Professional obligations for local counsel build meaningful relationships that ultimately add value. As a result of mitigating some of the uncertainty associated with litigating in an unfamiliar court, local counsel relationships often result in more favorable outcomes and reduced litigation costs for clients.
As local counsel, the attorneys of WilliamsMcCarthy LLP provide assistance on matters within our jurisdiction. We regularly enter into local counsel agreements with lead counsel to provide our judgement and expertise related to local practice to win the best possible result for the client.
WilliamsMcCarthy LLP serves as local counsel in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois as well as cases pending in Illinois circuit courts.
For local counsel in federal cases:
The Northern District of Illinois, Western Division, has a single courthouse known as the Stanley J. Roszkowski United States Courthouse, which is located just two blocks from WilliamsMcCarthy’s downtown Rockford office. Pursuant to Local Rule 83.15, “[a]n attorney not having an office within this District (“nonresident attorney”) may appear before this Court only upon having designated as local counsel a member of the bar of this Court having an office within this District.” Attorneys from WilliamsMcCarthy LLP who are members of the federal bar and available to serve as local counsel in Chicago or Rockford include: Jim Devine, Marc Gravino; Troy Haggestad, John Holevas, Joel Huotari, and Scott Sullivan.
For local counsel in Illinois cases:
The Illinois Circuit Court for the 17th Judicial Circuit is located two blocks from WilliamsMcCarthy’s downtown Rockford office. The firm’s lawyers also appear routinely in courtrooms throughout northern Illinois including:
- Belvidere (Boone County)
- Princeton (Bureau County)
- Mount Carroll (Carroll County)
- Sycamore (Dekalb County)
- Galena (Jo Daviess County)
- Geneva (Kane County)
- Yorkville (Kendall County)
- Waukegan (Lake County)
- Ottawa (LaSalle County)
- Dixon (Lee County)
- Woodstock (McHenry County)
- Oregon (Ogle County)
- Rock Island (Rock Island County)
- Freeport (Stephenson County)
- Morrison (Whiteside County)
- Rockford (Winnebago County)
Pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 707, “out-of-state attorneys seeking permission to provide legal services in a proceeding within Illinois are required to associate with an Illinois attorney in the matter.” Attorneys from WilliamsMcCarthy LLP who are available to serve as local counsel in Illinois Circuit Courts in Rockford and elsewhere include: Jim Devine, Marc Gravino; Troy Haggestad, John Holevas, Joel Huotari, and Scott Sullivan.