15 Years of Trusted Advocacy & Legal Excellence
Ctizens Law Group is a full-service Illinois law firm providing strategic legal counsel and comprehensive representation for discerning individuals, affluent families, and sophisticated investors throughout the state. We secure your financial legacy through proactive estate planning, probate representation, assistance with real estate transactions and complex real estate issues, partition and property litigation, bankruptcy and foreclosure defense. Even in times of temporary economic difficulty, we provide the decisive representation necessary to protect your assets and restore your advantage—a complete command of Illinois law, all from a single firm.
Licensed Illinois Attorneys
Serving Chicagoland & All of Illinois
5-Star Google Reviews
Free Consultation
English & Spanish Speaking
What We Do – Multi Faceted Real Estate, Litigation, Probate, Estate Planning and Bankruptcy Law Firm
Our practice is built around the legal challenges Illinois residents and property owners face most — covering seven areas of Illinois law under one roof.
Foreclosure
Receiving a foreclosure of summons is not the end. Illinois is a judicial foreclosure state - under 735 ILCS 5/15–1405; your lender cannot take your home without filing a lawsuit and obtaining a court judgment. That process takes time, and that time is protected by specific statutory rights you can only use if you act.
Read more ->Wills & Estate
Your assets took years to build. The right plan ensures they go where you intend — without unnecessary delays, disputes, or tax exposure. We draft wills, establish revocable and irrevocable trusts, set up powers of attorney, and structure plans for individuals, families, and high-net-worth clients with complex holdings.
Read more ->Trusts in Illinois
A trust is one of the most versatile and powerful tools in estate planning - and one of the most misunderstood. Whether your goal is to avoid probate, protect assets for a child with special needs, minimize estate taxes, shield property from creditors, or simply maintain privacy and control over how your wealth is distributed, a properly structured trust can accomplish what a will alone cannot. At Citizens Law Group, we draft, administer, and litigate trust matters for Illinois individuals, families, and trustees.
Read more ->Short Sale
When holding a distressed property is no longer the right path, we negotiate directly with lenders to secure short sale approvals with full deficiency waivers and deed-in-lieu agreements with relocation assistance — so the unpaid balance does not follow you after the sale.
Read more ->Selling a Home
From contract review during the Illinois attorney review period to title searches, defect resolution, and closing — we protect buyers and sellers at every step. One missed clause or undisclosed title issue can cost far more than legal fees. We catch those problems before they become yours.
Read more ->Buying a Home
From contract review during the Illinois attorney review period to title searches, defect resolution, and closing — we protect buyers and sellers at every step. One missed clause or undisclosed title issue can cost far more than legal fees. We catch those problems before they become yours.
Read more ->Probate in Illinois
When a loved one passes and probate is required, we guide families through the full process — filing court petitions, managing creditor notices, inventorying assets, and distributing the estate — so you can focus on what matters rather than court paperwork.
Read more ->Partition Actions
When co-owners of a property disagree — one wants to sell, another refuses — Illinois law provides a legal remedy. We file partition actions to compel a court-ordered sale and equitable division of proceeds when negotiation has broken down.
Read more ->Declaratory Judgment
When parties dispute property rights — ownership claims, easements, title ambiguities, or a lender’s right to foreclose — a declaratory judgment action asks an Illinois court to formally resolve the question before the situation escalates. We file and defend these actions in Illinois courts.
Read more ->Protecting Your Investment
Illinois investors need the right legal structure to protect every deal. We form LLCs and land trusts, draft co-ownership agreements, coordinate 1031 exchanges, and review investment contracts — building the legal foundation that keeps your portfolio secure from day one.
Read more ->Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
When debt becomes unmanageable, federal bankruptcy law provides a legal path to relief — stopping creditor calls, halting foreclosure proceedings, and giving you a structured way forward. We represent individuals and families filing under Chapter 7 (liquidation), Chapter 13 (wage-earner repayment plan), and Chapter 20 (a strategic combination of both) — helping you protect your home, discharge eligible debts, and rebuild on solid ground.
Read more ->Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
When debt becomes unmanageable, federal bankruptcy law provides a legal path to relief — stopping creditor calls, halting foreclosure proceedings, and giving you a structured way forward. We represent individuals and families filing under Chapter 7 (liquidation), Chapter 13 (wage-earner repayment plan), and Chapter 20 (a strategic combination of both) — helping you protect your home, discharge eligible debts, and rebuild on solid ground.
Read more ->Chapter 20 Bankruptcy
When debt becomes unmanageable, federal bankruptcy law provides a legal path to relief — stopping creditor calls, halting foreclosure proceedings, and giving you a structured way forward. We represent individuals and families filing under Chapter 7 (liquidation), Chapter 13 (wage-earner repayment plan), and Chapter 20 (a strategic combination of both) — helping you protect your home, discharge eligible debts, and rebuild on solid ground.
Read more ->What Makes Citizens
Law Group Different
• You get a legal team that knows your case, not just your file number.
• One firm for every stage of your real estate and estate legal journey.
• Written fee agreement before any work begins — no billing surprises
• We know Illinois law where it matters — every court, every county, every procedure.
• Quick response — every call and message returned is returned at the earliest
• Bilingual legal services — English and Spanish
• We know Illinois law where it matters — every court, every county, every procedure.
• 5-Star Google Reviews from clients across Chicagoland
Straight From Our Clients
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still fight a foreclosure after my lender has filed in Illinois?
Yes — and often more effectively than people expect. Illinois judicial foreclosure takes 12 to 24 months from filing to a sheriff’s sale. We have successfully intervened at every stage of that process, including in cases clients believed were beyond help. We review every situation in full before asking for a retainer.
What happens during Illinois probate?
When someone dies owning real property in their name alone — or leaving personal assets above the state’s small estate threshold — those assets must pass through Illinois probate court. The process involves filing a petition, notifying creditors, producing an asset inventory, paying outstanding debts, and distributing what remains to the heirs. Total timeline: typically 12 to 18 months. We manage the entire process for executors and families.
What is a partition action and when is it necessary?
A partition action is a legal proceeding that asks an Illinois court to order the sale of a jointly owned property and divide the proceeds among co-owners. It becomes necessary when co-owners — often siblings who inherited a property or unmarried couples who have separated — cannot agree on what to do with it and negotiation has failed. It is one of the most underused but effective tools in Illinois property law.
What is a declaratory judgment action in real estate?
A declaratory judgment action asks an Illinois court to formally determine the legal rights of parties in a property dispute — such as who holds title, whether a lender has standing to foreclose, or whether an easement is legally valid. It resolves the legal question before it becomes a larger and more costly conflict.
Can a short sale help me avoid foreclosure in Illinois?
Yes — when executed correctly, a short sale allows you to sell your property for less than what is owed on the mortgage, with the lender’s approval, and walk away without a foreclosure on your record. It requires negotiation with your lender, careful handling of the deficiency balance, and proper timing within the Illinois foreclosure timeline. Not every situation qualifies, but it is worth exploring early — the further along the foreclosure process, the fewer options remain.
Illinois Communities We Serve
Citizens Law Group serves clients throughout the Chicagoland area and across Illinois, appearing regularly in Cook County, DuPage County, Lake County, Will County, and Kane County courts.
Cook County · DuPage County · Lake County · Will County · Kane County · McHenry County and Kendall County — including Chicago (all neighborhoods), Naperville, Joliet, Aurora, Evanston, Oak Park, Waukegan, Schaumburg, and communities across the Chicagoland area.
Whatever Brings You Here — Let’s Talk. Your First Consultation Is Free.
Complex estate. Significant assets. A real estate transaction where the details matter.
If you are managing a high-value estate, structuring a property acquisition, navigating trust administration, or planning for the next generation — Citizens Law Group brings the legal precision these situations demand. We work with clients who cannot afford ambiguity when the stakes are high.
And for those facing something far more urgent — a foreclosure notice on your door, a probate case you did not expect, a co-ownership dispute that has gone on too long — we are here for that too. You will get a clear picture of your legal options, without pressure, without obligation, and without guesswork.
Wherever you stand, we give you the same thing: honest counsel and a path forward.
We serve clients across Illinois. In-person, phone, and virtual consultations available.