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Sue E. Berman

Sue E. Berman

Sue is a seasoned attorney, focusing primarily on residential real estate. She previously worked for a national title insurance company and in the real estate departments of several large and boutique Chicago law firms. Buying and selling a home, and any real estate, is one of the most important financial transactions most people will make. From the initial contract stage, through home inspection, attorney review, title and survey review, loan process, drafting closing documents, negotiating any issues and closing, Sue guides her clients through each phase and step and strives to make it as stress free as possible. Sue collaborates with opposing counsel in a professional manner to get her clients the best outcome.

She is a member of Chicago Bar Association (Real Property Law Committee, speaker at several Seminars), Advisory Board Member of Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH), North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic Volunteer, and a member of Empowered Professional Women’s Networking Group (EPWNG). She completed the Second City Improv training program and took courses at Improv Olympic and has performed in shows at various Improv Chicago venues.

LinkedIn Profile

Education:

J. D: Washington University School of Law
B. B. A. Finance: University of Georgia

Bar Admissions:

Admitted to practice law in Illinois and Georgia.

Elizabeth Al-Dajani

Elizabeth Al-Dajani

As a partner of Kerkonian Dajani LLP, Elizabeth Al-Dajani specializes in commercial litigation and works on a range of issues involving civil and criminal appeals. Prior to the formation of Kerkonian Dajani, Ms. Al-Dajani had the honor of serving as a Judicial Law Clerk for the same judge for 3 years in the commercial calendar of the Circuit Court of Cook County and 3 years at the Illinois Appellate Court, First District. In total, she has been involved in over 100 appeals as an attorney and a clerk.

Ms. Al-Dajani is published on a range of international legal issues including intellectual property rights in the Arab Middle East and House of Lords judicial panel decisions. She obtained her B.A. in Politics and Government at North Park University cum laude and obtained her law degree from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law where she served on the Intellectual Property Law Review and advanced to the International Finals of the Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition.

Ms. Al-Dajani serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law and regularly serves as a presenter and guest speaker in courses on Illinois Civil Procedure, Judicial Externships and Professional Responsibility. She is a member of the American Bar Association, Illinois Appellate Lawyers’ Association and North Suburban Bar Association.

Education

NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY – BA in Politics & Government, cum laude
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO SCHOOL OF LAW – JD and Review of Intellectual Property Law

Bar Admissions

State Bar of Illinois
U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Supreme Court of the United States

Publications

Post Saddam Restructuring of Intellectual Property Rights in Iraq Through a Case Study of Current Intellectual Property Practices in Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan, 6 J. MARSHALL REV. PROP. L. 250, 256 (2007).

IABA Review, Iran and the United States: United States Breach of the Treaty of Amity Justified? Volume 3, Issue 1, Fall 2008.

Jennifer M. Baratta

Jennifer M. Baratta

Jennifer Baratta‘s practice is focused on residential real estate transactions, providing licensed real estate professionals and individual buyers and sellers of residential real estate with the best possible and most responsive legal representation available.

Among the services typically provided in regard to a residential real estate transaction are the following:

  • Preparation of the sales contract.
  • Review of a previously executed sales contract with recommendations and negotiation regarding modification or revision.
  • Direct representation of buyer’s or seller’s interests with opposing counsel, brokers and lending institutions.
  • Examination of the legal title to the property and rendering of a legal opinion as to its status regarding encumbrances against the property.
  • Examination of the plat of survey for defects.
  • Preparation of the appropriate legal documents and/or review of the execution of all legal documents required.
  • Legal representation at closing.
  • Confirmation of the status of document recording and issuance of title policy.

Specialties:
Existing real estate, new construction, condominiums, single-family homes, short sales, installment contracts, lease to purchase agreements.

Education:
Georgetown University Law Center
J.D. 1990
Clark University
B.A. 1987

Lauren Cohen

Lauren Cohen

Lauren Cohen represents people in personal injury claims, medical malpractice cases, and wrongful death lawsuits. This includes cases involving motor vehicle accidents, medical negligence, birth trauma, brain injury, and social security disability appeals. Lauren is passionate about helping her clients through every step of the process while maintaining open communication with them. She pursues her cases aggressively to help her clients get the maximum financial compensation to which they are entitled to.

Lauren also heads the firm’s outstanding Social Security disability practice.  She zealously fights for her clients’ disability benefits and has won over 250 social security disability appeals.   

Lauren received her J.D. with honors from Chicago Kent College of Law in 2001.  She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1998.  Lauren is licensed in Texas and Illinois.  

Awards:

  • American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys – 10 Best Attorneys for exceptional and outstanding client service in 2018 and 2019.  
  • American Jurist Institute – 2019 Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys for Illinois
  • Attorney and Practice Magazine’s – 2019 Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney

Memberships:

  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
  • American Association for Justice
Marcia Cotler

Marcia Cotler

Marcia Gerber Cotler is the principal and founder of Cotler Law LLC, a firm concentrating on matters of employment law.  On behalf of employees, Marcia’s practice includes negotiating compensation, non-compete, non-solicitation, and severance agreements as well as bringing claims for wage and hour violations, discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination. On behalf of her many corporate clients, Marcia serves as outside general counsel, advising on matters of employee hiring, discipline, and termination, as well as the development of employee handbooks, legal compliance, and mitigation of risk. In connection with her employment law practice, Marcia develops and presents training seminars to clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to educational non-profits on matters of harassment and discrimination prevention, and conflict management skills. 

In addition to her private practice, Marcia regularly serves as chairperson of a three-member arbitration panel for the Circuit Court of Lake County, Illinois, and previously served as an arbitrator for the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois. Marcia has taught legal writing and contract drafting as an adjunct faculty member at DePaul University College of Law. 

Education

J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1989 
Cum Laude
B.A., University of Illinois Champaign, 1986 
Highest Honors
Center for Conflict Resolution, 2002
Mediator Certification

Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Supreme Court of the State of Illinois, 1989
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 1989
United States Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, 2006
United States Supreme Court, 2009

Professional & Bar Association Memberships
Illinois State Bar Association
North Shore Law

Recognition
Named an Illinois Super Lawyer for 2022

Tejal S. Desai

Tejal S. Desai

Tejal S. Desai is an experienced attorney and partner at the law firm of Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC. Tejal represents financial institutions and private investors in all facets of loan origination, loan workouts, enforcement of remedies under loan documents, contested Chapter 11 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings, lien priority disputes, title disputes, and mechanic’s lien litigation. She also represents contractors and developers in a variety of matters including construction disputes under the Illinois Mechanics Lien Act. In addition to her extensive litigation practice, Tejal handles commercial real estate sales, acquisitions, leasing and corporate transactions nationwide advising on purchase agreement and lease negotiations, due diligence issue spotting and resolution, title clearance and underwriting issues, transaction closing and dispute resolution. Tejal is licensed to practice law in Illinois, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and Indiana.

Memberships and Affiliations:

  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • Chicago Bar Association
  • Exclusive Professional Women’s Networking Group (EPWNG) (including Board Member)
  • Trusted Advisors Council (O’Hare Chapter)

Education:

  • Juris Doctor, DePaul University College of Law (2003)
  • Bachelor of Science (Marketing), Iowa State University (1999)

Presentations and Publications:

  • “Secured Transactions: Financing Instruments and Perfection” Presentation to DuPage County Bar Association-Business Law and Practice
  • “Asset Protection Planning” (Co-Author) – 2022 Edition, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education