About Hal M
Hal M Garfinkel graduated from The John Marshall Law School in 1989 and is licensed to practice in Illinois. His legal education placed him in Chicago’s legal community at a time of significant change. He built a practice rooted in courtroom work and advocacy for individual clients.
He is the principal of the Law Office of Hal Garfinkel. In that role he manages the firm’s caseload and represents clients in criminal matters. The office handles cases at various stages, from charging decisions and pretrial litigation to trials and post-conviction proceedings. He also appears in federal matters connected to the Northern District of Illinois.
Garfinkel’s professional affiliations track a steady involvement in the criminal defense bar and the wider legal community. He has been a member of the Illinois State Bar Association since 1997. He joined the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in 1998, a membership that aligns with his courtroom practice. Since 2001 he has served on a board affiliated with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, a role that reflects ongoing ties to federal practice and procedure.
Those affiliations inform the way he approaches cases. He handles criminal defense work, addressing everything from pretrial motions and evidentiary disputes to jury trials and appeals. He works directly with clients to prepare defenses, conducts interviews with witnesses, and develops litigation strategies tailored to the specific record in each matter. He also navigates procedural issues that arise in federal court, drawing on years of practice in both state and federal systems.
Colleagues and former clients describe him as a steady courtroom presence who values thorough preparation. He balances litigation demands with the administrative responsibilities of running a small firm. He maintains active memberships in professional organizations and participates in the local legal community. He currently practices criminal defense in Illinois, handling matters in both state and federal courts.
