Top Family Lawyers Near Me in Wheaton Area

Thomas M. Newman is a senior partner in the firm and concentrates his practice in the Family Law area in DuPage County.. Background and Education:. Born in Hinsdale, Illinois on May 15, 1945; admitted to Bar  in 1971; Illinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois.  DePaw University (B.A. 1967); Indiana University at Bloomington (J.D., 1971); court-certified mediator and guardian ad litem; court-appointed arbitrator.  Member: DuPage County, Chairman Legal Aid Committee (1975-1976); Judiciary Committee (2001-2003); Illinois State Bar Associations.. Practice Area:. Bar Admission:. Illinois, 1971. U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 1971. Work Experience:. Mr. Newman practiced in the civil litigation department of the firm prior to concentrating in Family Law and participated in several million dollar settlements and was trial co-counsel for an $11,000,000 medical negligence verdict in Cook County, Illinois.  Mr. Newman’s current concentration in Family Law includes custody, child support, property division, maintenance/alimony and post-judgment litigation.  Mr. Newman has more than 38 years of experience in the Family Law area, representing litigants in simple divorce and complex property division, including tax and valuation issues.. Mr. Newman believes that his concentration in Family Law within a general practice firm has advantages over firms that concentrate solely in Family Law inasmuch as issues arise in Family Court that overlap into other areas.  Many of Mr. Newman’s clients are referrals from other attorneys, and Mr. Newman has the highest possible Martindale-Hubbell rating (AV).. Since 1997, Thomas M. Newman has held the AV® Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating for ethics and legal ability.*. Personal:. Mr. Newman lives in Wheaton, Illinois with his wife, Jane, and has three married adult children and four grandchildren.  His hobbies include golf, handball, basketball and recreational activities at his summer home in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

Since joining The Stogsdill Law Firm, P.C. in 2006, Mr. Williamson has worked exclusively in the field of matrimonial law.  Mr. Williamson is dedicated to providing his clients, no matter the issue, with experience and knowledge necessary to bring their case to a positive resolution.  Mr. Williamson has successfully negotiated settlements and/or litigated issues involving complex financial matters, custody, support and division of property. Mr. Williamson has also successfully negotiated custody/financial settlements as they relate to paternity actions.. Mr. Williamson is also the general counsel and board member of a Griffith Tutoring. Griffith Tutoring is a non-profit organization preparing at-risk Chicago high school students for the ACT college entrance exam by partnering with businesses and training their professionals to tutor and mentor the students.. Mr. Williamson received a Juris Doctorate degree from The John Marshall Law School in December 2005. Mr. Williamson completed his undergraduate studies at Butler University, where he graduated with a BA in History and English, and also received honors from the History department.  While at Butler, Mr. Williamson was also member of the Division 1 Lacrosse Team and the Sigma Chi fraternity.. Prior to joining The Stogsdill Law Firm, P.C., Mr. Williamson worked as an insurance coverage associate attorney at Bollinger, Ruberry & Garvey in Chicago, Illinois.  Mr. Williamson’s previous position provided him with a wealth of knowledge and experience in researching and resolving a wide array of contractual issues.. Mr. Williamson is a member in good standing of the DuPage County, Will County, Chicago, and Illinois Bar Associations.  Mr. Williamson is involved in the DCBA mentor-mentee program serving as a mentor to a newly admitted member of the Illinois State Bar.  Mr. Williamson is also a Hearing Board member for the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois.

Since joining The Stogsdill Law Firm, P.C. in 2000, Mr. Smit has remained committed to providing his clients with the client first attention to detail along with the knowledge and experience required to accomplish the client’s desired outcome. Mr. Smit approaches each individual client with the understanding that it is very important to actually listen to the client and reach a consensus as to what they can expect from the given situation.. Mr. Smit has successfully dealt with many unique situations, from negotiating child support and maintenance awards in high wealth cases and the valuation and division of complex marital estates to enforcing pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements. Mr. Smit’s successes also include negotiating and litigating complex custody situations including cases with multiple court appointed and independent experts utilized when necessary to determine the best interests of the child.. Mr. Smit is a member in good standing of the ISBA and DCBA and the Family Law sections of each. Mr. Smit was also appointed by the ISBA President to serve on the Standing Committee on Bar Services and Activities. Mr. Smit is also actively involved in the DCBA mentor-mentee program serving as a mentor to a newly admitted member of the Illinois State Bar.

Recognized by clients throughout DuPage County and nationally for our commitment to resolving legal issues efficiently and at a reasonable price.  Call today.

Raleigh received her Bachelor of Science from Purdue University in 1993 and graduated from Quinnipiac University School of Law in 2001. Raleigh is a solo practitioner in Wheaton, IL. The firm handles family law, probate, guardianship, and appellate matters in Wheaton, Kendall, Kane, Will, DeKalb, and Cook Counties. Raleigh has also served as Guardian ad litem in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit since she began her career in 2001 and is a Guardian ad Litem in Kane County. She is currently a certified Chairperson for Arbitrations in DuPage County. Raleigh was a Special Assistant State’s Attorney for DuPage County in the Expedited Child Support Division.. Raleigh is a mentor for newly admitted attorneys through the DuPage County Bar Association and Illinois State Bar Association and a mentor for CCSD 93 School District. Raleigh is the Past President of the DuPage County Association of Women Lawyers, a current director and the Past President of the DuPage County Bar Foundation, a Past-Editor-In-Chief and current Editor for the DCBA Brief Magazine and a member of the following organizations: DuPage County Bar Association including the Family Law Committee, Kane County Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, and a past member of the Family Violence Coordinating Counsel. Raleigh also serves on the Illinois State Bar Association Assembly and Family Law Committees.

Nichol is originally from northwestern Illinois but has spent the majority of her life in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. She focuses her practice on family law, including divorce, child support, and  matters concerning allocation of parental responsiblites (decision-making and parenting time).

My main focus in law is representing clients with divorce and employment related issues.. It should go without saying but sometimes lawyers forget that clients are the most important guests on their premises. As the managing partner of MKFM Law I strive to make our firm's mission and purpose the client.. -Our clients are not dependent on us - we are dependent on them.. -Our clients are not an interruption in our work - they are the purpose of it.. -Our clients are not an outsider in our business - they are part of it.. -We are not doing our clients a favor by serving them- our clients are doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so.. Most importantly, when clients voice a concern, we need to take notice and do something about it.. George Frederick

Ms. Bartik has extensive experience in all aspects of family law, including, divorce, parentage, allocation of parental responsibilities, visitation, complex and high asset marital estates, business valuations, relocation, appeals, and post-decree matters. Ms. Bartik recognizes that family law matters are complex and that every family’s situation is different and unique. Ms. Bartik strives to communicate effectively with her clients and develop strategies and goals to meet the individual needs of her clients.. Ms. Bartik practices in DuPage, Kane, Will, Cook and Kendall Counties and is a member of the DuPage County and Illinois State Bar Associations.. Ms. Bartik earned her J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2010 and was admitted to practice law in Illinois that same year. While at Loyola, Ms. Bartik earned the honor of being selected as a Philip H. Corboy Fellow in Trial Advocacy, where she earned both individual and team awards in numerous trial advocacy competitions throughout the country. While in law school, Ms. Bartik interned at the Domestic Violence Legal Clinic, Loyola’s ChildLaw Clinic, and the Cook County Public Defender’s Office for Appeals and Post-Conviction Matters.

Lindsay C. Stella represents individuals in all aspects of family law including negotiation of prenuptial agreements and postnuptial agreements, distribution of assets, adoptions, child custody and parenting time disputes, child support and maintenance issues, civil unions, guardianship issues, complex issues in valuation of business interests, post-decree issues, paternity cases, and other matrimonial and family law related matters and proceedings.. Ms. Stella has been named by Illinois Super Lawyers as a Rising Star for three years in a row. She also earned the National Academy of Family Law Attorney’s prestigious award naming her one of the Top Ten Attorneys in Family Law Under 40 Nationally in 2014.  Ms. Stella maintains a 10.0 Superb rating on Avvo for client satisfaction and also earned the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys Ten Best Under 40 for Client Satisfaction in Illinois for 2014.. While in law school, Ms. Stella maintained herself on the Dean’s List and competed in Moot Court Competitions, earning a place in the semi-finals. Ms. Stella completed her 711 Internship at the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office where she continued to sharpen her litigation skills. She graduated from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan in January of 2010 with a Concentration in Litigation.. Ms. Stella received her undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2006 with a major in English and a double minor in Political Science and Women’s Studies. During her time, she maintained herself on the Dean’s List and Honor Roll. She was also an active member of Phi Alpha Delta Legal Society, Sigma Tau Delta English Honors Society, and Sigma Alpha Lambda a National Leadership and Honors Society.. Currently, Ms. Stella holds the position of Second Vice President for the DuPage Justinian Society of Lawyers who is responsible for annual fundraising for Ronald McDonald House Charities and assisted substantially in donating money for the Winfield location.  She was also appointed in 2012 to the Illinois State Bar Association’s Standing Committee for Women and the Law by the President of the ISBA and again appointed in 2014 to the Illinois State Bar Association’s Family Law Committee where she assisted in drafting the new Family Law legislation.. She is an active member of the DuPage County Bar Association and the DuPage Association of Women Lawyers.. Ms. Stella lives in Naperville with her husband Reed, and their two young sons, Jack and Ryan.

Lafata Law LLC Founder, Attorney Megan Lafata. Megan earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Iowa and began working as a law clerk with a prominent DuPage County law firm specializing in local prosecutions, criminal defense, and family law. She was then admitted to Northern Illinois University College of Law where she discovered her passion for litigation through participating in the American Lawyer's Association Moot Court Competition as well as an internship at the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.. After graduating from Northern Illinois University College of Law, Megan began her legal career as an Assistant State's Attorney in DuPage County. Megan's hard work and ambition facilitated her advancement through the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office. She worked her way from traffic and misdemeanor prosecutions to felony trial and narcotics prosecutions, handling a litany of cases including but not limited to petty traffic offenses, DUI, battery, domestic battery, orders of protection, theft, retail theft, burglary, robbery, armed robbery, and attempted murder. During her seven years at the State's Attorney's Office Megan was responsible for thousands of criminal cases and tried well over one hundred cases to verdict. This invaluable experience provides Megan with the unique opportunity to evaluate each case from the perspective of a prosecutor in order to aggressively advocate for her clients in the courtroom.. Upon leaving the State's Attorney's Office, Megan moved on to practice civil litigation at a premier insurance defense law firm in Chicago. There, Megan's case load consisted of issues involving breach of contract, negligence, premises liability, construction litigation, car accidents, and medical malpractice.. Megan is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Federal Court in the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois. When she is not advocating for her clients, Megan enjoys cooking, spending time with her family, and White Sox baseball.

Kate has been an attorney for over 25 years, with 20+ years of experience in Family Law. She earned her Juris Doctorate Degree from Chicago Kent College of law, and has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Illinois Institute of Technology. Kate is also working toward an LLM degree, a Masters of Law in Family Law at Chicago Kent College of Law, and is certified as a Family Mediator and as a Guardian Ad Litem, representing the needs of Children in Divorce and family conflict.. Kate started out as a Public Defender in Cook County in Felonies, and moved on to family law, helping adults and Children in Domestic Abuse situations. Kate and her husband opened an Aerospace Corporation and moved to California in the late 1980’s. She continued with her work in Domestic Abuse while living out of State. Kate still serves as the legal counsel for their family business.. Kate and her family moved back to Illinois in the 1990’s, and she opened a small private legal practice specializing in family law, and taught special needs children and young adults for several years while her own children were young. Kate also volunteered as Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused and neglected children, and became active in her community. During this time, Kate gained additional experience representing the rights of Children, and in representation of Children with Special Needs.. Kate joined Prairie State Legal Services in 2007 and worked as a Legal aid attorney providing advice and brief services to low income clients on a variety of legal issues. She left Legal Aid in 2012 to reopen her private family law practice, Kate Sharp Law PC, and to return to teaching. Kate is currently an adjunct faculty member in the Paralegal Studies Program at College of Dupage. Kate also joined forces with the Law Offices of David G. Stevens in December 2012, and currently handles most of that law firm’s family Law cases, in addition to her own firm’s cases.. Kate believes that Legal Representation should not only be skilled and professional, but that Family Law attorneys should be compassionate, caring and collaborative, and she brings these qualities to her representation of every Client.

John P. Stock III was born in Duluth, MN. He grew up in Downers Grove, Illinois, receiving his undergraduate degree from Monmouth College in 1969 and  his law degree in 1975 from DePaul University College of Law.. Mr. Stock concentrates his practice in civil litigation, divorce/ family law, real estate and business organizations.  He is a trained mediator and arbitrator in DuPage County.. He  is a member of the DuPage County Bar Association, where he is a member of the real estate, civil practice, and family law committees. He chaired the real estate law committee in 2005/2006 and was associate general counsel for the DuPage County Bar Association in 2006/2007. Mr. Stock is also a member of the American, Chicago and Illinois State Bar Associations.  Early in his practice, Mr. Stock was a member and director of the Young Lawyers Section of the Chicago Bar Association and a past chair of the Professional. Responsibility and Trial Techniques Committees.. He is a member and past President of the Wheaton Lions Club, where he also has served as a director.  He is a past member and director of the Glen Ellyn Jaycees and is currently on the Board of Directors of the B.R. Ryall YMCA. He is married and has two adult children.

If you find yourself facing a difficult divorce or separation, you want to have someone on your side. At Esp Kreuzer Cores,  our family law attorneys understand your need for straight answers and supportive guidance. Your needs and rights are our number one priority. We are compassionate and knowledgeable attorneys who are committed to helping you through the divorce process and ensuring that if children are involved, the best interests of your children are put first.. We have experience negotiating on behalf of parents in all aspects of a divorce, from custody and visitation, to child support, property division, spousal maintenance, fathers' rights and post-decree modification. We also handle paternity matters, adoptions and juvenile matters.. Our lawyers will listen carefully to your concerns and can answer your questions and explain your rights. We can help explain the divorce process to you, help you understand the possible outcomes, and counsel you about what course of action to take. Knowledge is the first step in making the right decision. We understand that this is a difficult time in your life and truly care what happens to you.. Our family law attorneys are dedicated to providing the highest level of service and professional representation. Please feel free to contact us to discuss your family-related legal issue.. Our experience and training in family law is supported by our aggressive and proactive style. We also believe in reasonableness and cooperation, however, and we adjust our representation to suit the needs of each client. At Esp, Kreuzer, Cores & McLaughlin, we assist clients in all aspects of the law relating to the needs of today's families, including, but not limited to:

I received my undergraduate degree in Psychology with the hope of a career in counseling.  I achieved my goal, but by following a different path and becoming a legal counselor.  My focus has always been on children and families, and my current practice as an associate at Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella is devoted entirely to family law issues: divorce, paternity, child support, child custody, etc.  When not engaged in legal work, I enjoy spending time with my my kiddos (human and four-legged), traveling, and catching up on sleep.

I have practiced exclusively in the area of family law for my entire legal career. I have extensive experience in all aspects of family law, including divorce, allocation of parenting time and parental responsibilities, removal of children across state lines or internationally, child support, maintenance, property identification and distribution, high asset marital estates, qualified domestic relations orders, post-decree matters, parentage cases and appellate matters.. Understanding that every case is unique, I openly communicate with my clients to ensure that they are informed every step of the way. I strive to zealously represent my client’s interests, whether it be through contested litigation or settlement negotiations.. I earned my undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2004  in Economics and Psychology. I then attended law school and earned my J.D., cum laude, from Notre Dame University, South Bend, Indiana, in 2007. During law school, I was awarded the Dean Konop award for excellence in my work as a GAL for minor children and was selected as a member of the Journal of Legislation. Active in the legal community, I am a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and DuPage County Bar Association. Additionally, I serve as a volunteer alumni recruiter for the University of Michigan. I reside in Wheaton with my family and enjoy spending time with family and friends, exploring with my kids outdoors, traveling and reading.

I have a distinct background from working at the Cook County Public Guardian's Office representing abused and neglected children for 7 years, which gives me an edge over many other fellow family law attorneys. I honed my litigation skills fighting state's attorney's and public defenders every single day in court.   That experience also lead to my nomination as the Chair of the Children's Advocacy Section in DuPage and to many GAL appointments around the area.  I pride myself on being the go-to attorney in the area for DCFS cases, child custody, guardianship and adoption cases.  Notwithstanding my zealous advocacy in the courtroom, I value your money and your time and I do everything in my power to avoid unnecessary drama and keep your legal fees down. Call today to set up a consult.

I believe that representing clients is a great responsibility and privilege.  I take a personal approach to each client and to each case.  You will have direct contact with the attorney handling your case, never having your legal matters handled by a paralegal, secretary or associate attorney.. As an experienced litigator with over 17 years of experience, I have experience handling the following types of cases, child custody, visitation, child support, spousal support/alimony, marital property division, allocating debt, QDRO's, dividing retirement accounts, enforcement, modificaition, orders of protection, domestic violence and juvenile matters.  If you are contemplating filing for divorce, or your spouse has filed for divorce, please contact me.  I will counsel you on the divorce process and help you prepare for the future.

Honors and Awards:. Past Employment Positions:

For the last ten years, I have concentrated my practice exclusively in the area of family law. This area, of course, encompasses a wide variety of legal issues, including custody, child support, maintenance, property distribution, etc. In addition, I am certified to represent children as a Guardian ad Litem, Child's Representative, Attorney for Child in difficult family law cases. Finally, as more non-traditional methods of dispute resolution become popular, I have become a licensed and certified mediator and licensed by the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois.

Emily has experience handling divorce, paternity, allocation of parenting time/responsibilities, child support and appellate issues.

Christopher J. Zaruba joined The Stogsdill Law Firm, P.C. in June of 2014. Prior to that, Chris was an Assistant State’s Attorney at the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office from 2009-2014. Chris began his career at the State’s Attorney’s office handling traffic and misdemeanor offenses, including DUI’s, orders of protection, and domestic batteries. In 2012, Chris received the Outstanding Misdemeanor Prosecutor of the Year award. He was promoted to the Felony Juvenile Division where he worked closely with DCFS in handling cases involving abused or neglected children. After working in the Juvenile Division, Chris was again promoted to the Felony Trial Division where he handled serious offenses including drug offenses, burglaries, and aggravated batteries. During his time at the State’s Attorney’s Office, Chris prosecuted over 300 cases to trial, including many jury trials. Prior to leaving the State’s Attorney’s Office, Chris was selected to participate in the National District Attorney’s Association annual seminar on Trial Advocacy which he successfully completed. Now Chris primarily focuses his practice on the area of family law.. In January of 2014, Chris received the honor of being admitted to practice in front of the United States Supreme Court in Washington D.C. He is a member of the United States Supreme Court, Illinois State, and DuPage County bar associations.. Chris earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the John Marshall Law School in 2009. While on the Dean’s list at the John Marshall Law School, he was recognized for receiving top honors in the areas of Evidence and Federal Criminal Procedure. Chris also clerked for the Honorable John W. Darrah of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.. While attending the John Marshall Law School and while studying for the Illinois bar exam, Chris interned at the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. During that time, he participated in trials and drafted motions. Prior to being admitted to the Illinois Bar, Chris assisted then-State’s Attorney, Joseph Birkett, in successfully prosecuting DuPage County’s last Death Penalty case.. He is active in the DuPage County Bar Association, and serves as the 2014 Chair of the Young Lawyers Committee. He was also invited to become and is a member of the Robert E. Jones chapter of the American Inns of Court.. Chris earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. He also completed a minor in History and was recognized on the Dean’s List.. In his free time, Chris has been involved in numerous successful campaigns for Republican candidates throughout the State of Illinois and DuPage County.

Attorney Dion U. Davi has extensive courtroom experience, which he brings to every client's case. A seasoned litigator, Mr. Davi understands how to properly present a case to the Court and optimize a client's legal defense. He has extensive experience advocating from the State's prospective and can use this knowledge to effectively advocate for his clients’ rights and interests. Mr. Davi is actively involved in the legal community and well respected in and out of the courtroom. He was elected to the boards of directors for both the Illinois State and DuPage County Bar Associations, selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star for four consecutive years (2010-2013) and a Super Lawyer in 2015 and 2016 and appointed to The National Advocates Top 100 in 2015.

Attorney Elizabeth Chacko has been practicing law since 2004 and during that time has focused exclusively on family law. Unlike many other family law attorneys, she was trained and certified as a mediator through the Mediation Council of Illinois. Attorney Chacko is a Wheaton divorce mediator, who also acts as a court-appointed guardian ad litem. A guardian ad litem is the legal representative of children during divorce, child custody disputes and other issues such as suspected abuse.. What does this mean for your potential divorce? This means that our attorney is an affordable and experienced alternative who brings a full range of family law knowledge and experience to your situation. We know how hard divorce and other family law issues can be for people. That is why we are committed to providing our clients with service that is tailored to your situation.. We are committed to protecting you, your children and your family.. “I became a family law attorney because it gives me the opportunity to help people — both financially and emotionally.” — Attorney Elizabeth Chacko

As an attorney, I have a strong desire to provide quality legal service in all areas of family and domestic relations law. Throughout my years of practice I have acquired valuable knowledge and experience in property division, spousal support, child support, allocation of parental responsibility (formerly known as custody) determination and conflict resolution which has provided me with the foundation for strong legal advocacy. As a result, I fight for my client’s satisfaction with a firm but fair emphasis on positive resolution in and out of the courtroom. With moral principles as my foundation, I guide my clients through all stages of their legal proceedings, while being mindful of the financial and emotional impact that may occur.. Prior to joining Kollias & Giese, P.C., I worked with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Juvenile Delinquency and Child Protection Division at the Juvenile Justice Bureau, the Office of the Public Guardian and then as an Associate Attorney for a Chicago based Family Law Firm. I am also a member of Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), Chicago Bar Association (CBA), and the DuPage County Bar Association (DCBA). Please contact me to schedule a free in person or telephone consultation.

Alex Fawell is a highly experienced divorce and family law attorney serving the DuPage, Kane, Will, Kendall and Cook Counties. He has the ability to handle many issues in these areas of law including Child Custody, Adoption, Paternity, Spousal Support, High Asset Divorce and more. With extensive experience handling hundreds of cases throughout Northern Illinois, he possesses the knowledge and skills to effectively advocate for individuals and families.. To schedule your free consultation with the Wheaton attorney, please visit their website.