Joseph E. Polenzani

Joseph E. Polenzani

4.2
Rating: 7.4

Licensed for 38 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at Waukegan, IL
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, DUI & DWI, Workers Compensation, Speeding & Traffic Ticket

9 South County Street, Waukegan, IL

About Joseph

Biography

Practice Areas

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer


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Licenses

Licensed in Illinois for 38 years

State: Illinois

Acquired: 1987

Active and Authorized to Practice Law

No misconduct found

Location

Fox, Lunardi, Zeit & Polenzani

9 South County Street, Waukegan, IL, 60085

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Joseph E. Polenzani's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.2 /5.0

5 Client Reviews

5 star (4)
4 star (0)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (1)

Posted by anonymous | November 11, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Don't hire

Worst lawyer jo Joseph polenzani he did not prepare me enough expungement or seal he lied that I wasn't entitled to get information of police records to prepare myself for an expungement or seal from cases 20 years ago. How I found out he lied is from a lawyer from Chicago I recommend to consult a la...wyer from Cook county (Chicago). Before you think about hiring a lawyer in lake county (Waukegan). They lie to work out a deal on you to give a better deal to another client. Take your money elsewhere you will be wasting your time here. The only way your going to win a case with these lawyers in waukegan its only if you have a clean background. If you have a bad background your only going to get a deal that's it.

Posted by Marc | August 20, 2022 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Did a fantastic job for me. Excellent attorney!

I was updating phone numbers on my emergency contact list for my wife and found this site while searching for Joe. Back in 2006, I was very fortunate to have found Joe who was exceptional. My case had some twists and turns and he kept me updated every step of the way. Joe achieved the result we'd hop...ed for, and I wouldn't consider anyone else in the future to represent me or my family.

Posted by gloria | October 12, 2020 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

best criminal lawyer

omg where do i even begin, we were in need of a lawyer when my family was going through hard times and after calling and calling 100s of lawyers, joseph took our case and he was nothing short of a miracle, safe to say he did all he could do to help us, he was very understanding and reasonable and att...entive. he listened and always returned our calls i would highly recommend him.

Posted by Kyle | May 10, 2018 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Most honest lawyer i have ever worked with

Joe was very fair priced and was honest and up front with me from the begining. You might like the truth but he will not lie to you to get your business. It is hard to find honesty in a lawyer but Joe is your best bet. He knows everyone in the system and has an excellent repore with them all. He hand...led my case as it was his only. Not only was he personable but he was GOOD!! He got my Class 2 felony droped to a misdemeanor with probation. He is the only lawyer i would recomend to a family or friend if they needed representation. Joe is outstanding person and lawyer and you would do yourself a disservice by not talking to him about your case. His experience and knowledge is a great asset to have on your side! I would highly recommend him to anyone!

Posted by Ed | January 9, 2017 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Sometimes the most expensive lawyer is actually the cheapest.

Which is not to say that Joe is outrageously priced. He is in fact priced very reasonably if you take into account that he is hands down the best felony defense attorney in the Waukegan area. I was facing very serious felony charges carrying stiff sentencing and mandatory minimums. Joe went the extra... mile to negotiate a plea that reduced the level of charges and ultimate sentence drastically. Aside from his prowess as an attorney I think you will find him as I did, a straight shooter with insight and compassion who will give you solid advice on your options.

See All Client Reviews

Joseph E. Polenzani's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Joseph
Laura Diane Horner headshot
Laura Horner

Criminal defense lawyer | Apr 21

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"I endorse this lawyer he is a great advocate for his clients."

Robert Jeffrey Long headshot
Robert Long

General practice lawyer | Apr 20

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Great lawyer. Good guy too!"

Michael James Perillo Jr. headshot
Michael Perillo

Criminal defense lawyer | Mar 29

Relationship: Friend

"Having known Joe for over 24 years, I can say that he is greatly respected by his peers. His knowledge of criminal and traffic law is second to none. Joe is a most effective advocate for his clients. He's a good guy to have in your corner. Strongly endorsed."

Jason S. Marks headshot
Jason Marks

Criminal defense lawyer | Mar 17

Relationship: Co-worker

"I endorse this lawyer."

Michael Kennard Noonan headshot
Michael Noonan

Criminal defense lawyer | Mar 17

Relationship: Co-worker

"I endorse this lawyer."

View All Endorsements
John Cameron Greenlees headshot
John Greenlees

Criminal defense lawyer

Larry Alan Appelbaum headshot
Larry Appelbaum

Personal injury lawyer

Daniel Robert Zeit headshot
Daniel Zeit

Criminal defense lawyer

Joseph R. Poell headshot
Joseph Poell

Family lawyer

William Jeffrey Margolin headshot
William Margolin

Criminal defense lawyer

Michael Kennard Noonan headshot
Michael Noonan

Unknown lawyer

Michael James Perillo Jr. headshot
Michael Perillo

Unknown lawyer

Experience

Rating:  7.4 (Very Good)

Honors

N/A

Service Award, NICASA Teen Court

N/A

Meritorious Service, Lake County State's Attorney' Office

Associations

Lake County Bar Association

Member

Illinois State Bar Association

Member

American Bar Association

Member

Education

1987

John Marshall Law School, Chicago

JD - Juris Doctor

1982

Illinois State University

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution