Russell H. Petrak is of counsel to Gallagher & Niemeyer, LLC. Russ was a founder of Gallagher & Petrak, Ltd. and practiced law in Chicago for over 50 years. He practiced extensively in personal injury, small business, real estate and tax.

Richard F. Gallagher (1926-1999) was a founder of Gallagher & Petrak, Ltd. His obituary in the Chicago Tribune read: "Richard F. Gallagher, 72, a Chicago lawyer for more than 40 years and a board director for an Evergreen Park bank, died Thursday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Mr. Gallagher grew up on the city's South Side. He and his wife, Joan, moved to Oak Brook in 1970. Serving in the Army during World War II, Mr. Gallagher was among the first Americans to arrive in Japan after the Japanese surrender in 1945. Afterward, Mr. Gallagher attended the University of Illinois at Chicago and the John Marshall Law School. After running a solo practice, Mr. Gallagher formed a partnership with Russell H. Petrak in 1960. Their firm grew into Gallagher & Petrak Ltd., and in 1993, Mr. Gallagher's son, Matthew, joined the firm. "For my dad, the most satisfying thing was helping some working guy get his life back on track," Matthew Gallagher said. Mr. Gallagher handled several cases before the Illinois Appellate Court and the Illinois Supreme Court. He served as president of the South Side Bar Association and spent time as a member of the board of directors and the executive committee of Standard Bank & Trust Co." (8/15/1999, Chicago Tribune, Chicagoland Final Edition, Metro Section, Page 5).