David E. "Dave" Woods

Raiford Palmer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Collaborative Law: Family Law, Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Raiford, who practices law in Naperville, Illinois, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Raiford is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Louis S. Harrison has long been recognized as one of the premier estate planning attorneys in the country. A founding partner of Harrison & Held, LLP – one of the nation’s most elite estate planning firms – Lou’s practice encompasses all aspects of trust and estate planning, including estate and business planning for closely held companies. In addition to individuals in need of sophisticated planning, Lou represents numerous family offices, public figures, CEOs of ...

Bhavani Raveendran is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Bhavani, who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Bhavani is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ashley Margason is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Ashley, who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ashley is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Bill Kramer is an intellectual property attorney, focusing his practice on patent prosecution, patent threat analysis/response and intellectual property transfers. He has broad knowledge of many technical subjects, with particular experience in algorithm-based computer software, video distribution systems, cloud computing, artificial intelligence software, modern currency forms and transfers, and blockchain technologies. Bill leverages his technical aptitude and successful experience to help ...

Rich brings 30 years of commercial real estate experience to understanding each client’s objectives and achieving them proactively and efficiently. Clients routinely seek Rich’s market knowledge and depend on him to handle their largest transactions, as well as their day-to-day real estate deals. Rich represents large real estate investors and lenders, as well as technology companies, in projects located across the country. As a co-chair of Barack Ferrazzano’s nationally pro...

Kristen Laughridge Gale is a partner in the environmental law firm of Nijman•Franzetti LLP, in Chicago. She has broad experience in litigation and enforcement-related issues, including private cost recovery, the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, RCRA, underground storage tanks, CERCLA, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. Ms. Gale has successfully represented clients in regulatory disputes and negotiations with both state and federal agencies, including defending enforcement acti...

Chair of the firm’s Environmental Department, Erika Powers’ practice is totally focused on nationwide water quality issues. Her ability to understand the most complex details of a matter without losing sight of the macro agenda and big-picture client objectives is critical when analyzing the intersection of science and law surrounding water quality regulation. Notably, Erika provides veteran legal counsel regarding regulatory matters involving state and federal environmental agenc...

Alex Cole focuses her real estate practice in the areas of real estate transactions and development, hospitality, international real estate, project finance and construction law. She is routinely involved in large real estate acquisitions (hotel, office and retail) and represents all the various parties in the construction and development process. Some of Alex's past projects include: Park Hyatt Australia, purchase and disposition of The Carlyle in transaction including sale of Rosewood Hotel...

Kerry R. Peck is the managing partner of the Chicago law firm Peck Ritchey, LLC. He is the past President of the 22,000 lawyer Chicago Bar Association. His clients include families, hospitals, banks, the State of Illinois, County of Cook, and City of Chicago. For over ten consecutive years, he has been selected by his peers in statewide surveys of Illinois attorneys as a “Super Lawyer”, an attorney to whom other attorneys would refer their family, and he was named a member of the ...