$ 450-450 per hour
PRO
William P. Wolf
also known as Bill Wolf
Virtual Consultation Available
About William
Biography
From his earliest days as a law student, William “Bill” Wolf witnessed how the justice system could crush the powerless—and he resolved to stand on their side. After graduating from the University of Illinois and Chicago-Kent College of Law, he built a 35-year career in criminal defense, beginning at the Cook County Public Defender’s Office. There he handled family-court abuse and neglect cases, then advanced to felony trials—winning verdicts in serious charges ranging from burglary and kidnapping to murder by uncovering investigative failures and prosecutorial overreach. In 2007, he helped secure the United States’ 200th DNA exoneration with the Innocence Project. Over eleven years on the Public Defender’s Homicide Task Force, he defended capital and non-capital murder cases before judges and juries with notable success. In 2017, Bill launched a private practice that spans Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana. A former Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers president and NACDL board member, he is sought nationwide as a speaker and author on trial strategy and forensic evidence.
William Wolf Has Extensive Trial Practice in Front of Both Judges and Juries.
Practice Areas
6
Practice Areas
Criminal Defense
35%
32 years
Violent Crime
30%
32 years
Sex Crime
25%
28 years
Federal Crime
7%
9 years
Fees and Rates
Cost
Hourly Rates
Retainer
Sometimes
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
Awards
2020 2019 2018
Licenses
Licensed in Illinois for 32 years
State: Illinois
Acquired: 1993
No misconduct found
Location
The Law Office of William Wolf, LLC
(312) 873-4339
Fax
35 East Wacker Drive, Suite 1980, Chicago, IL, 60601
wolfcriminallaw.com/Gallery
Online Presence
Other places you can find William online.
William P. Wolf's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
2 Client Reviews
Filter Avvo Reviews (2)
Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.
Practice Areas
Showing 1 - 1 of 1 review | Practice Area Knowledge
Posted by anonymous | July 04, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes
A thorough and devoted law practitioner.
After receiving an Illinois Civil No-Contact Order with some pretty serious allegations, I needed to act quickly to protect both myself and my reputation. After consulting with family members who were lawyers, Mr. Wolf was recommended to me via those connections. He took his own personal time to disc...
William P. Wolf's Lawyer Endorsements
"I endorse this lawyer. Bill is the real deal!! It would be difficult to find a more experienced, compassionate, and dedicated defense attorney in the State of Illinois. He comes highly recommended!!!"
"I endorse William Wolf. He provides a well thought out, articulate assessment of each legal problem. His knowledge of criminal law has great depth and his application of the law to each set of facts is impressive. He is a seasoned litigator with extensive trial experience."
"Bill is a smart, experienced and fearless defense attorney. He has great passion for his work. I endorse him without hesitation."
Jerald Novak
Criminal defense lawyer
Steven Fagan
Criminal defense lawyer
Experience
Honors
2018
Presidential Commendation, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
2016
Presidential Commendation, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
2015
Presidential Commendation, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
2013
Service Appreciation Award, Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
2010
Presidential Commendation, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
2009
Presidential Commendation, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Work Experience
2017 - Present
Owner, The Law Office of William Wolf, LLC
1993 - 2017
Assistant Public Defender, Cook County Public Defender's Office
Associations
2017 - Present
National Association of Criminal Defense LawyersMember of Board of Directors
2017 - Present
Chicago Bar AssociationMember
2010 - Present
Women's Criminal Defense Bar AssociationMember
2010 - 2012
Illinois Association of Criminal Defense LawyersPast President
Sample of Legal Cases
People v. R.U.
Verdict of Not Guilty
People v. T. M.
Verdict of Not Guilty of First Degree Murder, Guilty of Second Degree Murder
People v. A.C.
Verdict of Not Guilty of First Degree Murder, Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter
People v. C.D.
Finding of Not Guilty of First Degree Murder
People v. C.H.
Finding of Not Guilty of First Degree Murder
People v. V.C.
Verdict of Not Guilty
People v. R.B.
Finding of Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity
People v. Jerry Miller
Jeremy Miller exonerated.
People v. D.A.
Verdict of Not Guilty of First Degree Murder, Guilty of Second Degree Murder
People v. W.M.
Verdict of Not Guilty of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault
People v. C. F.
Verdict of Not Guilty of First Degree Murder, Guilty of Second Degree Murder
Education
1993
Chicago-Kent College of Law Illinois Institute of Technology
JD - Juris Doctor
Speaking Engagements
2017
NACDL Annual Meeting and Seminar: “The Golden Rules of Cross: Strategies for Troubled Waters” San Francisco, CA
Preparing to Cross-Examine the Homicide Detective
2017
CCPD Three Days in a Nutshell, Oak Brook, IL
Building a Defense Case
2016
UACDL Death Penalty Conference, Salt Lake City, UT
Ethics, the A.B.A. Guidelines and You
2016
UACDL Death Penalty Conference, Salt Lake City, UT
Taking the Record off of Life Support
2016
NACDL/GPDC Southwestern Regional Public Defense Training, Macon, GA
Preparing to Cross-Examine an Expert Witness
2016
In-House Office Presentation, St. Charles, IL
Building a Defense Case.
2016
IACDL Mid-Winter Seminar, East St. Louis
Preparing to Cross-Examine an Expert Witness.
2016
Gideon’s Promise Summer Institute, Oxford, MS
Preparing to Cross-Examine an Expert Witness
2016
CCPD “Three Days in a Nutshell” Oak Brook, IL
Preparation for Winning Videotaped Confession Cases
2016
CCPD Legal Resources Division In House Training Presentation, Chicago, IL
Preparing to Win Murder Cases
2016
BCPD In-House Training Program, St. Joseph, MI
Preparing to Cross-Examine an Expert Witness
2016
BCPD In-House Training Program, St. Joseph, MI
Preparation for Winning Videotaped Confession Cases
2015
UACDL Conference, St. George, UT
How to Challenge Videotaped Statements of Your Client
2015
NACDL Midwinter Seminar, New Orleans, LA
Preparing to Cross-Examine an Expert Witness
2015
CCPD Legal Resources Division Training Presentation, Chicago, IL (panelist)
Law and Science behind DNA Exoneration Part I”
2015
CCPD In-House Civil Division Training Presentation, Chicago, IL
“Working With Experts”
2015
CCPD "Three Days in a Nutshell,” Oak Brook, IL
Preparation for Winning Videotaped Confession Cases
2015
2015 Annual Criminal Defense Conference, Milwaukee, WI
Preparation for Cross-Examination of the Forensic Pathologist: Shaping the Storyline for Acquittals
2014
In House Presentation, CCPD Civil Division Presentation, Chicago, IL
Building a Defense Case.
2014
IACDL Semi-Annual Seminar, Rock Island, IL
How to Respond Professionally to Prosecutorial and Judicial Misconduct
2013
NACDL Midwinter Meeting and Seminar, Washington DC
Funding an Expert for Indigent Defense (panelist)
2013
IACDL Spring Seminar, Springfield, IL
Emotionally Charged! How to React Professionally to Misconduct Committed by Judges, Prosecutors, and Investigators in Sensitive Cases (panelist).
2013
AACDL’s 2013 "All-Stars" Conference, Girdwood, AK
Preparing to Cross-Examine an Expert Witness.
2013
AACDL's "All-Stars" Conference, Girdwood, AK
How to Challenge Videotaped Statements of Your Client.
2012
Three Days in a Nutshell, Oak Brook, IL.
Prosecutorial Misconduct: Eliminating it and Answering it (co-presenter).
2012
Miranda, Voluntariness, Completeness, Foundation; Springfield, IL.
Closing Argument Presentation on False Confessions
2012
Making the Case for Life Seminar, Atlanta, GA
Taking the Record off of Life Support
2012
Law and Strategy of the Statement Case; Springfield, IL.
Miranda, Voluntariness, Completeness and Foundation (Panelist).
2011
Three Days in a Nutshell, Oak Brook, IL
Prosecutorial Misconduct: Eliminating it and Answering it. (co-presenter)
2011
McLean County Public Defender Office Presentation.
Preparing to Cross-Examine an Expert Witness.
2011
Kane County Public Defender Office Presentation (St. Charles, IL)
Preparing to Cross-Examine an Expert Witness.
2011
Defending the Statement Case, Chicago, IL
Closing Argument Presentation on False Confessions
2011
Defending the Statement Case, Chicago, 2011.
Miranda v. Arizona-Defending the Statement Case. (Panelist).
2011
Death Penalty Certification Seminar.
Preparing to Cross-Examine an Expert Witness (Perrysburg, OH)
2010
Making the Case for Life (Charleston, SC}
Taking the Record off of Life Support
2010
DuPage County Public Defender’s Office Presentation.
Preparing to Cross-Examine an Expert Witness (Wheaton, IL)
2008
Illinois Public Defender Association Fall Seminar (Springfield, IL)
Preparing to Cross-Examine an Expert Witness.
2007
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Death Penalty Seminar (Birmingham, AL)
Preserving Issues for Appeal through Motion Practice.
2007
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Death Penalty Seminar
Preserving Relationships Between Trial, Appellate, and Post-Conviction Counsel (panelist).
2006
Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Seminar, (Champaign, IL)
The Use of Davis v. Washington in the Defense of Domestic Violence Cases
2005
The Lorman Education Group Seminar (Chicago)
Murder’s Mayhem on the Fourth Amendment
2005
National Defender Investigation Association Annual Conference (Chicago)
Developing Forensic Theories in Criminal Cases
2005
National Defender Investigation Association Annual Conference
Ethical Issues for the Criminal Defense Specialist (panelist)
2004
Missouri State Public Defender Annual Training
Preparing to Cross-Examine an Expert Witness
Publications
2013
The Champion magazine, Vol. 37, No.10
A Tale of Two Counties and Two Very Different Outcomes
2013
The Champion magazine, Vol. 37, No. 3
A Lawyer’s Response to the Threat of His Client’s Loss of Counsel (Gideon’s Champions)
2010
Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Quarterly Journal
Drug weights: Don’t let Overweight Turn Your Client into the Biggest Loser
2009
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Minor Crimes, Massive Waste: The Terrible Toll of America’s Broken Misdemeanor Courts
2007
Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Defining ‘Testimonial’ and other trends in the wake of Crawford and Confrontation in Illinois
2006
Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
The 48 Hour Rule: What’s Left to Argue When Suspects Are Held Indefinitely
2004
The Champion magazine, Vol. 28, No. 7
Preparing to Cross-Examine an Expert Witness, Part 2
2004
The Champion magazine, Vol. 28, No. 6
Preparing to Cross-Examine an Expert Witness, Part 1
2004
Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Crawford v. Washington: Confronting the 6th Amendment roots out the evils of hearsay
Activity
Legal Answers
Top Contributor
William earned significant contribution points in 2020.
Legal Answers
Q&A
Who could I sue enterprise rentals cars ?
25 Jun 2022
Q&A
What can I do?
02 Feb 2022
Q&A
Will my IL initial criminal post conviction petition survive if I served the court but not the county SA?
05 Nov 2021