Advising
Streamlining construction compliance, coordinating lien preservation, and assisting with payment dispute management — so your business operates efficiently and profitably while minimizing risk.
Protecting the
businesses that build America.
Two decades of construction law, mechanics lien filing, and bond claim enforcement — coordinated lien preservation, compliance, and claims recovery for contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers across the United States and Canada.
20+
Years in practice
50
US states + Canada
100%
Construction & collections
24h
Initial case review
Our Approach
Advising. Managing. Enforcing.
Managing
On-demand General Counsel coordinating project-level compliance review, contract evaluation, preliminary notice procedures, and oversight of mechanics lien, bond claim, and bid protest processes.
Enforcing
A single point of coordination for multistate lien preservation and bond claim management — working with vetted local counsel where recording or enforcement actions are required.
LAKE FOREST, IL◆EST. 2003◆ILLINOIS BAR◆NATIONWIDE COORDINATION◆50 STATES + CANADA◆+1 855-5MY-LIEN◆50 STATES◆20+ YEARS◆MECHANICS LIENS◆BOND CLAIMS◆NATIONWIDE COUNSEL◆LAKE FOREST, IL◆EST. 2003◆ILLINOIS BAR◆NATIONWIDE COORDINATION◆50 STATES + CANADA◆+1 855-5MY-LIEN◆50 STATES◆20+ YEARS◆MECHANICS LIENS◆BOND CLAIMS◆NATIONWIDE COUNSEL◆LAKE FOREST, IL◆EST. 2003◆ILLINOIS BAR◆NATIONWIDE COORDINATION◆50 STATES + CANADA◆+1 855-5MY-LIEN◆50 STATES◆20+ YEARS◆MECHANICS LIENS◆BOND CLAIMS◆NATIONWIDE COUNSEL◆
Areas We Focus On
Practice areas
From comprehensive risk management through enforcement and collections, we serve as a single point of coordination for the legal challenges construction and manufacturing companies face every day.
Project Risk Management
Comprehensive review of project documentation and procedural gaps to identify compliance and payment risks.
Compliance & Preliminary Notices
Request preliminary notice filings on a single project, or set up an ongoing compliance program — preparation, certified mailing, and deadline tracking on commercial and public construction work.
Mechanics Lien & Bond Claim Enforcement
Single point of coordination for multistate enforcement, working with vetted local counsel where required.
Collections
Alternative collection strategies for suppliers without lien or bond claim rights, or where notice deadlines have passed.
Legal Counsel (On-Demand GC)
On-demand general counsel for construction and manufacturing companies operating across multiple jurisdictions.
Document Drafting & Review
Pre-drafted and customized contract forms, lien waivers, and credit applications. Flat-fee options available.
Preliminary notice filing & ongoing mechanics lien compliance.
Most mechanics lien rights are lost on missed preliminary notice deadlines, not in court. We prepare and serve Illinois Section 24 notices and out-of-state preliminary notices on a single project — or run an ongoing lien compliance program for your active jobs, with last-furnishing date tracking, certified mailing, and statutory forms handled end-to-end across all 50 states.
Related: mechanics lien enforcement, Cook County lien filing, full construction practice.
Preliminary notices
Section 24 notices and out-of-state pre-lien notices prepared, served, and certified-mailed within statutory windows.
Deadline tracking
Last-furnishing dates, 90-day notice windows, and 4-month recording deadlines monitored across every active project.
Ongoing programs
Recurring mechanics lien compliance for suppliers and subcontractors working multiple jobs across multiple states.
Nationwide Coordination
One point of contact.
Every jurisdiction.
Rather than independently retaining and managing multiple attorneys across jurisdictions, we coordinate project documentation, preliminary notice procedures, and work in conjunction with licensed local counsel where recording or enforcement actions are required — providing a streamlined, centralized approach to protecting your mechanics lien and bond claim rights across the US and Canada.
Illinois Mechanics Lien Practice
Illinois licensed.
Lake Forest based.
Fred Shestopal is licensed to practice law in Illinois and represents contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers in mechanics lien matters under the Illinois Mechanics Lien Act, 770 ILCS 60, and bond claim matters under the Public Construction Bond Act, 30 ILCS 550.
Based in Lake Forest, the firm regularly handles claims and litigation across Cook, Lake, DuPage, Kane, McHenry, and Will Counties — including Chicago, Schaumburg, Naperville, Waukegan, and the surrounding construction markets.
4-Month Recording Deadline
Contractors must record a lien claim within four months of last furnishing labor or materials to enforce against subsequent purchasers and creditors.
90-Day Subcontractor Notice
Subcontractors must serve written notice on the owner within 90 days of last furnishing — a strict, jurisdictional deadline that courts will not extend.
2-Year Foreclosure Window
Once recorded, a foreclosure suit must be filed within two years of last furnishing or the lien is extinguished as a matter of law.
30-Day Demand Response
An owner's Section 34 demand forces a lien claimant to file suit within 30 days or forfeit the lien permanently. Immediate action is required.
Mechanics liens recorded with the county recorder against the improved real property under 770 ILCS 60.
Payment bond claims under the Illinois Public Construction Bond Act (30 ILCS 550) — public property cannot be liened.
Single point of contact coordinating with vetted local counsel in all 50 states and Canada.
Frequently Asked
Mechanics lien questions, answered.
Quick answers on filing deadlines, eligibility, and the difference between liens and bond claims. Have a project-specific question? Talk to an attorney.