I contacted a specific lawyer not knowing Yelp would put out a general request. An "intake specialist" contacted me. I have three issues to be handled. I spend ten minutes explaining myself. Let's understand that this is emotional and financial. My child is involved. Someone who would want me as a client would have a pen and a pad? After I lay my case out this genius wants me to go through the "intake" process. That's when the call ends. There's a saying; Be smarter than the shovel. These are exactly the people I Do Not Want on My Case Ever. The billing that would come out of this firm = Bankruptcy. This is why people hate Lawyers. Have a Nice Day. Yelp - when can I give Zero Stars? Thanks read more

Laura Baldwin and the staff who worked with me were number 1 effective, number 2 professional and number 3 realists who showed the intent of advocating for my best interests while being cognizant of not wasting resources (financial and emotional) while handling my divorce and custody case. She is highly recommended by me read more

They only care about money. Least amount of work, dragging your case along and hassle you about more and more money you don't even owe yet!

I trusted STG Divorce Lawyers to help me with an out of state custody case. I was open and transparent with STG about my budget and time constraints. STG never filed the draft motions that I asked for and missed several promised deadlines. They invoiced me for almost 50% more than what we agreed on as a fee without finalizing anything in court. They were unresponsive when I asked to discuss their fees and instead filed a lien against my home. I put a lot of trust in STG, which was a mistake. I would not recommend this law firm. read more

I can say in confidence, Rahul Iyer is one of the best family lawyers in the Chicagoland area (if not the state). I was going to a very rough time with the thought of losing custody of my only child. Hiring him is one of the best life decisions I have ever made. The outcome of my divorce is much better than I hoped for. Will always be grateful for his compassion and service! read more

I'm giving 2 stars because I understand that in this business there are no winner and losers, both sides lose. However, I had a terrible experience with STG and my contested divorce case. Many, many things that I was told early on turned out not to be true when settlement time came. Every time I brought one of these items up the response was "we never said that". MAKE SURE TO GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING! To make things worse, my ex was a narcissistic liar that imposed emotional, psychological and physical abuse on me and our children and my attorneys did NOTHING to stop it. Throughout the case I heard over and over again "well if we were representing your ex we would have filed this, done that, etc" yet nothing was ever done like that for me. They basically drug out this case that left me almost insolvent if it was not for me demanding things move forward. They tell you every case is unique, however when you bring up unique ideas or ways to do something they respond with "that's not how we do it" then try and make you feel like you are being combative, give me a freaking break. They also tried to withdraw from my case a week before our pre-trial conference because my ex made a request on something that was already finalized by the court. I was at the time and through the entire case paid in full and they filed the motion to withdraw based "irreconcilable differences" yet i have in writing from my attorney that they were withdrawing because "i did not pay a retainer fee". All because I wanted the order in place to stay in place. EXTREMELY SHADY. I spent more time arguing with my own counsel than my ex. When I brought up certain items that I wanted in the agreement STG would tell me "they won't agree to that". Why the heck are they making decisions for my ex? Send it over and have them reject it! I did not feel that they had my best interest and it very much felt like they were defending my ex rather than defending the person lining their pockets. I'm glad I stuck to my morals and did not let them strong arm or scare me into doing something i'd regret later. You can definitely tell they do not come across many people who are willing to stick up and fight for what is right, instead they are used to people who fold when they try to scare you with fees or other items. I had to fight for everything in my agreement and i'm so glad that I did because STG sure wasn't fighting for me, again, even when I was fully paid. I'm so happy to be done with STG and would never use them in the future nor recommend them to anyone on this planet. And yes, I was definitely a client. It should not take someone reaching out to me (after paying you 6 figures) to try and right the ship. Get honest people to do the job right the first time! read more

Spent near 30k on this firm and got no where with my case. They passed me around to 4 different attorneys without request or my approval. They all make you feel like you are a burden while collecting ridiculous fees, being unresponsive and showing up unprepared to depositions and pre-trials. I was actually embarrassed by my attorneys disorganization during my pretrial. Both my ex spouse and their attorney were holding back laughter and rolling their eyes. I seriously don't have one nice comment about how was handled over a 4 year time period. read more

Wanted $349 for the consultation before I knew anything about them or how they would handle the case. If they try to rob you straight out of the gate, its not going to get any better. Would be nice if they put that out their so they don't waste peoples time. read more

Anthony Vechiola and I just finished a post decree matter that could have been a real mess. As a senior attorney, doing divorce work for almost 35 years, I found Anthony to be an excellent young attorney to work with. He is knowledgeable and willing to work with another attorney to resolve the matter rather than go through protracted litigation. read more

I found STG to be efficient and responsive in managing and settling my divorce case. I highly recommend Sean McCumber if you use this firm. He tells it like it is and doesn't waste your time with unrealistic negotiations. He was excellent in managing communications between my ex-spouse and I and seems to have a good rapport with Kendall County judges. He made everything go very smoothly during a time when I needed just that. read more

We used STG Divorce Law and Mr McCumbers help while my husband wanted to adopt my daughter. We have nothing more, than just wonderful experience during whole process. Mr McCumber and rest of the office staff where understanding, professional and helpful. Amazing people doing amazing job. We will be thankful forever. read more

I had Sean McCumber appointed to my mediation case for our joint parenting agreement revisions, he was beyond unprofessional, biased, unfair and used very extreme and erratic language and behavior. I reported STG to the BBB and reported him to the ARDC. Not only were our 3 sessions unbelievably unprofessional, he never filed his final report at the end of our session with the county nor gave any report to either of our attorneys. He also said he was going to recommend a few co-parenting therapists as this was his solution, and we never received that as well. read more

Emily Carrara Working with this attorney has been an absolute nightmare. I spoke with her a few weeks after my divorce was finalized in July 2019. My best friend had recently gone through a divorce & told me to make sure a qualified and competent attorney handled the QDROs portion of my divorce, as hers took an unreasonable amount of time. Emily Carrara was recommended by my divorce attorney. I spoke with Emily a few weeks after my divorce & stated to her my friend's experience. She assured me my friend's experience would not be the way she treated me & the process would be smooth & she had good relationships with the plan administrators where my money was invested. Fast forward to November. I emailed Emily, as I had heard nothing from her in almost 4 months. 25 days later she responded to me. She said she would get back to me the following week. Guess what? Not a word.l from Emily. 1/2/20 I asked her for an update. I received no response. Getting fed up Emily was ignoring me, as well as my financial planner stating this was nonsense, I put her in charge of contacting Emily. She called multiple times and received a lot of dodging by Emily's secretary. I then let my attorney know what was going on. 1/17/20 -- the paralegal Holly finally seems to get things moving. 2/3/20 we were told this would be wrapped up in a few weeks. Today is 3/14. That day has come and gone. Nothing has happened. 3/13 I received a bill from my own attorney for $810. All the billing had to do with my attorney chasing down Emily Carrara and figuring out what was going on. I'm on a fixed income and do not have $810 just laying around for this garbage. The portion of the QDRO I was to receive as cash that was owed to me by my ex husband has probably gone down 20-30% due to the stock market tumble. I am a social worker and that money was to go toward a bachelors of nursing degree I am pursuing, to assist with purchasing a new home so I can get my son into the high school he wishes to attend with his friends, & to help with my kids' college expenses. I do not know now if the money will be there to make these goals happen. Had this been finalized months ago, I would not be in this predicament. I would NEVER use this attorney for any reason. She is incompetent & worse, her lack of response is will have lasting repercussions for myself and my children. Please stay away from Emily Carrara. read more

I am grateful to have been represented by Juli Gumina and Laura Baldwin. They were professional and supportive during a very difficult time. I appreciate their insight and advice and would highly recommend the firm. read more

Collaborative law cases are supposed to take 50% less time and cost 50% less than going to court. My case took twice as long and cost twice as much as I was led to believe at my initial consultation. Very poorly managed. My ex-wife and I were not hostile, and my attorney advised 50-50 split on income and assets. Pretty straight forward and uncomplicated. It took 2 1/2 years! An unconscionable and very costly experience. If you are looking for a Collaborative Law firm, look elsewhere and save yourself the time, the aggravation, and thousands of dollars. read more

I was originally pleased at retaining STGP - Juli in particular, thinking she had my back and knew what she was doing.... but then I noticed less and less attention to my case and she always seemed rushed I was nervous. When she didn't address my questions in a timely manner it ended up with me loosing over 30K that I really shouldn't have had to do and I will also pay at tax season because of her lack of guidance. The reason this happened was poor council on her part coupled with not discussing the pro's /con's in a timely fashion when I asked and we had to make a decision. I think she is likely a fair lawyer but she seemed to lack focus (doing multiple things at one time) and was forgetful - she actually sent me another clients Parental Allocation Document which I informed her right away. I would be sure to look around before hiring this firm. I moved to another lawyer and thank goodness... because he was GREAT! And I achieved the outcome I wanted.... He was going to try to revise Juli's blunder but I wanted to keep moving forward... But it was a major error that cost me money. read more

Pros Very responsive staff Administrative process is good. Cons If I asked my attorney to turn Left, they went Right I believe I was in worse shape when I left this firm then when I entered The good administrative service comes with a price I will not hire this firm to represent me in the future. I believe the treatment you get at Wheaton has a lot to do with the Judge you are assigned. This industry including the Judges would benefit from a lot more sunlight on the Internet. We are asked to vote on Judges, but there is little to no information on any of them. read more

Raif was my divorce attorney this year. According to Raif, I was a high income individual so protecting my interests while being fair (my concern) was paramount. I must say that not only was I pleased with Raif's knowledge through the process and demeanor in the joint sessions, but also I was especially pleased with ability to make sure the division of assets was fair and in the best interest of both parties (something I requested). Following the divorce, I needed counsel on other topics - an employment contract, estate planning and a prenuptial agreement. Raif put me in touch with other highly qualified attorneys that were a pleasure to work with. I was very happy with Raif's ability to put me in touch with the right attorneys with the right personalities. read more

My bitter, controlling ex did not gain the extra control he was seeking in our custody case thanks to Tony Vechiola. Tony listened well and was very patient, forthright and helpful. They have great team work at this office. Anthony, Raif, Ben, and Lynette are wonderful and proficient. read more

I hired Joe Emmerth from STG for a divorce. I lost motions time and time again, the other lawyer always seemed to outsmart him. I finally had to fire him for making a rookie procedural mistake that cause me embarrassment in front of the Judge and caused me to try and find a more capable Attorney. My case dragged on while the billing escalated. NOT HAPPY AT ALL!!!! read more

First my original attorney jumped ship and started his own firm, he told me I would be able to setup payment plan and also they would not ask for another retainer. I was then passed onto his associate in which informed me the day before court that they wanted, full payment and an additional retainer. Also that they were withdrawing from the case, the day before court! I am now left with a substantial balance and no attorney. Advise you look else where seems they only care about the money. read more

If I could give zero stars I would! My experience with Lauren was awful, waste of time and money. She didn't help me at all. The only thing I was fighting for in my divorce was the child support and he ended up giving me less money. Supposedly I have a huge balance that I owe and I don't even know why because she didn't even help me at all. I never went to any courts because she stated that I didn't have to go. While my ex-husband and his lawyer did go to the courts. She took her sweet time in this divorce case because she wanted to keep charging me. At the end, I had to use my ex-husband's lawyer to divorce us. It was so humiliating for me. I don't recommend this attorney to anyone unless you want get robbed. read more

Sullivan Taylor, Gumina & Palmer are an outstanding family law firm . I highly recommend them. The attorneys at the firm are knowledgeable, efficient and truly care about their clients. They are ethical, honest and known for their professionalism. Raif Palmer is a frequent guest speaker on family law topics, and Maureen Sulllivan Taylor is a leader and pioneer in the area of Collaborative Law. M. Jalili read more

I highly recommend Sean McCumber for any family law services. He is tenacious and fights for his client. He interacted well with our court appointed guardian ad litem and kept me apprised of next steps in the divorce process. Sean maintains a depth of knowledge on clients' cases and doesn't rely on the client to refresh his memory. He's very responsive via phone or email and extremely efficient with time. Sean is straightforward with his counsel. Sean maintains objectivity in difficult situations and focuses on facts, data, and the law. read more

I used Sullivan Taylor & Gumina for my divorce case in 2015. It was a tricky case with a lot of unusual circumstances. While every divorce is stressful, my lawyer, Anique Drouin, made the process as painless as possible. She answered all my questions quickly and never ran out of patience when dramatic situations arose. The entire office is wonderful, and I am grateful I have Anique and her team to represent me and my boys. read more

i had a child custody case that was fairly average, Joint custody with child support. Julie Gumina is who I spoke with first and she passed me onto Raiford Palmer and Laura Danhelka; They were attentive and consistence about fees and wasting time in court. They listened to me and remembered me when court came, they understood my concerns and were able to address them fairly. Thank you for your patience and diligence. read more

This review relates to Raiford Palmer as he was my attorney, but everyone at Sullivan Taylor & Gumina were fantastic (Juli, Ben and everyone else). If you are reading this review you are likely going through one of the most difficult times of your life. My prayers go to you to make it through the best you can. My process was very difficult as we were dealing with an irrational counter-party filled with hatred. This made the process long, difficult, frustrating uncertain. Raif was excellent at drawing the best path for us and always being the voice of reason and the expert advise to keep us on track. Many times things heated up horribly and I was tempted to fall into the same game and respond in kind; Raif always helped me cool down and keep our target on sight avoiding wasting time and money on useless emotional responses. He really was the cool-minded and expert guide I needed to see this process through. My divorce process was absolutely horrible, but having Raif guiding me through it made the difference that allowed me to carry until the end. Going through what you are about to go through cannot be pleasant, but having someone like Raif support you through it would make a huge difference. Best of luck! read more

Sean McCumber (attorney)came highly recommended to me by a judge. I was at a loss because I could not make sense of my court case or why I was being sued. Throughout my 8.5 month case, Sean McCumber, kept the process going smoothly, explained my options, and made me feel confident in our decisions. Most of all Sean kept pursuing the best options for my son. Thank you Sean, I will hire you again if the situation arises in the future. read more

Used Julie Gumina as my divorce attorney not only because she was recommended,but a friend. Thought that as my attorney and as importantly as a friend, that Julie would have had mine/my sons best interest in mind. When my ex husband passed away I wasn't protected and in fact left me with no resources to continue raising my children. Obviously her and her staff did not make it clear that they weren't familiar with Police pensions and left me completely unprotected. Sad to say when made aware of that fact from my other attorney,they were indignant and passed the blame on the Pension board! Sad to see people that just don't care,when they claim just the opposite! I recommended three of my clients to that office (long time ago)all left with no resolve and empty pockets. The office staff was never an issue and were pleasant and professional. read more

I have used STG Law on a few post decree needs. I have worked with Juli Gumina, Sean McCumber and most recently Raiford Palmer. I would recommend any of these three attorneys. Their professionalism is unparalleled. Most recently, Raif Palmer helped me navigate a complex issue regarding adjustment of child support due to the ever changing nature of my family owned business. I have been divorced for 8 years and was surprised and delighted to see how things have changed due to new case law, and I owe it to Raif's superior knowledge in seeking an equitable solution to my needs. So often it seems that issues in Family Court get side tracked by the emotions of the parties and everyone loses sight of the goals. Raif and the team of lawyers at STG Law do not fall victim to that reality and they keep things on track to seek a fair and just outcome. I would recommend Raif Palmer and the lawyers at STG Law to anyone looking for top notch representation in Family Court. read more

I researched lawyers, and Raiford Palmer had great reviews on AVVO (so don't waste your time on AVVO reviews). Here's a few highlights of our business "relationship": I had to constantly repeat myself and tell him the same things over and over, because apparently, the value of taking notes is not something he understands. He told me he'd respond to my questions by a certain date, and never did. He waited until 11 PM before the court date to ask questions... and those questions had already been answered more than once. I told him about my work schedule restriction for visitation, and he STILL agreed to scheduling visitation during my work hours! I was asked to review docs, which contained multiple errors, and THEY CHARGED ME FOR THE EMAILS SENT BACK AND FORTH TO REVIEW AND CORRECT ALL OF THEIR MISTAKES!!! When I pointed out that they had mistakenly charged me for correcting their work, they "corrected" the error by crediting me for 3 emails... and coincidentally, the same bill that contained that credit also contained more admin charges than I ever had before, and was the largest bill I had ever received!! UFB!! SERIOUSLY over-priced paper-filer, horrendous staff, and a MAJOR dim bulb!!. STAY AWAY!! read more

I could not have gotten through the divorce process without Raif. He not only was a complete professional but understood what I was going through on a personal level. I would rate both Raif's professionalism and demeanor and understanding at the highest of levels. read more

Unfortunately, the Guardian Ad Litem rules in Illinois are very ambiguous and whoever the Judge appoints, you are stuck with. In this case, the judge assigned Sean McCumber. I'm unable to list the individual things he has done wrong, but there are many. An advocate for the child? Absolutely not. Did not do an iota of an investigation and had no basis for a recommendation. He couldn't even answer the simplest factual questions the Judge asked him about our case. Did not do his job and was even told so in a hearing by the Judge himself. The GAL "job" is an easy money-maker - he's allowed to lie about work he's never done, and still profit. However, he definitely kept on billing an exorbitant amount over the retainer and you're forced to pay. Thankfully, due to my very competent counsel and my own exhaustive research and preparation, my Judge saw right through him. His existence in the case was totally unnecessary. I am definitely not the only one dealing with the same situation with this guy. STGP - McCumber makes your firm look extremely bad. AVOID IF POSSIBLE! read more

I also had Raif Palmer. I too had an easy divorce. We were already not living together and had already separated all of our personal belongs and made decisions on the bigger assets. My ex husband didn't argue anything I wanted with the custody agreement. This was by far one of the easiest divorces for any lawyer to handle. Yet I was charged over $11,000! I would never recommend this law firm to anyone I know. They should be embarrassed and ashamed to be taking advantage of people like that. read more

My wife and I went in with the intention of going through Mediation, we got along very good and had a very good understanding of the financial split that we had both agreed to. In total disregard for our wishes Juli drew up papers that even my wife said was unfair. Knowing my financial situation Juli was purely looking to set off a legal battle between the two of us, of course generating big fees for herself. She blew through our retainer and we ended up going elsewhere. I would certainly not recommend Juli Gumina!!!! read more

Everyone involved in my case said over and over again that this was the most odd and difficult cases they had ever dealt with before. From the DCFS officers and their 8+ investigations, to the police force and their repeated visits to the home. Again and again the authorities were baffled at how to deal with the mental situation my ex has been suffering from over the last 3-4 yrs. To this day she still refuses help. Guardian Ad Litem Sean McCumber was a constant though the entire process. He did not mince words with the judge, he was kind and fair and worked with my 4 kids with careful wisdom, talking to them on their level. He had the kids best interest at heart from the start to the finish and was very patient with them considering their young ages spanning from 2-7 yrs when this first started to now 4-9 yrs old. Sean kept to the facts, didn't embellish anything and was also extremely patient with my ex despite her threats she threw at him throughout the process. Don't expect a lot of chatter with him, he's a busy guy, but know that what you say he will take seriously and he does not play around. I highly recommend him as an attorney and Guardian Ad Litem. read more