Kevin's firm handled setting up my will and trust recently. They took something that seemed intimidating and made it easy to understand. I've also referred a couple clients to Kevin - he's trustworthy, approachable and very fairly priced.
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Are you currently dealing with a civil lawsuit? Our Naperville civil defense lawyers are here to be your legal shield. Our experienced civil defense attorneys are here to protect your rights and provide effective litigation in a cost-effective manner.
Read more about our Naperville Civil Litigation Attorneys.
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The purpose of a consultation is to determine whether our firm is a good fit for your legal needs. Although we often discuss expected results and costs, our attorneys do not give legal advice unless and until you choose to retain us.
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I am personally committed to ensuring that each one of our clients receives the highest level of client service from our team. Our mission is to provide excellent legal work in a cost-effective manner while maintaining open lines of communication between our clients and their attorneys. Many of our clients are going through difficult times in their lives when they reach out to us. They should feel comfortable leaning on the experience and knowledge of our attorneys as their counselors and advocates. We are here to help!

In this article, Naperville attorney Kevin O’Flaherty explains how written discovery fits into the larger civil litigation process.
There are various phases of written discovery. These include requests for production of documents, interrogatories and requests for admission of facts. We explain each of these documents and also discuss common objections to written discovery. We explain and the process of resolving objections and compelling discovery responses when the other party fails to adequately respond.
In this article, our Naperville civil defense litigators discuss the use of motions for summary judgment in civil litigation.
Motions for summary judgment may be used to request a court to provide a ruling on all or some of the issues in the case without trial. We discuss how motions for summary judgment are filed and the process for briefing and hearing these motions. If there is no issue of material fact and judgment is appropriate for a matter of law, motions of summary judgment are often granted, and can be a more cost-effective defense strategy than a trial.
Our Naperville defense attorneys further discuss motions to dismiss in the following companion write-up.
We explain the two major types of motions to dismiss (2-615 and 2-619) and how they are similar and different to one another. We also take some time to outline how briefings and hearings for a motion to dismiss work under Illinois legal procedure.
A civil defense attorney represents individuals and businesses who have been sued in civil court. Unlike criminal defense, civil cases involve disputes over money, property, contracts, personal injury, or other non-criminal matters. Civil defense attorneys evaluate the claims against you, identify weaknesses in the plaintiff's case, develop defense strategies, handle discovery, file pre-trial motions, and represent you at trial or in settlement negotiations. In Illinois, civil lawsuits can arise from alleged breach of contract, negligence, property disputes, employment claims, HOA violations, and many other areas. Being named in a civil lawsuit does not mean you will lose — but delay in retaining counsel is one of the most common and costly mistakes defendants make. Contact our Naperville civil defense attorneys promptly after being served.
The timeline for civil litigation in Illinois varies widely depending on the complexity of the case, the number of parties, the volume of discovery, and the court's docket. Simple cases in DuPage County may resolve in 6–12 months; more complex commercial or injury cases can take 2–4 years if they go to trial. Most civil cases settle before trial — many during or after the discovery phase when both sides have a clearer picture of the evidence. Illinois courts have case management procedures that set deadlines for discovery, motions, and trial dates. Courts encourage parties to use mediation and alternative dispute resolution to reduce litigation time and cost, and judges may order mediation at any stage. Learn more about the Illinois civil litigation process.
Being served with a civil complaint triggers a strict deadline. In Illinois, you generally have 30 days to file a formal response (an Answer or a Motion to Dismiss) from the date you were served. Failing to respond within this period can result in a default judgment being entered against you, which the plaintiff can then use to garnish wages, freeze bank accounts, or place liens on your property. Upon being served, you should: (1) read the complaint carefully; (2) note the exact date of service; (3) contact a civil defense attorney immediately; and (4) preserve all documents, emails, and communications related to the dispute. Do not contact the plaintiff or their attorney directly before consulting counsel. Our Naperville civil defense attorneys respond quickly to new client inquiries.