I was born in and have remained a lifelong resident of Springfield, Il. I attended Griffin High School and completed my undergraduate Bachelor of Arts Degree at Marquette University. While growing up, I had frequent interaction with local attorneys and judges which played a large role in my decision to pursue a career as an Attorney. As a result, I attended Creighton University and obtained my Juris Doctor Degree in 1989. While in Law School I was a legal clerk/intern at several Law Firms located in Omaha and ultimately acted as a 711 Intern in the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office. Following my graduation from Law School and based upon my internship, I was offered and accepted a position as an Assistant State’s Attorney. During my tenure as an Assistant, I handled and tried many Criminal, traffic and DUI cases and developed the skills necessary to navigate the criminal justice system.

I entered the private practice of law in 1990, and the core of my practice involved civil and criminal litigation. As time passed my practice migrated almost exclusively to Criminal, traffic and DUI Defense. In that time span I have defended a wide range of cases from a simple traffic matter to Capital Murder offenses. My goal and practice is the same no matter what the charge and I understand and appreciate the impact criminal charges have upon the lives and liberties of my clients. I believe my experience, background and proven results have garnered the numerous client reviews and testimonials from happy and grateful clients over my 35 years of practice. I endeavor in each case I handle to listen, communicate and provide the absolute best defense available for those facing charges.

My mission is to provide each and every client with the highest quality representation possible in order to obtain the best results achievable in every case. I am further dedicated to vigorously and aggressively defending every client facing charges and ensure that they are heard.

Education

Creighton University School of Law, Omaha, Nebraska - J.D. - 1989
Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin - B.A. - 1985Honors: Political Science

Bar Associations

Capital Litigation Trial Bar Association, Member Member Since: 2004 - current
Illinois State Bar Association, Member Member Since: 1989 - current
Sangamon County Bar Association, Member Member Since: 1989 - current
Sangamon Country Bar Association, President Member Since: 2004 - 2005
Sangamon Country Defense Bar Association, President Member Since: 1993 - 2005
Sangamon Country Bar Association, Director Member Since: 1992 - 1993
Sangamon Country Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, President Member Since: 1990 - 1991
American Association for Justice, Member Member Since: 1991
The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Member Member Since: 1990
Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Member Member Since: 1990

Past Positions

Attorney/Partner at Rabin, Myers & Hanken, P.C., 1996 to 2011
Public Defender at Sangamon County Public Defender, 1997 to 1999
Associate at Long, Morris, Myers and Rabin, P.C., 1994 to 1996
Associate at Pfeifer & Kelty, P.C., 1990 to 1994
Assistant State's Attorney at Sangamon County State's Attorney Office, 1989 to 1990

Certified Legal Specialties

Capital Litigation Trial Bar Association, Capital Litigation Bar, 2004

Classes & Seminars

Gaining The Best Settlement in Auto Injury Cases, NBI, 2009
Aggravated DUI - Resent Developments, ICLE, 2008

Published Works

Gaining the Best Settlement in Auto Injury Cases, Attorney Continuing Legal Education, 2009

Current Employment Position

Solo Practitioner

Honors

Super Lawyer - DUI, Super Lawyers, 2007
Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyers - Illinois (American Society of Legal Advocates), 2014
Top 200 DUI Attorneys - Illinois (National Advocacy for DUI Defense), 2013
Top Criminal Defense Lawyer Superb 10.0 Rating AVVO, 2010-2014
Client's Choice Award - Criminal Defense AVVO, 2012
Top Contributor - Criminal Defense AVVO, 2013

Springfield, IL Criminal Defense & DUI Attorney | 37 Years in Sangamon County Courts | Former Prosecutor | Avvo 10.0 | Super Lawyers 20 Years | W. Scott Hanken Learn more about how an aggressive and experienced Criminal, DUI and Traffic Defense Attorney can help you at www.hankenlaw.com

My mission is to obtain for each and every client the absolute best result achievable. Springfield, IL Criminal Defense & DUI Attorney | 37 Years in Sangamon County Courts | Former Prosecutor | Avvo 10.0 | Super Lawyers 20 Years | W. Scott Hanken

Every DUI charge is a serious case, and I give my personal attention and focus to every client. Springfield, IL Criminal Defense & DUI Attorney | 37 Years in Sangamon County Courts | Former Prosecutor | Avvo 10.0 | Super Lawyers 20 Years | W. Scott Hanken

My main goal is to help you keep your license and stay on the road. Springfield, IL Criminal Defense & DUI Attorney | 37 Years in Sangamon County Courts | Former Prosecutor | Avvo 10.0 | Super Lawyers 20 Years | W. Scott Hanken

Practice Areas

Criminal Defense 40%

40%

DUI and DWI 40%

40%

Speeding and Traffic Ticket 20%

36 years

20%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes

Payment Methods

Cash
Check
Credit Card

Licenses

Licensed in Illinois for 36 years

State: Illinois

Acquired: 1989

Active and Authorized to Practice Law

No misconduct found

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Location

W. Scott Hanken

1100 South Fifth Street, Springfield, IL, 62703

hankenlaw.com

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Online Presence

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W. Scott Hanken's Reviews

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Overall Rating
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5.0 /5.0

183 Client Reviews

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Practice Areas

Criminal Defense (56) Speeding & Traffic Ticket (52) DUI & DWI (47) Lawsuits & Disputes (15) Car Accidents (3) Drug Crime (3) Administrative Law (1) Business (1) Employment & Labor (1) Expungement (1) Immigration (1) Litigation (1) Violent Crime (1)

What Clients Mention

Case Results (137) Advocacy (65) Recommendation (61) Practice Area Knowledge (38) Professionalism (35) Communication Style (25) Responsiveness (24) Character & Conduct (21) General Knowledge (21) Cost of Services (17) Trustworthiness (14) Compassion (9) Staff & Support (5) Punctuality (3) Free Consultations (1)

Showing 21 - 25 of 65 reviews | Advocacy

Posted by anonymous | February 02, 2021 | Hired Attorney

DUI

I never thought it would happen to me, but it did. I was a mess. Scott was calming and reassuring. When he says not to worry, unless he tells you too, he means it. Despite COVID delays, Scott worked with the States Attorney's office to work out an ending appropriate for the case. I would highly recom...mend him!

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W. Hanken

Replied last May 27, 2026

Facing unexpected legal trouble for the first time is a disorienting and frightening experience — and the calm, grounded reassurance that W. Scott Hanken, Attorney at Law brings to every initial consultation is not simply a bedside manner, it is the confidence of an attorney who has navigated the Sangamon County court system through every imaginable circumstance for more than 35 years and knows precisely when to press forward and when to trust the process. Working constructively with the State’s Attorney’s office to reach an appropriate resolution — even through the unprecedented procedural disruptions and court delays of the COVID pandemic — reflects the kind of experienced, relationship-driven criminal defense practice that W. Scott Hanken, Attorney at Law has built in Springfield, Illinois since 1989, first as a former Assistant State’s Attorney who understands exactly how prosecutors evaluate cases, and then as a defense attorney who knows how to use that perspective to a client’s full advantage. When I tell a client not to worry unless I tell them to, that is not a throwaway reassurance — it is a promise backed by decades of courtroom experience and an honest assessment of where every case truly stands. It was a privilege to guide you through a difficult season, and I am glad the outcome reflected the patience and perseverance the process required.

Posted by Donna | January 15, 2021 | Hired Attorney

Only atty you'll ever need if you have a CDL!

5 Plus Stars for Scott & Staff. If you have a CDL & really want to protect it from Violations, overwt tickets, etc... You only need to make ONE phone call. My brother received an overwt axel ticket, easy fix, just adjust axles & ok to go, but of course was issued an Overwt ticket $750+. Called Scott ...Hanken, explained situation, stated he could either get it dismissed or greatly reduced. No appt needed, no missed work. Through his great staff was able to fax/email him all the information he requested w/ payment over the phone. He kept the faith all through this last year of Covid & was able to get ticket completely DISMISSED! Just call Scott, you'll be glad you did! Thanks Scott, definitely appreciate you & your staff!

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W. Hanken

Replied last May 27, 2026

A complete dismissal of a CDL overweight axle ticket — including the substantial fine exposure that comes with it — is precisely the outcome W. Scott Hanken, Attorney at Law pursues for every commercial driver who contacts this office, and the fact that your brother never missed a day of work, never needed an in-person appointment, and walked away with a clean result reflects the streamlined, client-centered CDL defense process this office has refined throughout more than 35 years of legal practice in Springfield, Illinois. Protecting a commercial driver’s license from overweight violations, axle weight citations, and other CDL-threatening traffic matters before the Sangamon County court system requires both deep knowledge of Illinois commercial vehicle law and the kind of efficient case handling that allows drivers to keep working while W. Scott Hanken, Attorney at Law handles everything else — and that is precisely the standard this office delivered here, even through the unprecedented court delays of the COVID pandemic. I also want to recognize the staff whose seamless remote intake process — handling documentation and payment entirely by phone, fax, and email — made the entire experience as effortless as possible from the very first call. Five stars mean a great deal coming from a CDL family who understands exactly what is at stake, and it was a genuine privilege to protect your brother’s livelihood and keep his commercial driving record clean.

Posted by anonymous | January 15, 2021 | Hired Attorney

Awesome

Scott made one of the worst times of my life seem like a bump in the road. He’s always calm and keeps things in reality but also calms your nerves. I cannot say enough about how grateful I was to have him in my corner.

W. Hanken

Replied last May 27, 2026

Transforming one of the worst moments of a client’s life into something manageable — a bump in the road rather than a defining catastrophe — is perhaps the most human dimension of what W. Scott Hanken, Attorney at Law has dedicated more than 35 years of criminal defense practice in Springfield, Illinois to delivering, and knowing that calm, grounded reassurance came through clearly when you needed it most is deeply meaningful to me personally. That steadiness under pressure is not simply temperament — it is the earned confidence of an attorney who has stood beside clients through serious DUI charges, felony criminal charges, career-threatening CDL violations, and life-altering traffic matters before the Sangamon County court system since 1989, and who understands that a client’s peace of mind and a client’s legal outcome are two responsibilities that must be carried with equal seriousness. At W. Scott Hanken, Attorney at Law, being genuinely in a client’s corner means bringing both the legal firepower and the human steadiness that the worst moments in life demand — because no one should have to face the court system feeling alone or overwhelmed. It was an absolute honor to be that presence for you, and I am grateful the road ahead looks clearer because of the work we did together.

Posted by Curt C. | January 12, 2021 | Hired Attorney

Above and beyond...

The title for this post says it all. Mr. Hanken clearly communicated the process, is affordable, represented me professionally, was accessible and achieved results better than anticipated. I highly recommend him to be your attorney. He will not let you down.

W. Hanken

Replied last May 27, 2026

Clear communication, genuine accessibility, fair and transparent pricing, and results that exceed expectations — that is not an aspirational standard at W. Scott Hanken, Attorney at Law, it is the consistent, practiced reality of a criminal defense and traffic law practice that has served clients throughout Springfield, Illinois for more than 35 years. Delivering outcomes better than anticipated is never a matter of luck before the Sangamon County court system — it is the product of meticulous preparation, honest case assessment, and the kind of deep institutional knowledge that W. Scott Hanken, Attorney at Law has developed since 1989, first as a former Assistant State’s Attorney and then as a dedicated defense attorney who knows precisely how to maximize every available legal avenue on a client’s behalf. Every element you described — clarity, affordability, professionalism, and accessibility — reflects a deliberate practice philosophy built on the belief that every client deserves to feel informed, supported, and confidently represented from the very first call through the final resolution. The trust behind a recommendation that strong is never taken lightly, and it was a genuine privilege to deliver results worthy of it.

Posted by Mason | November 30, 2020 | Hired Attorney

Moving to non moving

I met with Mr. Hanken for about 15 minutes, he got my moving violation to a non moving. I never had to set foot in a court room. Was very easy and more than well worth the money.

W. Hanken

Replied last May 27, 2026

Reducing a moving violation to a non-moving violation efficiently — protecting your driving record, your insurance rates, and your license standing without ever requiring you to set foot in a courtroom — is exactly the kind of streamlined, results-driven traffic defense that W. Scott Hanken, Attorney at Law delivers for clients throughout Springfield, Illinois every day. That outcome in a single consultation is not a shortcut — it is the product of more than 35 years of deep familiarity with the Sangamon County court system since 1989, where knowing exactly how to position a traffic matter for the best possible resolution is a skill built through decades of hands-on courtroom experience that no amount of preparation can replace. At W. Scott Hanken, Attorney at Law, protecting a client’s driving record without disrupting their schedule or draining their wallet is a standard this office takes genuine pride in delivering — because experienced local representation should be both effective and accessible. Thank you for the kind words — it was a pleasure handling everything on your behalf.

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