Practice Areas

We are here to serve you.

Whether you need help with state filings for your business or an estate plan for you and your family, our experienced attorneys are here for you.

Our Practice Areas

Estate Planning

 

Estate planning is more than creating a last will and testament. A proper estate plan will consider the management and distribution of all assets at death or incapacitation due to severe illness. We navigate the ever-changing web of tax legislation to help ensure your beneficiaries can receive your assets in the quickest and most cost-effective manner.

Some estate planning services include:

  • Wills

  • Trusts

  • Living Wills

  • Inter vivos gifts

  • Durable Power of Attorney

  • Medical Power of Attorney

  • Financial Planning

Business

 

Starting and managing a business can be overwhelming. Our experienced attorneys can help you decide whether to start a corporation, partnership, or LLC and provide guidance on the filings needed to create your legal entity. If your business is already up and running, we can help review legal agreements with suppliers, advise on breach of contract issues, and help with a whole range of business-related litigation.

Some business services include:

  • Business formation

  • Business filings

  • Contract negotiation

  • Employment discrimination

  • Commercial transactions

  • Real estate & business litigation

Corporate

 

From corporate governance to complex litigation, mergers & acquisitions to shareholders rights, your company needs an experienced, trusted advisor. Whether you are an entrepreneur or managing a global corporation, our attorneys are here to help.

Some corporate law services include:

  • Complex commercial litigation

  • Mergers & acquisitions

  • Shareholder agreements & disputes

  • Corporate governance

  • Regulatory compliance

Data Privacy + Cybersecurity

 

Data privacy and cybersecurity is not a new area of law, but it has become much more prevalent in recent years as more and more businesses are taking operations online. Data privacy includes preventing hacks or leaks, but it also means complying with various federal legislation, such as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), Stored Communications Act, (SCA), and the Wire Fraud statute (18 U.S.C. § 1343).

As technology changes, it is important to keep your cybersecurity practices up-to-date. What was a secure infrastructure years ago may be vulnerable to intrusion using today’s technology. Whether you are evaluating your security practices for compliance with privacy laws like the GDPR and CCPA or recovering from an attack, our experienced attorneys can help.

Some data privacy and cybersecurity services include:

  • Privacy and security assessments

  • Data breach preparedness and response

  • Risk and insurance advising

  • Trade secret theft

  • Internal audits

  • Computer fraud and abuse

Veterans Rights

 

Veterans deserve our respect and gratitude for their selfless service, and one way our country repays its debt is through various veterans benefits programs. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a wide range of benefits for veterans and their families, but navigating the government websites and forms can be difficult and frustrating. Our experienced attorneys, one of whom is himself a service-disabled Vietnam veteran, can assist with life insurance, estate planning, VA family health care, property tax reductions, and assisting veteran-owned small businesses with bids and contracts.

Some veterans rights services include:

  • Estate plans that take into account VA benefits

  • Health care for disabled vets

  • Health care for veterans’ families through CHAMPVA

  • Illinois property tax exemptions

  • Veteran-owned small business (VOSB) designation

  • Service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) designation

  • Contracting with the VA and non-VA agencies

Guardianships

 

A legal guardian is appointed to protect the interests of an individual and provide food, shelter, clothing, and education. Parents are, by default, guardians of their children unless another is appointed by the court. Often, disabled or otherwise incapacitated children need a legal guardian once they reach age eighteen. This guardian can be a parent or someone else—but it is not automatic. The guardian must file a petition, and it must be approved by a court.

Probate

 

Probate is a term describing the distribution of assets to heirs and beneficiaries at one’s death. If the deceased had a valid will, probate establishes the will as valid in court and allows distribution per the will’s language. If the deceased died intestate, which means without a will, assets are distributed according to the relevant intestacy laws of that state. These laws determine how the person’s assets are divided among his or her descendants

Even when there is a valid will, probate requires a period of time for creditors of the deceased to come forward before the assets are distributed. This process can be complex and time-consuming, especially in larger estates that include real property in multiple states. We realize that this can be frustrating for many families who are still grieving their loved one. Our attorneys will help guide you through the process with as little stress as possible.

Criminal Defense

 

As a business person or individual, when there is a knock on the door and you hear, "Federal Agent, I would like to talk to Mr. Smith,” what would you do? The answer is that you do nothing. You take the agent's card and give him the name of your lawyer. Why? Because when the agent makes a personal call on you, there has probably been a decision to file charges for some suspected violation. Do not try to talk your way out of it, do not try to outsmart him. The agent is a professional. The only thing you can do is make your situation worse.

Whether you suspect you will be charged or you have already been charged, our experienced attorneys can defend you. Our firm has experience defending both white collar and blue collar crimes.

Litigation

 

Criminal litigation often involves defending individuals or businesses from crimes that the state or federal government has charged them with. Our attorneys have extensive experience litigating white collar crimes such as fraud, bribery, Ponzi schemes, embezzlement, cybercrime, copyright infringement, identity theft, and Ponzi schemes. 

Civil litigation involves wrongs that are not classified “crimes” according to federal or state criminal codes. Contract disputes, personal injury and medical malpractice claims, landlord/tenant disputes, employment disputes, products liability claims, complaints against the government, and intellectual property disputes are common types of civil litigation. Whether a complaint has been filed against you or you are looking to sue someone else, our team of attorneys is ready to work for you. 

Bankruptcy

 

When an individual, married couple, or business is unable to manage its financial burden, bankruptcy is an option. Under Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy code, an individual or corporation's assets are liquidated and they can essentially start from a clean slate.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy is available for individuals who have a regular income but are struggling to pay off creditors and need to have their debts reorganized and consolidated. A benefit of Chapter 13 is that you are often able to retain mortgaged assets such as a home or vehicle, whereas they would likely be liquidated and sold under Chapter 7. 

Chapter 11 Bankruptcy is available for businesses that are no longer financially viable. Under Chapter 11, a judge approves a corporate reorganization plan that allows the company to stay in business and pay debts over a specified period of time. By restructuring the business, you are able to retain assets and continue paying employees and contractors. Additionally, there may be alternatives for your business under the Small Business Reorganization Act (SBRA), which was signed into law in August 2019. 

Filing for bankruptcy can have a significant impact on your financial future. However, for many, it is the only option to stop creditors from calling about overdue payments and give you a fresh start. Our experienced attorneys can help you decide which option is best for your specific situation.

Some bankruptcy services include: 

  • Filing petitions

  • Schedules of assets and liabilities

  • Schedules of current income and expenses

  • Statement of financial affairs

  • Bankruptcy litigation

 
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“The true measure of our character is how we treat the poor, the disfavored, the accused, the incarcerated, and the condemned.”

— Bryan Stevenson, Just Mercy