I began my practice over 11 years ago with the determination to make things better for my clients and my community. That continues to be the focus of my practice, and I look forward to many years of future service to my neighbors and friends. I grew up in Libertyville, graduating from Copeland Manor, Highland Jr. High, and eventually Libertyville High School in 1997. I attended college at Miami University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business, Majoring in Marketing. During college, I was president and judicial board chairman of my college fraternity, and was involved with Associated Student Government, various volunteer, and civic groups, and volunteered as a tutor. I attended law school at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, where I was active in Student Court, Moot Court Honor Board, the Tenant Information Project, the Human Rights Quarterly, and was a member of the Dean’s list. During this time I also volunteered as a youth mentor for the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, taught a High School class curriculum in civics called StreetLaw, and worked part-time for Kaplan tutoring and preparing students for the Law School Admissions Test. I continue to be actively involved in the community. Currently, I sit on the Board of Directors of the Affordable Housing Corporation of Lake County, a non-profit tasked with improving housing options throughout Lake County. I am also currently exploring the formation of a non-profit to rehabilitate abandoned, nuisance homes to stabilize housing values and rid neighborhoods of dangerous and often unsanitary hazards. I am regularly appointed by judges to serve as guardian ad litem in guardianship matters. I currently live in Mundelein with my wife, Dr. Amanda R. Johnston, DVM (veterinarian), our son Merritt, and our dog and cat. In my free time, I enjoy gardening, keeping aquariums, bicycling, hiking, canoeing, golf, coaching youth lacrosse, and rooting for the Chicago Cubs. Effective, knowledgeable, and ethical criminal defense. Call for a free consultation. Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire Please describe a case(s) in the last year or two where you made a big difference. A homeowners association recently tried to enforce long-dormant deed restrictions (ignored for 30 years against) my client, in a discriminatory manner. The association followed none of its own rules, and was ostensibly re-formed solely to discriminate against my client by forcing the costly removal of valuable improvements on his land. A neighbor filed suit, arguing the dormant deed restrictions against my client, who is a person of color and substantially younger than others in the neighborhood, while ignoring blatant violations on their own property and at nearly every other property in the neighborhood. At the close of discovery, we successfully moved the court for summary judgment on the grounds that there was no way the suing neighbor could possibly prevail. My client’s property rights were maintained and the discriminatory action was thwarted. How did you build a successful practice? Mutual respect. I am proud of the fact that my firm offers free initial case consultations. This stems from a recognition that, while my time is valuable, so it the time of my clients. I strongly believe that initial case consultations, even if valuable to clients, should be free, because I do not believe it is fair to charge for time spent evaluating whether my firm can help a certain client, and in developing the plan of action. Once we come up with a plan of action, we communicate that proposed scope of work to the client so they can accept or reject our proposal for representation. Only after a client has agreed to hire us, based on the agreed plan, are legal fees assessed. This approach, based on mutual respect, has been crucial to our firm’s success. What should clients look for in a lawyer? It’s a personal relationship as well as a professional one. Clients must be comfortable with their attorney on both these levels. Clients should be sure that they can communicate well with their attorney. A knowledgeable professional in any field should be able to explain even the most difficult contexts in terms a layperson can readily understand. If you cannot understand your attorney, its probably not a good fit. How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases? The saying goes “A good attorney knows the law, a great attorney knows the judge.” This is true because the practice of the law is not only theoretical, but also practical and pragmatic. An experienced local attorney will typically know the courts, judges, clerks and local procedures better than an attorney who does not practice in the county on a regular basis. Thus, clients represented by local attorneys will reap numerous advantages in the course of a case. What information can you provide in a free phone consultation? Typically, after learning enough about the case for a proper evaluation, I explain how the law works in the area, how I expect the law will be applied to their situation, and how my firm can potentially be of service to the person (and how we would charge for our services). Often, in order to properly conduct an initial consultation, I will need to review relevant paperwork, but with smart phones, scanners and teleconference software, it is increasingly easy to share documents electronically. What information do you need in a free phone consultation? Every case is different, but in general, I will need to know the parties involved in a case (so that I can make sure there is no conflict of interest), I will need to know the location of the case, and often it is very helpful to review relevant documents. Every case is different, and many of the documents I would need to review may be available online (like court records), so a potential client should not be dissuaded from calling to schedule a free consultation. If we need more information, we will let you know. What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community? I do my best to build a strong professional network both within and outside of the legal community. If a potential client comes to my firm and, for whatever reason(s), the case is not a good fit for my firm, we do our best to match the client with the right attorney. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? Helping people. This is how attorneys help ensure equal justice under law. That’s why good attorneys enter the practice. What are your other interests in addition to law? My hobbies include: canoeing, hiking, bicycling, golf, fishing, disc golf, and keeping aquariums. Causes that I support include Affordable and Just Housing, Medical Research, and community efforts to foster local, small businesses. Are you involved in your community? Yes, I am active in my local and state bar associations, the GLMV, and business networking groups. I am regularly appointed by judges in Lake County to serve as a Guardian ad Litem. I serve on the Lake County Chamber of Commerce as a Board Member. Additionally, I serve as President of the Affordable Housing Corporation of Lake County (AHC), which works closely with Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH) to serve the joint mission of fostering safe, affordable housing in our area.

Attorney Matthew R. Gebhardt is the founder and president of the Law Offices of Matthew R. Gebhardt, P.C. Located in Buffalo Grove, IL, Attorney Gebhardt focuses his practice on criminal defense and real estate law. Understanding that the legal system can be frightening, Attorney Gebhardt works with his clients in order to help them achieve their legal goals. To schedule a free consultation with Attorney Gebhardt, visit his website or call 847-239-4703.

For the past 25 years, Joseph M. Lucas has been serving his clients that have suffered serious personal, financial, and legal problems. These matters have been in personal injury, business law, and real estate law, and much more. Joseph has dedicated his practice to ensuring that his clients can have a trusted legal resource to return to time and time again. Please call 847-381-8700 or contact us online.

I am a lifelong Chicagoland resident with a passion for helping families plan their estates so their loved ones are cared for upon their passing. I utilize wills, trusts, powers of attorney for property, and healthcare, with the goal of ensuring that assets pass to your intended loved ones and to make sure that the right people are acting on your behalf if you are unable to make decisions. For families with a recently deceased loved one, I will represent the appointed fiduciaries in administering the estate, be it probate administration or trust administration. I am licensed to practice in Illinois and primarily work in Cook County, Lake County, McHenry County, DuPage County, Will County, Kane County, and Kendall County. I am also licensed for the Federal Bar of the Northern District of Illinois. I offer a no charge, no strings attached initial consultation for estate planning. We can formulate an estate plan that meets your needs without breaking the bank. If you recognize that you need estate planning (and everyone does!) then do not hesitate to give me a call.

Patrick Brady is a Gurnee, IL based Criminal Defense attorney with years of experience in trial law. Before establishing his practice in 2017, Attorney Brady served as a prosecuting attorney, where he acquired indispensable knowledge that enables him to understand many angles of a prosecuting argument. He handles a wide variety of criminal defense cases (in both Illinois and Wisconsin) including multiple DUI's, drug trafficking, assault, domestic battery, orders of protection, speeding and more. Attorney Brady is committed to protecting your rights and freedom. To schedule your free consultation with the Gurnee Criminal Defense lawyer, visit our website or call 847-752-9639.

Alan K. Lenczycki is an experienced litigator and counselor focusing his practice on family and criminal law. A former prosecutor for six years in the State’s Attorney’s Office in Lake County, Illinois, Alan was a Senior Assistant State’s Attorney in Lake County’s dedicated domestic violence courtroom for over two years. There he obtained valuable experience with orders of protection and the intersection of family and criminal law. As a prosecutor with the Gang Task Force, he also provided legal education to the Lake County Gang Enforcement Unit on effective gang prosecutions. Now, his practice centers on navigating families through the difficult transition of divorce and child custody issues, with a focus on helping kids and helping parents protect their rights. He also has extensive trial and motion experience litigating DUI, traffic, and serious misdemeanor and felony cases. Alan has volunteered to give free legal advice at A Safe Place women’s and children’s center in Zion. A longtime Lake County resident, he is on the Board of Directors of the Exchange Club of Grayslake and is co-president of the Lake County Bar Association’s Young and New Lawyer’s Committee, where he has provided education and training to other attorneys in the criminal law. He graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago.

A co-founder of the firm of Dudley & Lake, Mr. Dudley handles complex medical malpractice and personal injury litigation. He has obtained numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements in counties throughout Illinois. Many of these results have represented the highest jury verdict or settlement in that county’s history. Mr. Dudley serves on the Executive Committee for the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and is the Second Vice President for the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. He has been recognized as one of the top 100 lawyers in the State of Illinois by both Illinois Super Lawyers and Illinois Leading Lawyers.

Samantha Salvi became an associate attorney at Salvi, Salvi & Wifler, P.C. in August 2018, joining her father, Michael J. Salvi, and uncle, Peter J. Wifler. She concentrates on various personal injury cases, including product liability, premises liability, medical malpractice, and car accidents. Samantha earned her associate's degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2012, and in 2014 she obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice/Pre-Law from the Florida Institute of Technology. In May 2018, Samantha received her Juris Doctor from Loyola University School of Law, where she was awarded a merit scholarship and consistently made the Dean's List. She also earned her Advocacy Certificate from Loyola. Throughout her time at Loyola, she worked at Loyola's Child Law Clinic and obtained her Illinois Supreme Court Rule 711 License as a Child Rep. This allowed her to represent abused and neglected children in Chicago, providing a voice for those who needed it most. Samantha's experience as a Child Rep equipped her with interdisciplinary knowledge and practical skills to effectively advocate for her clients. She passionately advocated for vulnerable children and families in court, both in litigation and policy matters. Samantha remains actively involved in advocating for vulnerable populations and volunteers as an attorney for the International Street Dog Foundation, a non-profit rescue organization. In this role, she focuses on influencing international governments to implement and enforce animal welfare laws, ensuring compliance with CDC regulations and the Animal Welfare Act, and facilitating the rehoming of international street dogs in the US. To schedule your free consultation with the Lake County, IL Personal Injury Attorney, please visit online or call 847-796-8448.

Robert is a lifetime Lake County resident, born in Libertyville, Illinois, and raised in the neighboring Village of Gurnee. Robert attended Warren Township High School from 2001-05, where he distinguished himself in academics and athletics graduating among the highest in his class and receiving All-Conference football honors. He conducted his undergraduate studies at Illinois State University as a “University Scholarship” recipient, where, in 2009, he graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Studies. Robert was admitted to practice law in the State of Illinois on November 1, 2012. He attended law school at the Northern Illinois University College of Law from 2009-12, graduating Cum Laude in May of 2012. In November of 2012, after a brief bought working for major corporations, Robert opened Tomei Law to assist those in financial distress–specifically, representing consumer rights through foreclosure defense, bankruptcy, auto fraud, and debt collection harassment. In the fall of 2018, Robert, along with three other fine attorneys, Timothy Johnston, Alan Lenczycki, and Michael Goldberg, founded the law firm Johnston Tomei Lenczycki & Goldberg, LLC (JTLG, LLC). JTLG is a full-service law firm and in addition to an office in Gurnee shared with Tomei Law, P.C., JTLG has an office conveniently located in the heart of downtown Libertyville. Having hailed from a family with Lake County roots, it has always been an aspiration of Robert’s to practice law in the community of his upbringing. The inner drive to further that end, coupled with the desire to assist those in distress, led him to pursue a legal career in the Consumer Rights arena where he has successfully taken on consumer foes that include some of the largest banks, debt collectors, and automobile dealerships in the land and as the owner of Tomei Law, P.C. and partner of JTLG, he plans to continue that fight for justice in Consumer Rights well into the future.