Ramsell & Kunowski

What Ramsell & Kunowski does

Ramsell & Kunowski, L.L.C. is a privately held criminal defense law firm founded in 1986 and headquartered in St. Charles, Illinois. The firm provides full-service criminal defense representation across misdemeanor and felony matters, with specialized practice areas including DUI defense, drug crimes, violent crimes, sex crimes, weapons charges, traffic crimes, theft, juvenile crimes, arson, probation violations, expungement, and criminal appeals. The client base consists primarily of individual Illinois residents facing criminal charges, alongside a small segment of high-profile individuals (politicians, athletes, musicians, doctors) requiring confidential representation. Six physical offices serve DuPage, Kane, McHenry, Cook, Will, DeKalb, Kendall, and Lake Counties, with 24/7 phone intake and free consultations as the primary client acquisition mechanism.

The firm is a traditional professional services operation without proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or software platforms; the core deliverable is legal expertise delivered through courtroom representation, plea negotiations, and appellate work. Donald Ramsell, the Managing Partner and founding attorney, is distinguished as the only Illinois DUI defense attorney to argue a case before the United States Supreme Court, with 10,000+ DUI cases defended, 500+ bench trials, and 100+ jury trials personally. The firm has accumulated 20,000+ criminal and DUI cases since founding, and was responsible for uncovering errors in breathalyzer technology that led to statewide program reform. National media exposure across 20/20, Oprah Winfrey Show, Fox News, CBS, ABC, New York Times, and Chicago Tribune reinforces its brand position.

The revenue model is professional services fees billed through hourly rates, flat fees per matter, or contingency arrangements depending on case type; specific fee schedules are not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led, with direct consumer acquisition via six offices, phone-based 24/7 intake, free initial consultations, content marketing through an educational blog, and earned media from high-profile case coverage. Marketing channels include the blog, client testimonials and 200+ five-star reviews, free consultations, earned media, and 24/7 phone availability. The firm holds an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, Top 100 Trial Lawyer recognition from National Trial Lawyers, Super Lawyers status, Elite Lawyer recognition, and is a sustaining member of the National College of DUI Defense. Ownership is founder/partnership-based with no identified external investors, private equity, or parent company affiliations.

Name

Ramsell & Kunowski

Legal name

Ramsell & Kunowski, L.L.C.

Website

https://illinois-criminal-defense-attorney.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ramsell & Kunowski is a privately held Illinois criminal defense law firm founded in 1986, operating from six offices across DuPage, Kane, McHenry, Cook, Will, DeKalb, Kendall, and Lake Counties. The firm represents individual Illinois residents facing DUI, drug, violent, sex, weapons, traffic, theft, and juvenile charges, with Managing Partner Donald Ramsell distinguished as the only Illinois DUI defense attorney to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Criminal Defense Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Criminal Defense (BPAHAAAN)

Keywords

• Criminal defense lawyers
• DUI defense representation
• Felony defense attorneys
• Misdemeanor defense services
• Expungement legal services

Headquarters

HQ city

Rolling Meadows

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Professional Fees: Revenue generated from legal representation fees for criminal defense services including DUI, drug crimes, violent crimes, sex crimes, weapons charges, traffic crimes, theft, juvenile crimes, and related matters. Services billed through hourly rates, flat fees for specific matters, or contingency arrangements depending on case type.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ramsell & Kunowski is a criminal defense law firm that represents individuals charged with misdemeanors and felonies across Illinois, with a particular focus on DUI defense. The firm delivers case evaluation, trial defense, plea negotiations, appeals, and expungement services from six office locations serving eight Illinois counties. Services are offered 24/7 with free initial consultations and aggressive courtroom representation aimed at minimizing penalties, protecting constitutional rights, and clearing or sealing criminal records.

Product overview

Ramsell & Kunowski, L.L.C. is a criminal defense law firm offering comprehensive legal services as a single unified practice. The core offering is full-service criminal defense representation covering misdemeanors and felonies, supported by specialized practice areas including DUI defense, drug crimes, violent crimes, sex crimes, weapons charges, traffic crimes, theft, juvenile crimes, arson, probation violations, and expungement. Additional services include criminal appeals and a scholarship program. The firm operates from multiple Illinois offices and serves clients throughout DuPage, Kane, McHenry, Cook, Will, DeKalb, Kendall, and Lake Counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Criminal Defense Legal Services Full-service criminal defense representation for misdemeanors and felony offenses, including case evaluation, trial defense, plea negotiations, and appeals for individuals charged in Illinois.
• DUI Defense Specialized defense against driving under the influence charges, including challenging breathalyzer results, field sobriety tests, and traffic stop procedures for individuals charged in Illinois.
• Drug Crimes Defense Defense for drug possession, distribution, and manufacturing charges, including challenging search and seizure procedures and advocating for treatment alternatives.
• Violent Crimes Defense Representation for assault, battery, domestic violence, and homicide charges, including self-defense strategies and constitutional rights protection.
• Sex Crimes Defense Defense for sexual assault, crimes against children, and related offenses, including challenging evidence and protecting client reputation.
• Weapons Charges Defense Defense for unlawful use of weapons, felon in possession, and other firearms-related charges under Illinois law.
• Traffic Crimes Defense Defense for reckless driving, aggravated speeding, CDL violations, driving on suspended license, and other criminal traffic offenses including license protection.
• Theft Defense Representation for retail theft, robbery, grand theft auto, and other property crime charges.
• Juvenile Crimes Defense Legal representation for minors in juvenile court, focusing on rehabilitation and protecting young clients' futures.
• Arson Crimes Defense Defense for property damage through fire or explosion, including challenging forensic evidence and exploring alternative explanations.
• Probation Violations Defense Representation for alleged probation violations, including advocating for continued probation over incarceration.
• Expungement Services Assistance with clearing criminal records through expungement or record sealing processes for eligible Illinois individuals.
• Criminal Appeals Post-conviction appellate representation, including appeals to the Illinois Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20,000 criminal and DUI cases handled since 1986
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• David L. Freidberg Attorney at Law: Chicago criminal defense practitioner with a similar solo-to-small-firm structure handling DUI, drug, violent, and sex crime charges. Competes head-to-head for the same Cook/DuPage/Kane County client pool.
• Law Offices of Hal M. Garfinkel LLC: Chicago criminal defense firm with decades of experience and a similar courtroom-heavy reputation. Targets the same individuals facing DUI and felony charges across the Chicago metro.
• The Law Office of James D. Carmichael: Illinois attorney specializing in DUI, traffic, and criminal defense. Comparable solo/small-firm peer with similar practice-area concentration in the same state and overlapping county coverage.
• Roscich & Reisch Law Group, LLC: Illinois DUI and traffic defense firm with multi-office suburban presence. Competes for similar clients across the western Chicago suburbs, including DuPage and Kane counties.
• Dolci & Weiland, LLC: Chicago criminal defense firm with comparable size, multi-office Illinois presence, and full-service criminal/DUI practice. Direct competitor for individuals facing misdemeanor and felony charges across the same counties.
• Anderson Criminal Defense: Illinois criminal defense practice serving the Chicago suburbs and collar counties. Directly comparable in service mix (DUI, felony, traffic) and client acquisition approach.
• Mitchell S. Sexner & Associates LLC: Chicago-area criminal defense and DUI firm covering similar Illinois jurisdictions. Directly comparable to Ramsell & Kunowski in practice focus (DUI, traffic, criminal defense), client base, and geographic footprint, with a similar multi-attorney partner model.
• The Toney Law Firm: Illinois-based criminal and DUI defense firm with similar content-marketing-led GTM and free-consultation intake motion. Operates as a small-to-mid-sized practitioner competing for the same Chicago-area clients.
• Law Office of Richard A. Hagle: Illinois DUI and criminal defense attorney operating in similar suburban Illinois jurisdictions. Direct competitor with comparable flat-fee DUI practice model.

Emerging players

• LegalZoom: Online legal services platform that does not currently handle criminal defense directly but represents the broader technology-enabled disruption vector for traditional law firms — increasingly competing for consumer attention in legal services marketing channels.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ramsell & Kunowski