501c3 Application Lawyers for Peoria, Illinois

I received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Northwestern University in 1996 and then got my JD at University of Illinois College of Law in 1999. I have been a lawyer helping people with legal issues in the United States and Internationally since then. That includes drafting and reviewing contracts. I am also passionate about helping small and medium businesses with trademark registration and trademark-related legal projects. The law can be confusing and complicated for people, and I am passionate about providing professional legal services to my clients while simultaneously making the legal process less confusing and stressful for them. My goal is to help clients navigate through both good and difficult times by tailoring my skills, experience, and services to their specific needs.

I provide practical, plain-English legal guidance to solopreneurs and small businesses who want to build strong foundations and make informed decisions with confidence. With 20+ years of experience—including 16 years in-house advising senior and executive leaders—I bring the insight of a trusted legal partner who understands how legal strategy supports long-term business growth. My clients walk away feeling supported, seen, and empowered. They know I genuinely care about their success and bring more than just legal knowledge—I bring a coach’s mindset, a problem-solver’s lens, and a commitment to helping them protect what they’ve worked hard to build. Whether you’re reviewing contracts, forming your business, protecting your brand, or need ongoing legal support, I’m here to deliver clear, actionable guidance and solutions that fit your business.

Curt Brown has experience advising clients on a variety of franchising, business litigation, transactional, and securities law matters. Mr. Brown's accolades include: - Super Lawyers Rising Star - California Lawyer of the Year by The Daily Journal - Pro Bono Attorney of the Year the USC Public Interest Law Fund Curt started his legal career in the Los Angeles office of the prestigious firm of Irell & Manella LLP, where his practice focused on a wide variety of complex civil litigation matters, including securities litigation, antitrust, trademark, bankruptcy, and class action defense. Mr. Brown also has experience advising mergers and acquisitions and international companies concerning cyber liability and class action defense. He is admitted in California, Florida, D.C., Washington, Illinois, Colorado, and Michigan.

My name is Ryenne Shaw and I help business owners build businesses that operate as assets instead of liabilities, increase in value over time and build wealth. My areas of expertise include corporate formation and business structure, contract law, employment/labor law, business risk and compliance and intellectual property. I also serve as outside general counsel to several businesses across various industries nationally. I spent most of my early legal career assisting C.E.O.s, General Counsel, and in-house legal counsel of both large and smaller corporations in minimizing liability, protecting business assets and maximizing profits. While working with many of these entities, I realized that smaller entities are often underserved. I saw that smaller business owners weren’t receiving the same level of legal support larger corporations relied upon to grow and sustain. I knew this was a major contributor to the ceiling that most small businesses hit before they’ve even scratched the surface of their potential. And I knew at that moment that all of this lack of knowledge and support was creating a huge wealth gap. After over ten years of legal experience, I started my law firm to provide the legal support small to mid-sized business owners and entrepreneurs need to grow and protect their brands, businesses, and assets. I have a passion for helping small to mid-sized businesses and startups grow into wealth-building assets by leveraging the same legal strategies large corporations have used for years to create real wealth. I enjoy connecting with my clients, learning about their visions and identifying ways to protect and maximize the reach, value and impact of their businesses. I am a strong legal writer with extensive litigation experience, including both federal and state (and administratively), which brings another element to every contract I prepare and the overall counsel and value I provide. Some of my recent projects include: - Negotiating & Drafting Commercial Lease Agreements - Drafting Trademark Licensing Agreements - Drafting Ambassador and Influencer Agreements - Drafting Collaboration Agreements - Drafting Service Agreements for service-providers, coaches and consultants - Drafting Master Service Agreements and SOWs - Drafting Terms of Service and Privacy Policies - Preparing policies and procedures for businesses in highly regulated industries - Drafting Employee Handbooks, Standard Operations and Procedures (SOPs) manuals, employment agreements - Creating Employer-employee infrastructure to ensure business compliance with employment and labor laws - Drafting Independent Contractor Agreements and Non-Disclosure/Non-Competition/Non-Solicitation Agreements - Conducting Federal Trademark Searches and filing trademark applications - Preparing Trademark Opinion Letters after conducting appropriate legal research - Drafting Letters of Opinion for Small Business Loans - Drafting and Responding to Cease and Desist Letters I service clients throughout the United States across a broad range of industries.

I am a business attorney focused on providing practical, targeted legal services for small businesses, startups, contractors, consultants, and service providers. I help clients efficiently review, draft, and improve everyday business contracts, including service agreements, NDAs, independent contractor agreements, vendor contracts, commercial leases, and purchase documents. My approach is straightforward: identify the terms that matter, explain risks in plain English, and deliver clear, usable edits or drafts without unnecessary complexity. I regularly handle fixed-fee, quick-turnaround projects such as contract reviews, agreement drafting, and demand or termination letters. While I offer streamlined, project-based services for routine matters, I can also assist with broader business legal needs as they arise.

Navy veteran with 15 years experience practicing law in Chicago.

Mr. McElvenny has extensive experience handling and developing strategy for complex commercial and real estate cases. He’s drafted hundreds of complaints ranging from simple breaches of contract to complex commercial claims including breach of fiduciary duty, constructive trusts and misappropriation of trade secrets. He has an excellent record in trial, arbitration and mediation. He also has significant experience in motion practice in both state and federal court. Through his work in corporate law, Mr. McElvenny has developed considerable experience with Limited Liability Company member disputes and general corporate governance. He’s drafted a number of industry-specific documents such as Operating Agreements (for Limited Liability Companies), commercial leases, settlement agreements and employment contracts. Mr. McElvenny has also represented criminal defendants in felony matters and assisted in the defense of civil matters arising from alleged SEC violations. He has represented individuals appearing before the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation as a result of SEC proceedings. After graduating with a B.A. in Philosophy, Mr. McElvenny proceeded from Loyola University-Chicago to DePaul University College of Law, receiving his JD from that institution in 2002. In 2010, he earned his Master’s of Science in Accounting from Loyola University-Chicago’s Graduate School of Business. Mr. McElvenny was selected to Illinois’ Super Lawyers Rising Stars in 2010, 2012 and 2013.

Financial Services, Business, Corporate, Personal Injury, and Healthcare. I've represented fortune 100 companies and defended individuals in personal debt litigation. Wide breadth of experience, ready to assist.

2008 - Present: Sole Practitioner – Dennis W. Winkler, P.C. Practice primarily in finance and business transactions, as well as commercial real estate transactions. Represent developers, investors, lenders, and businesses, in such matters as: corporate entity selection, drafting and negotiating complex asset purchase agreements, corporate mergers and sales, stock purchase agreements, and various other business contracts for closely related businesses. Involved in a variety of real estate developments, multi-family apartment buildings, construction and acquisition financing, commercial leasing, sophisticated workout transactions, joint ventures, and tax-deferred exchanges. Advise on tax and other savings incentives available to business owners and real estate owners in Illinois. Advise companies involved in related real estate activities such as sales, leasing, property management, brokerage, and construction. Tax experience that includes the representation of taxpayers in State and Federal controversies including: sales/excess tax disputes and responsible parties’ tax assessment protest. Additionally, Dennis has experience in the protest of real estate taxes of commercial and multi-family real estate. As a legal and business advisor, Dennis is committed to helping clients find, develop, and close deals that further their business objectives. Dennis regularly advises entrepreneurs and closely held businesses on matters incidental to their day-to-day business operations as well as their capital raising and start-up needs, corporate structure, private equity raises, and operating agreements. Much like general counsel, Dennis’s breadth of experience allows him to not only provide strategic planning and routine business transactional support to companies, but he also regularly advises on a number of unique issues facing companies by spotting issues and engaging specialists when needed, such as intellectual property, environmental, and bankruptcy counsel. As such, Dennis has been actively involved in sales and acquisitions of manufacturing companies, trucking companies, and logistics companies.

Senior experienced contracts/transactions attorney in the Software Technology space. Also very versed in general corporate legal matters relating to business operations.