Top Family Lawyers Near Me in Peoria Area

Yolanda obtained a Bachelor's of Science in Speech Communication and Criminal Justice from Illinois State University. She earned her Juris Doctorate at Southern Illinois University School of Law. She is a Peoria Native who is very passionate about her work and advocating for her clients. She is a former Staff Attorney of a sizable firm, that handled cases in nine central Illinois counties, where her areas of practice generally included Expungement/Sealing work, Post Criminal Conviction Relief, Family Law, Landlord -Tenant cases, Orders of Protections and Guardianship matters.. In addition, she spent time in a smaller private practice where her primary focus was Family Law, Criminal Defense and Expungement/Sealing cases.. She then moved on as a Litigation Attorney with Kavanagh, Scully, Sudow, White & Frederick, P.C., where her primary focus was in Civil Litigation, Criminal Defense, Expungement/Sealing, Family Law and Estate Planning.. She is now a solo practitioner building her legal practice in the Central Illinois area.. Yolanda is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Peoria County Bar Association where she is an active member and current Chair of the Diversity Committee, general member of Prairie State Legal Services Peoria Campaign for Legal Service, Elite Community Outreach Board member, and general member of the Central Illinois Black Bar Association.. Former board member on the Hult Center for Healthy Living,  former general member of the Tenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee, and former President of the Peoria Area Chapter -ACLU.. 2018 Recipient of the Doers of Deed Award; 2019 Recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drum major award; 2021 Pro Bono Attorney of the Year- Peoria County Bar Association; 2023 Peoria Role Model Project Recipient.

Sheryl Robertson is an associate with ME Law Group. Sheryl recognizes the importance of attorney-client communication and strives to quickly identify and understand her client’s issues and concerns. She takes a practical, no nonsense, approach to law in an effort to resolve her client’s problems in a timely and cost effective manner.. Sheryl is a “Navy brat” and was born overseas when her father was stationed in the Philippines. She has traveled the world over and is very adaptable to ever changing situations and circumstances. Sheryl utilizes this adaptability for the benefit of her clients.. Sheryl attended the University of Illinois, Springfield where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in History. She received her Juris Doctorate from Northern Illinois University College of Law, graduating Cum Laude. Sheryl focused her legal studies in Real Estate, Business Law and Family Law.Sheryl resides in the Metamora area with her rambunctious teenage sons.

Peoria attorney Morgan Coby believes family law is entirely unique from every other law out there. The difference, she said, comes down to the personal difference she is able to make for clients and their families.. “I believe that what I am doing really helps people and their families,” Ms. Coby said. “This is truly personal to me as well as my clients and I think this is why family law is such a great fit for me. I am invested in their cases and want the best for their families.”. Ms. Coby puts everything she has into each of her cases because she understands that the outcome will have long-lasting implications.. “I am very dedicated in anything that I do,” she said. “Family law especially because I know what I am doing has major effects of people’s lives for many years to come.”. Ms. Coby’s dedication helps her as she works with each client to set goals that they hope to achieve in court. She then does whatever she can to help them move on to the next chapter of their life.. “I want what is best for them and their family and will do everything I can to make sure that happens,” Ms. Coby said.

Paula Lorona works as a tireless advocate for her clients. She understands that legal issues involving family and criminal law are some of the biggest challenges people will ever face. We are here for you every step of the way. Call today for a free 30-minute consultation.

Ms. Eggert practices primarily domestic relations and family law including divorce, parentage, allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time, child support, relocation and post-decree modifications. She also does Estate Planning and Guardianship work.  Ms. Eggert practices primarily in Peoria, Tazewell and Woodford counties.  She often serves the court as a Guardian ad litem in Peoria and Tazewell Counties, having undergone significant additional training to become qualified in cases involving minors.. Before joining the firm, Ms. Eggert was employed by the State of Illinois, Office of the Commissioner of Savings and Residential Finance (now the Office of Banks and Real Estate) as Assistant General Counsel.  In her time with the State, Ms. Eggert gained a wealth of experience both civil and administrative, in the areas of financial regulation and administrative law. Ms. Eggert concentrated her practice on the regulation of mortgage bankers and brokers, and participated in extensive efforts to draft amendatory and enabling legislation. Following her time at the OCSRF, Ms. Eggert worked with a Chicago "gold coast" real estate developer and for BancTrust as Vice President of mortgage lending.. She spent several years raising her two children, and considers them her most significant accomplishments.. ·       Admissions. o   Admitted to Illinois Bar, 1994. o   Admitted to U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. o   Admitted to U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. ·       Education. o   University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI (B.S. in “The Law and Psychology of Abnormal Behavior” 1991). o   DePaul University College of Law -  Chicago, IL (J.D. 1994). ·       Community Involvement. o  Prairie State Legal Services, Borderless Pro Bono Project and Clinics Volunteer. o  Center for Prevention of Abuse, Board Member. o   10th Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee, Member and Help Desk Volunteer. o   Member and past President, Jewish Federation of Peoria. o   Member Illinois Supreme Court, Commission on Access to Justice, Forms Subcommittee. o   Chairperson, Peoria Holocaust Memorial Relocation Project. o   Board Member and past layperson Director of Advancement, Peoria Day School. o   Trustee and Vice President of the Sam J. Stone B'Nai Brith Covenant House. o   Past President of Bradley University Hillel. o   Past Chairperson of Peoria Forward. o   Past President of Hadassah of Peoria. o   Past President of PTO Peoria Day School. ·       Awards and Honors. o   2012 Illinois Legal Aid Online Advocate of the Month (November 2012). o   2012 PCBA received the prestigious ISBA McAndrew's Award in part for Divorce Clinics developed with Ms. Eggert through PCBA’s Pro-Bono Committee. o   2010 Peoria County Bar Association’s Volunteer Attorney of the Year. o   2005 National Leader of the Year, Hadassah International. o   2007 Jewish Federations of North America Tel Aviv One National Young Leader. ·       Professional Affiliations. o   10th Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee, Member. o   Peoria County Bar Association, past Board Member and Committee Chair. o   Illinois State Bar Association, Member. o   American Bar Association, Member. o   American Association for Justice, Member

Mr. Sapelli comes from a background in education, having taught Junior High School for eight years after achieving a Bachelor Degree in Political Science from U of A and a Master's Degree in Leadership from NAU. After returning to school and receiving his JD from the SJ Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah.

Marty Zalevsky is a proficient and effective family law advocate when you need it most.  As an associate attorney with The Law Office of Paula Lorona, she has been practicing family law and adoption law since 2010. She served on the Arizona Family Rules Committee for the State Bar and worked as an Assistant Attorney General for the Child and Family Protection Division, Child Support Services from 2010 to 2015.. Ms. Zalevsky graduated from Northern Arizona University summa cum laude in 2003 and received her juris doctorate in 2008. During law school, Ms. Zalevsky participated in the Phoenix Law Review and the Mediation Clinic. In 2009, she was recognized by the Volunteer Lawyers Program for her outstanding pro bono work serving the underprivileged and she is also a past contributing writer to Arizona Law Help on the topics of family law and juvenile law.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Attorney Candice M. Thomason is an Associate Attorney at Murphy & Dunn, P.C. She is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois and is a member of both the Peoria County Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association. Candice is a graduate of Valparaiso University School of Law, where she graduated with honors. She also earned her Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Valparaiso University.

Ann R. Pieper is an associate attorney at Kavanagh, Scully, Sudow, White and Frederick P.C. Ann regularly advises clients on policies and procedures to reduce litigation exposure, advises clients on concerns prior to adverse action, and litigates on behalf of her clients in court and at the administrative agency level. Ann's approach to law is practical and realistic as she aspires to identify her clients' problems and find workable and long term solutions. Ann and her family reside in Morton, Illinois.