Sibley Real Estate Lawyers

Mary Ludwig received her J.D. and M.B.A., along with a Certificate in Food and Agricultural Law from Drake University in 2005. Prior to that she received a Bachelors of Science in Agriculture Economics from the University of Illinois. Mary concentrates her practice in agricultural law, estate planning, real estate transactions and probate. Her agricultural law experience includes organization and representation of production agricultural farm operations, agricultural cooperatives, grain elevators, agricultural input suppliers, ethanol and bio-diesel plants, and specialty farm product companies, wind tower and cell tower leases and easements, pipeline, gas, public utility and fiber optic easements,...

David Stejkowski is a seasoned estate planning and commercial real estate attorney with over three decades of experience. Based in Illinois, David is dedicated to helping clients secure their financial futures through comprehensive and integrated planning strategies. His practice, The Stejkowski Law Firm, LLC, focuses on commercial real estate transactions, estate planning, and business formation. David's approach is deeply client-centered. As an experienced real estate investor himself, David brings a sophisticated understanding of the market to his practice. He is committed to guiding clients through the intricacies of commercial real estate law, ensuring their investments are secure and profitable. He...

After attending the University of Illinois for Undergraduate school I attended Northern Illinois University School of Law. I was a Prosecutor for the McLean County State's Attorney's office for a year and a half, before leaving the office to practice with my father Jim Finegan. I will be working closely with my father on bankruptcy, real estate and other civil cases in the Bloomington, Illinois area.

After attending the University of Illinois for Undergraduate school I attended Northern Illinois University School of Law. I was a Prosecutor for the McLean County State's Attorney's office before leaving the office to practice with my father Jim Finegan. I specialize in Criminal Defense, including DUIs, felony cases, drug cases, orders of protection and expungements and will use my background as a Prosecutor to help you defend your case.

Jim Finegan attended the University of Illinois for undergraduate school and Northwestern University for Law School. He moved to Bloomington, Illinois after graduating law school and he has over 40 years experience. He specializes in bankruptcy, real estate, and civil litigation.

Shayla Maatuka transitioned her private practice into the partnership of Dodd & Maatuka. She currently serves as managing partner for Maatuka Al-Heeti Emkes LLC. She combines her expertise as an entrepreneur - successfully establishing four businesses - with the practice of law, concentrating on civil and commercial litigation, personal injury, as well as business litigation. Her passion for the community helps others achieve their goals through entrepreneurship. She currently sits on the boards of Visit Champaign County and Mettler Studios, Inc. and formerly sat on the boards of the East Central Illinois Women Attorneys Association, the Executive Club...

Don B. Pioletti, Jr. has practiced law for over 35 years. He graduated from the George Mason University Law School in Virginia in 1976. He then served as an Assistant Illinois Attorney General and later as an Assistant State's Attorney. He now practices at Pioletti & Pioletti in Eureka, IL doing general practice law.

David has been a lawyer practicing in Bloomington since 1976, and a father of 6. His practice focus is commercial and residential real estate law. David is a retired Lieutenant Colonel having served in the Illinois Army National Guard for over 23 years, his last position being the State Judge Advocate, Office of the Adjutant General, Springfield,Illinois. He is a licensed title insurance agent and a member of the Board of Directors of Attorneys' Title Guarantee Fund, Inc., 2006-present. David is a graduate of The John Marshall Law School (JD, 1976) and Illinois State University (BS, MS, 1971).

Patrick Fitzgerald begin his legal career with Meyer Capel in 1987 as a law clerk. Now, as a shareholder with the firm, he concentrates in real estate. Mr. Fitzgerald is a 1989 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law where he earned a spot on the Dean's List. In 1986, he received a bachelor of arts in economics, also from the University of Illinois. Mr. Fitzgerald is a member of the Champaign County Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, and American Bar Association. Further, he is actively involved with the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce as well as the Champaign...

For most people, the purchase of a home is the largest single investment they will ever make, and naturally, they're nervous about it. They want someone trustworthy to lean on, someone knowledgeable to handle the paperwork, someone well-versed in legal matters to represent them at the closing. They want someone like Harold Adams. With his dual background in finance and law, Harold brings a unique combination of skills to the table. In addition to a solid foundation in residential and commercial real estate transactions, Harold is well-grounded in general business matters, including the foundation of new corporations and partnerships and the...

EXPERIENCE Mr. Davis’ experience ranges from helping clients with all issues surrounding their start-up venture to assisting clients with the purchase or sale of multi-million dollar businesses. Mr. Davis concentrates his legal practice in the following areas: •representing corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships in connection with the legal matters these entities may face, including initial incorporation/organization, corporate governance issues, drafting and review of contracts and leases, licensing issues, securities issuances and debt financing transactions •representing clients with the sale or purchase of a business, including due diligence matters and the negotiation and documentation of the transaction •representing clients, both lenders and borrowers, in debt...

Large corporations and small companies alike need sound legal advice from attorneys who understand the demands and dynamics of the business environment. Clients of Meyer Capel will find these skills in Matt C. Deering. A native of Champaign-Urbana and a graduate of Champaign Central High School, Mr. Deering holds a bachelor of arts in economics from the University of Kentucky and a juris doctorate from Ohio Northern University. He joined the firm in 1994 as a law clerk and became a full-time associate in 1996 and a shareholder on January 1, 2003. In addition to handling general corporate and business law concerns,...

Planning and Estate

John H. Elder brings a special degree of experience to the clients of Meyer Capel. John works with his clients to deal with the tax issues of estate planning, but has always realized that this is only one component of the planning process. It is very important that an attorney work with the family members to learn about the needs and personalities of the various individuals and to develop a plan that meets the family goals and objectives. Some of the greatest qualities of an estate planning attorney are compassion, trust, and communication skills and it is only...

Jenny Park always knew what she wanted from a career. She wanted to help people. But it was not until a few years after earning her undergraduate degree that she decided the field of law would offer her the best opportunities to do just that. When Jenny first entered the University of Illinois as an undergrad, it was with the intention of becoming a medical doctor. In 1993, she graduated from the U of I with a Bachelor of Science in biology. Then, she took some time off from school to reassess her career goals. While working as a paralegal during...

Randy Green is a shareholder in Meyer Capel’s Business and Real Estate Practice Groups. His unique experience allows him to serve not only as legal counsel, but as a trusted business advisor to his clients. Experience Mr. Green has represented both public and private companies ranging from top U.S. financial institutions to single-member LLCs in a variety of transactions such as mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, private equity investments, financing, entity formation, franchising, and leasing. He has also helped organizational and individual clients sell, purchase and lease various types of real estate across the U.S. Before he began his legal career, Mr....

Since joining the firm in 1970, Francis J. (Jerry) Jahn has been responsible for building and expanding the business practice of Meyer Capel. He served as President of the firm from January 1999 until December 2010. A 1967 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, Jerry was winner of the Frederick M. Green Moot Court Competition and the Horner Cup and Waterman Prize for Excellence in Moot Court Competition as a law student. He was also recipient of the Harno Scholarship. Jerry is a member of the Illinois State and Champaign County Bar Associations. He served on CCBA's board of...

Ward F. McDonald brings a wealth of experience in real estate, banking and commercial law to the clients of Meyer Capel. His background includes 13 years as CEO of Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, Inc., a title insurer with multi-state operations, and 25 years as an attorney in private practice. Over the course of his career, Ward has handled numerous transactions in the $1-100 million range for commercial and residential real estate developments, including sales, acquisitions, refinancing and consolidations. Ward holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Land Economics from the University of Illinois as well as his Juris...

David B. Sholem joined Meyer Capel in 1978 and was named as a shareholder of the firm in 1982. He graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Mr. Sholem attended the University of Illinois College of Law and Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree in 1978. He was admitted to the Illinois State Bar in 1978. Mr. Sholem’s professional affiliations include Champaign County (Illinois) Bar Association (former President), Illinois State Bar Association (Real Estate Section) and American Bar Association. David Sholem has represented a number of real estate developers and...

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...

Robert A. Shipley is the founding partner of Shipley Law Group, Ltd. For decades he has maintained long-standing client relationships while engaged in an active litigation and trial practice, along with general business counseling.

Mr. Shipley focuses his practice in civil litigation involving complex commercial, construction, construction defect, insurance, professional liability and tort litigation and general business counseling, as well as Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution. An experienced trial attorney, he has in excess of 100 cases to verdict and has successfully argued cases in the Illinois Appellate Court.

Mr. Shipley has been awarded the AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rating™...

Mazyar M. Hedayat is the principal of M. Hedayat & Associates, PC, a law firm that has represented Clients for nearly 25 years in the areas of business law and litigation, bankruptcy law and litigation, real property transactions and litigation, construction law and mechanics liens, corporate law, and more. After attending the University of Chicago and University of Michigan, Mr. Hedayat received his MBA from the U.M. Ross School of Business, and his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law. Mr. Hedayat is a title insurance agent and operated a full-service title company for 6 years....

Steven Fagan is an Chicago area attorney with over 25 years experience helping clients with matters ranging from DUI, criminal, and traffic law, clearing criminal records and buying and selling residential real estate. Along with the Fagan, Fagan & Davis team,aAttorney Fagan’s dedication to his clients’ rights and interests has allowed him to successfully defend countless individuals against a variety of charges, and protect clients rights. He has been recognized by a number of notable professional organizations. Steven H Fagan is absolutely dedicated to providing every client with the attentive legal counsel and aggressive courtroom advocacy needed to help protect...

For almost two decades, Mario Iveljic has represented a wide variety of clients in cases all around the country. Since founding Mag Mile Law with his law partners, Mario has focused his law practice on insurance claims and litigation, real estate transactions and litigation, and sports law. He personally handles all of his matters without any paralegals and his clients appreciate the personal attention they receive. He is extremely detail oriented, able to explain complicated legal matters to clients in a way that they can understand, and someone who will not shy away from a fight. Mario is also a...

Mr. Drew R. Ball is a dedicated and skilled attorney that represents clients in cases involving Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has a proven track record of success. Super Lawyers Magazine recognized Mr. Ball as a top attorney in Illinois from 2016 - 2022 and was named an Illinois Rising Star Attorney for his work in Real Estate and Civil Litigation. He is a proud member of the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. For more information visit: www.BallMcCannLaw.com

Lisa A. Copland has significant experience in several areas of the law including domestic relations, civil litigation, probate, breach of contract and real estate law. She represents men and women in divorce cases, which includes division of property, allocation of parental responsibilities, child support and parenting time. Lisa routinely represents buyers and sellers in residential and commercial real estate transactions. Through the firm's full service approach, attorneys also assist clients in estate planning and civil litigation.

Khalid Hasan, managing attorney of Kasan Law, graduated from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law with a Juris Doctorate. He is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois, the Northern District of Illinois, and State of Arizona. He represents clients in personal injury cases, including vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, premises liability, wrongful death, and various other personal injury matters. In addition, we provide legal services to businesses and individuals regarding real estate transaction and real estate sales and purchases. Khalid has lectured and written multiple publications about the use of social media evidence in the courtroom and its...

Benedict Schwarz, II has limited his practice to matrimonial and family law for over 40 years. He is a past director of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) and is also a trained divorce mediator; Mr. Schwarz has taught numerous 40-hour divorce mediation training and conflict resolution seminars and has also co-authored chapters on the subject in the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education publications.

In 1992, Mr. Schwarz was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court as a Commissioner of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC). In 2001, Mr. Schwarz was appointed the Chairperson of the Commission from January...

Atlas Consumer Law is a Debtor's Rights Law Firm with a primary focus on foreclosure litigation defense, consumer bankruptcy and loan workout agreements. The Firm is dedicated to defending borrowers against Lenders and Collection Companies. The Firm has become the industry standard for an effective, results oriented foreclosure defense law firm.

Philip M. Fornaro is the managing attorney at Fornaro Law. Adopting a “never give up” attitude, Philip has become known for his ability to succeed where others fail for the last 20 years. His decision to diversify his practice in 2004 has resulted in the creation of a full service law firm which provides quality representation in a variety of legal areas. Philip follows the rule that positive energy will yield positive results. This energy is the driving force behind the success of Fornaro Law. He has become adept at creating a network and team between clients,...

Since obtaining my license in 2008, I have dedicated my career to representing numerous financial institutions, focusing on enforcing their security interests. Over the last decade, I have supported community banks through complex commercial workouts, dealing with sophisticated financial products. My litigation experience extends to contested contract cases based on various legal theories. I have been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers and an Emerging Lawyer by Leading Lawyers since 2015. My practice primarily involves representing secured creditors in all facets of commercial loan enforcement, from initiating commercial workouts to enforcing judgments. I frequently write on these subjects and...

Lauren Jackson focuses her practice primarily in the areas of real estate and estate planning, although her background includes probate, contracts, corporate formation and business succession planning. Lauren’s unintimidating, caring approach has garnered her a respectable reputation all over Northern Illinois. With her dedication for efficient cost effective services, you will learn that with Lauren on your side you have a reachable attorney with your best intentions in mind. Lauren prides herself on quality work over quantity and it has proved she is a success based on past customer positive reviews. Lauren eagerly represents...

I concentrate my practice on business and real estate transactions and disputes, with a particular fondness for working with international clients. From 2017 to 2019, I lived and worked as the senior counsel in the Middle East, where I advised C-suite executives on quarter-billion-dollar PPP projects. My clients are typically either small to medium-size businesses or individuals, U.S. residents conducting business overseas or foreign nationals investing in the U.S. I have handled international business transactions across Canada, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Additionally, I represent clients in federal court, having been admitted to several federal courts...

Janice, lovingly known by the nickname “Apple” in her family, is a passionate attorney specializing in family law. She was born in Angeles City, Philippines at the location previously known as Clark Air Force Base and relocated to Chicago, Illinois with her family when she was just three years old. Fluent in Tagalog, Janice is particularly interested in serving the legal needs of the Filipino community in Chicago. Janice graduated in 2005 with honors from the University of Chicago and earned her Juris Doctorate from DePaul University in 2012. She has been a practicing attorney in Illinois since...

Katrine R. Fleishman’s (née Lazar) practice is focused in the areas of real estate and estate planning, including trusts, wills, and powers of attorney for health care and property. Katrine helps her clients – whether they are first time homebuyers, experienced investors or anyone in between – navigate the closing process, successfully closing hundreds of real estate transactions. She works with her estate planning clients, tailoring a plan for their future that fits their individual needs.

Katrine has been with Newland and Newland, LLP since 2015. Before joining Newland & Newland, LLP, she was an associate at a Chicagoland firm where...

Ariel Weissberg is the managing partner of Weissberg and Associates, Ltd., 401 South LaSalle Street, Suite 403, Chicago, Illinois, 60605. Weissberg and Associates, Ltd. concentrates in the areas of business and commercial litigation, transactional matters and all aspects of insolvency and financial distress, including bankruptcy, loan work-outs and foreclosures. Mr. Weissberg founded Weissberg and Associates in July, 1984. Since then, he has built a varied and loyal clientele, comprised of small to medium-sized to publicly traded businesses, and individuals. He is sought out for complex business and financial planning, especially relating to credit facilities and crisis-management, and high-risk litigation....