What Legal Consultants Do
Legal consultants are specialists who support attorneys and organizations without acting as their courtroom counsel. They manage electronic discovery, provide expert witnesses, conduct forensic accounting, lead internal investigations, and design compliance programs. As the seat of Will County and home to the Will County Courthouse, Joliet sees a steady volume of civil litigation, commercial disputes, and regulatory matters, many of which require expert support beyond what a law firm can handle internally.
Corporations headquartered or operating in the Joliet area, including logistics providers, manufacturers, and healthcare systems, also use legal consultants to manage risk and respond to regulatory inquiries. Below are ten legal consulting companies that serve clients in Joliet and throughout the Chicagoland region.
Our Selection Criteria
We evaluated each firm based on the depth of its litigation support and compliance capabilities, its experience with Illinois courts and regulators, technology platforms, and reputation among attorneys and corporate legal departments.
The Top 10 Legal Consultants Serving Joliet
1. Huron Consulting Group
Headquartered in Chicago, Huron provides legal operations consulting, e-discovery, and managed review services. Its teams help corporate legal departments reduce spending, improve workflows, and adopt legal technology. Huron is also well known for its healthcare and higher education expertise, both important sectors in Joliet.
2. FTI Consulting
FTI Consulting is a global leader in forensic accounting, litigation support, economic analysis, and crisis management. When high-stakes disputes arise, FTI's expert witnesses and investigators provide the analysis attorneys need to build persuasive cases.
3. Epiq
Epiq delivers e-discovery, class action administration, bankruptcy services, and legal business solutions. Law firms in Joliet handling large document productions or class settlements often partner with Epiq to manage data efficiently and accurately.
4. Consilio
Consilio offers e-discovery, document review, and legal consulting services supported by advanced analytics. Its technology-assisted review tools help reduce the time and cost associated with complex litigation.
5. KLDiscovery
KLDiscovery specializes in electronic discovery, data recovery, and information governance. The firm is especially valuable when litigation involves damaged devices or hard-to-reach data, providing forensic collection and recovery expertise.
6. Kroll
Kroll is recognized for investigations, cyber risk response, restructuring support, and compliance consulting. Businesses facing data breaches or fraud allegations rely on Kroll to investigate quickly and document findings for legal teams and regulators.
7. Alvarez and Marsal
Alvarez and Marsal is known for turnaround management, disputes and investigations, and regulatory consulting. Its hands-on operators help distressed companies stabilize while providing litigation support in contested matters.
8. Charles River Associates
Charles River Associates offers economic and financial consulting, including antitrust analysis, damages calculations, and expert testimony. Attorneys handling complex commercial disputes often engage CRA for credible, research-driven economic evidence.
9. Integreon
Integreon provides legal process outsourcing, including document review, contract management, and research support. Firms seeking to scale capacity without hiring additional staff find Integreon's flexible delivery model helpful.
10. UnitedLex
UnitedLex focuses on legal operations transformation, intellectual property services, and litigation support. Its consultants help corporate legal departments redesign processes, adopt automation, and manage outside counsel more effectively.
How to Choose a Legal Consultant
Begin by defining the scope of support you need. An e-discovery project demands different skills from a forensic accounting engagement or a compliance program review. Ask potential consultants about their security certifications, chain-of-custody procedures, and experience testifying in Illinois courts. Transparency around pricing is also essential, as e-discovery costs can escalate quickly without clear controls.
Law firms in Joliet should also consider whether the consultant can scale up for large matters and whether its technology integrates with the firm's existing review platforms. Corporate clients should evaluate how well the consultant communicates with non-lawyer stakeholders such as finance and IT teams.
Trends in Legal Consulting
Generative artificial intelligence is changing document review, contract analysis, and legal research. Data privacy regulations, including the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, have created a new category of compliance work for companies that use fingerprint time clocks or facial recognition. Meanwhile, corporate legal departments are pushing for greater cost predictability, driving demand for managed services and alternative fee arrangements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a legal consultant the same as a lawyer?
Not necessarily. Some legal consultants are licensed attorneys, but many are forensic accountants, economists, data specialists, or investigators. They support legal matters with specialized expertise, while licensed counsel remains responsible for legal advice and court representation.
When should a Joliet business hire a legal consultant?
Consider hiring one when a matter involves large volumes of electronic data, complex financial damages, suspected fraud, a cybersecurity incident, or regulatory scrutiny. Early involvement usually reduces costs because data can be preserved and analyzed properly from the start.
Do legal consultants work with small law firms?
Many do. Smaller Joliet law firms often engage consultants on a project basis for e-discovery or expert testimony, giving them access to resources comparable to much larger firms without adding permanent overhead.
Final Thoughts
Legal consultants are indispensable partners for modern legal work. Whether you are a Joliet law firm preparing for trial, a corporate counsel managing a regulatory review, or a business responding to a data incident, the consultants above bring specialized expertise that can improve outcomes and control costs. Evaluate your needs carefully and choose a partner with proven experience in matters like yours.