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“Having practiced law for 30 years, I pride myself on being aggressive, skilled, and prepared. My goal Is to resolve your problem with the least amount of time and expense.”
Karen has been a lawyer for 30 years, concentrating in all types of litigation—criminal, civil, and appellate. Karen has excellent and diverse trial experience and has litigated cases across the country in a wide variety of matters including: commercial business real estate litigation, insurance coverage disputes, physician disputes, contracts, probate, defamation, domestic relations, white collar criminal defense, environmental matters, employment discrimination, injunctions, business torts, trade secrets, professional negligence, and civil rights. At the same time, Karen has exceptional negotiation skills which allow her to quickly and creatively settle matters for clients with the least possible expenditure of time and money. She is formally trained as a mediator and in collaborative law.
A member of the Illinois, California, and U.S., Supreme Court bars, Karen has handled numerous significant cases, including a successful United States Supreme Court appeal on behalf of the Cook County Democratic Party, the death row appeals of serial killer John Wayne Gacy, a reversal in the Illinois Supreme Court in an employment discrimination matter, and a wrongful arrest and injury action against the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers arising from the infamous May 2000 brawl in the Wrigley Field stands. In December 2008, Karen tried a six week jury trial and obtained a $1.2 million fraud verdict against a nationally known home builder, represented by the world’s largest law firm.
Karen’s valued clients include, among others, physicians, medical clinics, internet entrepreneurs, authors, retail establishments, small business owners, construction companies, and a non-profit animal shelter.
For over 20 years, Karen has been an adjunct professor at University of Illinois College of Law and DePaul University College of Law. She has guest lectured at Stanford University and American University and single-handedly teaches civil procedure to recent law graduates taking the bar.
Karen has extensive experience in domestic relations. In 2008, she was appointed by Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to assist in redrafting the divorce laws in Illinois. She was solely responsible for redrafting the statute concerning grounds for divorce, when, if passed, should modernize and streamline the process of dissolving a marriage. In 2007, she was a headline speaker at the Family Rights Rally at the Lincoln Monument in Washington, D.C. on the issue of child custody and parental alienation.
For over 20 years, Karen has been a part of the local and national media. She has been the designated local Chicago Fox affiliate legal expert giving weekly commentary on diverse issues such as family law, business matters, criminal cases, and appellate decisions. She has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, Nancy Grace, Court TV and other media venues. For over 20 years, Karen hosted and produced radio talk shows including “Legally Speaking” on WGN Radio in Chicago for which she has won numerous awards, among others, Achievement in Radio for Best Public Affairs and the Kogan Award. She currently has a weekly segment on WGN where she discusses current legal events and answers listeners’ questions.
Karen also writes and lectures. Her articles are published in the Chicago Sun-Times, local magazines, and online. She has spoken at many seminars and events on issues of family law, media law, women in business and current legal news stories.
Karen was voted one of 40 under 40 Illinois Attorneys to Watch by Chicago Lawyer Magazine, One of the 100 Women Making a Difference in Chicago by Today’s Chicago Woman, Outstanding Alumni of the Year at University of Illinois College of Law, and the Distinguished Graduate Award. She was voted a Leading Lawyer, part of a network of elite lawyers in the state and received the Impresa Award from the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans.
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Chat withState: Illinois
Acquired: 1986
No misconduct found
State: California
Acquired: 1994
No misconduct found
161 N. Clark Street, Suite 2600, Chicago, IL, 60601
Showing 1 - 5 of 15 client reviews from Avvo
Posted by anonymous | July 26, 2022 | Consulted Attorney
Karen returned my call within an hour. She asked questions about my case that I wouldn't think to ask and I could tell that she was processing how to best solve each layer to my very complicated divorce case. She was intuitive, knowledgeable, empathetic, and was able to answer my questions. She was r...
Posted by anonymous | May 2, 2019 | Hired Attorney
She was a clear example of an attorney who will work the emotions of her client for a nice pay day. Disgusting! 1) Never red-lined ONE draft to the opposing counsel, instead just said "This isnt good". 2) Tried to debunk any and all negotiation of fairness and basically wanted the agreement to follow...
Posted by Lisa Spring | September 30, 2015 | Hired Attorney
Karen really cares!!! She became my right hand when my world was turned upside down. She is truly a beautiful soul and was there with me through this traumatic time every step of the way. She would go out of her way throughout this whole process just to check on how I was doing. She would always put ...
Posted by Joe | September 15, 2015 | Hired Attorney
My divorce was finalized on July 17, 2012. Karen Conti was hired and jumped right into the process picking up the various pieces to my puzzle and moved very quickly through what is a rather slow legal process. She is an extremely exceptional professional Family Law Attorney. And, on top of that s...
Posted by Meredith | September 15, 2015 | Consulted Attorney
My colleague and I had the pleasure of collaborating with Karen for a feature on her radio show and it was a truly wonderful experience. Karen's insight was spot on and her attention to detail offered us the necessary platform to educate the community about programs that we offer and services that w...
"Having seen Karen in the classroom, I can attest to her tremendous skills as a law professor bringing along the next generation of counsel. Those skills are matched or surpassed by the fantastic work she does for clients. I endorse this exceptional advocate."
"I have known Karen for a number of years. As a practicing attorney, I can vouch for her fierce litigation skills, her depth and breadth of legal knowledge, and her ability to analyze a client's legal issue and recommend the best course of action. I would not hesitate to have Karen represent me in my own legal matters should I ever need representation--in family law or otherwise."
"Karen is an outstanding person and lawyer. She knows all aspects of law and is very well respected by judges. Karen is aggressive and assertive without being antagonistic. She has tremendous experience trying cases (which very few lawyers do) and is a skilled negotiator. I highly recommend Karen!"
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2013
Impressa Award, Joint Civic Committee Of Italian Americans
2010
Member, Leading Lawyers Network
2001
100 Women Making a Difference, Today's Chicago Woman
2001
Distinguished College of Law Graduate Award, University of Illinois College of Law
2000
Forty Under Forty Award, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin/Chicago Lawyer Magazine
1998
Outstanding Recent College of Law Alumni, University ofIllinois College of Law
1998
Best Public Affairs Program, Achievement in Radio Award
N/A
Meritorious Achievement Recognition, Herman Kogan Competition
2012 - Present
Partner, Beermann Pritikin Mirabelli Swerdlove
2011 - Present
Adjunct Professor, DePaul University College of Law
2010 - Present
Lecturer, Themis Bar Review
2009 - Present
Guest Host/Contibutor, Tribune Company/WGN Radio
1994 - 2010
Adjunct Professor, University of Illinois College of Law
2015 - Present
Chicago Bar AssociationMember
1986
JD - Juris Doctor
1983
BA - Bachelor of Arts
2014
Why Lawyers Should Talk to the Media
2014
Illinois Bar Examination Lecturer
2002
Headline Speaker Family Rights
2015
English
Legal Answers
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