Keri-Lyn J. Krafthefer
Equity Partner
West Suburban Office
1979 N. Mill Street, Suite 207
Naperville, IL 60563
Direct Phone: 312.604.9126
Fax: 312.782.0943
Email: kkrafthefer@ancelglink.com
B.A., University of Illinois (1985)
Public officials, candidates and local governments choose Keri-Lyn when they need a preeminent attorney to assist with ballot access issues, fight local government corruption or navigate daily issues.
There’s a reason why Keri-Lyn has been recognized as one of the top 50 female Illinois Super Lawyers, and as one of the top ten leading women lawyers in government and municipal law in the Women’s Edition of the Leading Lawyers Magazine on “The Top Women Lawyers in Illinois.” She is a strong advocate for good government and fair elections, and a formidable opponent of local government corruption.
Keri-Lyn has spent her entire legal career representing and educating public officials and public bodies. She advises villages, cities, school districts, townships and park districts in all issues that arise in the day-to-day representation of public entities, including matters related to board governance, conflicts, personnel, labor, employment, economic development and financial matters. Keri-Lyn is also a renowned election law attorney who represents local, state and judicial candidates and their campaigns. She has also spoken nationally and internationally on the topic of accommodation of transgender populations. Keri-Lyn is particularly passionate about helping impoverished communities rebuild.
Keri-Lyn serves as the head of Ancel Glink’s election law practice group and our local government taxation practice group, in addition to serving on our labor and employment and litigation teams. She is the President of the Illinois Township Attorneys Association and serves as the primary attorney for the Municipal Clerks of Illinois.
Publications and Presentations
Keri-Lyn has served as the president of the Chicago Bar Association’s Local Government Law Committee, the Election Law Committee and the Entertainment Committee. She is one of the primary editors and a contributing author of the Illinois Municipal Handbook, the Editor in Chief and primary author of the Township Officials of Illinois Laws and Duties Handbook, the author of the Township Trustees Operations Manual, contributor to the Illinois Township Supervisor’s Manual, co-editor of the Illinois School Law Practice Handbook two volume series published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, as well as a co-author of many chapters of the IICLE Illinois Municipal Law Handbook, the IICLE Illinois Election Law Handbook and the Illinois School Law Practice Handbook.
Publications
- Co-Editor and Contributing Author, Illinois Municipal Handbook
- Editor in Chief and Primary Author, Township Officials of Illinois Laws And Duties Handbook
- Editor in Chief and Primary Author, The Trustees’ Operations Manual
- Co-Editor, Illinois School Law Practice Handbook: Organization, Finance & Property (Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education)
- Co-Editor, Illinois School Law Practice Handbook: Personnel and Student Issues (IICLE)
- Contributing author, Illinois Park District Law Handbook (Illinois Association of Park Districts)
- Contributing author, “Elections,” Illinois Municipal Law (IICLE)
- Contributing author, “Municipal Labor Law,” Illinois Municipal Law (IICLE)
- Contributing author, “Community Colleges,” Illinois School Law (IICLE)
- Contributing author, “Education Technology Issues,” Illinois School Law (IICLE)
- Contributing author, “Employee Rights And Responsibilities,” Illinois School Law (IICLE)
- Contributing author, “Local Government Elections,” Illinois Election Law (IICLE)
- Contributing author, “The Illinois Township Supervisor’s Guide”
- Contributing author, “The Township Clerk’s Handbook.”
Awards/Professional Recognitions/Memberships
Leading Lawyers has listed Keri-Lyn as one of the top ten female lawyers in Illinois in governmental and municipal law. Leading Lawyers also named her as the only female Leading Lawyer in Political, Campaign and Election Law. Keri-Lyn has been named by Chicago Magazine and Illinois Super Lawyers as one of the “Top Women Attorneys in Illinois.” Illinois Super Lawyers has also named Keri-Lyn as one of the Top 50 Female Attorneys in the State of Illinois, as well as designating her as a Super Lawyer in municipal law every year that such distinction has been awarded.
Hobbies
Keri-Lyn enjoys traveling, reading, swing dancing, and playing the piano. She treasures most the time she spends with her son, Kyle, on road trips, chilling at home, or having sometimes incomprehensible discussions about the mechanical workings of dirt bikes, go karts and automobile engines.