Filzah I. Pavalon

Overview

Filzah I. Pavalon is the founder and principal attorney of Pavalon Law, where she represents individuals, businesses, and healthcare organizations in litigation, regulatory matters, and complex legal disputes. Licensed in Illinois and Florida, Filzah brings an uncommon combination of legal, scientific, and healthcare experience to her practice, along with a willingness to dig into difficult facts, challenge assumptions, and approach legal problems from different angles.

A significant part of Filzah’s practice is devoted to serving as outside general counsel to healthcare organizations. She works closely with healthcare providers, practice owners, and leadership teams on regulatory compliance, employment and personnel matters, internal investigations, risk management, and day-to-day operational concerns. Her work often involves sensitive situations where the legal answer is only part of the equation. She helps clients navigate competing obligations, assess risks, and make informed decisions that account for the realities of running a healthcare organization.

Filzah also maintains a broad litigation practice, representing plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts. Her experience includes civil and commercial litigation, employment disputes, restrictive covenant and trade secret matters, criminal defense and post-conviction proceedings, and federal whistleblower litigation under the False Claims Act. Before founding Pavalon Law, she represented individuals, business owners, executives, and public officials in criminal and civil proceedings, including white collar investigations and government enforcement matters.

Filzah regularly handles high-stakes disputes where the consequences extend well beyond the courtroom, affecting her clients’ businesses, livelihoods, and reputations. She particularly enjoys cases involving complicated facts, contested evidence, and difficult legal questions. Rather than taking allegations or legal arguments at face value, she examines the underlying record, questions assumptions, and builds her strategy around what the evidence actually shows.

Before entering private practice, Filzah helped implement information blocking regulations under the 21st Century Cures Act at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Her professional background also includes experience with the American Medical Association and the University of Chicago Medical Center. Combined with her academic training in chemistry and biomedical informatics, these experiences provide a strong foundation for her work involving healthcare regulation, technology, and complex legal and technical issues.

Filzah’s approach is straightforward: understand the problem, give clients a candid assessment of their options, and develop a strategy that makes sense for their circumstances. She believes effective advocacy requires not only thorough preparation and a willingness to challenge unsupported positions, but also sound judgment and an appreciation for the financial and personal costs of legal disputes. Her focus is on advancing her clients’ interests, whether through litigation, negotiation, or practical solutions that avoid unnecessary conflict.

Outside her legal practice, Filzah owns Toy Court, a specialty toy and hobby store located in the same Libertyville building as Pavalon Law. Running a small business gives her firsthand insight into the challenges entrepreneurs face and brings an additional perspective to her work with business clients. Toy Court also provides a way for her to connect with the Libertyville community beyond her legal practice.

Filzah earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she served as Submissions Editor of the Virginia Journal of Law and Technology. She also holds a Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Gettysburg College.

Education

• J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, 2021
• M.S. in Biomedical Informatics from the University of Chicago, 2017
• B.A. in Chemistry from Gettysburg College, 2015

Professional Affiliations

• American Health Law Association (AHLA)
• Women’s White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA)
• Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA)
• Green Oaks, Libertyville, Mundelein, Vernon Hills Chamber of Commerce (GLMV)