Cristina M. Buskohl

A Relentless Trial Lawyer

Attorney Cristina M. Buskohl amassed years of experience in litigation long before she ever became a litigator. In 2007, Buskohl became a paralegal, working for a Bloomington, Illinois law firm that concentrated in litigation. In 2010, Buskohl moved back to her native Polo, Illinois, and began working as a paralegal for the Law Firm of Mertes & Mertes. In 2015, Buskohl entered the Mitchell Hamline School of Law, attending law school while working full-time as a paralegal. In 2018, she graduated from law school at the top of her class. Buskohl has been a practicing trial attorney for the past six years, concentrating her practice in the areas of domestic and criminal law. Attorney Buskohl is admitted to the practice of law in the State of Illinois and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. She is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association. Buskohl is the President of the Whiteside County Bar Association.

"Working for 8 years as a paralegal and 6 years as a trial lawyer for the Law Firm of Mertes & Mertes has provided me with incomparable litigation experience," Buskohl said. "I served as second chair on the trial team that won the largest personal injury/medical negligence verdict in the history of Whiteside County," Buskohl said. "I have participated in major case investigations, and conducted complex trials in counties throughout Northern Illinois," Buskohl added. "I cannot imagine getting this kind of experience anywhere else," she said.

Buskohl's passions for the law drive both her domestic and criminal practices. "Family law and criminal law are very different," Buskohl remarked. "But the ideals that make a great lawyer remain the same for both areas of the law," she said. "Hard work and relentless dedication make all the difference in the world," Buskohl said.

Buskohl certainly knows a thing or two about hard work and dedication. "As the mother of three amazing children, a full-time paralegal at an extraordinarily successful law firm, and a full-time law student at a top-tier law school, I certainly learned the principles of organized dedication," Buskohl said. "I maintain that level of commitment in my law practice to this day," she added.

"One of the things I love most about working at Mertes & Mertes is our team approach," Buskohl said.

"We meet regularly as a team," Buskohl explained. "We bounce ideas off one another, we argue cases, and we analyze complex issues from several different perspectives," Buskohl explained. "When clients hire one of us, they hire all of us," she added. "By the time we argue an issue in the courtroom, it has been developed and challenged and improved with the wisdom and experience of several lawyers and staff members in our office," she explained. "Difficult family law issues will be analyzed and debated with Magen, Mitch, Tiffany, Angie and Laura," Buskohl said. "Complex criminal law matters will be scrutinized by Jim, Gary, Mitch, and Sheila," she added. "Our arguments are not the product of momentary thought," Buskohl said. "They are born of decades of wisdom and experience from several outstanding trial veterans," she said. "That's what makes us great," she concluded.

Buskohl accepts new clients in domestic and criminal cases. She can be contacted directly by e-mail at cbuskohl@mertesandmertes.com or by telephone at 815-626-1500.