Practice Areas
AREAS OF LAW
In-Depth Legal Counsel For Large And Small Businesses
Petti Murphy & Associates
provides in-depth legal counsel for large and small businesses
throughout the area. The emphasis of our consultation is to handle corporate law matters and generate creative business solutions for our clients.
Our lawyers provide legal counsel for business clients throughout Cook County, Kane County and DuPage County, Illinois, and the collar counties of metropolitan Chicago.
Call either of our office locations or contact us by email to discuss your legal matter with one of our Orland Park or Geneva business law attorneys today.
Our Primary Areas Of Practice Include:
We provide experienced assistance with business transactional needs such as:
- Incorporations for Startups and Diversification
- Business Dissolution
- Business Ownership Exit Strategies
- Commercial Real Estate Transactions
- Shareholder Agreements, Investor Relations
- Employment Risk Management
- Asset Sales and Ownership Transfers
- Business Succession Planning
- No-Compete Contracts Drafted, Reviewed, Revised
- Business Liability Risk Management
- Asset Protection
We provide experienced assistance with business transactional needs such as:
- Minority Ownership Oppression
- Breach of Contract Disputes
- Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and Adversary Proceedings
- Commercial Lease Agreements
- Commercial Insurance Claims
- Investment Misrepresentation
- Collections Litigation and Judgments Enforcement
- No-Compete Enforcement and Defense
- Partnership, Succession and Shareholder Disputes
- Trade Secrets Protection
We Represent Small-Business Owners In Metropolitan Chicago
Though we represent large corporate businesses from time to time, we place a special focus on meeting the needs of the small-business owners and operators. We currently represent more than 50 small-business corporations in metropolitan Chicago, and we can represent you and your business, too.
Call Our Law Firm Today For A Consultation
We have two office locations for your convenience. Our office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Weekend and evening appointments may also be made. Call our Geneva office at 630-457-1691
or Orland Park office at 708-942-4159
for a consultation. You may also contact us by email to inform us of your legal concerns.
Fighting For The Seriously Injured In Metropolitan Chicago
People injured as a result of the wrongful conduct of another person are entitled to seek full and fair compensation for financial damages such as medical bills, lost wages and future earnings, assistive and rehabilitative devices, and pain and suffering. If you are one of these people, Petti Murphy & Associates can fight to get you the fair compensation that you deserve.
If you were seriously injured or lost a loved one in an accident in the Chicago metro area, talk to a personal injury attorney at the litigation firm of Petti Murphy & Associates before speaking with an insurance claims adjuster. We are a team of trial lawyers with more than 50 combined years of litigation experience, and we will fight to maximize your recovery.
Don't Talk To The Insurance Company Until You Talk To Us
The insurance company responsible for paying you for money damages will do everything it can to minimize its financial liability. It's called "delay, deny and defend." Having a strong advocate on your side can make a significant difference in the amount of money you recover.
We will begin work immediately to investigate, gather evidence and prepare your case for trial. In many cases, personal injury lawsuits settle out of court. Although our focus is on winning at trial before a judge or jury of your peers, by coming to the table prepared to win before a judge and jury, we are able to recover maximum money damages in settlement of your claims.
Call us today to discuss your serious personal injury or a family member's wrongful death claim. Our experience includes cases resulting from:
- Auto and Truck Accidents
- Medical Negligence, Surgical Errors, Missed Diagnosis
- Product Liability and Defective Products
- Serious Dog Bites
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Engineering or Architectural Negligence
- Slip-and-Fall Injuries and Premises Liability Accidents
- Catastrophic Injury and Family Wrongful Death
Other Areas Of Civil Litigation
In addition to personal injury and wrongful death claims, we also offer aggressive, effective representation in civil litigation cases involving Defamation (slander and libel), Sexual Harassment and Professional Malpractice.
No Attorney Fees Until You Win
We offer consultations and will provide an honest evaluation of your case. If you hire us to represent you against the insurance company, you will not pay attorney fees until you obtain money in a settlement or jury award. You don't pay us until you win!
Call Our Personal Injury Attorneys
We have two office locations for your convenience. Our office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Weekend and evening appointments may also be made. Call our Geneva office at 630-457-1691
or Orland Park office at 708-942-4159
for a consultation. You may also contact us by email to inform us of your legal concerns.
Business And Consumer Bankruptcy And Debt Solutions
The U.S. Bankruptcy Code allows individuals, families and businesses in Illinois an opportunity to get a fresh start or reorganize from crippling debt.
Since the founding of our country, hardworking people have turned to the bankruptcy courts for relief from collections actions, wage garnishments, judgments and loss of assets to creditors. If you are struggling under the heavy burden of debt, filing bankruptcy could be your best option for a fresh start or to reorganize your debt with creditors.
The need to file bankruptcy sometimes cannot be avoided, and there is no need to feel ashamed to file if it is the best option for you, your family or your business. Millions of Americans seek the protection of the U.S. bankruptcy courts every year, mostly under Chapter 7 to eliminate their consumer debt.
Do You Need A Fresh Start? Does Your Business? We Can Help.
We are the bankruptcy and debt relief* attorneys of Petti Murphy & Associates. We help people and businesses throughout the Chicago metro area resolve their debt problems through the bankruptcy courts or debt forgiveness plans.
Our lawyers provide legal counsel for clients throughout Cook County, Kane County, DuPage County and the collar counties around metropolitan Chicago, including the tri-cities area of St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia. Call either of our office locations or contact us by email to discuss your legal concerns with one of our Geneva or Orland Park business and consumer bankruptcy attorneys today.
Our attorneys have more than 100 combined years of litigation and negotiating experience, and will move your bankruptcy case through the process as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.
What Is Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
Frequently referred to as liquidation proceedings, Chapter 7 individual debt relief is what most individuals and families think of when they consider filing bankruptcy. Chapter 7 gives you the opportunity to eliminate consumer debt, such as credit card debt, medical bills and bank loans, after meeting certain criteria.
Of course, not all debts can be eliminated through bankruptcy. Child support, alimony, some tax debt and government-backed student loan debt, for example, usually must be repaid.
Through bankruptcy, you may be able to keep your home, vehicle or other property that is facing repossession. Chapter 7 bankruptcy may allow you to keep (reaffirm) mortgage and family car loans, while eliminating other debts.
You can learn more on our FAQs page, which addresses questions that our clients commonly have about the Chapter 7 bankruptcy process.
What Is Chapter 13 Bankruptcy?
Chapter 13 bankruptcy allows debtors to consolidate all of their debts. Under Chapter 13, debtors repay all or a percentage of their restructured debt under a court-supervised three- or five-year repayment plan. The single monthly payment plan is typically less than the combined payments of all individual debt, and can save thousands of dollars in interest, penalties and late fees. Unlike Chapter 7 bankruptcy, Chapter 13 does not involve liquidation.
What Is Chapter 11 Bankruptcy?
Businesses can also take advantage of bankruptcy court protection from creditors. Chapter 11 business debt reorganization allows the business to continue operations while gaining respite and restructuring debt repayments, as well as making room for infusion of new capital. Under most conditions, creditors may not pursue collections actions or judgments against the business or investors while the business is under the protection of the courts.
What Is A Bankruptcy Adversary Proceeding?
A complaint to begin an adversary proceeding could be filed by the person going through bankruptcy, a creditor or the bankruptcy trustee and it is a separate lawsuit within a bankruptcy case. The complaint could ask the court to do a variety of things, such as deny the forgiveness of a certain debt that was allegedly incurred in fraud, strip junior liens from real estate property or determine that a fraudulent transfer was made.
You can find out more information about the proceedings, including why everyone involved in an adversary proceeding should be represented by a skilled lawyer, on the Bankruptcy Adversary Hearings information page.
Contact Our Offices Today To Discuss Your Debt Relief Options
We have two office locations for your convenience. Our office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Weekend and evening appointments may also be made. Call our Geneva office at 630-457-1691
or Orland Park office at 708-942-4159
for a free half hour consultation. You may also contact us by email anytime.
*We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief
under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.
Fighting For The Seriously Injured In Metropolitan Chicago
Petti Murphy & Associates provides a full range of transactional and litigation services for individuals and professionals with legal needs in the area of construction law, local or nationwide. While we have the experience and knowledge of downtown Chicago firms, we are able to offer our services at a reasonable fee at friendly, suburban office locations.
When It Is Possible To Recover Damages In Construction Claims
The elusive Economic Loss Doctrine, often referred to as the "Moorman Doctrine," has had a significant impact on construction litigation in the United States. Over the years, construction law has developed in the direction of contractual law. Accordingly, damages for breach of contract
are typically limited to economic losses. Under the Economic Loss Doctrine, a party to a construction contract cannot maintain an action against a contractor for breach of contract
if the plaintiff seeks damages that are the type of losses that arise from negligent injury to a person or negligent damage to property.
The owner's losses arise out of a contract for which the owner is restricted to the economic damages — loss of the "commercial expectation" or "benefit of the bargain" that was purchased in the construction contract. However, if an accident or defect at the construction site was caused by someone's negligence and results in personal injury or property damage, the Economic Loss Doctrine does not apply. Lawsuits for breach of a noncontractual duty may be brought seeking negligence damages — injuries to person or damages to property founded in negligent conduct.
Our lawyers provide legal counsel for clients throughout Cook County, Kane County and DuPage County, Illinois, and the collar counties of metropolitan Chicago. Call either of our office locations or contact us by email to discuss your legal concerns with one of our Orland Park or Geneva construction law attorneys today.
We provide legal counsel and representation in all areas of construction law, including:
- Mechanic's Liens and Collections Actions
- Contract Specification Breaches and Nonperformance Disputes
- Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices
- Claims Under the Illinois Home Repair and Remodeling Act
- Building and Remodeling Defect Litigation
- Subcontractor Nonperformance Litigation
- Government Bids and Contract Terms
Call Our Construction Litigation Attorneys For Guidance You Can Trust
We have two office locations for your convenience. Our office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Weekend and evening appointments can also be made. Call our Geneva office at 630-457-1691
or Orland Park office at 708-942-4159
for a consultation. You may also contact us by email to inform us of your legal concerns.
Professional Malpractice
Malpractice by professionals other than doctors is similar to medical malpractice, but not exactly the same. Engineers, for example, are permitted to modify the scope of their duties of care by contract with their retaining client. If someone is adversely affected by the contractual modification of the scope of the engineer's duties, the Illinois Supreme Court has held that there is no negligence remedy under such circumstances.
Experience And Skill In Fighting Professional Malpractice Claims
To win a malpractice claim against an attorney, the former client must establish that the attorney did not exercise a reasonable degree of care and skill, and that but for the attorney's negligence, the client would not have suffered the damages alleged. The law distinguishes mistaken professional judgment from negligence. A mere error of judgment does not subject an attorney to liability even if that erroneous judgment leads to an unfavorable outcome for the client. This holds true for engineers, accountants, insurance brokers and real estate brokers as well, allowing for compensation where the professional person negligently fails to observe his or her reasonable professional standards or provides inaccurate information that causes damages.
Contact Us For An Initial Consultation
At Petti Murphy & Associates, we have experience in recovering large verdicts and settlements on behalf of our tragically injured patients or clients and their families. We fight to maximize the recovery to help offset the economic loss, and the pain and suffering endured, as a result of someone else's mistakes. Call us now to set up a free half hour consultation with one of our attorneys — no attorney fees until you win!
Real Estate
Are you buying or selling your home? Let us help you during what may be the largest and most important investment decision of your life. In addition to negotiating all the terms of your contract to sell or purchase, ordering title and a survey, preparing the closing documents and closing figures, we will also attend the closing with you.
Our office also handles real estate matters related to:
- Sale of residential or commercial real estate
- Purchase of residential or commercial real estate
- Purchase of new construction real estate
- Sale or purchase of residential or commercial investment properties
- Purchase of large tracts of land and rezoning and/or subdivision issues
- Lease with option to purchase contracts related to real estate
- Purchase of a vacant lot, and/or contract for residential construction
- Eminent domain
- Commercial lease
- Zoning law
Looking for a title agent? The attorneys at Petti Murphy & Associates are title agents for Chicago Title (CT&T), Attorneys Title Guarantee (ATG), Suburban Title, Greater Illinois Title and several other title companies.
Why Choose Our Firm To Handle Your Real Estate Needs
While we have two convenient suburban locations in Orland Park and Geneva, our attorneys offer the same skill and experience as those located in downtown Chicago firms. You can count on Petti Murphy & Associates to make sure that your real estate deal goes smoothly, whether you are a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned real estate investor.
Contact Us Today To Set Up An Initial Consultation
Maybe you aren't sure if you need a lawyer, or you just have a few questions to ask. You can set up a pressure-free initial consultation with us today by calling our Geneva office at 630-457-1691
or our Orland Park office at 708-942-4159. You may also contact us online.
Helping You Resolve Divorce And Other Family Law Matters
When seeking a family lawyer, it is important to find a firm that makes the legal process as stress-free and efficient as possible. At Petti Murphy & Associates, our lawyers emphasize compassion and sensitivity, while getting the results you need at the same time.
Our lawyers provide legal counsel for clients throughout Cook County, Kane County and DuPage County, Illinois, and the collar counties of metropolitan Chicago. Call either of our office locations or contact us by email to discuss your legal concerns with one of our family law attorneys today.
We offer consultations on all marital dissolution and family law matters. Petti Murphy & Associates offers the experience and knowledge of a downtown Chicago firm for a fraction of the fees and at convenient, suburban locations.
Family Law Solutions That Protect Your Family
We handle divorce and family law matters for clients in the Greater Chicago area. Our experience includes cases resulting from:
- Marital Dissolution and Property Settlements
- Child Custody Litigation
- Marital Property Rights and Property Division Disputes
- Prenuptial Agreements and Enforcement
- Child and Spousal Support Disputes
- Visitation Rights and Enforcement
- Post-Dissolution Decree Modifications
Call Our Orland Park Child Custody Attorneys
We have two office locations for your convenience. Our office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Weekend and evening appointments may also be made. Call our Geneva office at 630-457-1691
or Orland Park office at 708-942-4159
for a consultation. You may also contact us by email to inform us of your legal concerns.
Employment Law
With more than 50 years of experience, the attorneys of Petti Murphy & Associates can handle all of your employment law needs, whether you are a business owner/employer or an employee. Experience representing both sides on employment law matters and disputes gives our lawyers unique perspective and the ability to approach your issue from all angles.
We Represent Metro Chicago Employers With Legal Concerns
If you are just starting a business or your business is expanding, then you need a skilled attorney to help you prepare or review employment contracts, confidentiality agreements or no-compete agreements. Our firm can provide you with the legal guidance you need to make sure that your business is protected and all applicable employment laws are followed.
We can also provide assistance with employment law litigation and disputes, which may involve pursuing breach of contract claims after employment contracts have been violated. If your business is facing an employment law claim, perhaps involving retaliation or wrongful termination, our lawyers can put forth the best defense possible on your behalf.
Have You Been Mistreated In The Workplace? We Can Help.
If you have been mistreated or discriminated against in the workplace, the attorneys of Petti Murphy & Associates can investigate the behavior and determine if a lawsuit is warranted. Our lawyers provide effective representation to people who have been discriminated against based on age or another protected status, have been sexually harassed in the workplace, or have been wrongfully terminated or retaliated against.
Petti Murphy & Associates can also take a stand to protect your rights under state and federal laws, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Contact Us Today For An Initial Consultation
You can reach our Geneva office at 630-457-1691
or Orland Park office at 708-942-4159. You may also contact us online.
Wills Trusts And Probate
No one likes to plan for their own death, but doing so is extremely important. Not only does an effective estate plan protect your family and the people you care about the most, it also protects the assets you have worked your entire life to secure.
The good news is that you don't have to travel to a swanky and intimidating downtown Chicago law firm to get your plans in place. Instead, you can work with an attorney who has the same amount of experience and knowledge in a friendly, suburban setting, while paying legal fees that are very reasonable.'
Contact the attorneys of Petti Murphy & Associates today to set up a stress-free appointment by calling our Geneva office at 630-457-1691
or our Orland Park office at 708-942-4159. You may also contact us by email.
After your estate plan is ready to go, you can go on living life with the priceless feeling that the people and things you care most about will be taken care of.
What Is An Estate Plan, Anyway?
Although Illinois law establishes the right for you to make a Will, it is not mandatory. If you pass away, and do not have a Will, the court will distribute your property to your legal heirs according to Illinois' statutory distribution plan, the so-called "every person's" Will, based upon what is commonly preferred. This may not be in your loved ones' favor.
Estate planning is a process whereby your objectives for the management and distribution of your property upon your passing are analyzed, and actions are taken to meet your objectives. Items estate planning may address are:
- Who gets your money and property when you have passed?
- Who will take care of your children when you have passed?
- Is there enough money to provide for your loved ones when you have passed?
- Who will manage your estate when you have passed?
- What are the tax ramifications of your passing on loved ones?
- If you have loved ones, what will happen to the ownership of your family business?
A Living Trust is a popular option in estate plans. A Living Trust is a vehicle for managing your property while you are alive, and upon your death it passes on to your beneficiaries, with the added benefit of avoiding the delays and added expenses of Probate.
Have You Been Mistreated In The Workplace? We Can Help.
How Do Powers Of Attorney Work?
Illinois has adopted the durable Power of Attorney Law. This law allows you to appoint an agent to act for you while you are alive, and may be conditioned upon your incapacity or disability.
- A Power of Attorney for Property is a device used for you to appoint someone to manage your property and payment of bills during a disability that may occur while you are alive.
- A Health Care Power of Attorney is a device used for you to appoint someone to make health care decisions on your behalf. This device also addresses the topics of: do you want to donate any organs, do you want life-sustaining treatment if you are in a coma?
Contact Our Office Today For An Estate Planning Consultation
Without an estate plan in place, your assets are at the mercy of state law, and people you care about could end up facing conflict and uncertainty. But you can avoid that by contacting our offices today.