about our team.
Meet the Attorney
Jackson E. Donley, J. D. has practiced law in Illinois for over 30 years. Graduating from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago in 1981, he began his career as a general practitioner in a private firm in Effingham Illinois. He spent over 20 years working for the Illinois Department of Revenue, where he performed as Senior Counsel in the income tax area, working on both business and individual tax cases. In 2006, he started his own practice, the Jackson Donley Law Offices.
Despite his successes in building his law firm, Mr. Donley remains dedicated to being personally involved in each case he handles. Unlike other firms where clients rarely meet with the attorney, Mr. Donley is accessible to all of his clients, and tries to personally answer every call.
In August, 1992, the State Journal-Register and the Mattoon Journal Gazette published an article about Mr. Donley’s legal practice; he still makes house calls and understands that the work that he does for his clients is important to them. In his practice, clients still come first! Click Here to view the article.
Mr. Donley is a third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. In addition, in his free time he enjoys reading, fishing and golfing. He has traveled to many of the fifty states and loves to read and write.
Meet the Bankruptcy Processing Specialist
Julia Donley has worked with Jackson since he opened his doors in 2006, and has developed a tremendous base of experience working with bankruptcy clients. We know that bankruptcy is perceived as a last resort to resolving debt issues, and that making the decision to file for bankruptcy relief is a difficult one to make. Julia’s compassion in dealing with people who find it necessary to use the firm’s bankruptcy services, and her attention to detail helps to ensure that the case moves quickly and efficiently through the system, so that our clients can move on with their lives and begin rebuilding their financial health.
Julia comes to the firm with a background in legal work, having worked as a legal secretary for two of Chicago’s leading law firms.
Meet the Immigration Consultant and Facilitator
Bridget Donley has worked with Jackson since 2008, and has made it her priority to learn all of the ins and outs of immigration and naturalization regulations and requirements. We strive to stay up to date on changes to immigration laws in order to provide their clients with the most current and thorough information relevant to their situation. Bridget has worked at Donley Law Office for over 8 years now and in that time has prepared and submitted more than 100 I-130 petitions. We have reunited numerous families through the filing and of I-130 Petitions and subsequent Consular Visa Processing. In addition, Bridget is skilled in preparing other immigration documents including Affidavit of Support forms, K-1 visa applications and waiver documents.
The path to becoming a Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States or a Naturalized US Citizen is filled with red tape and requires a great deal of patience as well as the requisite forms, fees and supporting documents. If the paperwork is incomplete or is filled out incorrectly, the wrong remittance is paid, or you fail to submit the correct documentation, the process can be prolonged, resulting in delays in work authorization, visa issuance and other government approval.
Bridget is committed to ensuring that every form is filled out properly and on time, and the documents submitted in support of the applications meet the standards imposed by the Department of Homeland Security and the US Department of State. Her experience and familiarity with the processes ensure that every required step is taken, and that all of the information from the government is passed back to the client efficiently. With her careful guidance, clients and their families navigate the channels of immigration to the USA as expeditiously as possible in order to receive the desired benefits from the government and reunite their families.
In addition to her experience working at the firm, Bridget has earned her Bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies in 2014 at the University of Illinois Springfield, with an emphasis on Global Studies and Cultural Geography. As part of her course work she participated in two Study Abroad programs in The Gambia, West Africa, during summer’s 2012 and 2013. Her passion for helping people and learning about cultures from around the world make her an excellent addition to the staff here at the Jackson Donley Law Offices.
Since joining the team in 2008, Bridget has had the opportunity to work closely with USCIS (United States Custom and immigration Services), NVC (National Visa Center) and the US State Department through their Consulates and Embassies abroad from Minsk to Manila, Cairo to Dakar, Lima to Shanghai and nearly everywhere in between. We have the knowledge, tools and resources to monitor client’s cases and streamline the process for Petitioners and their loved ones. With clients from more than 60 countries around the world, Jackson and Bridget are the experience team you are looking for to handle your immigration case.
Meet the Office Administrator
Kirk Donley is the newest member of the Jackson Donley Law Offices. Kirk provides behind the scenes support in all of the cases, and ensures that the office staff coordinates cases, workload, and court appearances, and conferences and meetings. He mans the phones, and provides valuable assistance in bankruptcy, immigration, family and other matters.
