I grew up in Menard County, Illinois, attending Petersburg PORTA schools and graduating from PORTA High School. I then attended Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, where I graduated magna cum laude with a double major in communication and poliitcal science, and minors in music and pre-law. After college, I went on to earn both my Juris Doctor (law degree) and a Master of Arts in Speech Communication from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining Ackerman Law Office, I served for six years as an Assistant State's Attorney in Sangamon County, Illinois, where I tried numerous felony and misdemeanor cases to juries. I started in the Traffic and Misdemeanor Division, prosecuting petty traffic tickets and misdemeanor criminal offenses. I was then named chief DUI prosecutor, and was later promoted to the Felony Division and soon became one of the office’s two felony narcotics prosecutors. Over the course of my time as an Assistant State’s Attorney, I was assigned cases ranging from petty speeding to first degree murder, covering the full breadth of the criminal and traffic codes. I was responsible for the prosecution of nearly 700 felony cases, over 4000 DUI citations, and countless other crimes and offenses. Since entering private practice, I have advised and represented clients in a wide variety of legal matters, while focusing primarily in the areas of criminal, DUI, and traffic defense. I have prided myself on my ability to answer questions both thoroughly and promptly, negotiate effectively with opposing parties, and—in those instances where negotiations fail—obtain a favorable result through trial. If you're in the market for a diligent, experienced attorney who knows the law, can analyze your case and explain your options, and has proven success both in and out of the courtroom, I'd be honored to speak with you.
