Harold Mark Garfinkel

I was charged with a Class 2 felony burglary. Drunkenly, I stole a GPS out of a car one night. (SO DUMB) Because of the value of the property, a felony was the correct charge but still, come on. I retained Hal to defend me and I couldn't have been happier with the outcome. I was 26 years old, col...lege graduate, had my whole life ahead of me and was facing a felony charge that if convicted, would have ruined my life. Not only was my record going to be blemished for life, but I was looking at some serious jail time. I met Hal at his office to review my options. Right then and there, I could see how thorough he was. Asking me questions about the crime, my background, etc. Things I hadn't thought of in years but ultimately saw how they affected the case. My case went back and forth for quite some time, about a year and a half. Which wasn't Hal's fault, the wheels of justice grind slooooowwwlly. During that time, Hal fought hard and exhausted EVERY option to dispose of my case before trial. He filed countless motions, bargained with the SA office, I could go on and on.... Finally before my case was set to go to trial, Hal was able to obtain a plea bargain that included TASC probation. This type of deal is NOT given out for burglary charges. It is typically reserved for first time drug offenses. In case your not familiar with TASC, It's a type of probation in which a plea of guilt is entered, you meet the terms of probation (fines, court costs, treatment, etc) and once the probation has been competed successfully, you can have the judgment VACATED! Which means there is no longer a conviction for that crime. Then, if your record allows you can have it expunged!!!!! There is a good chance that had I gone to trial, I could have been convicted. Hal advised me to no take any other plea the SA was offering me. Also, not to go to trial and continue to fight. I followed along and did as I was told and Whala! Hal tirelessly fought for the BEST outcome for me and I will forever be grateful. A couple takeaways here: Hal works really hard on your case... evenings, weekends, takes phone calls all the time, etc. He is SO thorough, when he asks you questions or asks for information, it may seem nit-picky but trust me, just get it or give it to him. He doesn't talk to you like you're another lawyer. He explains your situation and the law in a way that non-lawyers understand. Finally, I hate to say it but with lawyers... It's often more about WHO than WHAT you know.... Hal has worked side by side with current judges, states attorneys, etc. His connections are INVALUABLE. Oh yeah, I don't have a Felony on my record! :)

Hal is a remarkable lawyer. He is informative, aggressive, and knows what he is doing. I have never had to go to court for anything. I searched for an attorney who was aggressive and understood the traffic court system. My misdemeanor class A aggravated speeding charge was reduced to a class B aggrav...ated speeding charge. I was charged with driving 86 mph in a construction zone. My driving record was not perfect but Hal saved my license, and with the charges reduced my teaching certificate was also saved. I appreciate all of Hal's hard work. The other attorneys I consulted with ALL wanted me to plead guilty to the charges which in turn would have resulted in my license being suspended. If you want an attorney who will explain the court system to you and go the extra mile for his client, Hal is the lawyer for you. Hal's fees were reasonable and fair. I walked out of court with my license in hand. I would highly recommend Hal as a lawyer. Hal kept me well informed about the case and made me feel very relaxed going into court. Thank you Hal for your excellent service!

Hal Garfinkel will fight for you when you don't have any fight left in yourself. I was facing 5-7 years on a failure to register. With already one strike against me, I feared the worst. Hal's expertise, knowledge of the law, and absolute tenacity was able to lesson the charge and I received proba...tion instead of time in the penitentiary. I can start to rebuild my life thanks to him and his belief in me as a human being first and a client second. I've used Hal's Garfunkel's services twice and would recommend his services to anyone.

My husband got two tickets - one for aggravated speeding and one for driving on a revoked license. Hal used his expertise and his many connections in the Cook County Court system to completely dismiss the revoked license ticket and reduce the aggravated speeding ticket to a petty fine of $100. Hal ...made himself available 24 hours a day, and gave us a quick turnaround between our first conversation and my husband's court date. When the court date came, Hal handled the case very quickly, was on top of the situation and got my husband in and out of court in minimal time. Hal required very little work on our part but was specific and concise about the few things he did need. We would highly recommend Hal to anyone in a similar situation looking for a very responsive, reliable lawyer.

Mr Garfinkel is a man of his word. He knows the system and will fight for you all the way until the end. My husband was facing 10-13 years time and Hal got it reduced to only 2 years. He always answered all of my questions and kept me informed of any updates . He is very intelligent and has a LOT of ...experience in all aspects of the legal system. He is a man of his word !!!!!