Sara Stephenson Peska
Sara is excited to join Mahoney & Mahoney, LLC as of 2022 to serve the general practice branch of the firm as well as supporting the large litigation trunk of Mahoney & Mahoney. Sara matriculated with a liberal arts degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Molecular and Cellular Biology and minoring in Spanish and studying abroad in Madrid, Spain. Sara achieved her patent attorney registration in 2008 and also her Illinois State Law License that year having hailed from Northern Illinois University College of Law with her J.D. that same year. Sara was highly-involved at both schools from Mock Trial and a graduate assistantship in the NIU Libraries System, to Dean’s List at both universities, and as a Resident Advisor at the Newman Hall in Champaign. Sara also played some in the Concert Band at UIUC, playing tenor saxophone which, she continues to play today in the Freeport Summer Pops Concert Band (as well as the bari’ sax!).
In the general practice arm of the firm Sara serves myriad client needs including real estate, guardianships, parental responsibility allocation and parenting time matters, dissolution, guardianships, transactional matters for small businesses and families, estate planning and probate, and general civil litigation. Sara has handled various criminal and ordinance violations over the years, as well. Sara is certified as a civil mediator, including a particular family mediation certification, and has been certified as a Guardian ad Litem with the 15th Judicial Circuit which includes: Stephenson, Ogle, Carroll, Jo Daviess, and Lee Counties. Sara has served as GAL for the best interests of children and adults in this capacity and serves at the pleasure of the court on these matters today.
Sara has contributed to the local bars of all the 15th Judicial Circuit counties and served as Secretary of the Stephenson County Bar Association. Sara has served on the Judicial Liaison Committee of the Stephenson County Bar Association most recently. Presently, Sara is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association where she has been appointed to serve on the Rural Practice Initiative Committee focused on the recruitment and retention of rural attorneys and the growth of our practice to continue to serve rural law practice. She welcomes your call to discuss the RPI, any time!
Sara is a charter member of Stephenson County’s 100 Women Who Care group whom contribute quarterly to local charitable organizations. Sara serves on the FHN Family Counseling Center Advisory Council to stay abreast of happenings with the important work done at the center. Sara has also served on the City of Freeport’s Board of Zoning and Appeals, as well as the Senior Resource Center Board serving seniors in Stephenson and Jo Daviess Counties. Sara served on the Boys and Girls Club of Freeport and Stephenson County board of directors for many years, too.
Sara was raised in Central Illinois and hails from a long lineage of farmers. She appreciates the importance of agriculture to our State, and was a ten-year 4-H Member in Champaign County. Sara and her husband are raising three precocious children who keep active with our amazing church and school community, and enjoy reading, music, arts, and sports! In her extra time, Sara has been heavily involved in the Aquin Parent-Teacher Organization, the Aquin Open Committee, local golf leagues, and the Family YMCA of Northwest Illinois as an occasional parent-child swim instructor.
