Contractor Agreement Lawyers for Peoria, Illinois

I graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2006 with a degree in Political Science, Finance, and Economics. I stayed around Champaign for law school and graduated in 2009. I then worked at a big law firm in downtown Chicago. It was boring, so I quit in early 2011. I thought that I could not be happy practicing law - I was wrong. After I quit the traditional law firm life, I began representing my own clients. I realize now that I love helping normal people, small business owners, and non-profits address a variety of legal issues. I hope to hear from you.

I am a solo-practitioner with a practice mostly consisting of serving as a fractional general counsel to growth stage companies. With a practical business background, I aim to bring real-world, economically driven solutions to my client's legal problems and pride myself on efficient yet effective work.

Experienced business advisor and in-house counsel with extensive litigation experience, representing parties in a variety of complex commercial disputes, including securities, financial fraud, contract, and antitrust litigation.

15 years for legal experience; expertise in contracts, healthcare, ERISA, physicians, financial services, commercial contracts, employment agreements, etc. I am adept at all contracts and can provide you with efficient and quality services. I have worked at a law firm, financial services company, consulting ,and non-profit.

Creative, results driven business & technology executive with 27 years of experience (17+ as a business/corporate lawyer). A problem solver with a passion for business, technology, and law. I bring a thorough understanding of the intersection of the law and business needs to any endeavor, having founded multiple startups myself with successful exits. I provide professional business and legal consulting. Throughout my career I've represented a number large corporations (including some of the top Fortune 500 companies) but the vast majority of my clients these days are startups and small businesses. Having represented hundreds of successful crowdfunded startups, I'm one of the most well known attorneys for startups seeking CF funds. I hold a Juris Doctor degree with a focus on Business/Corporate Law, a Master of Business Administration degree in Entrepreneurship, A Master of Education degree and dual Bachelor of Science degrees. I look forward to working with any parties that have a need for my skill sets.

I attended the University of Illinois- College of Law on a full merit scholarship. While in law school, I was a 711 Attorney at the Lake County State's Attorney's Office, specializing in traffic and misdemeanor cases. After graduation, I served as in-house counsel for one of the largest insurance companies in the world, managing thousands of cases from initial intake to trial. Upon leaving this position, I accepted a role as Legal Counsel to the Illinois Senate Minority Leader. There, I advised Senators on legislative matters, labor and employment law, and complex constitutional questions. After leaving public service, I accepted a role at a mid-size Chicago-based law firm, where I practice insurance defense and litigation. In addition to this, I also serve as outside general counsel to a food brokerage business, where I handle all of their labor and employment matters.

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.