Louis F. Pignatelli currently practices law in several areas, focusing primarily on trial practice in cases concerning serious personal injury, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse and neglect, and wrongful death. Soon after being sworn-in, Attorney Pignatelli began to practice with his father, then Mayor Louis J. Pignatelli. He maintained the family practice while simultaneously serving as the youngest State’s Attorney in the history of Whiteside County. He rededicated exclusively to private practice in the late-1970s. Over the years, his practice has focused on obtaining compensation for injured people and their families. He has selected a handful of cases to follow this biography for your consideration. In addition to obtaining justice for injured people, Attorney Pignatelli has extensive experience in finance and financial litigation in competitive market sectors. Pignatelli secured the financing for his first residential development project with the title to his late-model Datsun. To date, he continues development of residential properties — both single-family and multi-unit — as well as commercial and industrial real estate in northwestern Illinois. Pignatelli worked with the Chicago-based Gamel Broadcasting Group. Over time he acquired a minority stake and later purchased a controlling interest in the group’s five-tower, 1,000-watt Fox Valley-area station under the call letters WFXW, serving news, talk and nightly music to Geneva, St. Charles and Batavia. Pignatelli served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Skolniks, a publicly-traded company on the NASDAQ. Then a director, Pignatelli stepped-up to captain the corporation — which produced the baked goods including the Olive Garden’s beloved breadsticks, as well as bagels and other bakery products — following the ousting of several members of management who were found to be complicit in corporate scandal. Under Pignatelli’s leadership, the national brand, franchise and wholesale divisions navigated toward an outcome in the best interests of its shareholders. Pignatelli serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Community State Bank of Illinois.

A native of Decatur, Illinois. Mr. Rowden graduated from University of Illinois in 1969 and received his Law Degree from University of Iowa in 1972. He is licensed to practice law in the States of Illinois, Iowa, and in United States Federal Courts. Mr. Rowden served as an Assistant State's Attorney in Sangamon County, Springfield, Illinois, from 1972 - 1974. He has been in continuous private practice of law with McCarthy, Rowden & Baker and its predecessors since 1974. He is a member of Breakfast Sertoma and serves on the Decatur Salvation Army Advisory Board. He is a member of the Decatur Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, and Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and serves on the Illinois State Bar Association Committee on Civil Practice and Procedure. He represents clients in Trial and Appellate Courts and before the Illinois Industrial Commission. Mr. Rowden's practice is concentrated in Adoption, Estate Planning/Wills, Family Law, Personal Injury, Probate, Real Estate, and Worker's Compensation.

Kristine Honiotes is a trial lawyer with over 12 years of experience. As a former Will County Assistant Public Defender, she defended all types of felony and misdemeanor cases including murder, domestic violence, DUI, drug offenses, and other serious felony offenses. From our office in Joliet, Illinois we serve clients throughout Will County, DuPage County, and Cook County including but not limited to Lockport, Plainfield, Crest Hill, Romeoville, Bolingbrook, Aurora, New Lenox, Mokena, Homer Glen, Frankfort, Peotone, Shorewood, Manhattan, Wheaton and Downers Grove.

Sam L. Amirante, a retired Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County has returned to private practice, where he concentrates in the areas of criminal and civil litigation. While a Judge, Sam Amirante was assigned to the County’s Third District Courthouse in Rolling Meadows for 13 years and 3 years in the City of Chicago, Judge Amirante carried out his duties with competence, integrity, dedication and compassion. A Chicago columnist, who dubbed Judge Amirante the Hugging Judge, noted that he occasionally directed youngsters in court to hug their parents after resolving matters which have caused an emotional break between them, usually evoking a round of applause from his courtroom. After his appointment to the bench in December, 1988, Judge Amirante presided over hundreds of jury and non-jury trials involving Felonies, Misdemeanors, Traffic, Domestic and Civil matters. He earned approval and praise from sundry citizens, government officials and court watchers. Upon graduation from Loyola University of Chicago with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1970 Sam enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. From 1970 to 1976 Sam honorably served in the United States Marine Corps on both active and reserve duty attaining the rank of Sergeant and Platoon Leader. While in boot camp he became the17th Marine in the long history of the Corps to receive a perfect 500 points on the tough Marine Corps physical fitness test. Sam is currently a member of the American Legion, Chicago Police Marine Corps League, Italian American War Veterans and various other veteran groups. While on reserve duty, Sam earned his Juris Doctor Degree (JD) from Loyola University School of Law in 1974, graduating in the upper third of his class and was a member of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. While attending school, he worked part-time as a policeman for the Village of Norridge. Following his admission to the Illinois Bar, he became an Assistant Public Defender participating as lead counsel in hundreds of felony and misdemeanor bench and jury trials. Sam eventually became the supervising attorney for all of Northwest Suburban Cook County. In 1978,Sam entered the private practice of law where he tried cases throughout the State of Illinois and other States and served for a Prosecutor for the Village of Norridge. That same year, together with Attorney Robert M. Motta, provided legal counsel for serial killer John Wayne Gacy. At the conclusion of the trial, the trial judge commended Amirante and Motta for the excellent legal defense they had provided during the 15-week long trial. Prior to Judge Amirante’s appointment to the bench in 1988, he was a partner in the law firm of Amirante & Etchingham with offices in Park Ridge. In 1987, upon completion of the United States v. Jack Farmer et.al. trial in the United States Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois the Court Buffs of Chicago reported in their December 10, 1987 Courtwatchers Newsletter: “Having observed the likes of BAILEY, BUGLIOSI, AND SPENCE PERFORM IN CHICAGO COURTROOMS, we can say the amicable AMIRANTE ranks with them.”Sam is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois, the Federal and U.S. Supreme courts. He has appeared pro hoc vice on matters in Wisconsin, California, Michigan, Washington, Indiana, and Washington, D.C. He has served as a representative of the Illinois State Bar Association; Northwest Suburban Bar Association (past president); Italian American Bar Association; Illinois Judges Association; the Justinian Society of Lawyers; the Board of Special Olympics; Board Member of Our Lady of Pompeii Catholic Church in Chicago; Legal Technology Advisory Board at Harper College; the Arts and Science Alumni Association of Loyola University; National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame; the Italian American Political Coalition and Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans; Director and Legal Counsel for the Italian American Police Association; Director for the Little City Board; and as author of the Missing Child Act of 1984, commonly referred to as I-SEARCH; and authored the Loyola Law Review article George Orwell’s 1984 Revisited, Police Abuse of Computers in the 20th Century; and has appeared on numerous television and radio programs as well as speaking engagements.