Washburn Lawyers

Hello. My name is James J. Siwek and I have 32 years of legal experience in a number of different legal fields. At this point in time, I have restricted my practice to family and probate law, but I have wealth of information from my practice in other areas of law as well which is often quite helpful in the resolution of various legal issues. My family law practice consists mainly of divorce and paternity cases, child custody (parenting time), parental decision making, child support, maintenance, domestic violence, and a number of other issues related to family law. My probate practice consists...

Philip J. Davidson is a seasoned attorney working with clients across the greater Chicagoland area and throughout Illinois. His practice is focused on handling complex litigation cases that involve serious personal injuries. These include issues related to premises liability, motor vehicle accidents, medical negligence, wrongful death, and construction negligence. He is an active member in the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and the Illinois State Bar Association.

Attorney Faye M. Lyon P.C., divorce attorney Rockford IL. Faye was born in and has been a life-long resident of Rockford Illinois. She has been practicing law since 1987, focusing and specializing in the area of family law, which not only encompasses dissolution of marriage or divorce work, custody and child support, but also includes wills, trusts, estates, juvenile, paternity, guardianships, collection matters and real estate. Attorney Lyon is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, Winnebago County Bar Association, and the Women’s Bar Association, having served as President from 1991-1993. As a member of the Winnebago...

Nehad Zayyad is a private practice attorney who focuses on criminal defense, immigration, family law, and real estate cases. He appears before the Illinois Circuit Courts regularly on behalf of his clients and is a strong negotiator and litigator. He is admitted to practice in Illinois, the United States Supreme Court, the United States District Court, and the Northern District of Illinois.

He has represented clients in a variety of legal matters, including the following types of cases:

Criminal Defense
Felonies
Misdemeanors
DUI (both felony & misdemeanor)
Drug crimes
Murder
Manslaughter
Fraud
Forgery
Juvenile cases
Parole
Probation violations
Immigration
Filing petitions
Applications
Representation in removal/deportation proceedings
Cases involving U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services
Cases involving the Department of Homeland...

John Larson, founder of Larson Law Group LLC, is a dedicated Chicago personal injury, medical malpractice, and business law attorney serving Cook, DuPage, and Lake Counties. With a client-first approach, John fights for accident victims and businesses, delivering justice with empathy and skill. His firm handles car accidents, slip-and-falls, wrongful death, and contract disputes in neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, the Loop, Naperville, and Waukegan. A Midwest native, John’s ties to Chicago and its suburbs drive his commitment to the region. After earning his law degree, he founded Larson Law Group LLC to offer accessible legal services. His entrepreneurial mindset and legal...

George is an Illinois-based attorney whose practice is informed by a strong foundation in corporate, securities, and commercial law. With a background that spans in-house legal departments, private firms, and the judiciary, he has supported legal teams in drafting and negotiating a wide array of corporate and commercial agreements — while advising on corporate compliance, employment law, intellectual property, and M&A transactions. George has advised on risk and exposure associated with high-value vendor and customer agreements and has contributed directly to leadership-level decision-making. Rejoining the private practice of law, George has expanded his business practice to include real estate and...

Abigayle (Abby) Endress grew up in Pearl City, Illinois. She graduated from Highland Community College in 2018. In 2020, she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She earned her Juris Doctor from Drake University Law School in 2023, with a certificate in Food and Agricultural Law. While in law school, Abby was selected as a teaching assistant for an introductory legal research course and worked as a student attorney in the Drake Legal Clinic. She was also a member of Drake Law Women, Drake Agriculture and Environmental Association,...

Graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with B.S.
Graduated from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University J.D. cum laude; and
Graduated from Loyola University Chicago School of Law with an LL.M -Master of Laws in Health law.
I operate a general practice with two offices in cook and will counties. My motto is come see me first—I win the unwinnable!

As a dynamic and results-driven attorney, I have extensive experience in risk management, regulatory compliance, and employment law. As a strategic executive leader, I have successfully advised boards, C-suite executives, and business owners across various industries, guiding them through complex legal landscapes and helping them navigate employment issues, contract disputes, and litigation matters. A former litigator in high-stakes federal employment cases, I have a proven track record of securing successful outcomes in some of the most challenging and high-profile disputes, including claims involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and breach of contract. My litigation experience has honed my ability to develop...

I have over 35 years of experience in multiple court systems in the Chicago metro area. My practice includes contested matters as well as transactions in the area of estate planning, trusts, wills, trust administration and real estate closings.

I am a 1973 graduate of Loyola University, Chicago and a 1980 graduate of Northern IL University college of law.

With a focus on estate planning and administration, Marjorie A. Harris works closely with individuals and families who are seeking ways to provide financial security for today and protect their assets for the next generation. In addition to advising clients on trust and estates and tax planning matters, Marjorie's practice also includes the establishment and representation of nonprofit and charitable organizations, and charitable gift planning. A magna cum laude graduate of Brown University, Marjorie earned a Bachelor of Science with a concentration in applied mathematics and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa honorary society. She went on to earn...

In practice since 1996, Linda began her career handling Probate Litigation, which brought the realization that properly-drafted Estate Planning documents could avoid conflicts later. That knowledge, coupled with additional experience in Estate Planning, led her to open Strohschein Law Group in 2004. Linda is extremely proud of the amazing team in place 20 years later. Linda is Certified as an Elder Law Attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation, one of only 17 in the State of Illinois. Although CELA is not required by the State of Illinois, this title is earned through a multi-faceted process and the attorney...

David R. Freriks, JD, MLIS

Mr. Freriks is a graduate of the University of Illinois and the Chicago-Kent School of Law. He was admitted to the Illinois and Federal Bars in 1980. During law school, he clerked for the late Honorable Brian B. Duff (1930-2016), United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

In addition to his law practice, he has held administrative and management positions with the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State; Baker & McKenzie, the largest law firm in the world; the Association of Legal Administrators; the Thomson Reuters...

Ted P. Hammel is a Senior Partner at Hammel Law Offices, P.C. In 1985, Mr. Hammel earned his Bachelors of Science degree from the College of Business at Marquette University. After graduation, he was employed at the Continental National Bank of Chicago. In 1986, he enrolled in The John Marshall Law School of Chicago. During law school, he clerked for the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Office VII Corp, Munich, Germany. While in Germany, he assisted soldiers with consumer purchasing issues, estate, & contract matters. In 1989, he graduated and received his...

Dennis K. Muncy is recognized nationally as an expert in the field of telecommunications law and regulation. During the course of his legal career, he has handled litigation in 38 states and the District of Columbia and has testified before Congress and the Federal Communications Commission concerning telecommunications issues. In addition to representing telecommunications clients in regulatory and other matters, Dennis has negotiated numerous sales, acquisitions and mergers of telecommunication properties. He has delivered numerous speeches and provided instruction on telecommunications issues to both clients and other counsel. Dennis joined Meyer Capel as a law clerk in 1965 and became an...

As a former teacher and school administrator, Jim Mullady brings a unique perspective to the practice of law at Meyer Capel. Mr. Mullady is a 1991 graduate of Indiana University School of Law at Indianapolis, which he attended on a fellowship. In addition to coursework at IU, his legal education included a year at the University of Illinois as a visiting scholar. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Mullady taught social studies in the central Illinois communities of Arcola and Fisher, and served as principal of the National Academy of Arts High School in Champaign for four years. Mr. Mullady was an...

Forrest Heyman joined the firm as a summer associate in 2011 and became an associate attorney following his admission to the Illinois Bar in 2012. His areas of practice include business planning, corporate transactions, real estate, and estate planning and administration. Forrest is a locally-raised attorney with an international perspective. Hailing from Paxton, Illinois, Forrest attended Butler University from 2005 to 2008, where he earned a bachelor of science in economics, with honors. Following a semester in Hong Kong, Forrest was named Sigma Nu National Man of the Year and joined The Boeing Company in Seattle, Washington, where he...

Mr. Andreano is an experienced trial lawyer who is a featured speaker at CLE and other seminars, an author of multiple legal texts, and recognized as a top trial lawyer. The oldest of eight children, Frank is a lifelong Joliet resident who practices law with his dad, brother and wife. The firm prides itself on its personal service to clients, and handling high intensity litigation.

Rochelle A. Funderburg brings extensive knowledge of labor and employment issues and wide-ranging litigation experience to the practice of law at Meyer Capel. A former assistant city attorney and practicing lawyer for more than 30 years, Ms. Funderburg has handled a variety of cases – from inception through trial and appeal, representing insurance carriers, employers, employees, and various local governmental bodies. Ms. Funderburg received her bachelor of science and juris doctorate degrees from the University of Illinois, where she also earned the Charles E. Merriam Scholarship. Following completion of her formal legal studies in 1981, Ms. Funderburg joined Coles County, Illinois-based...