Small Business Law

Amy Cook

As a small business owner, former executive director of a nonprofit, and years of experience in the publishing industry, Amy Cook is uniquely suited to understand and address her clients’ legal needs. Amy concentrates her work on entity formation, drafting and reviewing contracts, protecting intellectual property, and mediation for business owners, nonprofit organizations, writers and other creative professionals. Her goal is to provide clients peace of mind that they are on solid legal ground and allow them to focus on their passions.

Amy has a particular interest in serving businesses and nonprofits working to create healthy and sustainable food systems for all. She also has written and presented extensively on legal issues for writers. Amy is an active member of the Chicago legal community, serving as the Chicago Bar Association Food Law Committee Chair and has served as editor-in-chief of the CBA Record magazine.

Amy is proud to be part of the JEP, volunteers for Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Lawyers for the Creative Arts, and serves on the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission. She received her JD and MA in journalism from Drake University and a BA from UCLA.

Amy can be reached at 630-401-2536 or via email at amy@amycooklaw.com. This firm does not charge for an initial brief consultation.

Mitha Rao

Shymane Robinson

Braden Tilghman

Brady provides legal services to equity-minded organizations in the Chicagoland area.  He believes in learning and lawyering alongside clients while providing affordable flat-fee legal services that help community-based organizations navigate the legal system.  Although Brady’s practice is primarily focused on supporting nonprofit organizations and small businesses, he believes in responsive legal services that address his client’s needs as they define them; even if that requires him to blur the bounds of his practice areas.

Brady can be reached at brady@co-counselor.com or (773) 451-5585. He charges a $50 consultation fee that is credited towards the total cost of service.

Agostino Filippone

Augie Filippone started Chokshi-Filippone Law, LLC so that he could provide the focused, experienced, and dedicated counseling his clients deserve. His practice area includes business, consumer, and injury law. Augie received a Bachelor of Arts from Knox College, Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Master of Business Administration from Loyola University Chicago Quinlan School of Business, and a Master of Science in Operations Management from the University of Arkansas School of Engineering. During law school, he was News Editor for the Consumer Law Review and was a member of its Executive Board. Augie is licensed to practice law in Illinois and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Augie is a strong supporter of community service and a proud member of several Chicagoland area programs, including Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, CARPLS, and Junior Achievement. He is also a Commissioner with the Village of Mount Prospect, serving on the Planning and Zoning Board.

Augie can be reached via email at afilippone@law-cf.com or by phone at (847) 346-5565. This firm does not charge a consultation fee.

Darren Perconte

Darren Perconte is an alumni member of the JEP. Darren provides affordable and tailored legal services to business owners, professionals, and creatives. His practice areas include business transactions, business litigation and dispute resolution, employment law, administrative and professional hearings, copyright and trademark, estate planning, and real estate. Darren draws upon his legal and business experience to pursue specific, client-focused solutions to legal issues. For more complex or specialized matters, he utilizes a wide network of attorneys and other professionals to meet the unique needs of each client. Darren understands that every client faces a different situation, so he offers a range of payment plans and representation options, including limited scope, unbundled services, and coaching. Darren earned his J.D. from The University of Chicago Law School and his B.A. from Boston College.

Darren can be reached at (773)242-9909 or darren@percontelaw.com. This firm charges a $150 consultation fee.

Fatimeh Pahlavan

Fatimeh is a workplace democracy and cooperatives practitioner. Her law firm, LITE, provides counsel in the areas of cooperative governance, fundraising, and intellectual property. LITE helps cooperatives secure investment and build systems to support promising practices. LITE is also committed to helping organizations capture and leverage intellectual property in a way that supports economic viability while promoting greater cooperative activity in the market.

A detailed menu of LITE’s service offerings and corresponding prices can be found on the firm’s website. LITE reserves the option of charging a consultation fee. If you are interested in working together, please complete the contact form located on LITE’s website.

Adella Deacon

Adella Deacon is an alumni member of the JEP and a partner at the Sable Law Group, LLC. Adella is a forward-thinking, energetic attorney. Adella practices in the areas of small business, real estate, estate planning, and general civil litigation. She has an extensive, interdisciplinary-focused educational background having earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and her Juris Doctorate from Chicago-Kent College of Law in Chicago, Illinois. She is a board member of Integra Rehab Solutions and the Kitchen Table Literary Arts Center. She takes a hands-on approach and is committed to providing her clients with the knowledge to make informed decisions regarding their legal needs. An empathetic advocate for equity and justice, she will find innovative solutions for your legal problems.

Adella can be reached at (312) 469-0622 or at adella@sablelawgroup.com. This firm does not charge a consultation fee unless asked to review documents.

Terra Gross

Seth McCormick

Seth McCormick protects consumers and small businesses from the monied interests of banks, lenders and debt collectors. Seth spent the lion’s share of his career representing banks and hedge funds in collecting money owed to creditors. Now, Seth uses the tools and laws afforded to consumers to stop these institutions in their tracks. As an experienced litigator, Seth believes there are meaningful solutions for his clients that provide for efficient resolution of their problems. Seth can help you if you are facing foreclosure or debt collection. He can also represent you if you are being harassed by creditors, if you have been taken advantage of by a company, if a company or creditor is unfairly making negative reports to credit reporting agencies, if a company has engaged in unfair or deceptive trade practices in your dealings with them. If you are involved with a lender, a collection agency, a credit bureau or any other creditor, Seth McCormick can help. Seth represents people from all walks of life. He encourages you to contact him regardless of whether or not you think you can afford it. There are creative ways to structure payment, and it is possible that for certain claims he can represent you at no charge.

Seth can be reached at seth@glclf.com or (312) 971-6787. This firm does not charge a consultation fee.

Michael Reed

Michael Reed is an advocate, consultant, and art enthusiast. He is motivated to use his law degree to help others achieve their goals and reach their potential. Michael entered law school because of the potential he saw in the legal profession to promote positive social change and protect creative enterprises. He puts his license to use every day to advise entrepreneurs and small business owners on their legal rights while teaching them how to protect their intellectual property. While Michael is often mistaken for a native Chicagoan due to his love of beer and sub-zero temperatures, he is originally from Wisconsin, where he also went to college for philosophy and moonlit as a band promoter. He doesn’t want to go a day without hearing a great new idea, a unique solution to an old problem, or experiencing something that inspires him. If this also sounds like you, then he would like to be your attorney.

Michael can be reached at mreed@chireedlegal.com or on the phone at 312-620-3852. This firm charges a $200 consultation fee, includes document review.