Hillcrest Lawyers

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...

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...

Ms. Magaña has extensive experience in criminal defense, including traffic, misdemeanor, and felony offenses. Additionally, she represents individuals in formal and informal hearings before the Secretary of State's Office.

Chuck’s law practice includes both family law and civil litigation. Equally at home in divorce court as he is in front of a jury protecting his clients' rights, Chuck enjoys the challenges which arise from doing both kinds of work.

Chuck is proud of his appointment as a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Academy Fellows are widely recognized by judges and attorneys as preeminent family law practitioners with the highest level of knowledge, skill, and integrity.

There is no substitute for preparation, and a great deal of Chuck’s daily schedule includes meetings with clients and staff. Availability to clients...

Attorney Sean P. Sullivan earned his Juris Doctor in 2009 from Western Michigan Law School. After graduating from law school, and passing the bar, Sean spent a year working in the General Counsel’s Office for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation assisting in policy decisions, internal administration, and enforcement of professional licensing. Sean then had the opportunity to work for some of DuPage County’s best-known names in family law before joining a DuPage County general practice firm as its senior family law and litigation counsel.

Sean specializes in highly contested matters, be it divorce cases or business disputes. Sean...

Scott W. Brammer grew up in Crystal Lake, Illinois. He attended Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. After graduating from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 1992, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree, Mr. Brammer was admitted to practice law in the State of Illinois. That same year, he was also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Scott has spent over 30 years as an attorney in McHenry concentrating on Family Law, Residential and...

Prior to entering private practice as an attorney in 2015, Mike worked at the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office for over 11 years, handling all types of felony, misdemeanor and traffic cases. Prior to becoming a prosecutor, Mike served as a clerk at the State's Attorney office conducting motion writing and legal research. As an Assistant State's Attorney, he has prosecuted thousands of cases including traffic, DUI, financial crimes, Drug crimes and Assaults and Batteries and other violent crimes. Mike served in the Traffic, Misdemeanor, Juvenile and Felony Division. He has conducted hundreds of trials and hearings involving traffic...

Raleigh is the Past President of the DuPage County Association of Women Lawyers, the Past President and a current Board Member of the DuPage County Bar Foundation, a Past-Editor-In-Chief and current Editor for the DCBA Brief Magazine and a member of the following organizations: DuPage County Bar Association including the Family Law Committee, and Illinois State Bar Association. Raleigh received her Bachelor of Science from Purdue University in 1993 and graduated from Quinnipiac University School of Law in 2001. Raleigh is a solo practitioner in Wheaton, IL. The firm handles matters in Wheaton, Kendall, Kane, Will, DeKalb, and...

Nick Kulagin is a dedicated family law and estate planning attorney who has represented residents of DuPage County and Kane County for 15 years. Based in Wheaton, Mr. Kulagin works diligently to protect his clients’ families, homes, and businesses. He believes that successful advocacy begins with investigating each person’s particular needs. With a strong reputation in the legal community, he is committed to helping his clients understand their legal rights and options so that they can make fully informed decisions.

Mr. Kulagin attended De Paul University for his undergraduate studies, graduating with a Political Science degree. He went on to earn...

-Successfully completed over 2,200 estate plans ranging in size to $210 million. -Assisted in redirecting more than $150 million away from estate taxes and to charities and heirs. -Eliminated estate taxes in more than 450 estate plans which were otherwise taxable. -Conducted more than 50 briefings, seminars and workshops on estate and tax elimination planning. -Co-author of "Combining Life Insurance and Annuity Policies to Create a Financial Engine for a Nongrantor CLAT," Journal of Practical Estate Planning, CCH Incorporated, August-September, 2004. -Author of "Tax Elimination Planning", "The Ten Most Common Mistakes in Estate Planning", "How a Charitable Trust Can Save You Taxes",...

Margaret Galka joined the Collins Law Firm in 2018 as an associate attorney. She focuses her practice in environmental litigation and personal injury.

Margaret graduated Magna Cum Laude from Vermont Law School, where she concentrated on environmental and energy law. While attending law school, Margaret worked as a clinician in the Environment and Natural Resources Law Clinic and clerked for a prominent law firm in Burlington, Vermont. Margaret also served as a Co-Chair of the Women's Law Group and as an editor of the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law.

Prior to law school, Margaret graduated from the University of Vermont with a...

Scott A. Kent, a native of Western Pennsylvania, has been a partner at Martin & Kent, L.L.C. for more than two years. Prior to attending law school, he graduated Cum Laude from Northern Illinois University. Shortly thereafter, he earned his Juris Doctorate from the DePaul University College of Law in 1994. While in law school, Mr. Kent gravitated to the field of criminal law, even working as an intern with the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. Ever since, he dedicated his professional career to criminal law.

His experience in the field of criminal law has earned him a place in the...

If you are looking for assistance creating a will or living trust, or updating an existing estate plan, please contact the Law Offices of Robert J. Varak to start the process. Your convenience and satisfaction are the most important things to me. I will be happy to come to your home during the day or in the evening to make things easier for you, and I am always available directly to answer your questions. I will give you candid, up-front advice about your options, the costs, and what to expect from the experience of making an estate plan....

Chris graduated from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville, in 2012 with a Bachelors of Science in Education degree in Sports Management and minors in Business and Political Science.
Chris graduated from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law in May of 2016 and sat for the Bar Examination in July of 2016. Chris was admitted to the Illinois Bar in November of 2016. During law school, Chris held several internships: one with a Civil Litigation firm in Glenview; another with the City of Naperville, where he had his 7-11 License and assisted the City Prosecutor in Traffic Court and DUI Court; and...

Attorney Robert M. Kaplan has been practicing law for more than 20 years. He is dedicated to assisting clients with family law, real estate law, bankruptcy law, estate planning and probate matters. After receiving a degree in law from The University of Florida College of Law in Gainesville, and working as a Public Defender in Miami, FL, Attorney Kaplan made the move to Illinois to start his own practice in 1991.

Ted Donner (Attorney) started his legal studies at Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 1987 after a ten-year stint as the box office manager of The Second City in Chicago. His professional experience since then includes work as a law clerk for Corboy & Demetrio, P.C., a summer internship at Welsh & Katz, Ltd., and work as an associate with Rock, Fusco, Reynolds & Garvey, Ltd. Before opening Donner & Company Law Offices LLC, he was an Associate and then Of Counsel to the litigation practice group at Altheimer & Gray, where his practice was concentrated in insurance...

Jeffrey S. Keller founded his law firm in 1994. Mr. Keller concentrates his practice in the following main areas: Litigation, Divorce/Family Law, Real Estate, and Business Law.

Matthew L. Hess has handled thousands of insurance claims and hundreds of lawsuits over the past fifteen years. Before becoming an attorney he worked for one of the nation’s largest multi-line insurance carriers where he learned just how poorly insurance companies treat the victims of their insured’s negligence. He also learned how to beat them at their own game. Mr. Hess has won numerous awards and accolades for trial advocacy and alternative dispute resolution and is a 2017-2022 “Super Lawyer” and “Rising Star” as awarded by Super Lawyers magazine. Mr. Hess firmly believes that being an attorney is a privilege that comes...

Thomas has over 22 years of experience serving clients with respect and compassion in family law and real estate purchases and sales. Thomas has the experience and skill to handle both complex and more routine matters. He comes from a divorced family, which inspired him to become a family law attorney, Guardian ad Litem and mediator so he can help other families who are facing these similar difficult experiences. Thomas is also divorced with two children from his previous marriage and is remarried with a step-daughter, and these experiences help him understand and advocate for his clients in matters including...

A graduate of University of Illinois and DePaul University College of Law, Attorney Anthony Abear has been practicing law for almost two decades. He began his legal career in the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office. A former felony prosecutor, Mr. Abear gained valuable experience in investigative interviewing and litigation.

In 2003, Mr. Abear established his own firm, Abear Law Offices, which is dedicated to family law matters. Mr. Abear brings the skill set of a prosecutor into his family law practice. He offers clients aggressive representation and is not afraid to go to court to argue on his clients’ behalf. ...

I am an attorney licensed in Illinois and take cases in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Will, Kendall and other Chicago metropolitan area counties. I focus my practice on criminal records law (i.e., expungement, sealing and clemency) and would be happy to talk to you about your legal needs in this area!

Dickson Law Group is a full service law firm serving individuals and small businesses in McHenry, Kane, Lake, DuPage, and Cook counties.

Attorney Robert (Bob) Canfield was born and raised in Rockford, IL. He graduated from Guilford High School in 1965. After joining the Army in February of 1968, he went on to Army flight school and graduated 2nd in his flight class. He spent a year in Vietnam flying CH-47 Chinook helicopters for the 101st Airborne Division and then returned to Fort Rucker, Alabama, as an Instrument Flight Instructor.

Following active Duty, he attended the University of Minnesota where he received his BA in psychology in 1976 and his Law degree in 1978. After taking and passing both the...

Midwest Legal Care serves clients all across northern Illinois, including Winnebago, Boone, Stephenson, DeKalb, McHenry, and Kane counties.

At Midwest Legal Care, we believe the first role of attorney is that of counselor. Midwest Legal Care is dedicated to understanding what results you want and will help you understand what actions we can take on your behalf to obtain the best outcome. We will work with you every step of the way to make sure that you understand the choices you are making and feel empowered to make them.

Sarah has been practicing immigration law since 2006. She specializes in family-based immigration, hardship waivers, naturalization and removal proceedings. Her family immigration cases include clients who are adjusting status (having their immigration interview in the US) as well as those who are consular processing (having their immigration interview in their home country).

Mr. White has practiced law for thirty years. He graduated from Indiana University in 1986 and received his law degree from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago in 1989. He was admitted to the Illinois Bar, and admitted to practice in the Federal Court in the Northern District of Illinois, in 1989. While attending law school, he was a law clerk with the law firm of Carey, Filter, White & Boland. He became an associate of that firm upon graduating, and in 1996 became a partner.

Mr. White served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Summit Homes beginning...

Attorney Timothy Weiler is a Partner with Weiler & Associates, Inc. concentrating his practice in family law. He is a graduate of the American Bar Association Section of Family Law National Institute for Trial Advocacy as well as the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Institute for Family Law Associates. Tim has been a featured speaker at several Kane County Bar events. He also argued, and won, In re Marriage of Tiballi before the Illinois Supreme Court. Tim received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Iowa in 2002. He received his Juris Doctor in 2012 from the...

Richard Doerr is married and has two children and three teenage grandchildren. In his 40+ years' experience, Mr. Doerr has tried cases on matters ranging from speeding to murder. In 1972, he was selected out of 200 applicants as one of ten participants in the St. Louis County Prosecutor's intern program. During his 31 years in bankruptcy practice, he has seen two major revisions in bankruptcy laws, the first in 1978 and the second in 2005. Mr. Doerr's leisure activities include cross-country skiing, car shows, and driving his classic 1973 Corvette convertible.

My legal practice is primarily focused on Personal Injury, Estate Planning, and Probate Law. With a wealth of experience spanning over thirty-five years in each of these areas, I have consistently taken on a leading role in litigation, mediation, and settlement negotiations. In my capacity as the lead attorney, I diligently prepared for and handled 10-15 trials annually. This involved a range of tasks, including interviewing witnesses, managing interrogatories, responding to requests for production and admissions, conducting and defending depositions, crafting interlocutory motions, and preparing and presenting requested instructions in jury cases. Together with my two partners, we successfully expanded our law...

When hiring an attorney you need to have someone on your side that concentrates their practice in one or two areas of law. I concentrate my practice in representing those charged with criminal and traffic offenses, family law, and litigation.

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...

Mr. Benison earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago. While attending Law School, Mr. Benison achieved the JMLS best oralist award for his participation in the 2L Herzog Moot Court Competition. He was selected for a student externship with the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office during his final year of law school. Prior to entering Law School, Mr. Benison was in private practice as an accountant, working with local business in Northern Illinois. In his free time, Mr. Benison enjoys spending time with his wife, Erika, and their three children.