JOLIET, IL — Joliet attorney Leslie Joy Allred, who was the focus of a glowing feature story in the Will County Bar Association in 2021, is now facing serious trouble with the Illinois agency that regulates the profession of lawyers.
Last week, Lea S. Gutierrez, administrator at the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, by her attorney, Richard Gleason, filed a public complaint accusing the former managing partner of misconduct at former Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk's law firm in downtown Joliet.
"There is a criminal matter pending, so we can't comment," O'Dekirk told Joliet Patch on Thursday.
Upon reading the four-page lawyer disciplinary commission filing against Allred, the document made it abundantly clear that Dekirk and his legal staff were the victims.
"Well, yes, myself and my partner filed the complaint," O'Dekirk informed Joliet Patch on Thursday.
News of Allred's disciplinary complaint was first reported this week by Justin Virgin, who previously ran the Facebook page called 815 Has Problems. Last week, he announced to his followers that he changed the Facebook page name to the new name of 815 Media Network.
"As of May 2025, Respondent had used at least $348,056.30 of the law firm's funds, without notice to or permission from her law firm partners, for her own personal purposes," the Illinois attorney disciplinary complaint alleges.
According to the public complaint, Allred was hired around December 2012 as an associate by the law firm that, until May 2025, was named O'Dekirk, Allred & Rhodes. The law firm's primary location was in Joliet, with additional office locations in Manteno, Wilmington, and Morris. The law firm concentrated its practice in the areas of criminal defense, family law and real estate transactions.
The filing indicates that beginning on June 19, 2015, Allred co-owned the law firm with O'Dekirk. On Dec. 23, 2021, the law firm added to the partnership a third lawyer, Thomas Rhodes. From 2015 until February 2025, Allred was a managing partner.
"As a co-owner and managing partner of the law firm, Respondent owed a fiduciary duty to her law firm partners and to the law firm," the disciplinary commission filing opened against Allred states.
"From November 2019 through May 2025, without notice to or permission from her law firm partners, Respondent caused at least $170,309.55 of her own personal expenses to be charged to her law firm's Chase credit account by using her credit card connected to that account ... Those charges included Respondent's personal expenses such as vacations to Disney World, cruises, luxury hotel stays, liquor, and axe throwing," the filing alleges. But that wasn't all.
"On October 15, 2019, on behalf of the law firm, Respondent applied for and was issued a credit card account through JPMorgan Chase Bank ... At all times alleged in this complaint, Respondent knew that the Chase credit account was to be used only for law firm expenses and further knew that she was not authorized to the Chase credit account for her own personal expenses without notice to and permission from her law firm partners," the complaint indicates.
Then, according to the four-page complaint, "on at least 13 different occasions between March 2019 and July 2022, without notice to or permission from her law firm partners, Respondent caused payments totaling at least $15,577.42 to be made from the law firm's operating account to a personal credit account she maintained at PNC Bank.
"Also, between January 2, 2019 and January 22, 2025, without notice to or permission from her law firm partners, Respondent used her law firm operating account debit card ... to make payments totaling at least $163,069.33 for her own personal expenses. Those personal expenses included vacations to Florida, luxury hotel stays, furniture, cash withdrawals, limousine service, sporting events, and at least $79,918.36 which she paid to the Internal Revenue Service in purported satisfaction of her personal federal income taxes.
"At the time Respondent used those funds, Respondent knew that she was using the funds for her own personal purposes and without notice to, or permission from, her law firm partners, and, in doing so, she acted dishonestly."
Gleason, the attorney for the administrator, is now requesting that Allred's matter "be referred to a panel of the Hearing Board of the Commission, that a hearing be conducted, and that the Hearing Panel make findings of fact, conclusions of fact and law, and a recommendation for such discipline as is warranted.
"As of August 18, 2026, Respondent has not repaid to the law firm any of the funds she misappropriated," the filing alleges.
In 2021, the Will County Bar Association made Allred their featured lawyer for the month. The feature story indicated that "Community service is a staple in her life and one she honors through O'Dekirk, Allred & Associates ... She also serves as the current president of the Wilmington Foundation for Excellence, a non-profit organization that raises scholarship money for graduating seniors and creates grant money for the district teachers to expand their resources outside of what the school can offer, a Wilmington City alderman, and active member of the Will County Bar Association.
"Allred didn't find her calling for law right away but has made a lasting footprint ever since stepping into it. Currently, she works as a Managing Partner at O'Dekirk, Allred & Associates, LLC. She has a bundle of awards under her belt as well, including National Trial Lawyers Association Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys, Joliet Area Young Professional of the Year, and Kankakee County Women in Business Honoree," the Will County Bar Association story about Allred noted.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Joliet Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.