South Central Reporter

Cities within Fayette County had no change in the number of lawyers with active licenses compared to the previous month, according to the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) of the Supreme Court of Illinois.

In total, there were seven active legal licenses recorded in cities in Fayette County in April.

All of the licenses were granted in Vandalia.

According to the ABA’s 2024 Profile of the Legal Profession, Illinois had the fourth-highest number of lawyers per capita in the United States, with nearly five lawyers per 1,000 residents.

Illinois is home to the fifth-largest lawyer population in the U.S., with over 62,000 attorneys, according to the ABA’s 2024 Profile of the Legal Profession.

As of March 2025, average lawyer salaries in Illinois ranged from $107,027 for an entry-level attorney handling routine legal work to $224,163 for highly experienced attorneys managing complex cases with significant autonomy. Mid-level attorneys, such as those in Attorney III roles—who handle highly complex legal work with moderate supervision—earned on average $178,994 in Illinois, compared to $174,969 nationwide.

Data refers to all lawyers who were actively practicing during this period.

Lawyer Name	Date of Admission
Ariana Elizabeth Thurnau	11/06/2014
Emily L. Fitch	11/06/2014
Jessica Marie Carr	11/09/2017
Joel Andrew Slater	10/31/2013
Keith Charles Jacob	05/10/2012
Matthew Abraham Riedle	11/04/2010
Patrick Francis Schaufelberger	11/05/1992