 2010. Gountanis became one of Mr. Therman’s quick understudies, learning the art of aggressive negotiation, arbitration as well as trying cases to favorable verdict.

Mr. Gountanis received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin, Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Keller Graduate School of Management - Lincolnshire, and his Juris Doctorate from Western Michigan University, Cooley Law School at Grand Rapids, MI. He is admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), Chicago Bar Association (CBA) and...

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...

Attorney Peter Sullivan is a quiet fighter. He grew up on some pretty mean streets but, since being accepted into private high school in Jersey City, he has had a passion for intellectual pursuits, including languages, arts, world history and the law. He joined the business of the law as a proofreader for some of the best antitrust lawyers in America. Based on his insatiable engagement with content, he graduated to paralegal (without the need for paralegal training) and wound up managing their antitrust litigation office. Needing to be convinced that lawyers can actually do good, before attending law school...

My practice is focused on helping the individual. I represent individuals hurt at work or hurt by the fault of someone else who has been negligent. I help them navigate the often puzzling path against the mammoth insurance companies of the world and keep the bill collectors at bay while the client recovers from their injuries. I have tried numerous cases and am a Federal Trial Bar member. I also help individuals affected by an arrest or traffic ticket to get their life back to normal and assist them to retain their license. Last, I help individuals who have been affected by...

John L. GreenLeaf, Jr. has been in practice over 37 years representing consumers and businesses in Central Illinois. The firm concentrates in all forms of Bankruptcy, Business formation, and the preparation of Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning and administration of Probate Estates and Guardianships.

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...

b 1952, Graduate Northern Illinois University, 1980

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...

Otto S. Hurtado is an experienced family law attorney. He is certified as a Family Law Mediator and Guardian ad Litem. Mr. Hurtado is a Graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, and earned his Juris Doctorate from Northern Illinois, College of Law. Mr. Hurtado is actively involved in the Kane County Bar Association, participating in various activities such as, Ask A Lawyer Day, Lawyer in the Library, volunteer Judge for Mock Trial Competitions, and as a participate the Guardian Ad Litem training. Mr. Hurtado understands that no two cases are alike, and believes in tailoring services specifically for...

C. Dean Matsas [known as "Dean"], is the owner of "C. Dean Matsas & Assoc., PC," also known as: MakeItBetterLaw. Born and raised in Chicagoland, to Greek immigrants, Dean understands and appreciates the day-to-day struggles people and their families face. He is a licensed attorney for over 30 years and has extensive experience and knowledge of the law, concentrating in the areas of injury law and debt relief or bankruptcy, helping 100's of clients and their families over the years, to either receive compensation or to get rid of debt. He focuses on giving his clients personal and individualized...

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.

For more than 25 years, Marty Preiser has strived to protect working people who have been seriously injured by the negligence of others.

Mr. Preiser’s practice areas include injuries received from car, truck, train and motorcycle accidents, defective products, medical negligence, construction accidents, animal bites, slip and falls, defective premises, nursing home neglect, work-related accidents and injuries resulting in wrongful death. Mr. Preiser also represents people in complex litigation matters.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Preiser has successfully settled or tried many complex injury cases recovering millions of dollars in compensation for his clients.

Mr. Preiser began his career as a...

Mr. Louis Cairo is a senior partner at the law offices of GWC Injury Lawyers LLC and has been helping to fight for the rights of injury victims throughout Illinois for more than three decades. As the son of an Italian immigrant that owned a union construction company, Lou gained valuable insight and respect for the men and women that work in the construction industry. Having personally obtained more $1 million PLUS settlements in Illinois than any other lawyer in the state, Mr. Cairo is a highly skilled litigator that fights for the little guy. If you or someone that...

Timothy Richardson has been exposed to the law for virtually his entire life. His uncle served as a judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County, and his aunt served as a federal administrative judge for the Northern District of Illinois. He has followed in their footsteps with same determination and commitment to professional excellence, integrity, and respect among his peers in the legal community. In 2002, at only 34 years old, Tim received the distinguished honor from the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, being chosen as one of the "40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 To Watch." He has had verdicts...

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...

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...

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...

I am an experienced, client-focused, compassionate family law attorney. Please contact me today to discuss your legal needs at 630.665.7676. I practice family law in Cook, DuPage and surrounding counties.

I grew up in the northern suburbs of Chicago. I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and my J.D. from DePaul College of Law. I began my legal career as a defense litigation paralegal at Swanson, Martin, and Bell, LLP prior to law school. I received a Child and Family Law Fellows award from the Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family...

John A. Sopuch III, a trial lawyer with a history of winning some of the nation’s biggest verdicts, has joined The Collins Law Firm as Of Counsel.

In 2002, the National Law Journal recognized John’s nearly $43 million verdict (in Miami Cigar v. UST, et al., a business fraud case) as among the top 100 verdicts in the nation that year. In 2004, John did it again, with his $30 million verdict in a breach of contract case, Basic Capital Management Inc. v. Dynex Commercial, Inc.

Hailing from St. Louis, MO, John was born on March 21, 1965. Attending prep school at...

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...

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...

LEAD ATTORNEY MARIO PALERMO
In this industry, where results count, attorney Mario Palermo has consistently delivered. Mr. Palermo’s 21 year track record speaks for itself. In both 2015 and 2016, Mr. Palermo was awarded the prestigious Litigator Award. The Litigator Award represents the highest honor in Trial Law, and stands as the nation’s most coveted symbol of litigation achievement. The Litigator Awards are based on actual “Verdict and Settlement” dollar achievement rather than peer popularity, making it the most rigorous and objective award ratings anywhere. Those awarded join an exclusive fraternity of Superstar Lawyers who have won Million, Multi-Million, and Billion...

Ann Leone is originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Psychology. She then attended The John Marshall Law School and received her Juris Doctorate. She has worked in various government agencies, including the Department of Children and Family Services and The Cook County Office of The Public Guardian as a Guardian ad litem. Through these agencies, she gained invaluable experience working on various complex juvenile immigration cases and handling many domestic relations cases, including custody disputes and divorces. Additionally, she has worked with numerous non-profits, specializing in...

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...

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...

Rachel graduated magna cum laude from the North Carolina Central University School of Law. She was the Editor-in-Chief of the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Law Review, for which she was awarded the Judge Herbert L. Richardson Award for her outstanding service. Throughout law school, Rachel worked with the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Legal Aid of North Carolina, and the Law Offices of Ann Marie Vosburg. While with the Federal Public Defender’s Office, Rachel assisted in gaining the voluntary dismissal of a case against an individual who had been wrongfully civilly committed for...

Danya is an Illinois business attorney focusing her practice on mergers and acquisitions and franchise law. When working with her clients, she not only focuses on the legal aspects but the human and practical impact on her clients' lives as they make major decisions that affect them and their families.

Michael V. LoCicero has practiced law in DuPage County for over three decades. Michael's dedication to the community includes volunteering in local education, sports, and government programs. As a seasoned attorney, he believes in personal service at a reasonable price and dedication to cases from start to finish. Michael values open communication with his clients by keeping them fully informed about case matters, providing advice, and ultimately helping clients make the best, fully-informed decisions possible. Michael's problem solving and cost-effective approach allows him to reach client goals as quickly as possible at a reasonable rate.

Tax planning, Tax disputes, business planning, tax, estate planning and estate administration and litigation practice in Oak Brook, Illinois

Sutter Law Group, LLC is a group of highly respected lawyers founded by Mark Sutter. Our Chicago & DuPage County attorneys are dedicated, accessible and communicative with the client through every step of the case. Together with the assistance of strategic partnerships across the country, Sutter Law Group, LLC has the capability to offer legal counsel and referral assistance to clients in all areas of law.

J. Richard Kulerski is a partner in the Oak Brook (and downtown Chicago) divorce law firm of Kulerski and Cornelison. Richard has over four decades of trial experience in the divorce courts of Cook and DuPage counties, IL. and is a Harvard trained mediator and settlement negotiator. Richard and his partner, Kari Cornelison, are staunch advocates of the settlement approach to divorce and both are active in divorce mediation, collaborative divorce law and in the rapidly growing cooperative divorce movement.

Walter R. Jackowiec III has been practicing law for 30 years and founded Walter R. Jackowiec III, P.C. in 1984. He concentrates his practice in divorce, family law, orders of protection and domestic violence matters in the counties of DuPage, Kane, Will, Cook and Kendall Counties. He has extensive litigation experience and has litigated numerous trial and hearings involving complex issues. His experience in trial work ranges from domestic violence trials, order of protection hearings, divorce trials, child support and custody hearings.

Kari Cornelison is a highly experienced divorce attorney and court-certified mediator with over 20 years of courtroom expertise. She specializes in collaborative and cooperative divorce law, offering clients compassionate and effective legal solutions. Admitted to the Illinois and Florida bars, Ms. Cornelison holds a Juris Doctor from John Marshall Law School and has extensive training in mediation and family law. A co-founder of Illinois Cooperative Divorce Lawyers and a fellow of both the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, she is dedicated to resolving family disputes with minimal conflict. She is also a contributor...