When he was in high school, Jeff sensed that he was destined to be an attorney. For example, after receiving his results from an exam in his Spanish class, and then further confronting his teacher about the test, Jeff’s instructor told him, “you should be a lawyer…you want to argue about everything.” Jeff’s parents, when told of the advice that he had received that morning, tended to agree and offered the same advice, in that they had the same type of experiences as Jeff’s Spanish teacher; from “arguing” about what time to go to bed, to what time curfew was, Jeff was always zealously advocating his position. That “advice” that he received from his parents and at school proved prophetic, as Jeff, even in college, attempted other career paths. However, he kept going back to that “advice” he had received back at Hall High School in Spring Valley, Illinois.
During his middle school and high school days, Jeff witnessed the effects that crime (uncharacteristic for his small town) had on the community, and those experiences lead Jeff to pursue a legal career, as he began taking pre-law classes at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa,, eventually leading to his first legal internship at the Bureau County State’s Attorney’s Office in Princeton, Illinois. After completing a semester of interning with the county’s elected prosecutor, Jeff has not looked back. He graduated cum laude from St. Ambrose. From there, he studied at Valparaiso University School of Law, where he took part in the University’s Cambridge, England study abroad program. His sense of duty to help others then lead Jeff to a lengthy stint at the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Jeff began there as a law clerk in 2004, and when he left in 2012, he was handling very complex felony cases, from First Degree Murder to Sexual Assault cases. While at the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, Jeff was a leader in the office, having been selected in 2006 as the office’s Outstanding Misdemeanor Prosecutor. He was admired by his peers, and had the reputation of being a tough, but very fair prosecutor, earning the respect of judges and defense attorneys alike.
When Jeff made the decision in 2012 to advance his career and move on from the State’s Attorney’s Office, he looked for the best possible fit. His passion has always been helping others, as he did while working on behalf of the victims of crime for a number of years. It was for that passion that he was particularly drawn to family law, and that area of law has proven to be a perfect fit for Jeff. As was the case when Jeff was with the State’s Attorney’s Office, Jeff is highly regarded among opposing attorneys and judges throughout Kane, DuPage, Kendall, and DeKalb Counties.
Since 2012, Jeff’s practice has been mainly concentrated in family law and domestic relations, including, but not limited to, complex financial cases, issues of maintenance, and contested custody litigation. Jeff prides himself on his professionalism and his commitment to handle each and every case with integrity and compassion. He has a small town work ethic, and has an uncanny ability to relate to all sorts of situations, drawing on his experiences from growing up in a small town, studying overseas, and assisting the victims of crime, as well as members of law enforcement. From his days of being a prosecutor, Jeff enjoys being in the courtroom, and working to resolve issues big and small.
Jeff’s extensive prosecutorial experience has also lead to having a substantial criminal defense practice. Jeff has successfully defended numerous cases in Kane, DuPage, Kendall, and DeKalb Counties, ranging from traffic citations to felony cases. If you have been charged with a crime, having a former prosecutor on your side often proves to be invaluable.
Jeff is an equity partner at Goostree Law Group, P.C., in St. Charles, Illinois. He enjoys spending his free time with his wife and children, as well as loyally watching all of his favorite sports teams.
Practice Areas: Family Law; Divorce; Child Custody; Visitation Rights; Child Support; Paternity; Litigation; Guardian ad Litem
Education: Saint Ambrose University - B.A., Business Management & Organizations, 2000; Valparaiso University School of Law - J.D., 2003
Honors and Awards:"10 Best" for Client Satisfaction, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys; "10 Best" for Client Satisfaction, American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys; Leading Lawyers, Emerging Lawyers, 2016; Lead Counsel Rated
Memberships: Illinois State Bar Association; DuPage County Bar Association; Kane County Bar Association
Admissions: Illinois, 2005
