Jeff Goodloe is a founding partner of Puchalski Goodloe, LLP. Jeff’s practice concentrates in the area of public sector labor and employment law and public pension law. He has extensive experience representing Illinois Downstate Firefighter and Police Pension Boards, pension participants, and pension beneficiaries in a broad range of civil proceedings in Illinois circuit and appellate courts. Jeff has served as a hearing officer for numerous firefighter and police pension boards and understands that detailed preparation at the administrative level is essential for the competent defense of pension board decisions at the trial court level. He has also represented public safety employees in pension and labor related matters.

Jeff has litigated numerous cases before the appellate courts and orally argued before separate panels of the First District Appellate Court with respect to firefighter and police pension matters. His published appellate court opinions involved “act of duty” issues, the standard of review of pension board disability decisions, disability causation and pre-existing condition issues, salary attached to rank issues, and a case involving trustee bias and conflicts of interest.

Jeff has been a frequent speaker on pension related issues for the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association at its regional seminars and annual training conferences.

Jeff received his B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated with honors. He then attended Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida where he received his J.D. and graduated with honors. Following graduation, he served for three years as a Florida Assistant State’s Attorney in the felony trial division of Manatee County’s Bradenton office.

Keith A. Karlson is a founding partner of Karlson Garza LLC. Prior to founding KG LLC with Raymond Garza, Keith was a partner at another law firm where he represented Article 3 and 4 pension funds. He was the chief architect and strategist on most litigation and appellate matters. Keith currently serves as a Deputy General Counsel for the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association (“IPPFA”).

Keith has extensive experience representing Illinois police and fire pension funds. Mr. Karlson concentrates his practice in the area of first responder labor law, constitutional and civil rights of public employees, and public-sector pension law. He represents police, fire, and corrections unions in Illinois and Indiana. He has been recognized for his representation of firefighters and police officers in disciplinary matters and the civil rights issues arising from them. Mr. Karlson also represents police officers when sued by citizens claiming a violation of civil rights.

In both Illinois and Indiana, Mr. Karlson has had success representing firefighters, police officers, their pension funds, and their unions in the courtroom, on appeal, at the bargaining table, and before administrative tribunals. On behalf of pension funds, Keith has argued matters of first impression before the Supreme Court of Illinois and Illinois’ Courts of Appeal. In Indiana, he represented the first firefighter to ever receive a Class 1 line-of-duty psychiatric disability pension. He also has drafted several amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) briefs on behalf of labor unions, pension funds, and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. Recently, on a pro bono basis, Mr. Karlson represented the family of a Kansas firefighter who was killed in the line of duty. In a seminal decision, Mr. Karlson successfully argued for recognition of a privilege protecting communications between a union member and his/her union representative, a privilege previously not recognized in federal court.

Mr. Karlson has taught several seminars regarding administrative, statutory, and civil rights protections afforded public safety officers and frequently lectures about police and fire pension matters. In particular, Mr. Karlson has lectured on multiple subjects for the IPPFA. He also has taught part of the IPPFA Pension Trustee Certification Program. Mr. Karlson has taught college and graduate level classes relating to civil liability for police officers, law for fire supervisors, and collective bargaining in the public sector. He has published several articles concerning the pension and workplace rights of police officers and firefighters.

Mr. Karlson earned his A.A. (Criminal Justice) from Moraine Valley College, his B.A. (Political Science) from Eastern Illinois University, his M.A. (Communications) from Ball State University, and his Juris Doctor from the DePaul University College of Law. At DePaul, he wrote for the DePaul Health Law Journal. As a member of the National Moot Court Honor Society, he won the DePaul intramural moot court tournament.

Mr. Karlson is a member of the National Association of Public Pension Attorneys, Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and is an honorary member of IAFF Local 4416. Keith serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the American Blues Theater in Chicago. He also works as a volunteer coach for the North Central College Speech Team in Naperville. Keith also serves on the Board of Directors of the Hamilton County Professional Firefighters Foundation.

Mr. Karlson is licensed to practice in Illinois and Indiana State Courts, the United States District Courts for the Northern District of Illinois (trial bar member), the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, and the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Sixth and Seventh Circuits. In 2013, the Force Science Institute certified Mr. Karlson in the application of human factors to police use of force incidents.

Karlson  Garza LLC
12413 S. Harlem Ave
Suite 1SE
Palos Heights, IL 60463

Laura J. Goodloe is a founding partner of Puchalski Goodloe, LLP. Laura’s practice is focused on public pension, employment, and sports based immigration law.

Laura has extensive experience representing Illinois police and firefighter pension funds. Her experience covers not only proper administration of pension funds and compliance issues, but also administrative proceedings and appellate review. Laura provides her clients with a wide range expertise in substantive pension matters such as disability and retirement hearings, pension fund participation, refunds of contributions, QILDROs, re-entry into active service, benefit overpayments and underpayments, and municipal underfunding matters.

Laura is currently Deputy Counsel for the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association (IPPFA). As Deputy Counsel, Laura has spoken at numerous IPPFA conferences and seminars, drafted legal articles for the IPPFA newsletter, and has co-authored the Illinois Firefighters’ Pension Fund Trustee Handbook and the Illinois Police Pension Fund Trustee Handbook.

Laura has also represented pension applicants before downstate firefighter and police pension funds, the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, and the Retirement Board for the Policeman’s Annuity & Benefit Fund for the City of Chicago.

Laura also practices immigration law and has represented professional and semi-professional athletes in immigration matters. Laura assists her clients in not only the visa petition process but also in adjustment of status (greencard) and naturalization proceedings. She has a keen understanding of the various issues athletes face in the immigration process. She has represented numerous professional and semi-professional hockey players in the NHL and AHL and is currently broadening her practice to include immigration services tailored toward professional equestrians.

Laura also practices employment law, primarily representing private sector employers. Laura has represented employers on numerous levels from the initial stages of an internal complaint to defense against claims before the EEOC, the Illinois Department of Human Rights, and the Illinois Human Rights Commission. She has also handled matters before the Illinois Department of Labor and the United States Department of Labor. Laura’s understanding of wage and hour, pension, health and welfare, anti-discrimination, contract and tort law help to ensure that her clients receive proper advice concerning the drafting and execution of employment contracts, employee handbooks & policy manuals, severance agreements and termination documentation.

Laura is admitted to practice before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States District Court for Illinois. She has argued numerous cases before Illinois’ Appellate Courts and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Laura received a B.A from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida and graduated with honors. She received her J.D. from Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida. During law school, Laura was chosen as a finalist to compete in the first year appellate advocacy competition. She interned as a clerk for Florida’s Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court and a prominent Florida law firm. Upon graduation, Laura returned to Chicago to intern for Honorable Samuel Der-Yeghiayan with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. After passing the Illinois bar, Laura started her own law firm with Richard J. Puchalski.

Mr. Orsey graduated from University of Illinois with a B.A. degree with high honors in 1976. He received his law degree in 1979 from Southern Illinois University School of Law where he received the John S. Rendelman Award as Outstanding Senior Law Student and served as Student Bar Association President. After graduating from law school, he spent 5 years in general private practice with an Alton law firm and with his own practice in Granite City. In 1984, he was recruited by former Illinois Attorney General, Neil F. Hartigan, as Assistant Illinois Attorney General to establish and maintain the attorney General’s Granite City Regional Office, which serviced an eight county area, including Madison County and seven surrounding counties. As Director of this office, Mr. Orsey handled all types of litigation for the State of Illinois, including general law, consumer protection, criminal, revenue collection, environmental, charitable trust, administrative review cases and many other legal matters. From 1990 to 2006, Mr. Orsey served as a member of the adjunct faculty at Southwestern Illinois College as an instructor of Business Law.

After serving eleven years as an attorney representing the people of the State of Illinois, Mr. Orsey returned to private practice in 1995, establishing his own general practice law firm, now located at 3388 Maryville Road, Granite City, Illinois. He served as an Assistant Madison County State’s Attorney from 1996 through 2000. Since 1997, Mr. Orsey has served as Deputy General Counsel for the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association and represents almost 50 police and firefighter Pension Boards. He frequently presents training seminars for police and fire trustees to meet their mandatory training requirements. Mr. Orsey served as President of the Madison County Bar Association (1992-93) and has been a member of the Illinois State Bar Association General Assembly for over 20 years. He served as an elected member of the Illinois State Bar Association, Board of Governors (2003 – 2009) (2015 – present) and served as ISBA Treasurer (2008 – 2009). In June, 2013 Mr. Orsey received the prestigious Board of Governor’s Award from the Illinois State Bar Association. In May, 2017, Mr. Orsey was elected Third Vice-President of the Illinois State Bar Association and will be installed as President of the Illinois State Bar Association in June, 2020.

Mr. Orsey and his wife, Catherine reside in Glen Carbon, Illinois and have a son, Matthew, who is a graduate of the University of Illinois.

Mr. Atwell began his practice with his father in the City of Aurora, after graduating in 1973 from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago. In the mid 1970’s, he was employed as an Assistant Attorney General under Bill Scott and prosecuted consumer fraud cases within the mid-state area. He also worked as an Assistant Kane County Public Defender involved with juvenile and mental health cases. Mr. Atwell’s representation of public pension funds initiated in the mid 1980’s when he was requested to represent the City of Aurora Police and Firefighters’ Pension Fund Boards. In 1990, he represented the Aurora Boards in the case of United States of America v. State of Illinois, City of Aurora and the Board of Trustees of the City of Aurora Police Pension Fund in the U.S. District Court for the Northern Dist. of Illinois, Eastern Division. This action was the first Federal case filed against public pension funds in the U.S. under the newly enacted Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This litigation was the catalyst which resulted in the modifications to the State Police and Firefighters’ Pension Codes, eliminating the “fitness” requirement for membership into the respective pension funds. Mr. Atwell’s practice is limited to the representation of Police and Firefighters’ Pension Boards throughout the State of Illinois. He has been representative counsel in numerous matters of pension litigation in the State and Federal Courts, many of which have involved matters of “first impression”, respecting interpretations of the respective pension statutes. He has served as Deputy General Counsel for the IPPFA for over fifteen (15) years and has assisted the Association in seminar presentations and at the Annual Training Conference. He has lectured on Police and Firefighter Pension matters throughout the State of Illinois and has also presented at other national and international conferences including, “Guns and Hoses” 2006 Seminar, Las Vegas, Nevada and “Investment Management Institute” (IMI) Global Investment Forum 2001-2009, Quebec City, Canada, and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina in 2005-2006.

Mr. Atwell is licensed to practice law in the State Courts of Illinois, the Federal Courts for the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a member of many professional organizations and associations including the local and State Bar Associations and the National Association of Public Pension Fund Attorneys (NAPPA).

He and his wife Barbara have two adult married children and reside in Sugar Grove, Illinois.

Jim is a 1970 graduate of the College of Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Upon graduating in 1975 from John Marshall Law School in Chicago he began practice with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office under Bill Scott prosecuting environmental cases in the Chicago-land area. In 1977 he became an Assistant State’s Attorney for Champaign County, Illinois, prosecuting major felony cases. He opened his own office and entered private practice in 1979 with offices in Urbana, Illinois. He became involved over 25 years ago with the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association (IPPFA) at its inception because of the seminal Illinois case of Urbana Police Pension Fund v. Illinois Dept. of Human Rights he was litigating on behalf of the Urbana Police Pension Fund concerning the authority of the Board to determine who could be admitted to the fund. Since then he has represented approximately 50 different public pension boards, both fire and police, in various matters. He lectures and presents throughout the State of Illinois at the many IPPFA seminars, Certified Trustee Training sessions, web-based Trustee Training educational seminars, and their Annual Training Conference. He consults with various police and firefighter pension boards as Deputy General Counsel to IPPFA on a variety of public pension issues. His legal practice is focused primarily on Illinois police and firefighter public pensions as well as DUI defense and license reinstatement.He and his wife Katie have adult twin sons and reside in Champaign, Illinois.

Mr. Reimer is Manager of the law firm of Reimer & Dobrovolny.  Mr. Reimer concentrates in representing police and firefighter pension boards and public sector labor and employment law. The firm of Reimer & Dobrovolny consists of three partners and three associates.

Mr. Reimer has more than two decades of experience in representing police and firefighter pension boards. Mr. Reimer has extensive experience representing pension fund clients on all aspects of matters involving police and fire pension fund legal issues, including trial and appellate matters, administrative review proceedings, disability hearings, and matters involving compliance proceedings before the Illinois Department of Insurance. Mr. Reimer has served as general counsel for the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association (“IPPFA”) since 1987. IPPFA is a not-for-profit organization, consisting of over four hundred Illinois police and firefighter pension funds. Mr. Reimer has taught police and firefighter pension fund training seminars, drafted legislation, and filed several Amicus Curiae briefs on behalf of IPPFA on various police and firefighter pension fund issues.

Since 1994, Mr. Reimer has served as Board Attorney for the Illinois Professional Firefighters’ Association (“IPFA”). As Board Attorney for IPFA, Mr. Reimer conducts firefighter pension fund training seminars. Rick is actively involved in the IPFA, a not-for-profit organization, concentrating on firefighters’ pension benefits. Mr. Reimer is co-author of two publications, the Illinois Police Pension Fund Trustee Handbook (2001 ed.) and the Illinois Firefighters’ Pension.

Fund Trustee Handbook (1997 ed.). Mr. Reimer’s current clients include approximately two hundred police and firefighter pension boards throughout the State of Illinois.

In addition to the area of practice concentrating in representation of police and firefighter pension funds, Mr. Reimer currently represents more than 50 police and firefighter labor unions. Mr. Reimer has extensive experience in representing police officers and firefighters in discipline, collective bargaining, and labor matters. Mr. Reimer also represents police officers and firefighters in civil rights plaintiff and defense cases. Rick has also represented police officers through hundreds of critical incidents, including officer involved shootings, and deaths of subjects in custody.

Mr. Reimer served as a police officer for ten years, holding the ranks of Sergeant and Assistant to the Chief of Police. Rick is also a former Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney. Mr. Reimer served as a member of his municipality’s

Police and Fire Commission and served a four-year term as Village Trustee. Mr. Reimer is currently an adjunct instructor at Lewis University, teaching graduate level courses in Public Sector Labor Relations. Mr. Reimer is also an instructor at the IPPFA/Northern Illinois University’s New Trustee Workshop.

Mr. Reimer is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois, the Northern District of Illinois Federal Trial Bar, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Reimer is a member of the American Bar

Association, Illinois Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, DuPage County Bar Association, and the American Trial Lawyers Association.

Since 2008, Mr. Reimer has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the Illinois Roster of Illinois Super Lawyers, as published in Chicago Magazine, for excellence in employment and labor law. For further information, please visit the