Rule Of Right, Not Might
Schererville Lawyers
Attorneys In Lake County, Indiana
We serve Northwest Indiana and the surrounding towns and counties
A Different Type Of Practice
At Funk & Wendlinger, LLC, we take pride in doing things differently for our clients. Many people complain that their attorneys don’t explain things to them and they are too expensive. We value open communication and working efficiently on your case to save you time and money, whether we are helping you through a divorce or defending against a criminal charge. We will explain what is happening at every step of your case in plain language and let you make an informed decision about the direction you want to go.
Our attorneys have over 50 years of combined legal experience between them. We understand the law, and we know how to fight for your rights, whether through skilled negotiations, at trial or even on appeal. You will never feel left out of the process, and we will never tell you what to do. We will provide you with legal information and advice, then work hard to achieve your legal goals.
Our Legal Team
R. Cordell Funk graduated with Honors from the University of Illinois in 1963. He then attended the University of Chicago Law School and graduated in1966. He was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1966. Afterwards, he served three years as an Army Combat Engineer Officer. After his service in the U.S. Army, he was admitted to the Indiana Bar in 1970.
He has practiced in Lake County Indiana since 1970 and was a partner in the law firm of Funk & Foster from 1982 until 2008.
His practice generally consists of personal injury, workers compensation, social security and family law cases. Has done numerous jury trials in Federal and State courts, and has done appellate work in the Indiana Appellate and Supreme Court and in the United States 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
The majority of his practice involves family law matters including serving as a mediator and working as a Guardian ad Litem. He has been a certified Family Law Mediator since 1992 and is a Guardian Ad Litem.
He is one of the founding members and first president of the Lake County Bar Association which was established in 1986. Over the years he has served actively as chair of the Lake County Bar Association=s Family Law section and has had significant input into the first and the revised (age specific) Lake County Visitation Guidelines which eventually evolved into the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines.
David grew up in Schererville and graduated from Lake Central High School in 1994. He graduated from Northwood University in 1999 with a B.B.A. in International Business Management. He then attended Valparaiso University School of Law and graduated in 2002. While in law school, David participated in the Mediation Clinic. Members of this clinic helped parties in small claims cases reach non-trial dispositions through mediation.
David was admitted to the Illinois State Bar and the U.S. District for the Northern District of Illinois in 2002. He was then admitted to the Indiana State Bar in 2009. Upon graduation from law school, David was In-House Counsel for LaSalle Bank and Chicago Title. In 2009, David joined the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office. As a Deputy Prosecutor, he handled cases in most of the criminal courts in Lake County. He gained experience prosecuting criminal charges as minor as traffic violations, to more serious matters involving gun charges, theft, battery and OWI/DUIs, to the most serious of crimes: murder.
David has been in private practice since 2011. His practice consists of both Criminal Defense and Family Law. Under criminal defense, he handles cases such as OWI/DUI, Felonies/Misdemeanors, Traffic Cases/License Suspensions, and Juvenile Delinquencies. Under family law, he handles Divorce, Child Custody and Visitation, Support Modification, Paternity and Adoption.
Michelle grew up throughout Ohio (Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati). She graduated from Denison University in 2000 where she participated in the Honor’s Program as well as the Lugar Program. From there she attended Valparaiso University School of Law and graduated in 2002.
Michelle was admitted to the Illinois State Bar and the U.S. District for the Northern District of Illinois in 2003. She was then admitted to the Indiana State Bar and the U.S. District for the Northern District of Indiana in 2007. Upon graduation from law school, Michelle worked for several firms throughout the Chicagoland area before moving to Northwest Indiana.
Michelle’s practice focuses on Family Law, Estate Planning, Probate, Guardianships and Real Estate. Under family law, she handles Divorce, Child Custody and Visitation, Support Modification, Paternity and Adoption. She also handles personal injury cases as well as general litigation.
Dan Tsataros
Dan Tsataros is a graduate of Indiana University earning a degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting. Dan also earned his Masters in Business Administration from the Rosary College and his Juris Doctor Degree from the John Marshall School of Law. Dan has worked as an Internal Auditor for Amsted Industries and an Account Executive with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. He also worked for Arthur Anderson in the State and Local Tax Unit. For over ten years, Dan was a Cook County State's Attorney handling thousands of cases including speeding and traffic tickets, DUIs, and more serious misdemeanor and felony cases. Dan is a Certified Domestic Violence Professional and has had many years advocating for the rights of battered and abused victims. Dan first started handling divorce cases over 20 years ago.
Dan prides himself on his ethics, his network of connections and his experience! He listens to his clients, determines what all of their legal issues may be and then explains in a straightforward manner what the best course of action may be. He is a seasoned litigator and not afraid to fight for his clients in and out of the courtroom.
Affordable Legal Services
Our fee philosophy is to provide a quality service at a fair price. You should clearly understand what fees will be charged at the time we undertake your representation. In many cases, we can quote you a flat fee so you will know from the start what you will owe. We conduct certain cases, such as personal injury, on a contingency basis where you owe no fees unless money is recovered on your behalf.
Other types of cases are not predictable because we do not know what the opponent will do, or it is too early in the process to fully understand the situation. In those instances, we charge on an hourly basis and keep you informed as to the amount of fees that are being incurred as the case progresses. In all cases, we provide you with a contract signed by you and the attorney, which sets forth your responsibility for fees and expenses.
Our Commitment To Promptly Completing The Case
We understand that you want to resolve your legal issue as quickly as possible, and we set that as our goal for every case. Some types of legal problems are best served by letting them wait, however. Other cases depend on the court’s calendar. The courts have many more cases than they can handle at one time, and long waits are common. We are always willing to discuss your timeline and explain what is happening with your case.
Discuss Your Legal Issue With Us
Contact our law firm to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced lawyers - we look forward to hearing from you!