I was born and raised in Springfield, Illinois. I attended Christ the King Grade School and Griffin High School (now Sacred Heart-Griffin). I graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1985 with a degree in Finance and returned to Springfield to work as an investment officer for Marine Investment Management Company, a subsidiary of the original Marine Bank. There, I assisted in managing the investments of both private and public pension funds.

After working for four years, I decided to continue my education and enrolled at Southern Illinois University School of Law, where I graduated cum laude in 1992. I developed my writing skills during law school as a teaching assistant, member of the National Moot Court team, and member of editorial board of the law journal. During the summers, I interned with the law offices of Metnick, Barewin and Wise in Springfield and was hired as an associate by that firm after receiving my law degree. In 1997, I was invited to be co-founder of Gates, Wise & Schlosser, P.C., where I continue to be a committed, creative, and aggressive advocate for my clients.  With the addition of a fourth partner, the practice was renamed Gates Wise Schlosser & Goebel.

Although Gates Wise Schlosser & Goebel is a general practice law firm, I specialize in representing plaintiffs in personal injury claims and defendants charged with crimes in state or federal court. In each of these areas of practice, I take pride in representing individuals against entities with virtually unlimited resources. I am proud to fight insurance companies on behalf of individuals who have been severely injured by the carelessness or misconduct of another. I am equally proud to go to battle against state or federal prosecutors on behalf of citizens accused of criminal conduct.

My wife, Tricia, and I have been married for sixteen years, and we are the proud parents of two boys.