On Friday, March 27, 2026, the Supreme Court of Illinois suspended attorney Nathaniel Arthur Frenkel from practicing law, effective immediately. This decision comes after a petition for interim suspension was filed by Lea S. Gutierrez, Administrator of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC), on December 22, 2025. The Supreme Court enforced a rule to show cause that was issued to Frenkel on January 2, 2026, and the suspension will remain in effect until further order of the court.

The case is entitled “In the Matter of Nathaniel Arthur Frenkel,” with case number M.R.032936.

The ARDC’s petition was based on Frenkel’s convictions in the Circuit Court of Cook County for three counts of aggravated domestic battery and one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. These charges stem from an incident that occurred in October 2020 involving a woman identified as Y.R., with whom Frenkel was in a romantic relationship.

According to the ARDC’s filing, on the evening of October 12, 2020, Y.R. returned to the apartment she shared with Frenkel, who became angry and verbally berated her. Y.R. left the apartment out of fear for her safety, but was unable to check into a hotel because her identification was still at the apartment. When Y.R. returned to retrieve her identification, Frenkel allegedly yelled at her and ordered her into the bedroom.

Once inside, Frenkel allegedly strangled Y.R. twice, preventing her from breathing, and threatened to kill her and her parents. After releasing her neck, Frenkel allegedly prevented Y.R. from leaving the room and repeatedly struck her with a golf club, causing injuries including a scalp laceration requiring staples, a fractured elbow, fractured ribs, and a fractured tibia.

The ARDC stated that Frenkel held Y.R. in their bedroom for approximately 12 hours, refusing to provide medical assistance or water despite her pleas. Y.R. was eventually able to crawl to her laptop and send a message to a friend, who contacted the Chicago Police Department. Officers arrived at the apartment around 9:00 a.m. on October 13, 2020, and took Frenkel into custody.

On November 6, 2020, Frenkel was indicted by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office for attempted murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and four counts of aggravated domestic battery. Judge Jennifer Coleman presided over the bench trial, which took place on July 15 and 16, 2025. On August 1, 2025, Judge Coleman found Frenkel guilty of three counts of aggravated domestic battery and one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon but acquitted him of attempted murder.

On September 5, 2025, Frenkel was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Frenkel’s motion to reconsider the sentence was denied, and he filed an appeal with the Illinois Appellate Court on October 9, 2025, which is currently pending. As of the date of the ARDC’s petition, Frenkel was incarcerated at the Lincoln Correctional Center.

The ARDC argued that Frenkel’s conduct constitutes moral turpitude, which the Illinois Supreme Court has defined as “anything which an attorney does knowingly and which is contrary to justice, honesty, and good morals”. The ARDC cited similar cases where attorneys were suspended on an interim basis for domestic battery and other misconduct. The ARDC maintained that an interim suspension was necessary to protect the public, the integrity of the profession, and the administration of justice.

According to Avvo, Mr. Frenkel acquired his law license in Illinois in 2015.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.