Top Best Family Lawyers | 21033 Available

George Sarolas started his law firm with the purpose of providing quality legal representation to the community he serves with the highest ethical standards in mind. Although attorney Sarolas concentrates his practice to Family Law and Divorce related cases, he has extensive experience in other legal matters as well. In addition to being admitted in representing clients in the state of Illinois trial courts, he has been admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Aubrey has dedicated her career exclusively to the practice of family law, focusing on restructuring issues for all families, such as divorce, dissolution of Civil Union, parentage, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, adoption, surrogacy contracts and negotiations, sperm donor contracts, and LGBTQ specific family issues.. When utilizing Aubrey’s services, families are not dissolved; they are restructured, often for the better.. While Aubrey has handled numerous litigious matters and been involved in highly contested/high profile trials, when litigation can be avoided, her approach to matters includes mediation, arbitration, and/or formal Collaborative practice to settle cases efficiently and cost-effectively, while focusing on the unique goals and concerns of her clients and preserving the relationship between parties to the greatest extent possible.. Aubrey believes educating clients about their rights and legal challenges is one of the most effective strategies in helping clients tailor their goals and concerns, and she takes the time necessary to ensure every client understands their options and is provided with an array of creative solutions. Aubrey is also able to provide a unique perspective on child-related issues as she has accepted numerous judicial appointments to represent children in domestic relations matters as a Guardian Ad Litem and Child Representative in the Domestic Relations Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County.. Aubrey’s ability to render results has been recognized time and time again. Specifically, Aubrey has been recognized as a Rising Star in the area of Family Law by Super Lawyers Magazine, a designation reserved for the top 2.5% of all Illinois attorneys under the age of 40, and has been named an Emerging Lawyer by Leading Lawyers Magazine, a designation given to fewer than 2% of the attorneys in Illinois.. Aubrey completed the Divorce Mediation Skills Training program at Northwestern University, is a Fellow of the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois, and a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals. She earned her J.D. from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law, with honors, where she continues to enjoy teaching law students as a professor of legal writing.

Tracy M. Rizzo is an experienced divorce attorney who has been exclusively practicing in the area of family law for over 20 years.  For more information, please visit

BARRY BOYKIN. Staff Attorney. Austin Office. In 1981, while in law school, Barry Boykin read about the work of legal aid attorneys in a book called "The Reluctant Defender" that described the founding of the Cabrini Green Legal Aid Clinic.  Barry went on to meet Michael Mosher and Dan Van Ness, the founding attorneys of Austin Christian Law Center (ACLC).. At that time, ACLC was the only agency located west of Kedzie Avenue in Chicago that is providing legal assistance to the indigent at minimal or no cost.  ACLC developed a volunteer panel of over ninety attorneys and paralegals whose pro bono efforts helped keep costs to a minimum.  Being housed in the same building with Circle Urban Ministries it became possible to serve many of the non-legal needs of clients, such as medical counseling, emergency food/clothing/shelter and supplemental education.. In 1986, as a new lawyer, after a year or so of accepting volunteer cases, Barry applied for a position of staff attorney at ACLC at the suggestion of Gerald P. Nordgren, the supervising attorney at ACLC.  He had the privilege of working under the mentorship of Jim Godlewski and Gail Sears Petrich during those early years.  For the next sixteen years, Barry has handled a wide range of cases including social security disability, criminal, juvenile, landlord tenant, domestic relations, and consumer matters.  He is today still involved in the Austin community and serves on the board of Circle Urban Ministries--the largest nonprofit social service agency in Austin.. In 1996-1997, ACLC merged with Chicago Legal Clinic.  This has resulted in an active, important extension of the services that were provided to individuals seeking legal assistance by both agencies and has broadened the efforts to further help meet the vast unmet legal need.

James C. Nieland has practiced law in Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska, accomplishing extensive legal successes in the areas of family law and business litigation. Mr. Nieland has successfully represented clients in extremely complex and sophisticated family law matters, including divorce and child custody, throughout his legal career. He has a winning track record representing parties in dissolution of marriage actions where the correct identification and distribution of marital property was at risk, and in defending fathers being prosecuted in support enforcement actions by state authorities. His tenacious representation of clients at the appellate level on issues involving custody modification to permit out-of-state removal, and termination of parental rights, has made him greatly respected by his peers. While practicing law in Nebraska, courts there appointed Mr. Nieland as an attorney and guardian ad litem in many life-altering cases involving child abuse and neglect, given his passion for safeguarding children.. Notably, while practicing in his native Iowa, Mr. Nieland prepared a persuasive and successful pre-trial brief in a highly complex case resulting in his client being awarded a $10 million verdict that the Iowa Supreme Court sustained on appeal.Additionally, Mr. Nieland is dedicated to volunteer service beyond the legal profession, by serving on the board of directors of a local Nebraska chapter of the American Red Cross. There, he oversaw relief efforts to assist individuals, families and businesses in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa devastated by extensive flooding of the Missouri River in 2011.. Mr. Nieland obtained his Juris Doctor from the College of Law at the University of Iowa and served as a distinguished editor of its international law journal, Transnational Law and Contemporary Problems. Before his appointment as editor, Mr. Nieland published Executive Suspension of National Elections: Sacrificing an American Dream to Avoid a Spanish Nightmare?, 15 Transnat’l L. & Contemp. Probs. 389 (Fall 2005). He further served as a student member of the College of Law’s Academic Standard of Review Committee.Prior to law school, Mr. Nieland obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Knox College, where he majored in English and Spanish

Betsy (Elizabeth) Ehlen practices exclusively in the area of family law, representing clients in a range of issues including divorce, custody disputes, division of marital assets and real property, spousal and child support, paternity, domestic violence, and civil unions.. Betsy was drawn to family law by the personal nature of the work and because of the unique challenge each new case brings. Betsy prides herself on using creative strategies to reach her clients’ goals. She is widely regarded as a skilled litigator, but she also understands when amicable negotiations should be the first option to meet her clients’ needs while resolving their cases quickly.. Betsy grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio and received her B.A. from Ithaca College. She earned her J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law in 2003, where she was a recipient of the Scholar in Law award. Betsy has been licensed in Illinois since 2003 and is an active member of the Chicago Bar Association. When Betsy isn't in court she's honing her competitive edge on the field by coaching and playing field hockey.

I started working in the Domestic Relations Division in 2009 as a law clerk and have always been drawn to the area of family law. I became licensed to practice law in May of 2016 and have an hourly rate of $225/hour. I am bringing my years of experience in the Domestic Relations Division into my practice. It is my longstanding foundation in the area of family law that allows me to compete by offering more experience than other newly licensed attorneys who charge similar rates. I did spend 2015 away from Family Law and worked as a 711 licensed law clerk for the States Attorney's office where I gained trial experience helping to prosecute misdemeanor criminal charges (DUI) in traffic.. I offer free consultations both over the phone and in my office. A consultation can help with general questions or assessing the need for an attorney at all. Should I not be available to speak, I always make a point to promptly return a phone call.

When Benton Page decided to practice matrimonial and family law, he realized the differences between this challenging field and other kinds of litigation and transaction: "It is never boring," he says. "Every case requires me to learn more about some aspect of the law, as well as about people and other fields that otherwise I would know nothing about." And during divorces, he adds, "People need a lot of hand-holdingmore than in situations related to other legal matters. I have clients who call every single day, and I'm glad to talk with them. But I insist on keeping one foot in front of the other and resolving each of their matters as quickly as possible.". Even though the field of divorce law is different from other specialties in certain respects, he notes that it continues to evolve. "Divorce has always been an emotional ordeal. It is moving into a different environment, however, just like the rest of civil practice, which is less emotional, with people actually following the rules.". "Philosophically, family law has been at the forefront of the movement towards collaboration, mediation and cooperative settlements," Page observes. But he admits that this area is still very people-sensitive; and it's the last frontier when it comes to using modern courtroom technology. Even so, family law is catching up, and more efficient processes save time and help clients, "who are always in a hurry to get to the end of the process.". In Page's view, there are two distinct types of clients he sees: those who are deeply worried about their and their childrens futures and those who "just want to get divorced." In both categories, however, clients are surprised by how long the process takes. "A contested divorce often lasts longer than a year," he explains, "because the information-gathering process alone takes a long time."

Chidinma graduated from Drexel University in 2011 where she received a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology and Criminal Justice minor. She continued her education at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology where she graduated in 2015 with her Master’s in Forensic Psychology. She then received her Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law in May of 2019, where she earned a certificate in Family Law. Chidinma was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 2019.. While attending DePaul University College of Law, Chidinma received the Dean’s Achievement Scholarship and she was an executive board member of the Child and Family Law Association. Chidinma gained invaluable experience as an intern at the Domestic Violence Legal Clinic in Chicago, where she assisted litigants in obtaining emergency orders of protection. She also clerked for Life Span, an organization that strives to end domestic and sexual violence, where she worked on domestic violence and immigration matters.. Chidinma also interned at the Chicago Volunteer Legal Services through the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) and at the Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services, where served as a legal representative in family law and probate cases involving divorce, guardianship, parentage and adoption matters. In 2018, Chidinma had the honor to serve as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Judge William S. Boyd in the Domestic Relations Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County.. After law school, Chidinma began her career at another well-respected family law firm where she worked on high-net worth family law matters. Over the course of her legal career, Chidinma has worked exclusively in family law, assisting clients in various family issues such as divorce, child support, parentage, and adoptions. Chidinma continues to be a strong advocate for her clients and counsels them through the complex judicial process towards resolution.. Chidinma is a member of the Chicago Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association.

Diligently and effectively addressing your legal concerns is Stephanie's top priority.  She prides herself on working with her clients to determine a streamlined course of action to ensure the best possible outcome for them and their families.  Stephanie devotes her practice to the litigation of family law, criminal defense, and general civil litigation. She is admitted to practice law in the State of New Jersey, the District Court of the District of New Jersey, and the State of New York.. In her family law practice, Stephanie prides herself on assessing and attentively addressing the unique challenges of each case.  Stephanie is prepared whether the case presents with contested child custody issues, complex asset division, cash-flow disputes, marital business distribution, or a domestic violence complaint.  She is also dedicated to resolving divorce and custody disputes through the use of alternative dispute resolution methods such as mediation and collaborative divorce.. Stephanie's central New Jersey office location in Tinton Falls, allows her to serves clients throughout the State of New Jersey.  Stephanie often represents clients in Monmouth County, Ocean County, Middlesex County, Union County, Bergen County, Passaic County, Morris County, and Hudson County.. Stephanie is an energetic and compassionate advocate who takes pride in assisting her clients during what for many is one of the most difficult times in their lives.

Hunnell Law helps various clients prepare and plan for their future. We assist clients going through a divorce to ensure they receive a fair and equitable settlement. We litigate matters when necessary to protect our clients rights for child support, spousal support, alimony, equitable distribution, custody, and parenting time. As advocates for your future, we also sit with clients to assist them with estate plans. Hunnell Law also handles legal malpractice matters, in those events when your former attorney did not meet his/her obligations to you.

Mr. Paone, a Certified Matrimonial Law Attorney, is a founder and senior partner of the firm. With over 35 years of experience in family law, child custody and divorce, Mr. Paone has worked with hundreds of families, has leadership roles in a variety of professional organizations and has won many awards through the legal profession.. Mr. Paone is a Diplomate of the American College of Family Trial Attorneys. The College is composed of the top 100 divorce attorneys in the United States.. Mr. Paone is a member of the Monmouth, Middlesex and New Jersey Bar Associations. He is a Past President of the Middlesex County Bar Association, Past Co-Chair of the Monmouth Bar Association Family Law Committee, Past President of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers New Jersey Chapter and Past Chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association Family Law Section. He was appointed by the New Jersey State Bar Association as Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Mandatory Continuing Legal Education.  He has served by appointment of the New Jersey Supreme Court as a member of the Supreme Court Special Committee on Attorney Ethics and Admissions. He is a past Chair of the Supreme Court Board on Attorney Certification and a past member of the Supreme Court Board on Continuing Legal Education.. Nationally, Mr. Paone is a member of the American Bar Association, Family Law section.. Mr. Paone has received many accolades throughout his distinguished career in law, including The International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award for Outstanding Ability in Courtroom Advocacy, the Middlesex County Bar Association Family Lawyer of the Year, the New Jersey State Bar Association Distinguished Legislative Service Award, the New Jersey State Bar Association Family Law Section 2002 Tischler Award, the Middlesex County Bar Association Family Law Section 2008 Schoifet Award and the 2010 Distinguished Service Award, New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education.. Mr. Paone has been selected by Best Laywers® as a 2020 and 2015 Family Law Lawyer of the Year. He was also elected to Digital Press Int. as “One of the Top 10 Matrimonial Attorneys in Central New Jersey.” He was also selected by N.J. Monthly as one of “The Top 10 Super Lawyers of New Jersey.”. The New Jersey State Bar Association appointed Mr. Paone as a member of the Judicial and Prosecutorial Appointments Committee.  The Committee evaluates every candidate being considered by the governor as possible nominees for judicial appointment or reappointment to the Supreme Court and Superior Court, and for appointment or reappointment to the position of county prosecutor.Mr. Paone is a graduate of American University, Washington College of Law, where he was Articles Editor of the Law Review.