Pull up a chair. We've been here since 1965.
Since 1965 we've offered our neighbors the kind of steady, honest legal counsel that small towns are built on. We treat every client like family - because, often, they are.
John and Shirlie in the first Ames law office, located in Moline, Illinois, circa 1967.
Serving families since 1965.
John G. Ames opened the firm's doors in 1965 with a simple promise: give your neighbors straight answers, charge fair fees, and treat every file like it matters - because it does. More than half a century later, that promise still defines how we work.
Ames Law Offices was founded by John Ames in 1965. It originally had three locations, but its main office has always been in Orion, Illinois. After becoming an attorney, John Ames settled on the Quad Cities Area for his practice.
It has always been a family firm, because even when he was a solo practitioner, his wife, Shirlie, worked as his legal assistant, for over 30 years.
For over fifty years John has served as attorney to the Village of Orion. Generations of local families have come through our office for wills and trusts, real estate closings, business advice, and the occasional courtroom fight worth having.
Today his daughter Stephanie A. Ames practices alongside him, bringing more than twenty years of her own experience to family law, advocacy, and the day-to-day legal questions our community brings through the door.
More than five decades of service.
- 1965
Firm founded
John G. Ames opens the office in Orion, Illinois.
- 1970s
Village of Orion attorney
Begins serving as counsel to the Village of Orion - a role held for over fifty years.
- 2000s
Stephanie joins
Stephanie A. Ames begins practicing alongside her father.
- Today
Two generations, one standard
Serving families across four Illinois counties with hometown values.
Here's what it's like to work with us.
Plain-English advice
We explain the law clearly, in language you can act on.
Honest fees
Written engagement letters and clear estimates before any work begins.
Real availability
Calls returned, questions answered, decisions explained.
Community first
We live here too. Your reputation and ours are interlocked.
Begin a conversation
Talk with a hometown attorney you can trust.
There is no charge for phone or email questions. In-person consultations are $50.