About Sara L.
Sara L. Bendoff followed a straight path into the law. She completed a B.A. at Illinois State University in 2010 and earned her J.D. from The John Marshall Law School in 2013. While at John Marshall she completed a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution, a credential that informed the early shape of her practice.
After law school Bendoff joined the Law Offices of John J. Malm & Associates, P.C. There she moved into day-to-day client work and courtroom practice. Colleagues say she handled matters that required preparation for trial as well as work aimed at resolving disputes outside the courtroom. Her training in alternative dispute resolution has been part of how she approaches settlement negotiations and mediation sessions.
Bendoff is licensed to practice in Illinois and maintains memberships in several professional organizations. She is a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, the Illinois State Bar Association and the DuPage County Bar Association. Those affiliations have shaped her continuing legal education and provided forums for case discussion and professional development.
Her work style mixes preparation and practicality. She has experience managing case files, engaging in discovery, drafting pleadings and arguing motions when a matter required court intervention. At the same time, she places value on efforts that can shorten the life of a dispute for clients, such as settlement talks and mediated resolutions. The combination of courtroom readiness and attention to negotiated outcomes is a consistent theme in her practice.
Outside of client files, Bendoff has remained connected to peers through local and statewide bar activities. She participates in programs that address courtroom procedure and civil practice issues. Those interactions keep her current on developments in Illinois law and on practical tactics that matter to people facing legal problems.
She is based at the Law Offices of John J. Malm & Associates, P.C., where she represents clients in matters arising under Illinois law. She continues to use her ADR training alongside traditional litigation tools in her current practice.
