About me.
Hi, I'm Benjamin Paulsen, thanks for stopping by.
When I moved away from home in 2008, I had no intention of ever returning on a full-time basis, and I certainly didn't think I would ever return to open my own business. But life is funny that way. So, how did I here? After graduating from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2018, I moved to Chicago where I worked as a litigator at some of the world’s largest law firms.
Shortly after passing the Bar, I remember sitting in my first office on the 37th floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Building, looking out over the skyline, and thinking, "I’m not supposed to be here. I’m just a kid from Mazon, Illinois." The law firm I was working for at that time employed more attorneys than the entire population of my hometown, which made me feel insecure for some reason. I acclimated quickly, however, and found I enjoyed the pace of private practice. As my career progressed, while the work remained intellectually rewarding, a different kind of "imposter syndrome" began to set in, this time rooted in my values rather than any perceived insecurity.
Year after year, I watched my billable rate increase at an astonishing pace, eventually eclipsing $1,000 an hour. With each increase, my frustration with the system grew. I couldn't help but think of the families and small business owners in communities like my hometown that were being priced out of the legal system, or at least part of the legal system.
In researching the issue of access to legal services in Illinois and America at large, my frustrations grew the more I learned. Here are the facts:
Over 40% of the United States is considered a legal desert, meaning there is fewer than one lawyer for every 1,000 residents of a community.
Nationwide, 1,300 counties are considered legal deserts.
In Illinois, over 50 counties are considered legal deserts, including the county where I was raised, Grundy County.
Nearly 60% of small businesses avoid seeking legal help due to cost, leading to preventable losses and fines.
Approximately 20% of the country's population lives in rural communities, while only 2% of small law firms are located in those in same communities.
Despite my youthful proclamation of never wanting to move back home, I had missed home for some time. Learning of the growing legal desert crisis only exacerbated those feelings. I knew it would take some time, so I started to preparing to make the move from a big law Chicago attorney to hanging my own shingle in my hometown community.
Now, a few years later, I am thrilled to be returning home to Grundy County. My goal with this practice is to bridge the gap between "Big Law" expertise and rural accessibility by providing growth-oriented services that scale with you. I’m here to help you build, grow, and protect what matters most. Let's start a conversation, because I can't wait to see what we can achieve together.
Credentials
University of Illinois College of Law
Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, 2018
University of Illinois Law Review, Editor-in-Chief, 2017-18
CALI Award Recipient
Dean's List: Fall '15, '17 and Spring '16, '17, '18
Northeastern Illinois University
B.S., Marketing, cum laude, 2012
Education
Bar Admission
Experience
Illinois, 2018
ARDC No. 6330268
Paulsen Law Office LLC
Owner and Principal Attonrey
2026 - present
McDermott Will & Emery
Associate, Private Client
2022-2025
Dentons US LLP
Associate, Litigation
2021-2022
Reed Smith LLP
Associate, Litigation
2016-2020
Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth
D.C. Congressional Staffer
2012-2015
Civic Engagement
Chicago Volunteer Legal Services
Order of Protection Appeals Project
Volunteer of the Year (2021)
Courts
Courts for the State of Illinois
U.S. District Courts for the Northern District of Illinois
