- DivorceReno & Zahm LLP is dedicated to being of service to each of our clients. We believe that part of providing good legal services means being able to help people in a variety of ways. If you're challenged by any civil legal matter as a business owner, chances are good Reno & Zahm LLP can help. We can also help you with injury law matters, divorce and family law disputes, intellectual property protection, and more.
- Child Custody and VisitationA judge will take various factors into who gets custody or other responsibilities over children. Who gets custody often comes down to who the judge thinks will provide the best life for a child based upon the available facts. Custody can be split between parents or awarded to one entirely with visitation rights awarded to the other.
- Adoption
- Paternity
- Premarital AgreementWith sensitive skill and judgment, our family attorneys in Rockford offer advice and service that can yield exceptional results to clients during what is typically a very trying and difficult emotional event in their lives.
- Wrongful Death
- Theft
- MisdemeanorsPrior to joining Reno & Zahm LLP, Mr. Straw worked as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Winnebago County for three years where he gained substantial trial experience. As a prosecutor, Mr. Straw spent time in the misdemeanor, felony, and juvenile delinquency courtrooms. He worked in all phases of prosecution from the initial investigation, to obtaining warrants, to pretrial motion hearings and jury trials. Mr. Straw also underwent training in criminal litigation with the Illinois Appellate Prosecutors’ Advanced Trial Advocacy Program.
- Embezzlement
- Assault
- Mergers and AcquisitionsJamie Cassel is a partner at Reno & Zahm LLP and has practiced law since 1986. Her commercial practice emphasizes contract and corporate matters, bankruptcy, and related state and federal court litigation. She also has considerable experience in business, manufacturing and contract matters, UCC and lending issues, and mergers and acquisitions, making her a valued counselor to her clients.
- Business FormationWhen you create a company, there are many types of business organizations to choose from. However, four basic types are most commonly used.
- Business DisputesJeffrey Powell is a Partner at Reno & Zahm LLP. He has extensive experience representing business clients in commercial matters, including advising on organizational and governance issues, drafting and reviewing contracts, litigating contract disputes, consulting on the purchase and sale of businesses, and assisting with human resource matters.
- Business TransactionsAttorney Clay’s practice includes business transactions, advising on corporate matters, estate planning, personal injury litigation and business litigation. He is licensed to practice in Illinois state and federal courts.
- Limited Liability CompaniesThere are many types of business structures to choose from, but four are in common use: sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations (of which there are variants, such as C and S).
- Trade Secrets
- Intellectual PropertyOur intellectual property law attorneys in Rockford can work with you to develop strategies to protect your intellectual property worldwide. We’ve assisted clients with applying for domestic and international trademarks and copyright as well as licensing and rights transfer matters. Clients also come to us when they need help developing licensing agreements, end-user agreements for technology and software, confidentiality agreements, and more.
- Wrongful TerminationMr. Powell has represented employees and management litigating employment disputes in federal court, state court and administrative hearings. This experience includes litigating employment cases involving wrongful termination, employment discrimination, harassment, retaliatory discharge, wage and hour disputes, unemployment, breach of contract, restrictive covenants, trade secret theft, and embezzlement.
- Employment Discrimination
- Employment ContractMr. Powell has significant experience with employee-related matters, including advising on discipline, terminations, sexual harassment training and investigations, policies and procedures, and compliance with federal and state employment laws. As part of this practice, Mr. Powell regularly drafts and consults on employee handbooks and related policies, employment agreements, confidentiality agreements, non-competition provisions, and non-solicitation agreements.
- Employment LitigationWesley Lindberg, a former partner at Reno & Zahm LLP since 1965, is now associated with the firm as an of counsel attorney. Among his many accomplishments and notable cases, Mr. Lindberg has organized a national bank; converted a federal mutual savings and loan association to a shareholder federal savings bank; and represented banks and corporations regarding mergers and acquisitions, employment disputes, shareholder disputes, bankruptcies, real estate development matters, and foreclosures. He also has considerable experience in real estate development issues and personal injury matters.
- Severance AgreementWorking with Reno & Zahm LLP can help you strengthen your compliance measures and protect your business from unnecessary future litigation. We can help you draft employment policies, employee handbooks, severance agreements, and other employment documents pertinent to your relationship with employees. If you have any existing contracts or policies that need a compliance review or update, we can also assist you in these matters.
- Sexual Harassment
- Real Estate LitigationScott Calkins is a partner at Reno & Zahm LLP, where he has practiced since July 2005. His practice focuses on general business matters, commercial litigation, appellate litigation, and real estate matters, and he brings his clients more than 18 years of experience to meet their needs.
- Construction LitigationJan Ohlander is a partner at Reno & Zahm LLP, where he has practiced since 1979. Mr. Ohlander has successful trial experience in a wide variety of cases tried before juries in state and federal courts, including injury, negligence, commercial, contract, employment and construction claims. He serves regularly as a mediator and arbitrator for major civil cases in state, federal, and private claims. He was selected as one of the first mediators in the Illinois Supreme Court Pilot Mediation Program, as well as the initial federal court mediation program for the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois.
- Real Estate TransactionsIf you’re involved in a residential or commercial real estate transaction, a real estate attorney in Rockford, IL at Reno & Zahm LLP can support you whether you’re the buyer or seller in the equation. We can handle all aspects of real estate transactions including purchase preparations, drafting sale agreements, ordering titles, and closing services.
- Eminent DomainThe attorneys of Reno & Zahm LLP are who bour clients turn to when they need help resolving legal matters concerning real estate and property, such as transactions, annexation, zoning, eminent domain, and taxation. Our firm has been a community mainstay for nearly 100 years. During that time, the attorneys who’ve built careers through dedicated service to our clients have helped them achieve results that mattered.
- Land Use and ZoningDevelopment of all kinds is happening around Rockford at any given moment. As our town changes, so too may the land use laws and zoning policies that govern where we live and work, and how we get to those places.
- Personal InjuryReno & Zahm LLP was founded in 1923 and carries on a nearly century-old tradition of providing legal services to members of the community when they need help. We offer support for organization, acquisitions, and dispositions, and can assist clients facing issues with a debtor or creditor. Our clients have also taken advantage of our governmental law practice when they needed legal help while running for office, and we’ve handled more delicate issues related to employment, family, and personal injury law.
- Medical Malpractice
- Auto Accidents
- Dog Bites
- Estate PlanningOur Rockford estate planning attorneys can work with you to develop a will or trust that details what will happen to your assets and property – including your company – when you pass on.
- WillsRobert Fredrickson started with Reno & Zahm LLP in 1971 and has been a partner since 1974. His practice focuses primarily on multi-faceted civil litigation, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts. In this area, Mr. Fredrickson has more than 40 years of experience. He also has considerable experience related to commercial transactions, wills and estates, and alternative dispute resolution.
- Probate
- BankruptcyOur lawyers combine their extensive knowledge of bankruptcy law with good business judgment and their many years of experience. We regularly achieve exceptional results for clients in this area, where it is often difficult to obtain good results for clients.
- Foreclosure
- Tax LawWilliam G. Albee is an associate at Reno & Zahm LLP. He started his legal career in southern Illinois, where he practiced in the areas of estate planning, business planning, civil litigation, probate, and tax litigation. His current practice focuses on civil litigation, estate planning and probate, business planning, and intellectual property law.