Our Group

As an attorney and Team Leader of our Family Law Group, Gwendolyn meets with potential clients and develops the initial strategy for each case by analyzing the needs of the client and assessing the most effective approach to accomplish their primary objectives and best interest. Gwendolyn plays an integral role in every client’s case, and directs each team member according to specific client needs on a daily basis. Gwendolyn regularly appears in court conducting pretrials, hearings and trials. Gwendolyn’s goal is to have fully informed clients who understand their options. The relationship formed with each client is key to the success of the case. Gwendolyn and the Family Law team believe in a holistic approach to servicing our clients and promote counseling for each in a manner that helps them move on with integrity and dignity. Gwendolyn successfully started her own law firm, Gwendolyn J. Sterk and the Family Law Group, P.C., in 2015. Gwendolyn currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center.

Joan has garnered nearly ten years of legal experience in family law. An avid traveler, who has lived in three countries,  Joan fell in love with Chicago and settled down here permanently in 2016.

She is a member of various bar associations throughout the greater Chicagoland area.  As an attorney of our firm, Joan will be appearing in court to handle routine and contested matters and is a strong advocate for our clients both in and out of the courtroom.  Joan joined our team in 2017.

Jennifer L. Allred, aka “Jenna,” earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Communications from DePaul University of Chicago and her Juris Doctor degree in Phoenix, Arizona.  Jennifer has focused her legal career in criminal and family law, and has also worked with State and Local governments to resolve small business issues.  She has the ability to empathize with clients through the strenuous times of a divorce, while strongly advocating in court and keeping the client focused on the end result.  Jennifer has joined our team at Gwendolyn J. Sterk Family Law Group, P.C. in 2021. Jenna sits on the Board of Directors of Rainbows For All Children.

Terry Fogarty is an attorney whose primary area of practice at our office is Estate Planning. After earning his law degree during his service in the United States Air Force, Terry entered private practice.  He has experience in real estate, estate planning, and civil litigation including handling decedent’s and guardianship estates for both minors and disabled adults. Terry also works with families to create their estate plan including Wills and Trusts.  For those families which include a person with special needs, Terry works to create Special Needs trusts and will explore other tools available for unique family circumstances.  Terry joined our team at Gwendolyn J. Sterk and the Family Law Group P.C., in 2019.

Caroline brings nearly a decade of experience in family law, litigation, and immigration law. Her diverse background equips her to handle a wide range of legal issues competently and effectively. With a bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a concentration in finance, Caroline is well-equipped to assist clients with intricate financial matters, providing them with valuable insights and strategic guidance. She also brings a practical approach to child-related matters and helps clients navigate parenting matters, with the best interests of the children being paramount. Caroline joined our team in 2024.

Jackie is the managing paralegal of our Family Law Group. Jackie is responsible for providing information to help guide clients through their family law-related issues. As part of our team, Jackie manages our team and ensures that our systems are effective to meet our client’s needs. Jackie develops a relationship with clients that will continue to grow throughout their entire case.  Her work with our entire team also involves fulfilling the requirements to divide retirement assets. Jackie drafts court documents, conducts legal research, and assists our team with developing strategies and scenarios for settlement negotiations and an ultimate, final resolution or trial. Jackie obtained her Bachelor’s degree from Lewis University, is a member of the Illinois Paralegal Association, earned the credential of an Illinois Accredited Paralegal (ILAP), and has worked with Sterk Family Law Group since 1995.

Crystal is a senior paralegal with whom you may have frequent contact. Crystal’s role in the Family Law Group is that of client liaison, fielding a heavy volume of client phone calls throughout the day. Crystal develops a relationship with clients to help them understand the court process and to ensure that each client is fully informed about their case. Crystal assists in all aspects of a client’s litigation, from drafting initial pleadings to commence the action, to preparing, organizing and reviewing incoming and outgoing discovery. She also prepares matrimonial trial memorandums, drafts motions or petitions throughout the litigation, and prepares a case for trial or prove up. Crystal is a member of the Illinois Paralegal Association, earned the credential of an Illinois Accredited Paralegal (ILAP), and has worked with Sterk Family Law Group since 2003.

Laura is a senior paralegal who focuses her efforts on thoroughly reviewing and investigating discovery answers and assets of the parties. She works with clients and the attorneys to ensure all avenues of the investigation of discovery answers and assets are complete. She also drafts various pleadings and motions during the course of family law cases and works closely with the attorneys to prepare a case for trial. Laura has been a paralegal for 20 years, is a member of the Illinois Paralegal Association, an Illinois Accredited Paralegal (ILAP) and started with Sterk Family Law Group in 2019.

Heather  Bernal is a litigation paralegal whom you may have frequent contact with in order for her to gather and prepare the documents necessary for legal discovery.  Heather’s compassion and thoroughness will be helpful as you work together during discovery and to prepare for trial. Heather received her bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Sociology with a minor in pre-law from Governor’s State University in 2022.  Heather is a member of the Illinois Paralegal Association, an Illinois Accredited Paralegal (ILAP),  serves on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Paralegal Association, and the National Association for Down Syndrome.  Heather  joined our team in 2023.  

Amy is a litigation paralegal whom you may have frequent contact. She processes court orders and court related documents to clients and relays important information such as results from Court or new case developments in addition to working with the maintenance of our court schedule. She also assists our team with other projects as time allows. Amy has over 30 years of experience as a Family Law legal assistant, is a member of the Illinois Paralegal Association, and has worked with Sterk Family Law Group since 2018.

 Evangelina “Eva” Sekularac is a litigation paralegal with whom you may have frequent contact. She processes court orders and court-related documents to clients, drafts pleadings, and relays important information such as results from Court or new case developments. She works with the various Courthouses’  docketing systems and Clerks to maintain our court schedule. Eva has over five years of experience working with litigation matters for family law and her keen attention to detail and her knowledge of and broad experience with legal matters make her a great asset to our team. Eva has her MBA in Financial Management and a bachelor’s degree with a double major in political science and philosophy and a minor in economics, with a pre-law concentration.  Eva is a member of the Illinois Paralegal Association,  an Illinois Accredited Paralegal (ILAP), serves on the Board of Directors for Document the Abuse and she is an active advocate for Guardian Angels Community Services and Wings. Evangelina joined the Sterk Family Law Group team in 2023.

Lynn M. Scatena is a litigation paralegal with more than three decades of family law experience. She supports our team in all phases of litigation, including drafting pleadings, coordinating court deadlines, managing complex case files, and handling e-filing across multiple counties. Lynn’s organization, reliability, and steady support help cases move forward efficiently. Lynn volunteers with The Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation and joined Sterk Family Law Group in 2026.

Arianna is a discovery paralegal who you may have frequent contact with in order for her to gather and prepare the documents necessary for completion of Financial Affidavit forms. Holding a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice, Arianna has experience as a legal advocate and Deputy Clerk at the Will County Circuit Clerk’s office and has volunteered as a Domestic Violence/sexual assault advocate/counselor. Arianna is a member of the Illinois Paralegal Association, an Illinois Accredited Paralegal (ILAP), and joined our team in 2017. Her professional experience will be an asset while working with the team to process your case.

Jen is a discovery paralegal with whom you will have frequent contact at the beginning of your case. Jen works with each client on discovery requests to assist in the gathering of relevant documents and prepares updates as needed. Jen is a member of the Illinois Paralegal Association, an Illinois Accredited Paralegal (ILAP), and has worked with Sterk Family Law Group since 2011.

Taylore N. Loy is a Junior Paralegal at Sterk Family Law Group, P.C., where she supports attorneys and clients throughout the litigation process. In her role, Taylore assists with discovery matters and works closely with clients to gather and organize relevant documents, ensure required information is collected, and helps prepare case materials for attorney review.

Taylore assists with case preparation, maintaining files, tracking documentation, and supporting the legal team to help matters move forward efficiently. Her attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and communication style help clients feel supported during what can often be an overwhelming process.

Taylore joined Sterk Family Law Group in 2024, completed her paralegal studies in 2025, and is a member of the Illinois Paralegal Association.

Kelly Garver is the business development and marketing manager for Sterk Family Law. Often, as the first point of contact with our prospective clients, Kelly’s goal is to offer the understanding and support to provide affirmation of the services our firm has to offer. Professional and compassionate, Kelly provides our clients with honest and knowledgeable insights to guide them as they move forward in taking the first steps in the next chapters of their lives. With over a decade of professional experience in marketing, event planning, and business development, Kelly also serves as an ambassador for the professional development of our firm. Between participating in local and regional networking events and promoting the Sterk Family Law Group’s brand through various marketing initiatives, Kelly strives to build awareness and forge long-term relationships to share our mission with our local communities. Kelly sits on the Board of Directors for the Frankfort Chamber of Commerce.  

Monika re-joined our team full time in 2016 as a graphic designer/office assistant. She has previously worked both full and part with our group on various projects over the last 10 years. Monika prepares visual presentations by designing art and copy layouts and assists in concept planning. Monika received her undergraduate degree in Visual Communication and Graphic Design in 2015. Monika also does a variety of work for our office to ensure that it operates smoothly and efficiently. Monika is on the Board for Family Fun Fest.

Alyssa is our Client Relations Lead and ensures good communication between our office and our clients. She works closely on a daily basis with Gwendolyn Sterk to ensure our office runs smoothly and efficiently.

Alyssa is usually the first person to speak with a potential new client who contacts our office, and she provides our prospective clients with honesty and guidance as they take the first step to empower themselves with options.

In addition, Alyssa works with our firm’s billing and ensures that the client’s questions and concerns are addressed.  She provides a wide range of daily assistance to our clients and our entire team. Alyssa joined our team in 2016.

Robin is the accounting/billing coordinator for our office and has over 30 years of legal experience. Robin prepares all of the billing and performs all Juris accounting for the practice but she enjoys wearing many hats in the legal office. She has been working part-time with our firm since the inception of Sterk Family Law Group in 2015.

Linda is a billing coordinator of our office and deals directly with clients to assist in devising a plan that works for both the client and our office in order to manage and resolve any remaining or current account balance with our firm. Linda also helps us maintain our records and assists when fees are sought during the course of litigation from the other party. She joined our team in 2022.

Stephanie Goode is a Receptionist and Legal Assistant at Sterk Family Law Group, P.C. Stephanie helps ensure every client and visitor feels comfortable and supported from the moment they contact our office. Stephanie manages incoming calls, coordinates appointments, and helps direct client questions to the appropriate team members. She also assists with day-to-day office operations, document handling, and administrative support for the legal team, helping keep the office running smoothly and efficiently. Her strong organizational skills and ability to connect with people allow her to provide support and a positive client experience. Stephanie joined Sterk Family Law Group, P.C. in 2026.

Duke Sterk is a Goldendoodle who joined Sterk Family Law Group in 2016 and was trained as a therapy dog for our clients and our team.  He brings joy every day to everyone he greets.  He is responsible to provide support, diversion, cuteness, and fun.  Duke is a welcome addition to our office and our clients love him.  He regularly attends our firm’s events and loves anyone willing to pet him.