Steward Lawyers

We represent the rights of consumers in all forms of consumer rights litigation, including lemon law, breach of warranty, debt collection violations, credit reporting issues, unauthorized robocalls and telemarketing calls, consumer fraud and related issues. We also handle employment litigation, including wage and hour cases, overtime pay issues, wrongful termination, discrimination and sexual harassment. Many of the firm's cases are brought as class actions and we handle personal injury cases as well.

I have been practicing law since 1995. I established my own firm in 2008 to better address the unique needs of the individuals and businesses I represent. I have considerable experience in the area of real estate law including the following:

Construction and mechanics lien litigation as well as drafting
mechanics liens and bond claims;

Representation of buyers and sellers of residential real estate,
working closely with my clients' and their brokers and lenders...

Recognized for his national reputation and success as a child advocate, Dov Apfel has investigated and litigated birth trauma and obstetrical malpractice claims involving children with cerebral palsy and other neurological and intellectual disabilities throughout the United States for over forty years. Mr. Apfel’s lifetime of achievements in birth injury litigation, education and advocacy was recognized by the Executive Board of the Birth Trauma Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice in 2011, an organization consisting of thousands of trial lawyers throughout the United States, when he received the Dan Cullan Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award. Judges, too, have recognized Mr....

Abby Marshall joined Levin & Perconti as a law clerk in September 2018 and was hired as an associate attorney in January 2021. She focuses her practice on nursing home cases, medical malpractice and other personal injury matters. While attending the Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Abby was involved in the Women’s Law Society and the Business Law Society. She also wrote articles for the Journal of Regulatory Compliance, a Loyola publication. Abby received her bachelor’s degree in social work and psychology from the University of Iowa. Following her graduation, Abby completed her social work practicum at the DuPage County Probation...

Isabela Bacidore joined Levin & Perconti as a law clerk in May 2018 and was later promoted to associate attorney in January 2021. Ms. Bacidore's legal practice is primarily focused on cases involving birth injury, medical malpractice, and nursing home abuse. Isabela's journey at Levin & Perconti began while she was a first-year law student. Ms. Bacidore has stated that "At Levin & Perconti, we are able to give a voice to the voiceless and on behalf of the most vulnerable populations." A review from one of her past clients highlights her dedication: "Isabela Bacidore worked very hard on my daughter's...

Jonathan B. Fleisher, a Chicago native, has been with Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC since 1995. He has helped clients receive the compensation they deserve. He has also participated in numerous arbitrations and mediations, achieving outstanding outcomes for his clients. He primarily focuses on nursing home abuse and neglect and medical malpractice. He has achieved results of over $1,000,000. He has also worked with other Chicago malpractice attorneys to fight for significant malpractice settlements from doctors, hospitals and other healthcare professionals.

Daniel R. Hernandez is a social entrepreneur and attorney who brings access to justice to families that once could not imagine affording an attorney. At age 27, Daniel started a law firm with the mission of offering competent legal services at affordable fixed costs. In this short period, shockwaves have hit the legal community caused by Daniel’s innovative business and pricing model –where clients pay flat-monthly fees for legal services, slashing the overall legal cost for his clients. As a practitioner, Daniel assists families in transition through divorce and child custody proceedings. His experience among transitioning families is wide-ranging –...

If it's experience, knowledge of the law, aggressive strategies, accessibility and affordability you are looking for in a Chicago criminal defense attorney, you will find all of those attributes and more at the law offices of Hal M. Garfinkel. For nearly 20 years Mr. Garfinkel, a former prosecutor, has been making waves as a participant in many high-profile Illinois criminal cases. He can get results for you, too, whether your current legal situation involves a homicide charge or a DUI arrest. This respected, veteran lawyer is Midwest-raised and educated, knows the people of the region and speaks their language. His former experience...

Founder of Front Door Legal LLC, Justin Strane focuses his practice primarily on commercial and residential real estate transactions, and estate planning. His firm is located in Chicago, and he provides representation to people and businesses throughout the greater metropolitan area. In addition to his real estate practice, Justin handles a variety of other types of business matters for his clients, and he is admitted to practice in Illinois and before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Justin attended the University of Michigan, where he studied political science and music and received a Bachelor of Arts in...

Howard Abrams is the founding partner, specializing in personal injury, at the Law Office of Howard S. Abrams in Chicago, Illinois. As founding partner, Mr. Abrams handles and oversees a wide variety of plaintiff’s personal injury and professional negligence matters, pre-litigation and through trial. He has been the lead trial attorney in over 50 jury and bench trials, and has successfully resolved numerous cases through mediation and arbitration.

“While I do whatever it takes to resolve a case in the shortest amount of time possible, I realize that going to trial is sometimes the only way to recover maximum results for...

Christopher Panio received his undergraduate degrees, a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing and a minor in International Business from the University of Colorado in 2002. He subsequently attended the John Marshall Law School in Chicago where he earned Dean's List honors. During his time at John Marshall, he clerked at Lavin & Nisivaco, for Terrance J. Lavin, now a judge on the Illinois First District Appellate Court, Fifth Division. After graduating from law school, Christopher continued working in the personal injury field, handling complex injury cases on behalf of a prestigious Chicago law firm. With significant trial...

Stephen M. Komie is the founder of Komie and Associates, and he has over 40 years of experience successfully representing clients in state, federal, and international trials and appeals. Mr. Komie is best known for high profile cases such as his defense of Sandra Fabiano for child abuse and John Carroccia for murder, which were widely reported in the Illinois media. He has helped numerous clients achieve victory in criminal and civil trials across Illinois and the United States.

Mr. Komie provides his clients with dedicated, tenacious defense against criminal charges, and he has won many landmark decisions, including the 1995...

Matthew B. Karchmar is a partner at Karchmar & Lambert, P.C. with over 25 years of experience practicing in personal injury and wrongful death. Dealing with personal injuries and holding liable parties accountable can be difficult, but Matthew is here to alleviate the stress and ensure that his clients are fully compensated for the ways their lives have been affected. For a FREE consultation, contact Matthew online or call 312-977-1300.

Cannon is a highly skilled, well-respected trial attorney who aggressively seeks justice and real compensation for his clients. In his career, Cannon's cases have often received national attention. He recovered over a half-million dollars for a father mistakenly locked in a visitor's room at the Cook County Jail. Cannon represented Sandra Bland (a woman wrongfully arrested and then found dead in a Texas jail cell) and not only obtained $1.9 million dollars for the family but also forced policy changes in a manner never done before. It does not matter to Cannon if a case is high profile or not, he...

Atty. Janaan Hashim focuses her practice in civil rights law representing individuals who faced civil rights violations ranging from prisoners' rights to ADA to Title VII.

Janaan first practiced law as an Assistant Appellate Defender for the State of Illinois before moving to private practice. Janaan volunteers her time and legal expertise with the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights as well as Cabrini Green Legal Aid.

Leopold & Associates diligently protects the rights of accident victims throughout the Chicago area. Our injury attorneys are dedicated to assisting individuals who have been harmed due to medical malpractice and motor vehicle collisions. A native of Chicago’s South Side, Valerie Leopold is proud to help members of her community in their times of need. She has over 30 years of legal experience in personal injury law and has stood up for numerous victims seeking compensation from health care providers, pharmaceutical companies, automobile manufacturers, and other major corporations.

I enjoy working with a wide variety of clients, understanding each client’s unique needs, and developing an IP strategy that matches the client’s vision and goals. I believe that the client’s understanding of its IP protection is invaluable to the client. My main objective is to enhance the client’s understanding and develop strategies to protect its IP as its business and technology continues to grow and change. I have experience drafting and prosecuting utility and design patent applications in the chemical, mechanical, electro-mechanical, software and medical device arts. I also have experience in patent litigation, international and domestic trademark...

Michael D. Kennedy, a partner with The White Law Group, is a member of the Illinois and Chicago Bar Associations, as well as a member of the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA), an association of securities attorneys who dedicate their practices to the representation of investors defrauded by their financial professional or brokerage firm.

Mike’s practice is primarily dedicated to representing defrauded investors in arbitration cases before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) in the pursuit of recovery of his clients’ investment losses. In his time with The White Law Group, Mike has represented more than 350 investors in...

Keith is a partner at the firm. Since becoming an attorney, he has almost exclusively represented minor children injured as a result of obstetrical or neonatal malpractice. Keith is licensed to practice in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Minnesota. In 2012 and 2013, he was instrumental in the firm obtaining three of the four largest verdicts in medical malpractice cases in Maryland history – a $55 million dollar verdict against Johns Hopkins Hospital, a $21 million dollar verdict against Harbor Hospital, and a $15.6 million dollar verdict against a nurse midwife and a hospital in Prince George’s County, Maryland....

Jeffrey Goldstein is recognized as one of the top franchise litigators who represents franchisees, dealers and distributors in commercial complex litigation cases across the country, although his main base is Washington, DC. Mr. Goldstein has extensive experience representing clients in state and federal courts and arbitrations in cases involving fraud, RICO, antitrust, encroachment, and wrongful termination.

Eirene Nakamura Salvi joined Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. in 2016. She concentrates her legal practice on cases involving medical malpractice, personal injury, and product liability. Ms. Salvi has obtained a number of noteworthy verdicts and settlements. In her first trial with the firm, Ms. Salvi won an $11.25 million jury verdict on behalf of a mother who was killed in a car crash. In 2017, Ms. Salvi was part of a trial team that won a record-setting $148 million jury verdict on behalf of a dancer paralyzed by a collapsed pedestrian shelter at O’Hare International Airport. The verdict is the...

Nestor Vicario has been an immigration attorney since 2014. His primary focus is family-based immigration, citizenship, hardship waivers of inadmissibility, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and removal defense. Mr. Vicario’s professional experience and background give him a unique perspective on the importance of having an immigration attorney who can navigate through the complexities of U.S. immigration laws armed with knowledge and compassion, whether fighting in immigration court to keep families united, assisting Dreamers, or guiding families through hardship waiver applications. Over the years, Mr. Vicario has volunteered at several Chicago nonprofit community organizations serving the immigrant community, including...

Heidi L. Wickstrom joined Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. in 2018 and was promoted to Partner in 2023. She concentrates her legal practice on catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, product liability, and mass torts. She has obtained several noteworthy verdicts and settlements in her time with the firm, including a recent record-breaking $20 million settlement with the Chicago Transit Authority. Before joining Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., Ms. Wickstrom was an associate at a prominent New York litigation firm. During her time with the firm, she assisted partners in obtaining many multi-million dollar recoveries for clients, namely, a $15.7 million verdict...

Mr. Dinizulu was born in Washington D.C., and after graduating from high school in Queens, New York, Mr. Dinizulu attended Florida A& M University in Tallahassee, Florida, where he graduated magna cum laude. While at Florida A&M University, Mr. Dinizulu was a member of Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities; the National Dean’s List, the Golden Key National Honor Society, Founder of the Collegiate Democratic Caucus of Florida, Student Government Association Student Senate, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated, and campus spokesperson for the Television and Radio broadcast of the NAACP Speaks. After graduating from Florida A&M University, Mr. Dinizulu...

Jaclyn J. Kurth joined Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. as an associate attorney in 2021, focusing on catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, and nursing home negligence cases. She is licensed to practice in Illinois and Wisconsin. In her first trial with the firm, Ms. Kurth won a $1.8 million premises liability verdict for a Texas woman who was assaulted by an on-duty hotel security guard. As a law clerk at the firm for three years, she worked on high-profile cases, including a $3 million wrongful death verdict in rural Illinois and a record-setting $4.5 million settlement in Wisconsin for a school...

Brian L. Salvi joined Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., in 2013 and was named Partner in 2019. He concentrates his legal practice on cases that involve personal injury, products liability and medical malpractice. In recognition of his outstanding legal work, Mr. Salvi was honored by Crain’s Chicago Business as a Notable Rising Star in Law and was named to Law Bulletin Media’s elite “40 Under Forty” attorney list that recognizes the top up-and-coming lawyers in Illinois. Mr. Salvi has also been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch and by Illinois Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star” every year since 2016....

Peter T. Sadelski was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Peter earned his bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University in 2018, where he studied political science and legal studies. Peter earned his law degree from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law in 2021. During law school, Peter clerked at the Cook County Public Defendant’s Office and the UIC Pro Bono Litigation Clinic. Peter has been with Ed Fox & Associates since March 2022. Peter concentrates his practice on civil rights law, mainly focusing on wrongful detentions, false arrests, unreasonable searches, malicious prosecutions, excessive force, due process violations, and other...

Evan Bruno is a Partner at Bruno Law Offices, LLC, a family-owned law firm that focuses on defending those accused of misdemeanor and felony crimes in state and federal courts throughout Central Illinois.

Since 2016, Evan has served as the President of the Champaign County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. He is also a member of the Champaign County Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association, where he serves on the Human Rights Section Council and the Bench and Bar Section Council.

Prior to joining his father, Thomas, and brother, Anthony, in private practice at Bruno Law Offices, LLC, Evan...

Gina received her Bachelor's Degree from the University of Illinois and Juris Doctor from Southern Illinois University School of Law. During her law school career, Gina served as the Assistant Managing Editor of the Journal of Legal Medicine's Legal Medicine Perspectives.

Additionally, she interned at the St. Clair County State's Attorney's Office. Following graduation from law school, Gina worked for a large general practice defense firm in Springfield, Illinois. In 2018, Gina decided to focus her career on helping the injured and joined Kanoski Bresney.

Gina's pro bono activities are as follows:
Prairie State Legal Services, Volunteer Attorney, 2016 – present

Chuck enjoys representing injured workers against large insurance companies and employers, working to assure that they receive the medical care that they need to recover and the benefits that they and their families require during the recovery process, as well as a fair settlement or award after treatment is complete.

He enjoys the unique challenges that each case presents and assisting clients with understanding and maneuvering through the always evolving worker's compensation law and procedure.

Charles (Chuck) Edmiston grew up in the small town of Abingdon, Illinois and attended the University of Illinois, graduating with high honors and a degree in Journalism...

Mr. Harrington joined the firm of Kanoski Bresney in November of 2014. Prior to making the move, he was a personal injury defense attorney for more than 20 years. This background and experience allow him to anticipate the defenses the insurance companies will use and stop them from wrongly denying your claims.

Suffering an unexpected personal injury can be frightening and traumatic. The most gratifying part of his job is the initial meeting with clients, where he can answer all their questions, explain exactly what to expect, and alleviate their concerns in their time of need. His practice includes all types...

Kathy has spent her entire legal career advocating for fair compensation to those who are injured and believes in the mission to do the right thing, not the convenient thing on behalf of Kanoski Bresney's clients. Kathy believes the greatest accomplishments she has received are the words of appreciation and gratefulness from those she has represented.

Kathy was born in Spring Valley, Illinois, and grew up in a small town in Peoria County, Illinois. Kathy attended the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana, and she was on the Dean's List several semesters and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts...

native of central Illinois, Attorney, Jerry A. Tuffentsamer, was raised in the local small community of Manito, Illinois. Prior to attending law school, Jerry worked for several years in the central Illinois as union construction laborer out of the Laborers’ International Union, Local 231. As a union laborer, Jerry worked several years for a local commercial concrete and masonry company.

Jerry received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Paralegal Studies/Pre-law from Southern Illinois University in 2008. Jerry then received his Juris Doctor from Southern Illinois University School of Law in 2011. While in law school, Jerry was a member of...

I worked as Senior Special Agent Criminal Investigator for the US Department of Homeland Security and the US Department of Justice for over 26 years. As a Special Agent I worked in all aspects of the immigration mission both criminally and administratively. After leaving the US Government I was a founding partner of Alliant Law Group, LLC and currently oversee the business and operation of the firm. At Alliant, we emphasize client service in every matter, including the importance of attorney/staff accessibility, and client understanding regardless of their primary language. With the firm, I strive to provide...

Attorney Michael Sheldon started his legal career as a law clerk with Burger Law in 2019 while pursuing his Juris Doctor degree at St. Louis University School of Law. In 2021, Michael received his Missouri law license and has since specialized in personal injury claims, including product liability, premises liability, dog bites, medical malpractice and workers' compensation. He has gotten great results in multiple bench trials and has recovered innumerable large settlements for his clients. He firmly believes that those injured through the negligence of another receive full compensation and a lasting sense of justice. Before joining Burger Law, Michael worked...

Matt devotes 100% of his practice to representing plaintiffs in product liability, medical malpractice and other personal injury and wrongful death litigation.

Mr. Passen is a personal injury attorney at Chicago-based Passen Law Group. Mr. Passen concentrates in all areas of personal injury, including truck accidents, brain and spinal cord injury, medical malpractice and wrongful death. Prior to joining Passen Law Group, Mr. Passen was an attorney in the litigation department of Jenner & Block LLP. Mr. Passen received his B.A. magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, in Economics from the University of Michigan in 2002. Mr. Passen obtained his law degree, summa cum laude, from DePaul University College of Law in 2006, where he graduated Order of the Coif. ...

Steve Pisman’s experience as the son of immigrant parents has profoundly influenced his approach to law and advocacy. This upbringing has instilled in him a strong sense of determination, which he channels into his work as a Chicago personal injury attorney at Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers. Steve’s practice focuses on personal injury cases, including car accidents, truck accidents, and motorcycle accidents. After completing his undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2007, Steve went on to earn his juris doctor from the same institution in 2010. His admission to the Illinois bar in the same year marked...