Top best L Lawyers in Lake Forest | 159 available

Uniquely qualified Attorney specializing in Estates/Trusts, Probate, Business. Formations, Real Estate Transactions and Closings who also holds the following professional designations:. * CPA- Certified Public Accountant. * CFP- Certified Financial Planner. * CLU- Chartered Life Underwriter. * ChFC-Chartered Financial Consultant. Please feel free to call for a FREE initial consultation.

Understanding that reaching an equitable financial settlement is a priority for clients, Carlton Marcyan, a partner of the firm and a certified public accountant and financial planner, applies his business acumen to financial discovery, analysis and litigation. With a focus on preserving assets, he guides clients to strategic decisions that have a positive return. Well-regarded by the business community and judges, Mr. Marcyan represents high-level executives and their spouses.. Known for his respectful style, Mr. Marcyan believes that listening carefully to clients and working together with them makes for a stronger case. He emphasizes matching the right divorce process to the client's needs. An experienced litigator, Mr. Marcyan has also been a leader in collaborative law.. Prior to joining Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP, Mr. Marcyan worked for Coopers & Lybrand, one of the largest international accounting firms, and the Internal Revenue Service. His accounting expertise enables him to evaluate businesses objectively and quickly understand financial circumstances that elude other divorce lawyers.. A graduate of the John Marshall Law School, Mr. Marcyan received his bachelor's degree from DePaul University and completed his MBA, with honors, at the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. He is a Fellow of both the American and International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and a member of the American Bar Association, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Illinois Society of CPAs, and Financial Planning Association. He is the past president of the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois.  He currently serves as the president of the Lake County Bar Foundation.. Mr. Marcyan is listed in Best Lawyers of America, named a Leading Lawyer by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company, selected an Illinois Super Lawyer, and honored as the 2012 Chicago Family Law "Lawyer of the Year" and the 2014 and 2011 Chicago Collaborative Law "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers in America.. He is the author of numerous articles and presents programs throughout the country on topics including trial practice, financial and tax aspects of divorce  and collaborative law.

Steven M. Chanley has over 30 years' experience concentrating on representing businesses in employment litigation and advice matters. His practice focuses on litigation and legal advice regarding Wage-Hour Claim Defense; Wrongful Discharge; Retaliation; Employment Discrimination; and Trade Secret Misappropriation.

Sonia E. Pasquesi is a skilled and resolute attorney who provides strong, client-focused representation in divorce and family law. She combines her deep understanding of the law with a tactical approach to address the personal and complex challenges her clients face. Sonia is a firm and strategic advocate, ensuring her clients are informed of their options while pursuing resolutions that protect their interests. Her persistence and dedication inspire confidence, making her a trusted partner in navigating difficult legal matters.. Sonia’s legal career includes significant experience at a medium-sized law firm representing major lenders in foreclosure and bankruptcy cases. This background gave her a strong foundation in complex financial matters, which she now leverages in intricate divorce and family law cases. Additionally, Sonia clerked for the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit and a Federal Judge, gaining valuable insights into judicial decision-making that enhance her advocacy strategies.. Admitted to practice in Illinois and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Sonia is an active member of the Lake County Bar Association and the Association of Women Attorneys of Lake County. Her expertise and commitment make her a trusted advocate for her clients.

Since 1996, I have represented everyday people from all walks of life against large corporations and insurance companies and have won large verdicts and settlements in difficult cases personal injury, medical malpractice and workplace negligence.

Robert Reda obtained his Bachelors Degree in Economics & Political Science, with a minor in Finance from Drake University in Iowa.  Mr. Reda attended John Marshall Law School in Chicago where he acquired his Juris Doctorate.  He immediately took the Bar Examination, opened his law firm and began practicing law in Chicago, Illinois.  As a lawyer with Reda & Des Jardins, Ltd., he manages the firm and represents a myriad of clients within the business community.  Robert has formed, merged, divested and dissolved hundreds of companies.  He has worked with clients as large as Citibank and the Illinois Toll Highway Authority to as small as his grandfather’s retail store.  In addition, Robert has worked with the real estate development community, including banks, developers, and end users in the acquisition, development, and sale of parcels from small six flats to hundred million dollar portfolios.  Robert has also litigated in numerous federal and state courts throughout the country, covering a variety of cases and issues.  Aside from the workplace, Mr. Reda is actively involved with multiple professional and civic organizations and continues his interest in sports and other recreational outdoor activities. If you are looking for a lawyer, who is versatile, actively engaged, and someone who cares, then Mr. Reda is the person to handle the issue on hand.

No nonsense, straight forward legal representation and litigation.

My office is in Lake Forest, but I've closed deals in Chicago and every collar county, so whether you're in Barrington or Berwyn, Lake Villa or Lockport, Wheaton or Waukegan, I am ready to assist you in your home purchase or sale.. I have closed hundreds upon hundreds of real estate transactions in the Chicagoland area since 1999.  I work to ensure that every client in a real estate purchase or sale receives my personal attention, is treated with respect, and knows that I will do my utmost to guide them to a successful closing. Prompt, professional, personalized service.

Michael S. Sabath is a distinguished litigator with over twenty-five years of experience in all areas of family and matrimonial law, including matters involving complex financial issues, corporate valuations, non-marital asset protection, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, as well as child custody, support, and visitation (including grandparent visitation).. Mr. Sabath is the managing partner of Berger Schatz’s Lake Forest office and has been a partner with Berger Schatz for over fifteen years.. A skilled negotiator, Mr. Sabath assists clients in reaching favorable settlements without the necessity of trial when possible. Mr. Sabath also regularly represents clients successfully in trials and appeals.. In 1999, Mr. Sabath was one of the youngest attorneys ever nominated as a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (Illinois Chapter). He has been selected for inclusion in Illinois Super Lawyerseach year since the inception of the designation, and named to the Leading Lawyer Network each year since 2004. He has earned a peer rating of BV Distinguished by Martindale Hubbell and also recently recognized and included in Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer review publication in the legal profession.. Mr. Sabath is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and Lake County Bar Association; was past co-chair of the Family Law Committee Young Lawyers Section of the Chicago Bar Association and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (Illinois Chapter, and past Illinois Chapter Board of Managers of the Illinois Chapter of the Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers).

Lori Carver Hershorin, a Partner of Hershorin & Henry, LLP, has extensive experience in litigation matters involving lender liability, title, equitable subrogation, lien priority real estate issues, mortgage fraud, mechanics liens, escrow, negligence and insurance bad faith. She also is a certified Court-Mediator for Orange County, Los Angeles County and Riverside County as well as an Arbitrator for the Orange County and Riverside County Bar Associations for attorney’s fee disputes.. Mrs. Hershorin has successfully defended 28 out of 28 Appeals. She is responsible for the first published decisions in the State of California concerning the definition of “lack of access” under a title insurance policy and sub-escrow duties of a title insurance company, found in the published decisions entitled Magna Enterprises v. Fidelity National Title Insurance Co. (2002) 122 and Markowitz v. Fidelity National Title Insurance Company (2006) 142 Cal. 508.. Mrs. Hershorin began her legal career in 1991 at the prestigious Law Firm of McDermott, Will & Emery. As an associate, she worked on fraud cases through trial, contract disputes, employment issues and real property matters.. She thereafter joined the Law Firm of Lewis D’Amato, Brisbois & Bisgaard wherein she worked on numerous mortgage fraud cases, real estate disputes and breach of contract cases. In 1995, Mrs. Hershorin became a member of the legal department of Fidelity National Title Insurance Company, a Fortune 300 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange. At that time, she was an Assistant Vice-President and Associate Counsel, and litigated hundreds of cases involving issues of real property (title and escrow), fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, insurance bad faith, business issues, breach of contract, complex business and partnership disputes, and probate issues. She also supervised outside counsel and provided legal advice on a regular basis to the title and escrow operations concerning all topics including labor and employment issues, business concerns, unfair competition claims, and employee theft. Mrs. Hershorin conducted several arbitrations and trials, and prepared for numerous trials that were settled before trial commenced. Mrs. Hershorin has conducted hundreds of depositions and has drafted all forms of pleadings and discovery.. In January 2000, Mrs. Hershorin was promoted by Fidelity to a Vice-President, Senior Litigation Counsel and Litigation Manager for the Southwestern Region. While continuing to litigate in the areas of real estate, title, escrow, insurance bad faith and business disputes, Mrs. Hershorin additionally assumed responsibility for the litigation departments in Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Her management role entailed supervising litigation attorneys and staff, interfacing with claims attorneys, developing budgets, controlling expenses and costs, and interfacing with upper management on pending and potential litigation.. Since 2003, Mrs. Hershorin has been the managing partner of Hershorin & Henry, LLP. She represents both corporate and individual clients on litigation, real estate title and escrow matters and currently advises several corporations. Moreover, Mrs. Hershorin has been retained by several clients to perform transactional work including drafting stock purchase agreements, corporate governance documents, employment handbooks, employment agreements, licensing agreements and severance agreements. During her tenure with Hershorin & Henry, LLP, Mrs. Hershorin has drafted and prevailed on several appeals. Moreover, she has provided coverage opinions on insurance claims and has been retained to investigate issues pertaining to title and escrow claims.. Mrs. Hershorin also formed Title Resolution Services, a title insurance claims handling/curative title resolution company (“TRS”) in June of 2008 and the company has processed over 3500 title insurance claims. To date, Ms Hershorin remains the Chief Executive Officer and TRS continues as a viable title resolution company.. During her career, Mrs. Hershorin has given several lectures on real property issues, developments in California law pertaining to the real estate industry, bad faith insurance litigation, and general civil litigation procedures.. Mrs. Hershorin was admitted to practice in California and Indiana in 1991. She was admitted to practice in the U.S. Central and Southern District Courts of California in 1992.. Mrs. Hershorin obtained her Juris Doctor degree from Indiana University School of Law in 1991where she was honored as a “Note Development Editor” for the Indiana Law Review, and was honored with the Order of the Barristers-Moot Court Society. Mrs. Hershorin was named as Women of the Year in 2010 and 2011 from the National Association of Professional Women.

Kristin M. Howeth is a tenacious and strategic attorney specializing in divorce and family law. She is known for her ability to develop creative, practical solutions that align with her clients’ goals. A skilled litigator, Ms. Howeth has successfully handled complex family law cases, earning a reputation for her persuasive oral and written advocacy. Her clients trust her to navigate the legal process with confidence and precision, addressing challenges as they arise.. Ms. Howeth’s diverse legal background includes experience in civil litigation and criminal law, which enhances her ability to tackle multifaceted family law issues. She previously served as a Legal Writing Teaching Assistant at the John Marshall Law School, a role that refined her analytical and writing skills. Her tenure in the Criminal Appeals Division at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office further strengthened her expertise in crafting compelling legal arguments.. Recognized as a Rising Star by Illinois Super Lawyers in 2022, Ms. Howeth is also a co-author and presenter at the Lake County Bar Association Family Law Conference. She is admitted to practice in Illinois and is an active member of the Lake County Bar Association and the Association of Women Attorneys of Lake County.

Kerri Ann Jaffe is an attorney with Jaffe Law Offices, located in Orange County, CA. She limits her practice to personal injury (including automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, dog bites, slip and falls, products liability, and other areas) and family law (including dissolution, child custody, child support and spousal support issues). To contact Jaffe Law Offices, send an email to or call.

Karen M. Schetz is a Partner at Steiner Howeth Pasquesi & Hatch, where she provides compassionate, client-focused representation in family law matters. With a background in psychology, Karen takes a thoughtful approach to understanding her clients’ unique family dynamics and tailoring her strategies to their needs. She is a strong advocate for resolving disputes out of court to reduce conflict and preserve family resources. When litigation is necessary, Karen is a skilled and determined advocate for her clients’ best interests.. Karen’s practice encompasses all areas of matrimonial law, including child custody, property division, maintenance and child support, financial discovery, and post-decree matters. She also drafts pre- and post-nuptial agreements and has extensive experience representing business owners, professionals, and their spouses in complex, high-asset cases. Her dedication and expertise have earned her recognition in Best Lawyers in America (2018–2024) and accolades from Leading Lawyers and Illinois Super Lawyers.. Karen is admitted to practice in Illinois and is an active member of the Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, and Lake County Bar Association. She is committed to guiding her clients through the divorce process with professionalism and care.

Joshua Jackson is a partner with Jackson Buckley & Pfanenstiel LLP. An experienced litigator and skilled negotiator, he focuses his practice on complex family law matters, including novel property division and support issues, interstate and international issues, business valuation, interstate custody disputes, trusts, tax issues, and orders of protection.. Hallmarks of Joshua’s representation are individualized attention, exceptional client communication, enthusiasm for tackling the most difficult legal issues, and working tenaciously to resolve his client’s problems using a strategic, practical approach. Joshua believes that having a mastery of the law, negotiation strategy, and trial skills is critical to successfully representing clients. Equally important, and often overlooked, is understanding people - what motivates them, what will convince them to accept a client’s position, and what will stop them from taking a harmful course of action. That is what many disputes are about at their core. Joshua utilizes his skills and experience to favorably resolve his clients’ disputes.. Family law cases, unlike most types of litigation, involve ever-changing facts. Successful representation requires strategic thinking and a broad skillset. Joshua collaborates with other attorneys to settle cases, but when necessary, litigates the most difficult issues presented in family law cases. He frequently represents clients who come from other attorneys and are dissatisfied with their one-size-fits-all approach. Joshua understands that all too often, attorneys have an always settle or always litigate mentality. One of the most important aspects of his representation is advising a client when to be aggressive and when to collaborate. “I will tell you when to tap the breaks and when to hit the accelerator.”. Among his many career achievements, Joshua has earned recognition to “The Best Lawyers in America” list since 2016 and was honored as one of Law Bulletin Media’s “40 Under Forty Illinois Attorneys to Watch” in 2018. Joshua has also been named to the Illinois Leading Lawyers list and to the Illinois Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers since 2014. He has been called upon as a speaker and lecturer on family law issues including tax issues, property division, bifurcation, and arbitration for bar associations and as a guest lecturer at DePaul University College of Law.. A published author, Joshua has written articles for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Law Journal Newsletters, and he has also co-authored the chapter on Marital Settlement Agreements for multiple editions of “Illinois Family Law: Property and Financial Aspects of Dissolution Actions” for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education.. Joshua’s notable post-law school training includes the Harvard Law School Negotiation Institute Workshop and the American Bar Association / National Institute for Trial Attorneys’ Trial Advocacy Institute.. An active leader in his community, Joshua has served as President of the Lake Forest Caucus – a non-partisan volunteer organization that identifies, vets, and slates individuals for community leadership positions including mayor, alderman, and school board. He served as President as part of four (4) years of service in that organization.

Jamie L. Rice is an associate in the Berger Kahn South Orange County office. Jamie focuses her practice on insurance coverage, examinations under oath, and labor and employment.. Jamie graduated from Chapman University’s Dale E. Fowler School of Law in 2019, ranking 4th in her class. During her time at Chapman, Jamie developed her legal writing and leadership skills as an Academic Fellow and Senior Articles Editor for Chapman Law Review. Prior to attending Chapman, Jamie graduated magna cum laude from Elon University in North Carolina as an English Literature major.. While attending law school, Jamie also worked as the Vice President of Content for ComicsVerse, a comics journalism website based in New York. Jamie’s legal experience includes a variety of practice areas, including experience with property data at CoreLogic, a judicial extern for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Honorable Mark D. Houle, personal injury and employment law at Rodriguez Apodaca, Attorneys at Law, and health care and corporate law at Pacific Dental Services.. In her free time, Jamie enjoys watching her favorite films, listening to podcasts, and going to Disneyland.

I'm a Christian. I believe in the inherent dignity of every human life because I believe we were each made in the image of God. I strive to treat everyone I meet with dignity, honor, and respect, and to make my practice about extending love and hope to those who are hurting and broken.

I take pride in my highly personalized approach which takes into account the individual needs and goals of each of my clients to create a custom tailored estate plan. My background as a C.P.A. and former IRS attorney, along with a 30-year legal career, complements my “straight talk” and strong technical analysis in leading clients through the estate planning, trust administration and estate tax maze.

I received my Juris Doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law. I have been practicing law for over 14 years with experience in all areas of family and matrimonial law, including custody and visitation, maintenance, child support, financial issues, adoptions and post decree actions.  I am a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, Lake County Bar Association, The Association of Women Attorneys of Lake County, and  Lake County Bar Association Family Law Committee.

I have been licensed in Illinois since 1974, practicing in the Cook County State's Attorney's office for 3 years (1974 - 1977); My family lived on Long Island, New York for several years, so I also became licensed in New York in 1981 and worked for several years in the Queens District Attorney's Office (1985-1986); we returned to Illinois in 1986 and I worked in the Lake County State's Attorney's office from 1987 to 1991.. I have been in private practice since 1991.  My practice is a general practice -handling adoptions primarily, residential real estate closings, probate, guardianship (both disabled adults and minors), juvenile matters, preparation of wills and trusts. I am also an experienced criminal defense attorney and will accept clients with felony or criminal cases, including DUI and traffic violations.

I have been in the real estate and legal field for over 35 years.  I obtained my real estate license in 1976 and became a real estate broker in California in 1980.  I fell in love with the law in the early 1980's and and became licensed with the California State Bar in 1983 passing the bar exam on the first attempt.  I spent the majority of my time consulting with individuals and businesses in these areas.  I have also been an Expert Witness in various courts in California.. I have been President and CEO of two businesses:  Farmers Market @Atrium Court in Newport Beach and Excel Steel in Adelanto CA.. I am not your conventional attorney.  I look for clients who want to resolve their problems.  I look for solutions and strive to help my clients, not add to their problems.  I am well known among the attorneys I come in contact with in my areas of expertise.  In 27 years, I do not believe that I would be viewed by other attorneys as anything but professional.  I treat them with respect and get respect in return.  The legal profession is not a game, it is a profession.  Am I successful?  You had better believe it.   However, it is because I am a professional at what I do.  Most of my clients have been with me for many years.  This website is great for producing new business.  However, I am looking for people who need help or a long term relationship. I hope that I can help you with your problem.

I embrace my role as more than just your attorney, but rather a guide for you in the domestic relations legal system. Whether the issue is simply a divorce, parenting issues, child support, spousal support, or understanding how a family business gets factored into a dissolution situation, going through the legal system is oftentimes one of the more difficult parts of your life.. I believe my job is not only to advocate on your behalf and fight in Court when necessary, but to assist you in weighing options, encourage communications when possible, and ensure that your best interest are being considered whether that be going to trial or working through a peaceable resolution. I believe that trial is always an option, but not necessarily the only option. I find my job, my role within the legal profession, to be profoundly rewarding in aiding people through such a troubling time in which I have unique experience and insight.. I have handled highly contested custody cases, high net worth cases, cases involving family businesses, and all other varieties of family situations.  I represent litigants in domestic violence situations, obtaining and defending against orders of protection.  I am a friend to the LGBTQ community and supportive of all versions of family dynamics that require legal services in the domestic relations legal system.. I am certified to serve as a mediator and also have had training in the collaborative practice. I am also experienced in the areas of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. I have been published in the ISBA Family law newsletter and the Illinois Bar Journal on a variety of subjects relevant to litigants and practitioners in the domestic relations field. I have tried and settled cases in Cook, Lake and DuPage counties.

I am a true advocate for my clients, their families and their businesses. I help them achieve their goals and I tirelessly pursue and offer solutions that give them peace of mind now...and for the future. I help them plan for LIFE and LEGACY.. With over 21 years of experience, I take seriously my role not only as an Attorney, but as a Counselor at Law. I LISTEN intently to my clients---noting their wishes, goals and dreams. It is only at this point that I then guide clients through a myriad of financial and legal decisions to enable them to effectively plan for their families and reach their goals. I assist clients with estate planning, including family protection, wealth preservation, charitable gift planning and values-based planning, as well as planning strategies for unmarried couples and divorced individuals. In addition, as a business owner myself, I also combine my legal expertise and acute business acumen to assist my clients in planning for the creation, growth and success of their businesses and nonprofits.

I am a husband and father of five daughters and one son. I have lived in South Orange County since 1991. My hobbies are reading, fitness, golf and spending time with my family and friends. I enjoy practicing family law as I find it very rewarding to help people in times of difficulty. Most of all I like winning. It never gets old.. I am very proud of the excellent staff I have. Each of them are caring people who desire to win your case.

Fredric Bryan Lesser has been continuously engaged in the private practice of law in Chicago and Lake Forest for 40 years as both a litigator and estate planner, representing individuals and families, and counseling owners and principals of privately held businesses. Over the years, he has developed a proficiency in drafting effective and efficient estate and trust documents. He also has a mastery of relevant tax issues, yielding real benefits and tangible results for his clients. A wealth of practical experience representing real people in the real world helps him to create a well-tailored plan for each client. He believes that estate planning should be practical and cost-efficient. "When we are working with a client to create a plan, we encourage them to keep the plan simple yet flexible enough to allow for unexpected developments. People need individual plans that suit their lives and their legacy." Rick is also licensed to practice law in Wisconsin.

David M. Lutrey is the managing partner of the Lake Forest law firm of Lesser Lutrey Pasquesi & Howe, LLP.  For the past 20 years, Mr. Lutrey has counseled individuals and corporate fiduciaries as a seasoned litigation attorney in the areas of trusts, estates, probate and guardianships.  He assists individuals in the creation of wills, trusts and other estate planning documents that preserve and transfer meaningful legacies.. In addition to representing individuals and corporate fiduciaries in their capacities as trustee, executor, guardian or agent, Lutrey also represents financial institutions in their own right with regard to the creation and implementation of trust and estate policy manuals, risk management strategies and employee training.. David Lutrey is a powerful and effective litigator and has chaired numerous trials in Lake, Cook and McHenry Counties as well as appearing in Federal District Court involving complex trust and estate issues.  His trial successes include a recent $1,000,000 undue influence award in the Circuit Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit in Lake in the estate of Augusta Gershman, deceased.  He has also been involved in numerous appeals addressing or creating new law, including the published decisions of the Estate of Helen Weiland, Deceased, and the Estate of Walsh, Deceased.. Lutrey is a respected and frequent speaker and writer on estate planning, administration and litigation issues. He served on the legal education and outreach committees of the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education’s Estate Planning Short Course from 2009-2016.  He is a member of the ISBA’s Trusts and Estates Section Council and the Chicago Estate Planning Council.  He is a Past President of the Lake County Estate Planning Council and recently completed his fifth consecutive term as Chair of the Lake County Bar Association’s Trusts and Estates Committee.. Lutrey is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (“ACTEC”) and Litigation Counsel of America (“LCA”), and was an adjunct trust and estate professor at Loyola Law School in Chicago from 2012 – 2015.  In 2015, Lutrey drafted portions of the Illinois trust legislation allowing distributions of trust in further trust (“decanting”).. David Lutrey is well known and respected by his peers. He was rated “AV” by both the bar and judiciary according to Martindale Hubbell; he was selected by Thompson Reuters as a “Super Lawyer” for the years 2014 through the present; and selected by the Law Bulletin Publishing Group as a “Leading Lawyer” for the years 2016 through the present.