Top best L Lawyers in Peoria | 486 available

Joel N. Thurston, Mdiv, Esq., is the managing partner at Keist Thurston O'Brien Law Firm.  He opened a new second office location January 2017 in northwest Peoria.  Mr. Thurston has a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a Juris Doctorate from Arizona Summit Law School.  While in law school, Mr. Thurston was the president of the ASLS Christian Legal Society, which is how he met Steven D. Keist, a local member of the Phoenix chapter of CLS.  Joel Thurston is a Religious Studies faculty member at Glendale Community College, where he has taught the religions of the world and religious philosophy for more than 10 years; he is a founding elder of Journey Church in Peoria, Arizona, and an ordained minister.  "If you are looking for a bulldog, that's not me.  Bulldogs might look good in court, but they may not be as effective as you think in getting your case settled and resolved in the most efficient and beneficial manner possible for your situation.  That doesn't mean I am a pushover.  I know when it is appropriate and necessary to be an aggressive advocate, and I am not afraid of man.  The bible says to respect everyone, but fear God alone.  That's how I try to live.". Mr. Thurston has developed outstanding legal skills in the areas of Administrative Law (For example, Arizona Board of Fingerprinting/Arizona Department of Transportation), Adoption, Contracts, Family Law, Debt Negotiation and Settlement, Estate Planning, Employment Law, Business Law, Personal Injury and Criminal Law.  Mr. Thurston has negotiated multi-million dollar settlements and prepared estate plans for estates in excess of $5 million.. Probation. Mr. Thurston is a former probation officer for Maricopa County Adult Probation Department. He taught classes for both officers and offenders, and served on a committee where meetings with probation judges led to meaningful changes for offender sentencing. Mr. Thurston specialized in Intensive Probation Supervision (IPS), which is essentially house arrest and the highest level of felony supervision. Mr. Thurston is particularly glad to assist clients with all aspects of probation, including but not limited to criminal sentencing, pre-sentence report interviews, modifying probation clients off of specialized caseloads, early termination of probation, probation violation/revocation hearings, deleting deferred jail terms, and dealing with unreasonable probation officers. Attractive aspects of probation law are the affordability of the limited scope representation and having a knowledgeable probation attorney on your side, as you walk though a very volatile season of your life.. Mediator. Joel Thurston was certified as a justice court mediator in 2013.  He has successfully mediated dozens of civil disputes in a number of justice courts throughout Maricopa County.  Mr. Thurston enjoys the peacemaking opportunity of being a lawyer.  "When clients meet with me, they are often experiencing a lot of unsettling and painful circumstances.  I seek to be a source of peace and calm in the storm.". Life Verse. My life verse is Luke 4:18-19:. “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”. I love how I am able to live out God's call on my life as a lawyer.  I have studied the law my whole life.  I began with God's law, the foundation.  Then, I studied man's laws, which in their best forms reflect God's law.  When I was in college studying theology in the late '90s, I thought it would be awesome to have the heart of a pastor coupled with the mind and reasoning skills of an attorney. If you are looking for an attorney with a pastor's heart, I would like to serve you.  If you want a counselor who provides legal advice founded upon God's universal and timeless principles, then let me guide you through your legal troubles.

Joel E. Brown is a dedicated attorney in Peoria and the founder of Joel E. Brown, Attorney at Law. With over 20 years of experience, Attorney Brown is adept at handling a variety of very complex personal injury and criminal defense cases. At the firm, he focuses his practice on cases involving wrongful death, commercial vehicle accidents, car collisions, defective products, and workplace accidents. With every case, he works to provide personalized attention, consistent communication, and honest, straightforward legal counsel. He is a skilled and aggressive litigator, committed to fighting for the justice and recovery his clients are owed.

Jim has been affiliated with the Kavanagh firm since 2004, providing sole representation to most of his clients as well as collaborating on various cases. Jim’s 47 years of experience affords expert counsel to the rest of our attorneys on numerous matters. Born and raised in Peoria, Jim graduated from Woodruff High School in 1954. He served the next four years in the United States Navy Submarine Service, including a tour of duty in the Pacific. Following his military service, Jim graduated from the University of Illinois, Champaign, in 1962 and earned his Juris Doctor from the University Of Illinois College Of Law in 1964. In 1965, Jim opened his first law office in Peoria. In the decades to follow, he was a leading partner in several firms, including Hafele & McDade. He is admitted to practice before all Illinois courts, as well as area Federal and Appellate courts and the Supreme Court of the United States. Jim has served as Secretary of the Peoria County Bar Association and President of the Abraham Lincoln Inns of Court. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of Haute, a Peoria-based nonprofit group dedicated to developing entrepreneurship in African nations. Haute was founded by Ben Hafele, Jim’s son and a former Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa. Jim and his wife, Lynda, live off Koerner Road near the City of Peoria, where he enjoys family time with two grandsons. A past member of the Peoria Ski Club, Jim frequents the Colorado mountains each winter.

Jessica M. Cotter attended Thomas Jefferson School of Law while she worked as an intern for the Family Law Facilitators Office which she gained experience in Child Support and Child Support Enforcement. Upon graduation, she relocated to Glendale, Arizona. Ms. Cotter became a licensed attorney is 2003 and has been practicing since 2003 with her primary focus being family law. She has extensive experience in Title I-VD Child support matters as well as addressing issues involving the Soldiers and Sailors Act. Ms. Cotter is a mediator at the courts specific request, addressing custody and parenting issues. Jessica has received several awards including the Top Pro Bono Attorney award in 2007 and also Attorney of the Month award in November of 2006. Jessica currently practices at her own firm which she started in August 2007.

Jason Netzley is an attorney and mediator who concentrates his practice on criminal defense, family law, drivers license reinstatement, probate, wills, trusts, and estates. He is a graduate of Southern Illinois University School of Law and previously worked as an assistant state's attorney in McLean and Woodford counties. Jason is a Central Illinois native who grew up on a farm in Logan County and now lives in Morton with his wife and a house full of cats.

In our office, you will be asked to be a part of our team, as no one knows the facts better than you. Together we will gather all the evidence, hidden and apparent, the forgotten, and your discoveries. We will not pressure you to plead guilty, and we will brainstorm together to figure out the best course of action: trial or no trial.. Allow us the opportunity to fight for you today.

I was born and raised in Peoria, Illinois.   I attended the University of Illinois College of Business and upon graduation I headed down to Southern Illinois University School of Law in Carbondale.   During my time in Carbondale I was able to volunteer for two years at the Self Help Legal Center earning recognition both years for the amount of time I provided pro bono services.   I also volunteered my time with the Immigration Detention Project at the Tri County Detention Center in Ullin, Illinois. In my third year of law school I was asked to run the Self Help Legal Center, which I gladly did.. During the summer after my first year of law school I studied abroad in Ireland (Dingle, Galway, & Dublin) and in Wales. Classes ranged from International Criminal Law to International Intellectual Property.  This five week program was one of the deciding factors in choosing which law school to attend.. During the summer after my second year of law school I obtained a license to practice law under the supervision of the Peoria County State's Attorney, Jerry Brady.  Through this license I handled the Traffic docket nearly every day which ranged from first appearances to bench trials.   I also used my license in the Misdemeanor court room where I had bench trials and handled my first jury trial which we received a favorable verdict.  I also did research for Felony cases when I wasn't in court.. With this license, I returned to the Peoria County State's Attorney's office on my winter break from school to assist in the Traffic and Misdemeanor courtrooms. I also utilized this license during my Spring semester my third year of law school when I worked with the Williamson County State's Attorney's Office in Marion, Illinois.  I worked in Traffic and Misdemeanor Courts there as well.. Upon graduation and passing the bar, I returned to central Illinios and I am honored to be working at firm that I clerked for throughout college and part of law school.  I am happy to be back in Peoria and I am working with many attorneys who teach me about all areas of the law.

I prosecuted criminal cases and defended civil lawsuits against County government for twenty years and now I am bringing that experience to my private practice.  I handle a wide variety of legal matters affecting individuals, including employment law, criminal defense, DUIs, and personal injuries as well as most other types of litigation.

I have been practicing law for 16 years. I began my practice representing Plaintiff's in personal injury cases for five years. I moved to the defense side representing  trucking companies, small and large business and individual defendants in personal injury matters.  I practiced in Chicago for nine years and then returned to my home town of Peoria in 2007.  I have continued to devote my practice to litgation devoting most of my time to defending worker's compensation claims.   I practice in courts and venues throughtout the state of Illinois. I volunteer throughout my community having recently completed a five year term on the School Board for Peoria Public Schools.  I enjoy helping defendants, large and small, who find themselves in the stressful situation of being sued.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel and my purpose is to guide my clients through it.

I have always considered myself an advocate for those in need of assistance.  The practice of law is a perfect outlet for my thirst to assist individuals in many aspects of their lives.  Personal injuries suffered by innocent people and caused by careless tortfeasors can often leave people feeling ignored, confused and helpless.  While advocating for the injured, I am determined to create an even playing field with insurance company often too mindful of their bottom line than the injured.  At Hall, Rustom & Fritz, we work hard to make sure our clients receive legal protection, responsiveness and the timely resolution to their cases.

Gary received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and History from Denison University in 1974 and his Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University School of Law in 1977. He is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois. He is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois.. Gary joined Kavanagh, Scully, Sudow, White & Frederick, P.C. as an Associate in 1978. In 1982, he became Of Counsel to the Firm to accept the position of President and Trust Officer of a local bank. He rejoined the Firm full time in 1993 and became a Member of the Firm in 1995. Gary is a member of the Central Illinois Estate Planning Council. He also is a frequent speaker at Estate Planning seminars. He is a member of the Peoria County Bar Association and sits on its Real Estate Committee. In addition, Gary serves as legal counsel for various not-for-profit organizations in the Peoria area.. An area native, Gary is a graduate of East Peoria Community High School. He and his wife, Trina, reside in Peoria with their two children. Gary has been an officer and member of the Board of Directors of the East Peoria Chamber of Commerce, The Children's Home Association of Illinois, Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences Foundation, American Cancer Society, and the East Peoria Historical Society. He is also a member of the East Peoria Rotary Club.

Garth Madison is an attorney with 15 years of experience and provides appellate, civil litigation, and general business counsel services throughout Illinois.

G. Edward Murphy is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of Murphy & Dunn, P.C. and has been one of the best divorce, custody, and family law attorneys and lawyers in Peoria, Bloomington, and Central Illinois for the past 32 years. He knows how to litigate your case when necessary, negotiate favorably if possible, and win your case for you and your children in court. He is a skilled trial attorney, but also a capable mediator and problem solver.. He has been lead counsel running Murphy & Dunn, P.C. for the past 30 years since he was 26 years old and has been winning cases ever since. He and his firm have handled over 8,000 cases and he knows what he is doing. He knows the law, the other family law attorneys, and the family law Judges and uses those skills and his experience to obtain the best possible result for you and your family. He is the divorce and custody trial attorney you want on your side. Together with his team of attorneys and paralegals, they will do their very best to win your case.. G. Edward Murphy is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois, the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, and the United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. He is a graduate of Northern Illinois University College of Law, where he graduated 3rd in his class. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, and the Peoria County Bar Association. He serves on local family law committees and is a member of the family law section at both the national, state, and local levels. He is also a certified family law mediator. G. Edward Murphy is the lead attorney for the law firm and handles cases throughout the State of Illinois.. G. Edward Murphy has a history of success in all that he has undertaken. He was a successful student-athlete, excelling in sports as an All-State baseball player and golfer in high school, and pitching in baseball for Illinois Central College and The University of Iowa in college. In law school, he continued this level of success by graduating 3rd in his entire class, writing as an Editor for the Law Review, and competing in the Moot Court competition. This history of accomplishment in both academic and athletic arenas prepared him well for becoming the trial lawyer that he is. For the past 30 years, Mr. Murphy has continued to excel in all areas of family law. Each year he is repeatedly voted one of "Illinois Law and Leading Attorneys" in Family Law, a distinction given to only the top six percent of attorneys in the State of Illinois.. He is a respected member of the bar and a leading attorney in the family law arena. He can handle all areas of family law, including all aspects of custody and divorce, dissolution of marriage, legal separation, civil unions, gay and lesbian custody and divorce, farm divorces, child support, visitation, maintenance and alimony, hidden assets and income cases, relocation and removal, college expenses, high income, and high asset divorce cases, adoption, paternity, post-decree matters, and all family law related matters. He also handles family law appeals.

For more than 30 years, Dave has focused on representing people and their businesses in Arrowhead, Glendale, Peoria, Deer Valley and  Sun City.  He has had many of the same business clients for decades and now works with the second generation of the family members running those businesses.. Even the most complex issues can be handled by Mr. Brnilovich.  He has handled business buyouts and sales, partnership breakups and business mergers.  He has created companies and had them dissolved.  Most every type of real estate issue has been addressed by him.  He has represented buyers and sellers of land, homes, apartments, shopping centers and industrial buildings.  He has represented brokers and agents, lenders and investors, landlords and lessees.. Mr. Brnilovich has represented scores of clients in a wide variety of lawsuits in state and federal court such as vehicle and equipment financing, engineering and architectural disputes, illegal subdivisions, flooding and drainage issues.  He has tried cases involving Will contests, trust disputes, misrepresentation and fraud, trade name infringement; non-compete agreements, franchises and distributorships.. Many long term clients first came to Dave for a one hour consultation. Often, the person’s issues were resolved with common sense advice during that initial meeting.  Frequently, those same people have returned to Mr. Brnilovich or have referred others to him years later with more complex business or personal issues that required arbitration or a lawsuit.  Such long-term relationships have made him a common fixture in the West Valley.. He has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® for his work in real estate and holds an A-V Preeminent™ Peer Review from Martindale Hubble. (Meets very high criteria of general ethical standards.)

David is a corporate generalist representing small to medium-sized corporations and limited liability entities, and is engaged in tax planning, real estate transactional and end-stage capital and debt financing, and estate and trust planning and administration. He engages in commercial and fiduciary litigation on a limited basis.. He has the unique distinction of maintaining a satellite office in Toulon, Illinois, where he has concentrated on representing farm families and agricultural businesses for over 40 years; and through loyal client relationships, he is now dealing with several generations of the same family.. David resides in Peoria Heights, Illinois, with his wife, Margaret, and is an avid cyclist, sailboat racer, outdoor enthusiast, and has been a scuba diver for 40 years. He has two grown children and four grandchildren.

Darlene has received her Juris Doctorate from Arizona Summit Law School, 2015-2016. She fast-tracked her program in two years while maintaining her scholarship award and making the Dean's List. She is proud to be an alumni from Arizona State University and Glendale Community College. As a student she has been recognized for her scholarly accomplishments and has been selected for the Dean's List at both undergraduate schools. She has been certified as a Mediator while in law school and for Civics Education during her attainment of her Bachelors of Science in Political Science.

Christopher Sokn practices civil litigation, including trial and appellate practice, throughout Central Illinois.

Christopher A. Nelson is an experienced attorney and litigator who has helped thousands of people in the areas of Family Law, Juvenile Adjudication, Adoption, Guardianship, Criminal Law, and Traffic.. Mr. Nelson earned his B.S. from Illinois State University and his J.D. from Northern Illinois University College of Law. He is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois and is a member of the Peoria County Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.Mr. Nelson has a dedicated history of public service. He served with distinction for six years in the United States Air Force and the Illinois Air National Guard. Following his military career, in law school, he was the Vice President of the Public Interest Law Society (PILS) at Northern Illinois University, and a Semi-Finalist in the Mock Trial Competition.

Christa is a member of the Litigation Practice Group of O’Neil Cannon Hollman DeJong & Laing S.C. She assists businesses and individuals with prosecuting and defending a variety of civil litigation matters, including complex contract disputes, trademark and copyright claims, inheritance disputes, personal injury cases, and fraud and conspiracy claims. As a former federal district court law clerk, Christa is intimately familiar with litigation and procedures in federal court. She has also litigated matters in state court, as well as resolved cases through mediation. Christa is well-versed in a wide range of legal issues, including testamentary capacity and undue influence, constitutional law, debt collection laws, contract formation and enforcement, and procedural and evidentiary rules.. Court Admissions. · Wisconsin. · Illinois. · United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. · United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

Caleb Lihn is an attorney focusing on elder law, estate planning, disability and special needs planning, and probate. Using his knowledge, empathy, and creative solutions, Caleb enjoys guiding his clients through complex issues.. Caleb graduated from Arizona State University and earned a J.D. from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. After two direction-changing family issues – a mother with dementia and a daughter born with a significant congenital heart defect – he returned to law school and earned an LL.M. in Estate Planning and Elder Law.. Caleb serves on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Center for Disability Law and the Board of Directors for the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (“NAELA”), where he also serves as a member of the NAELA Journal Editorial Board and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.. Caleb is a two-time past President of the Arizona NAELA State Chapter Board of Directors and a past chair of the Executive Council for the Elder Law, Mental Health, and Special Needs Section of the State Bar of Arizona. He serves on the State Bar of Arizona’s Council for Persons with Disabilities in the Legal Profession and is a member of the Planned Giving Committee at Desert Botanical Garden.. Through peer nominations and reviews, Caleb was selected to Arizona’s Finest Lawyers and presented with an AV Preeminent Rating by Martindale Hubbell for excellence in legal ability and ethics. Caleb has also been selected as a Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers magazine each year since 2019.. Caleb is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Western New England University, College of Law, and was asked to design and teach a law school course in Special Needs Trust Administration.

Bruce Thiemann is a member of Kavanagh, Scully, Sudow, White & Frederick, P.C. He has practiced law in Peoria since 1978. Bruce joined the firm in 2005 and previously practiced as a sole practitioner. Civil litigation, corporate, real estate, insurance defense, licensing, trust and estate, and municipal cases and clients have all formed Bruce's area of concentration. A fourth generation Peorian, Bruce is a 1967 graduate of Woodruff High School. Following high school he attended Cornell College and Illinois State University before joining the Army where he served a Helicopter Door Gunner with the 7th Squadron, 1st Air Cavalry Regiment in Vietnam in 1969. Following service, Bruce attended Illinois Central College, Bradley University, and Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History in 1975. Bruce then attended Southern Illinois University School of Law, New England School of Law in Boston, and Washington College of Law of the American University in Washington, D.C. where he received his Juris Doctor Degree in 1978. He is admitted to practice law in all Illinois State Courts, and is admitted in the United States Supreme Court, Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the Central and Northern District Federal Courts. A resident of East Peoria since 1986, Bruce and his wife, Teri, have two children, Bob and Maggie. Bruce has been active in local Veterans' activities including spearheading the WWI and WWII Memorial on the Courthouse Square in Peoria, Illinois.

BRITTA J. JOHNSON is an attorney at Prairie State Legal Services, Inc. Britta obtained her J.D. from University of Illinois College of Law, where she received the prestigious Rickert Award for her trial team accomplishments and public interest work. She earned her B.A. with high distinction from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a major in Global Studies, concentration in Human Rights. Britta serves as co-chairperson of Prairie State's Housing Law Task Force (HLTF). As a HLTF chairperson, she is responsible for being the point person on substantive legal issues, monitoring emerging legal problems, and developing responses and strategies for the firm. Before entering the legal world, Britta lived and researched human rights issues in several countries including indigenous communities in Ecuador, Tibetan refugee sites in India, and the West Bank. Britta’s education and background form her interest in litigation that intersects areas of poverty law and human rights.

Brian Mooty is a member of the law firm of Kavanagh, Scully, Sudow, White and Frederick P.C. Brian was admitted to the practice of law in Illinois in 1986. He concentrates his practice in real estate law and represents both buyers and sellers of residential and commercial real estate. Brian also assists many clients with commercial real estate issues including sales and acquisitions, leasing, property tax assessments and exemptions, development, subdivisions, zoning, environmental problems and status of title and title insurance. Brian's real estate practice also includes public housing and the development of mixed finance affordable housing and local government law. Brian's firm is an agent of the Attorneys Title Guarantee Fund and he has personally acted as title agent on numerous transactions and has issued many real estate title commitments and title policies as a title agent. He has an extensive practice assisting landlords with leasing and evictions. Brian also represents condominium and homeowners associations.

Bob Gates is an attorney with Kavanagh, Scully, Sudow, White & Frederick P.C. in Peoria, IL .. Bob concentrates his practice in civil and commercial litigation; estate planning and administration; real estate; commercial transactions; taxation; local government law; and school law.. Prior to joining Kavanagh, Bob represented the City of Chicago as an Assistant Corporation Counsel.  While with the Chicago Department of Law, Bob represented the City in civil litigation matters focusing on tax and revenue litigation.  He also advised City departments on legal and policy issues involving constitutional law, taxing authority, tax objections, land-use planning, water management and sales, public employee pension rights and financing, economic development financing, and municipal powers.  Bob represented the City of Chicago before the Department of Administrative Hearings, Circuit Court, and the Property Tax Appeal Board.. Before law school, Bob was an economic development professional in the greater Cincinnati area.  He coordinated the economic development efforts of over 19 political jurisdictions, developed business attraction and retention strategies for each, and negotiated tax incentive agreements between the State of Ohio , local communities, and expanding businesses.. Bob earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from Miami University ( Ohio ). He is a cum laude graduate of The John Marshall Law School, having graduating in the top 5% of his class and was a member of The John Marshall Law Review.. While in Chicago, Bob was the President of the Andersonville Development Corporation and a member of the Board of Directors of the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce.. Bob is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Peoria County Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, and various civic organizations. He is also a member of the Illinois Council of School Attorneys.. Although Bob grew up in Crystal Lake, Illinois, Bob's family has deep roots in Peoria . He is also married to a native Peorian, Lisa (Frank) Gates.

Board Certified Attorney by the American Board of Certification, Creditor's Rights Law; Sustaining Member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, Licensed to practice in all Courts of the States of Arizona and Texas, Licensed in the United States District Courts, Northern District of Texas and District of Arizona, Licensed to Practice before the United States Supreme Court, and Courts of Appeals, Ninth and Fifth Circuits.