David Matthew Gotzh

David Matthew Gotzh

4.2
Rating: 9.8

Licensed for 16 years

Appeals Lawyer Practice Areas: Appeals

About David

Biography

Practice Areas

1

Practice Area

Appeals 100%

Appellate Practice

17 years

100%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Hourly Rates

$ 250-250 per hour

Retainer

Always


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in Illinois for 16 years

State: Illinois

Acquired: 2009

Active and Authorized to Practice Law

No misconduct found

Location

No contact information is available for this lawyer

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David Matthew Gotzh's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.2 /5.0

37 Client Reviews

Showing 11 - 15 of 18 reviews | Professionalism

Posted by Gary Fullett | August 06, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Divorce & Separation

Poor Attoney

I contacted David for a divorce case. At first he dont accept ththe summons from the other attoney yet. so for 5 days I had to staying in the house avoidig to be served i had to sneak out to go out at times where the sherffif wasnt camp outside my home. David knows the law for themost part but he is... poor at comminicating status of the case returning emails and calls updating the situation. I had some finacial issue becase of the divorce and he threatned to leave me high and dry by withdrawing on several occasions. the final divorce decree was not wirrwn by him but the other attorney ( which was fine) but things that David added to protect me didnt mateialize and to this day is very hurthful. There is a bank issue i wont discuss which was bad. the calculation of maitence was NOT correct when the court issed the final decree I agreed to the number but because i was explained how it was to be calculated and the way David did the calculation was not correct

Posted by Thierry | March 17, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody

Trustworthy and competent

When you are going through something as important as a child custody matter, it makes all the difference to have a trustworthy ally in your corner. David knows his stuff front to back, and truly cares about doing a good job for his clients. This was my fourth child custody case regarding my, now tee...nage, son so I have plenty to compare him to. He handled my case with the utmost integrity. In the end I was awarded sole parenting time. I would, and will, highly recommend him to anyone who needs a no nonsense lawyer who knows what he is doing.

Posted by anonymous | January 24, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Divorce & Separation

Upfront, honest, knows the law, and understands Judge and the other party

If only I had a wish. I wish I had David as my attorney for my divorce and for my recent trial because I would have avoided putting myself in an extremely bad position for years to come. David came to my case in the worst possible time. He worked magic and made huge improvement on the worst case. ... My previous "expensive and experienced" lawyers dropped the ball and allowed the unfair, unclear, and very harsh terms to be embedded in my divorce settlement agreement. All of those ignorance and mistakes caused me and my family lots of pains and lot of financial burdens years after my divorce. What makes David different from all the lawyers I worked with over the years are: 1. He is honest and upfront with my situation. No empty promises but a dose of reality so we can work on a practical solution to solve a real problem, not to chase a fake promise; 2. He is transparent on his billing and costs. He is upfront and fair on what he will bill you and what he will not bill you. He is sensitive to my costs. Most importantly, he provides me with the costs and the odds of winning so I can make an informed decision to take the legal actions or not. That is huge for me that David has the integrity not to bankrupt his clients for his own gains; 3. David knows all the rules and the laws, unlike some lawyers who are not precise about the laws and worse who get the laws wrong; 4. Last but most important, David knows how the Judge and how the other party would likely feel and act. This is critical to create a win-win situation so there is settlement. Many lawyers want to TAKE IT ALL and in the end you get a case lasts for months and years. Clients always lose if the case drags on. I am so happy I took the risks to hire David based on internet reviews from his clients. All my previous lawyers are through people I know and that didn't work for me at all. So I hope I can be of help to people like me and hope my review will help your case so you can take the leap of faith to trust some one like David, capable, young, and charging reasonable price !

Posted by Eric | April 05, 2015 | Child Support

Awesome: Wish I had found him 20 years ago: Child Support Settlement

This man knew what what we were facing / what was coming down the pipe with the state. He had no despair or cold feet about performing the job. He knew the personalities of various judges, and various State Attorneys, how they would react, what they would tolerate, and what they would not. And was ab...le to better prepare for that situation, in the manner which that judge wanted to see it. When hiccups with the judicial system came along (rescheduling dates, and so on) he promptly informed me of everything which was going on. If I didnt understand something that was going on with the case, he took the time to explain it twice or three times until I understood. He always had someone there to "on time" represent the case no matter what. He was always able to be reached, and always responded to my voice mails and messages. Everything he does electronically is safe and secure. He was definitely affordable and did not try to get an extra fee for every little thing that came across the table.. ( he didnt play the game of bait nibbling when you go fishing). If there were extra fees, he let me know well in advance that it may cost a little more to do this or that. Yay or Nay? If not we can try to find an alternative route. He was fair to both sides of the fence. He knew what the state would tolerate, and what they would not. When negotiating a settlement, he always took the best interest of me and my child at heart rather than just my best interest. Which, in alot of support cases, parents tend to get tangled up in the dagger throwing contest. David did not let that happen and took measures to explain why or why not he was doing things the way he was.

Posted by Lisa | November 17, 2014 | Lawsuits & Disputes

Extremely trustworthy and competent

Attorney David Gotzh is a highly knowledgeable, trustworthy, insightful, and supportive advocate. My case had languished in the hands of my original attorney. Attorney Gotzh took over my case and oversaw its resolution in a timely manner. He deftly explained every step of this exhausting and difficul...t process in laymen’s terms, ensuring that I understood every aspect of my case. He kept me apprised of every development in my case and replied to all my correspondence immediately. I would never wish this process on anyone, but if it must be done, I would definitely recommend having him in your corner. Excellent work, Attorney Gotzh! I can’t thank you enough!

See All Client Reviews

David Matthew Gotzh's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse David
Anthony Bettencourt Cameron headshot
Anthony Cameron

Family lawyer | Sep 01

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"A perfect example of a specializing lawyer who has mastered his subject matter. I am always anxious to read his answers because I know they are going to be true to the statute and case law. I don't practice in this are but I surely admire the way David does."

Channika Shalini Desilva headshot
Channika Desilva

Divorce and separation lawyer | Mar 26

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Mr. Gotzh is undoubtedly a top notch attorney who has skillfully mastered his primary area of practice over the course of his professional experience. His sharp critical thinking and flawless work ethic are perhaps the key qualities which ensured the success of a remarkable number of his cases. I endorse this lawyer and encourage anyone who needs superior legal representation to opt for his services."

Mark V. Clay headshot
Mark Clay

Family lawyer | Aug 29

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I highly endorse Mr. Gotzh. Very knowledgeable and caring attorney who gets great results in representing clients! I want all people with legal problems to contact him first."

Jill L Rogers headshot
Jill Rogers

Unknown lawyer | Feb 26

Relationship: Other

"A highly experienced, well-rounded and compassionate attorney. I endorse this lawyer"

Sean Cleary headshot
Sean Cleary

Child custody lawyer | Dec 18

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I wholeheartedly endorse this lawyer. A brilliant, trustworthy and highly respected attorney in the legal community."

Judd S Nemiro headshot
Judd Nemiro

Unknown lawyer | Dec 12

Relationship: Other

"This lawyer is knowledgeable, efficient and talented. I endorse this lawyer."

Anthony Robert Scifo headshot
Anthony Scifo

Family lawyer | Aug 11

Relationship: Other

"Mr. Gotzh continues to show that he is knowledgeable and experienced in the realm of family law through the answering of his avvo questions. I have no reservation endorsing this attorney."

Hovanes Margarian headshot
Hovanes Margarian

Child custody lawyer | Jul 06

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Chase N Morinaka headshot
Chase Morinaka

Divorce and separation lawyer | Jun 24

Relationship: Other

"I endorse this lawyer. He is well respected among his peers."

Gina M. Famularo headshot
Gina Famularo

Child support lawyer | Jun 16

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

John M O'Brien headshot
John O'Brien

Child custody lawyer | Jun 04

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"An extremely talented and well respected attorney in the legal community, I wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone looking for a lawyer who knows the law and truly cares about protecting the rights of his clients and getting them the most favorable result possible."

Michael S. Waddington headshot
Michael Waddington

Family lawyer | May 21

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse David. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community."

Daniel Tam headshot
Daniel Tam

Unknown lawyer | Feb 07

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. It is clear by reading the answers in the AVVO community that this lawyer is a top notch attorney who is highly respected in the legal community."

John Michael Phillips headshot
John Phillips

Unknown lawyer | Dec 16

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"With a great track record of hundreds of published answers to consumer questions on Avvo.com and the recommendations from clients and attorneys alike, it is easy to see that attorney Gotzh is skilled and knows the law well, too. Kudos."

Judy A. Goldstein headshot
Judy Goldstein

Divorce and separation lawyer | Nov 22

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have had the privilege of watching David Gotzh in court and reading his contributions online both here at Avvo and on other professional listservs. Mr. Gotzh is a consummate professional with a wealth of knowledge. I would not hesitate to refer clients to him and highly endorse him."

Jeffrey Scott Hyslip headshot
Jeffrey Hyslip

Family lawyer | Oct 18

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Howard Robert Roitman headshot
Howard Roitman

Family lawyer | Oct 07

Relationship: Other

"I endorse this lawyer."

Brian Michael Radke headshot
Brian Radke

Family lawyer | Feb 18

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Attorney Gotzh consistently and continually provides accurate and reliable information in his answers on Avvo. He is very knowledgeable not only in the law, but also how it is applied and interpreted by the local judiciary."

Bruce E. Burdick headshot
Bruce Burdick

Family lawyer | Jan 21

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I continually amazed at the brevity and clarity of the answers on Avvo by attorney Gotzh. Always helpful, accurate and to the point, I am pleased to endorse this service-oriented lawyer. I"

Michael John Gauthier headshot
Michael Gauthier

Unknown lawyer | Dec 11

Relationship: Other

"I endorse this lawyer."

View All Endorsements
J. Richard Kulerski headshot
J. Kulerski

Family lawyer

Donald Lamar Cobb headshot
Donald Cobb

Divorce and separation lawyer

Alan James Brinkmeier headshot
Alan Brinkmeier

Appeals lawyer

Salim John Sheikh headshot
Salim Sheikh

Criminal defense lawyer

Sarah Marie Cole headshot
Sarah Cole

Contracts and agreements lawyer

Donald John Ramsell headshot
Donald Ramsell

DUI and DWI lawyer

Experience

Rating:  9.8 (Superb)

Honors

2011

Certification in Mediation & Arbitration, Illinois State Bar Association

2011

Advanced Family Law Practioners Conference, Illinois State Bar Association

2011

Certification - Pets and the IMDMA, Illinois State Bar Association

2010

Certification in Child Visitation, Abuse, and Kidnapping, Prairie State Legal Services

2010

Title IV Child Support Certification, Chicago Bar Association

2010

Certification: Issues Impacting Children & Custody, Illinois State Bar Association

2009

Guardian Ad Litem Certification, Illinois State Bar Association

Work Experience

2010 - Present

Attorney, Prairie State Legal Services Inc

2010 - Present

President, Law Office of David Gotzh

2009 - 2010

Attorney, Cabrini Green Legal Aid

2008 - 2008

Associate, Capital University School of Law Poverty Clinic

Associations

2018 - Present

Appellate Lawyers Association

Member

2011 - Present

North Suburban Bar Association

Member

2010 - Present

Will County Bar Association

Member

2010 - Present

Kankakee County Bar Association

Vice Chair

2009 - Present

Chicago Bar Association

Co-chair

2001 - Present

American Legion

Chair

Sample of Legal Cases

IRFMO Aref, 1-15-1357

Reversal of Support and Maintenance

See More Legal Cases

Education

2008

Capital University Law School

JD - Juris Doctor - Juris Doctor

2005

Valparaiso University

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2011

American Legion Benefit

American Legion Benefit

Publications

2014

Accounts Recovery Collecting Illinois Debts

2011

Inside Track: State Bar of Wisconsin Crazy eyes: Why effective client intake is critical

2010

American Bar Association Journal Warning Signs

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution