Essex Family Lawyers

Michael Strauss practices only family law since being admitted to the Illinois Bar. Michael also serves as a mediator and as a Child Representative or Guardian Ad Litem. Michael is a Rising Star in the area of Family Law by Super Lawyers Magazine in 2014 and 2015, a designation reserved for the top 2.5% of all Illinois attorneys under 40. The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin/Chicago Lawyer Magazine recognized Michael as one of the most talented up and coming young lawyers in Illinois, with his selection to the 40 Under Forty 2014 list. Michael is one of only two attorneys...

Attorneys Paulette M. Gray and Robert L. Gray are the principal attorneys at Gray & Gray LLC located in Crystal Lake, Illinois.

Attorney Paulette M. Gray is a Past President of the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Paulette continues to be active in the Illinois Chapter of the AAML having served as an Officer within the Chapter as well as being on its Board of Managers for several years. She previously served as Chair of the Illinois State Bar Association Family Law Section Council (2008-09) during which time she testified in Springfield in...

have been a licensed attorney and practicing attorney since 1995. Although I have practiced in Kane, DuPage and Cook counties, I currently limit my practice to McHenry County. I focus on issues affecting families and represent spouses, parents, children and disabled adults in divorce, post decree, paternity, adoption, juvenile, probate and guardianship matters. I am a trained Guardian ad Litem and Child’s Representative and appointed by the court in divorce or probate matters. I am also a trained Collaborative Attorney and mediator. Although I no longer accept court appointments for mediation, I use these skills in my roles as negotiator,...

An experienced trial attorney, Michelle G. Wiejaczka excels in helping individuals and families who need assistance with legal issues and representation. Recognized for her work in dispute resolution, collaborative law and cooperative problem solving, she is often appointed by the Court to serve as a mediator. Michelle is trained in Collaborative Law and periodically presides over cases that are assigned to mandatory arbitration. A former Assistant State’s Attorney (McHenry County) for almost nine years, she entered private practice in 1994, and founded Wiejaczka Law in 2005. Michelle graduated with High Honors from Southern Illinois University and...

Stuart A. Reid is an experienced family law attorney and mediator with offices in Deerfield, Illinois. From 1997 until April of 2004, Mr. Reid practiced family law with Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck, the nation’s largest family law firm. While with Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck, Mr. Reid handled hundreds of family law matters ranging from straightforward post-decree child support adjustments to complex, multi-million dollar divorce trials. In April of 2004, Mr. Reid opened The Law Offices of Stuart A. Reid in Lake Forest, Illinois, with the goal of continuing to provide high quality legal services to individuals involved in family law...

For over 4 decades, Northbrook family law attorney Alan Pearlman has been helping families in Chicagoland and Lake County through difficult times in divorce and other family law matters, as well as Criminal and Complex DUI and Traffic matters. Our office concentrates on finding hidden assets in High Profile Divorce cases, while at the same time helping couples complete a dissolution of marriage through trial or a negotiated settlement agreement, and attending to all the important issues in their divorce matter, including child custody and visitation, child support, spousal maintenance and the division of marital property. Alan Pearlman, Ltd....

Debbie Cohen provides personalized, compassionate, yet aggressive representation for all Divorce and Family Law needs. She treats each client as if they are her sole priority. Ms. Cohen is vastly skilled in litigation, investigations, and negotiations and provide superior representation to those dealing with a divorce, parentage issues, child custody, child support, orders of protection or criminal/traffic matters.

Mr. Montemayor has experience in both criminal and family law. Mr. Montemayor has experience representing a wide-range of clients, from working class families to professional athletes. Mr. Montemayor brings the same level of tenacity and compassion to each one of his cases. Mr. Montemayor finds pride in being able to assist his clients through what feels like the most difficult time of their life.

Ivy league educated solo family law practitioner with over a decade serving entire Chicagoland region with excellent legal advice and representation. Call today. (847) 345-7494.

Andrew believes in the simple premise of providing clients with high-quality legal services and individualized attention. For many years, that philosophy has driven the Andrew’s approach to helping clients with not only their professional legal needs, but their personal ones as well. Andrew concentrates his practice in Family Law, Estate Planning, Guardianship, Probate, Business Development, Business Litigation, and Civil Litigation. His experience has taught him to zealously represent on behalf of his clients and recognize their needs for the present and future. Andrew works with individuals and families in the Greater Chicago Area including Barrington, Arlington Heights, Lake Zurich, Hoffman Estates, Bartlett,...

Aggressive and experienced divorce and family law attorney serving Chicago and suburban Cook County.

James Kelly has practiced in the areas of divorce and bankruptcy for 21 years. The Law offices of James M. Kelly handles and enjoys complex cases and trial work. Divorce work, especially trial work, requires a certain competency that not all attorney's have. Regardless of your particular fact pattern you can be sure that that the Law Offices of James M. Kelly will handle your matter in an expeditious and professional manner. In matters involving bankruptcy and debt restructuring, the Law Offices of James M. Kelly takes all matters seriously and has an...

When he was in high school, Jeff sensed that he was destined to be an attorney. For example, after receiving his results from an exam in his Spanish class, and then further confronting his teacher about the test, Jeff’s instructor told him, “you should be a lawyer…you want to argue about everything.” Jeff’s parents, when told of the advice that he had received that morning, tended to agree and offered the same advice, in that they had the same type of experiences as Jeff’s Spanish teacher; from “arguing” about what time to go to bed, to what time curfew was,...

As a family law attorney, I will be a strong advocate for you and your family in times of crisis. Whether you need a dissolution, a post-decree action such as modification of child support or parenting time, I will be by your side and fighting for you. Cannabis expungements and criminal records relief are what I provide to clients to give them a fresh start. I am also an advocate and guide for people facing the criminal prosecution system in Chicagoland. I am a founder and partner at Vanguard Advocates, LLP, a law practice focused on people and problem-solving. Vanguard Advocates,...

I have been licensed and practicing law in Illinois for thirty years, primarily in domestic relations, real estate and criminal defense. In addition, I am an Illinois licensed real estate broker.

I am a general practice attorney who serves DeKalb, and Kane Counties.

Brandy Wisher primarily practices family law, representing clients in all aspects of domestic relations proceedings, including dissolution of marriage, legal separation, property distribution, maintenance and spousal support, the allocation of parental responsibilities, child support and college expenses, post-dissolution enforcement and modification proceedings, and parentage actions. Brandy counsels her clients with knowledge and compassion throughout all stages of their cases, including during settlement negotiations and at court appearances and in other adversarial settings throughout litigation.


Brandy has been an Associate Attorney with the Law Office of Miriam Cooper & Associates, LLC since April 2016. Brandy received her Juris Doctor degree from...

Miriam E. Cooper is the founder of the Law Office of Miriam Cooper & Associates, LLC, a law firm based in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Ms. Cooper provides legal services throughout the Greater Chicagoland area. Her primary focus is family law, including divorce, child support and allocation of decision-making and parenting time, spousal support, and post-decree modifications. She also provides real estate services complementary to her practice. Ms. Cooper graduated from The John Marshall Law School and has been practicing family law in Illinois for nearly 30 years. She is an advocate for children’s best interests and serves as a certified...

Ms. Thomason began practicing law in 2015 and has focused her entire career in the practice of Family Law. She is an experienced trial advocate who has practiced across Central Illinois. Ms. Thomason also serves as a Guardian Ad Litem for the Eleventh and Tenth Judicial Circuits. She is a member of the Peoria County Bar Association, McLean County Bar Association and Illinois State Bar Association. Ms. Thomason is the daughter of a military service member and grew up traveling the country. She earned her Bachelors of Science and Bachelors of Art from Chestnut Hill College in May...

Stephany L. Impson received her law degree from the University of Illinois. In addition, she has an MBA with emphases in Marketing and Finance from Northwestern University, is a certified Illinois Administrative Adjudicator, and has certification as a Family Law Mediator.

For over three decades, Stephany worked in the title insurance industry. For much of that time, she was a national underwriting counsel. In that capacity, she underwrote and closed transactions for commercial and industrial properties located in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada. In the four years...

Alec D. Murphy is a Partner and Attorney at Murphy and Dunn P.C. He received his Juris Doctor from UIC John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois, and his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Bradley University. Alec was born and raised in Peoria, Illinois and attended Dunlap High School. Alec works directly with his paralegal Brooke L. Davis on his family law cases, and works directly together with Managing Partner G. Edward Murphy on all of his larger cases. Together they are a formidable team.

I help my clients see the big picture as we navigate through the complex issues of your divorce or child-related litigation. We will tailor a strategy together to achieve successful resolution of the issues in your case. Toward that end, I believe it is important for my client to be involved in the decision-making process and make his or her own choices.

Robert Medansky is an experienced Divorce and Family Law Attorney providing clients and their families throughout Cook, Lake, DuPage, Kane, and McHenry Counties in Illinois with quality guidance and legal representation. He is a skilled negotiator and accomplished trial attorney who is widely recognized and respected for his integrity and vigorous advocacy to protect his client’s rights and interests. Since 1986, Mr. Medansky has successfully represented numerous clients in complex financial and high-conflict divorce matters. He approaches every family law matter with compassion, integrity, and a focus on personal service. As a skilled negotiator, he takes a strategic...

Modupe Sobo was born and raised in London, England. In 1993 she graduated from the University of Wolverhampton in England with a Bachelor of Law Degree with Honors LLB(Hons). In 1997 she graduated from Chicago Kent-College of Law-Illinois Institute of Technology with a Juris Doctorate of Law (JD). Less than a year after graduating from Law school, Modupe Sobo, began working for herself as a solo practitioner, specializing in the area of Family Law. She therefore handles divorces, both contested and uncontested, paternity, child support, visitation and custody. âI enjoy helping people get through what is often, one...

John graduated from DePaul University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science (2008). He then went on to earn his Juris Doctor from Michigan State University College of Law (2011). John opened The Law Offices of John A. Conniff in 2015 after previously practicing family law at another elite family law litigation firm in Chicago. Prior to pursuing family law, John completed a judicial clerkship for the Honorable Paul P. Biebel, Presiding Chief Judge of the Cook County Criminal Division. Prior to becoming an attorney, John served as a law clerk, during which he acquired a wealth of...

Kane County lawyer, Susan D. Shivers, has been practicing law for over 27 years. Susan received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University (with a double major in Psychology and English) and her Law degree, with Honors, from The John Marshall Law School. Susan is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois and before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Upon graduating from law school, Mr. Tabor was first employed as a criminal prosecutor and subsequently as an assistant public defender where he conducted numerous hearings and trials, both bench and jury. Practicing on both sides of criminal law gave Mr. Tabor a unique perspective on analyzing factual scenarios in an objective manner. In 2000, he began practicing Family Law on a full time basis and has remained doing so ever since. In 2003 he founded Tabor Law Offices, and since that time he has become an experienced family law practitioner and mediator. Mr. Tabor...

Mr. Hurst has practiced exclusively in the area of Family Law since 2010, handling matters related to divorce, custody (now known as parental responsibility), child support, parenting time disputes and the preparation of premarital agreements. Mr. Hurst joined Harrison & Held, LLP in 2015 after having spent 5 years practicing at one of Chicago’s premier Family Law firms. There he practiced in both the Family Law and Sports and Entertainment Family Law divisions of the Firm, where the firm's representation was focused on representing high-profile and high-wealth individuals. During the course of his career Mr. Hurst has represented many current...

Morgan Schumann, Esq. (she/her) is an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois. Morgan is interested in helping future families grow by assisting LGBTQ+ individuals, single parents by choice, and couples struggling with infertility. She aims to help intended parents and known donors clarify their intent around conception, pregnancy, and child rearing, while documenting those decisions in a way that will best protect the legal rights and responsibilities of all involved. Morgan graduated Magna Cum Laude from University of Illinois College of Law in 2018. She also holds a M.S. in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from University of...

Ms. Niedermeyer was admitted to the Illinois bar in 2005. She has over nine and half years of experience working as a family law attorney. Ms. Niedermeyer is also a certified family law mediator. Ms. Niedermeyer is very empathetic to her clients and understands the need to communicate regularly and effectively with them during a difficult time in their lives. She often receives referrals from local domestic violence shelters as she is well respected for her legal knowledge and ability to effectively handle all aspects of family law matters, including domestic violence cases.

Ms. Niedermeyer grew up in Cary, Illinois and...