Katherine L. Maloney, a lifelong resident of Plainfield, Illinois, graduated with honors from Plainfield High School before embarking on a remarkable journey of education and legal service. Her academic pursuits led her to the Open Door Exchange Program, where she spent a year as a foreign exchange student in Cairo, Egypt, attending the American University. During this experience, she became proficient in the French and Arabic languages while adapting to a new culture.
Upon her return to the United States, Katherine continued her education at Northern Illinois University. In her senior year, she was honored with the Marketing Department’s Outstanding Leadership Award for her role as the president of the business fraternity, Pi Sigma Epsilon.
Katherine’s dedication to her legal career took her to the George Washington University Law School in D.C. During her time there, she secured an internship with the Counsel for the Marine Corps Commandant at the Pentagon, where she addressed complex issues related to federal and international law, maintaining her position for three years.
Following her law school graduation, Katherine returned to her hometown and began her legal practice at a small firm in downtown Plainfield. Her legal expertise extended across various areas, including family law, criminal law, workers’ compensation, estate planning, real estate, small business, probate, and juvenile matters. Katherine’s commitment to her community led her to receive court appointments as a Guardian ad Litem, advocating for children and disabled adults.
Katherine also actively participated in various Plainfield community organizations, including the Plainfield Rotary, Plainfield Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts Troops, Big Brother/Big Sisters as a Big Sister, the Women’s Bar Association of Will County (where she served as President for two years), and the organization of a New Lawyers Committee for the Will County Bar. In 1998, she was recognized with the Pro Bono Award for her extensive work with children and the elderly in Will County.
Rathbun, Cservenyak & Kozol, recognizing her legal prowess and dedication, recruited Katherine to establish a law office in Plainfield. Three years later, she became an equity partner and has since maintained a thriving law practice. Throughout her career, Katherine has successfully settled and tried cases in various legal domains. She has also completed advanced training in mediation and received court appointments to mediate family law cases. Her professional affiliations include membership in multiple professional organizations, and she has been chosen by a Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court to serve on Judicial Selection Committees. Additionally, she has served as a board member of the Plainfield YMCA Advisory Board and as the attorney for CASA of Will County. She currently is a Legal Analyst for WJOL, 1340 AM and a founding board member of Friends for Charitable Giving which is a charity that raises funds for Veterans and First Responders who reside in Plainfield.
On a personal note, Katherine is a widow, having lost her husband, Dennis Hunke, in 2014. He was posthumously awarded the 2015 Carnegie Hero Award. Katherine is a proud mother of two wonderful children.