Harter & Schottland

Harter & Schottland is a law firm in Round Lake, Illinois, serving clients throughout Northern Illinois. The firm handles criminal defense, family law, real estate, and personal injury matters. Its criminal defense practice covers DUI and traffic-related offenses, drug charges, theft, burglary and property crimes, assault, battery and violent crimes, domestic violence charges, juvenile offenses, and probation violations. The attorneys also represent clients at bond hearings, where an Illinois judge decides whether an accused person is released or held in custody, and they handle domestic battery cases and juvenile cases involving minors accused of underage drinking, theft, assault, DUI, or drug crimes. The firm holds a rating of 4.80.

The attorneys describe themselves as hands-on, thorough, and aggressive, with a reputation for taking cases to trial. Their criminal defense work includes investigating the facts of a case, reviewing police reports, evidence, and witness statements for weaknesses, filing motions to suppress illegally obtained evidence, and challenging the prosecution. In domestic battery matters, they investigate claims immediately, challenge the credibility of accusers and witnesses, and work to protect a client's rights in and out of court. In juvenile cases, they aim to intervene early, sometimes preventing charges from being filed, and to minimize penalties. At bond hearings, they fight to secure release and reduce bail and conditions of bond, and they can request reconsideration of a bond already set.

The office is on West Rollins Road, a short walk from Morningside Park and Roger Taylor Memorial Park, both about 0.3 miles away. Indian Hill Elementary School and Round Lake Middle School are each roughly half a mile from the office, and East Rollins Road lies about 0.6 miles away.

Clients have praised the firm for effective strategies and a compassionate approach, and for keeping them informed of court dates and changes. Attorneys at the firm have been described as humble, intelligent, and highly competent, with one reviewer noting more than 14 years of experience.