Catherine R. Brukalo

Catherine R. Brukalo is an attorney at Cooper Trachtenberg Law Group, LLC. Attorney Brukalo earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. She attended University College London in London, England, where she earned a Master of Arts Degree. After completing her studies in London, England, she was an intern at the United States Consulate General for the United States Department of State in Krakow, Poland. Her work at the United States Department of State gave Attorney Brukalo an opportunity to represent the United States Consulate to various private and governmental organizations. During her tenure she was formally recognized for her contributions at the Consulate General by then United States Ambassador to Poland, Christopher R. Hill.

Having earned a Juris Doctorate from The John Marshall Law School, in Chicago, Illinois, she competed nationally in one of the school’s Trial Advocacy teams, was Co-Editor in Chief of The Decisive Utterance and was one of a small group of students who resurrected the school’s Polish American Student Association.

Attorney Brukalo’s experience began in a felony drug courtroom when she worked with the Cook County State’s Attorney as a Law Clerk under Supreme Court Rule 711 and has continued through the present with her experiences in representation of clients in matters of personal injury, wrongful death, professional malpractice, probate, breach of contract claims, real estate transactions and domestic relations. She has successfully represented clients in both state and federal court.

Beyond her client caseload, she has served the legal community as a:

• Member of the Illinois State Bar Association (including election to its Assembly, a member of the ISBA Standing Committee for the Law Related Education of the Public, for which she coordinated the ISBA Lawyers in Classrooms program, as well as serving as an instructor for continuing education courses for both lawyers and judges);
• Member of the Advocates Society (including having been elected to leadership positions as well as serving as a Co-Chair of the Advocates Speaker’s Bureau Committee);
• Member of the Civil Practice Section of the McHenry County Bar Association, for which she served as Chair of its Outreach and Strategic Planning Interest Group, as well as serving as an instructor for continuing legal education classes;
• Member of the Chicago Bar Association, where she serves on the Judicial Evaluation Committee;
• Member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association;
• Member of the Advisory Council for the Civil Justice Improvement Project of the Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit.  

Additionally, in 2018, Attorney Brukalo received a Presidential Commendation from then ISBA President, the Hon. Russel W. Hartigan, for her outstanding contributions to civics education in Illinois through her exemplary work on the ISBA Lawyers in Classrooms program.

Shas been recognized by her peers, through Illinois Super Lawyers, as an Illinois Rising Star 2015 – 2017, and a Super Lawyer 2023 – 2024.

An avid networker and mentor, Attorney Brukalo is a co-founder of the Alliance of Lady Leaders (“ALL”), a not-for-profit organization founded during COVID for professional women striving to support and better one another through shared experience, networking and learning while creating a community of personal and professional development. Attorney Brukalo hosted numerous educational seminars in her role at ALL and remains passionate about educating and supporting professional women.

She is a native Polish speaker and a regular contributing columnist published on legal matters in a Chicago-based Polish-language newspaper.   

Her additional professional pursuits include mediation and arbitration training as well as certification as a Life Coach. Attorney Brukalo serves as a Child’s Representative and Guardian ad Litem in both Cook County and DuPage County. She additionally serves, in Cook County, as a parenting coordinator for divorcing couples who have minor children.

She sits on the Board of the Niles Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in Niles, Illinois, as a Director and on the Board of the Nicolaus Copernicus School of Polish Language, in Niles, Illinois, as a member of the Audit Committee.

Attorney Brukalo concentrates her practice in domestic relations, including divorce, parentage, allocation of parental responsibilities and child support.

State Bar Admission: Illinois
Federal Court Admission: United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois