Laura E. Alms
Laura has a natural proclivity to help people in times of crisis – an attribute her clients regularly benefit from.
Those who know Laura well were never surprised by her decision to pursue a career in the legal field. She always wanted to be the person that one could turn to during life’s most difficult moments – such as a death in the family, a divorce, or bankruptcy. A firm believer in the “golden rule”, Laura has always made a point to treat her clients how she would expect to be treated. She makes every effort to handle each matter, big or small, with an equal sense of urgency and commitment.
Laura began her career working as a collections law clerk while attending law school. Her collections practice has since evolved to include commercial litigation, real estate litigation, and contested claims in trust and estate matters. She primarily focuses on consumer collections matters and has extensive experience representing creditors in pre-judgment litigation. Her clients include litigation supervisors and managers, directors of operations, and account analysts.
When Laura’s clients approach her, they are usually struggling to collect debt from consumers who have defaulted on a variety of obligations. She counsels them on their options and processes, and any foreseeable legal pitfalls or challenges they may encounter along the way. Her commitment and diligence have proven to turn the “uncollectable” into the collectable. By asking the right questions in a citation proceeding, obtaining the right documents, and applying legal knowledge across a breadth of practice areas, she has uncovered fraud schemes and discovered assets that would have otherwise been unknown to exist.
Growing up in a small town just west of Chicago, Laura was a competitive swimmer and played volleyball; she still enjoys both sports today. She also enjoys traveling, gardening, and knitting. She is very active in the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA), an organization very dear to her heart. She participates in their annual BT5K fundraiser run by serving as a team captain.
Focus Areas
Credentials
Honors & Distinctions
Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2021 - 2023
Admissions
Illinois, 2013
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 2013
Education
J.D., Northern Illinois University College of Law, 2012
B.S., magna cum laude, Business Management, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2001
Affiliations
Illinois Bankers Association: Member
Illinois Creditors Bar Association: Member
American Inns of Court - Robert E. Jones Chapter: Member, Former Board Member
DuPage County Bar Association: Member
Illinois State Bar Association: Member
Northern Illinois University College of Law Alumni Council: Former Executive Board Member
American Brain Tumor Association: Volunteer and BT5K Team Captain