Joel F. Handler

PRO

Joel F. Handler

4.0
Rating: 8.7

Licensed for 50 years

Personal injury Lawyer at Chicago, IL
Practice Areas: Personal Injury, Education, Family, Employment & Labor

1 E Wacker Dr Ste 2505, Chicago, IL

About Joel

Biography

Member. De Paul Law Review, 1975.

I take on Challenging Cases in the Various Areas of Litigation including Labor & Employment Law, Education Law & Defamation

Practice Areas

4

Practice Areas

Personal Injury 40%

40%
Education 25%

25%
Family 20%

20%
Employment and Labor 15%

15%

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer

Awards

AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating

Licenses

Licensed in Illinois for 50 years

State: Illinois

Acquired: 1975

Active and Authorized to Practice Law

No misconduct found

Licensed in Indiana for 16 years

State: Indiana

Acquired: 2010

Temporary Admission Excluded

No misconduct found

Location

Law Offices of Joel F. Handler

1 E Wacker Dr Ste 2505, Chicago, IL, 60601

lawofficesofjoelhandler.com/

Joel F. Handler's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.0 /5.0

4 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (4) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 1 of 1 review | Punctuality

Posted by Jacqueline | March 26, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Alimony

Learn from my very costly mistake

I hired Joel for a divorce. He was not my first attorney but after speaking with him and reading his profile I needed a strong litigator and I was impressed. Well once I signed on with him it all changed. He would send out letters and pleas late. No follow up forced me in a hearing which he came ...unprepared and settled without the ex ever presenting his financials (my ex dissipated over $50,000.00) Joel never followed up on notice to compel or depose him. Also I was awarded maintenance Joel attempted to have it sent directly to him. When I questioned him, he sued me. In court in front of the judge he screamed "if she wants a war she'll get one!!!" pounding his fists on the podium. He also kept my checks and refused to give them back to me. Don't be his next victim. When you a hire an attorney especially in a divorce you need an advocate, not a bully and someone who is working against you not for you.

Joel Handler

Replied last March 26, 2018

Jacqueline’s response is nothing more than a retaliatory effort on her part to denigrate me because I sued her for failing to pay me substantial monies that she owes. She had been previously represented by two other law firms and was dissatisfied because she claimed that these firms did not do anything for her. In the brief period of time I represented her, I proceeded to get her case ready for trial and obtained a judgment for dissolution of marriage in which she received approximately 85% of what she was seeking to resolve the case. Her references about sending out letters and “pleas” (whatever that means) late is incorrect. She was not forced into any type of hearing. To the contrary, she participated at the hearing and never requested that I seek to vacate or modify the judgment for dissolution of marriage that was entered in her favor. Pursuant to her award, she received maintenance for over 22 years. While she claims that I attempted to have the maintenance sent to me, the decree provided that because at the time it was entered, she was moving and did not want her husband to know where she would be living. In any event, I have never received any maintenance funds on her behalf. Her representation that I am a bully is also inaccurate. To the contrary, Jacqueline repeatedly harassed me with numerous phone messages and emails on an almost daily basis. She also begged me to continue to represent her after I told her that I would no longer tolerate her shenanigans. To compound matters, after assuring me that she had no intent on filing for bankruptcy, Jacqueline, nevertheless, filed for bankruptcy so as to prevent me from obtaining the monies that she clearly owes me. Since she has no defense to her failure to pay, she will go from one website to another and proceed with her vicious lies about my representation. She should be ashamed of herself!

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Experience

Rating:  8.7 (Excellent)

Honors

2026

Martindale-Avvo Rated Top Lawyer 2026, Avvo

2026

2026 AV Preeminent Attorney - Judicial Edition, Martindale-Hubbell

2025

2025 AV Preeminent Attorney, Martindale-Hubbell

2025

Martindale-Avvo Rated Top Lawyer 2025, Avvo

2025

2025 AV Preeminent Attorney - Judicial Edition, Martindale-Hubbell

2025

Leading Lawyers In Illinois 2025, LeadingLawyers.com

2025

AV 40th Anniversary in 2025, Martindale-Hubbell

2024

America's Most Honored Lawyers 2024 - Top 1%, Americas Most Honored

2024

AV Preeminent 2024 Lawyers.com, Martindale-Hubbell

Education

1975

DePaul University College of Law, J.D.

summa cum laude

1972

University of Illinois, B.A., with highest honors

Avvo Rating

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