Best Divorce Lawyers in Cook County
Susan A. Marks
Divorce Lawyers
Susan A. Marks is a dedicated family law and personal injury attorney who provides clients with excellent representation in child custody, divorce and car accident cases. As a divorce attorney who frequently works with victims of complicated family relations and negligent conduct, Ms. Marks takes care to express empathy and consideration towards her clients to help them feel comfortable in a tumultuous time.
The cornerstone of Ms. Marks work is to provide clients with the strength to survive and overcome difficult times. During her time at SAM LAW OFFICE LLC, Ms. Marks has served hundreds of clients in child support, child custody, and divorce cases. Since no two clients come from the same situation, Ms. Marks actively listens to her clients and confirms that their financial situation is steady and that their needs are being met. As someone who values a trustworthy relationship with her clients, Ms. Marks will always be frank when it comes to informing her clients about what she can and cannot achieve for them.
JOSHUA HAID
Divorce Lawyers
Mr. Joshua P. Haid is one of the founding members of the Women’s Divorce & Family Law Group and is now the Managing Partner. He co-founded the original firm in 2009 after being approached by a lawyer who believed there was a need for a law firm focused on the rights of women and mothers undergoing a divorce. She, herself a corporate lawyer, had just completed and underwent the stress and frustration of a divorce, and believed there was a need for a law firm that was fair and aggressive when necessary, but most of all, honest and straightforward with all their clients about the entire process. With her help, Mr. Haid set up the first law firm in Chicago to focus on Women’s and Mothers’ rights, which has now grown to three offices in downtown Chicago, Lake Forest, and Lisle. After merging with co-partner James Teich in 2014, he has overseen the transition of the firm into one of Chicago’s fastest-growing law firms dedicated solely to the practice of family law.
Mr. Haid has extensive experience litigating complicated divorce and custody cases throughout Illinois, including many cases with multi-jurisdictional parties (e.g. Parties in different states or different countries), and high-net-worth estates. He has been recognized in Super Lawyers publications in both 2017 and 2018 as a Rising Star and a Super Lawyer in 2022 (honoring those exhibiting excellence in the practice of law and only received by 2.5% of lawyers in Illinois), serves on the NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness) Illinois Board of Directors, and has taught multiple CLEs (continuing legal education) seminars to other lawyers, including, how to litigate against and properly represent parties with mental health issues. He has also worked on many divorces involving the LGBTQ community. Indeed, he filed Illinois’ first same-sex divorce and has been working with members of the LGBTQ to ensure equal rights in divorce and custody cases ever since.
In addition, Mr. Haid manages many complex cases where the mental health of a party or a minor child is a primary issue in the case. Indeed, his passion for working with the mental health community as a NAMI board member provides him a unique insight into the complexities experienced by families going through not divorce and custody litigation, but that involving mental health issues as well.
Michelle Broughton-Fountain
Divorce Lawyers
Michelle Broughton-Fountain has been practicing law as a general practitioner since 1996. She graduated with Honors and Distinction from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. Also, she graduated from the College of Law with her Juris Doctor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Michelle Broughton-Fountain has lived in the South Suburbs for over thirty years. She founded the Law Office of Michelle Broughton-Fountain in May of 2005. She currently specializes in family law, probate law, estate law, real estate matters and municipal law.
Past Positions:
- A South Suburban Law Firm, Associate Attorney, 05/1996 to 04/2005
Education:
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
- J.D.
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- B.A., Bachelor of Arts
- Honors: with Honors and Distinction
- Major: Sociology
Professional Associations:
- Illinois State Bar Association, Member, 1996 to Present
- South Suburban Bar Association, Member, 1996 to Present
Current Employment Positions:
- Founder and Lead Attorney, 2005
Bar Admissions:
- Illinois, 1996
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois
Helena L. Trachtenberg
Divorce Lawyers
Helena L. Trachtenberg joined Cooper Trachtenberg Law Group, LLC in 2019 as a Partner and represents clients in family law cases ranging from dissolution of marriage, property division, maintenance and alimony, child support, parenting time and visitation, allocation of parental responsibilities and child custody, mediation and collaborative law. Additionally, she handles orders of protection and administrative matters involving the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) in Cook County and Lake County. Whether litigating in the courtroom or negotiating settlement, Helena enjoys working with clients to develop strategies tailored towards achieving client goals. Helena is able to serve as a Child’s Representative and Guardian Ad Litem in Cook County and Lake County. Prior to joining Cooper Trachtenberg Law Group, LLC, Helena worked for a prestigious family law firm in the Chicago area.
Helena was born in Minsk, Belarus and speaks Russian. She graduated with high honors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Helena attended law school at the University of Miami School of Law. During law school Helena was a Judicial Intern for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court in Miami, FL where she observed a wide range of family court proceedings, trials and assisted the court in research and preparation of documents. Helena was a Law Clerk for Daley, DeBofsky & Bryant during the summer of 2009, working on Social Security and ERISA cases. During her 3L year, Helena worked as a Certified Legal Intern with the Miami-Dade School Board Attorney’s Office working primarily on special education litigation. After graduating from the law school, Helena was awarded a Legal Corps Fellowship to practice law with the Center for Disability and Elder Law (CDEL) where she represented low-income elderly and disabled persons in Cook County in the areas of landlord-tenant, estate planning, adult guardianship, collections, consumer fraud and family law.
Helena is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Florida Bar, the Chicago Bar Association, the Lake County Bar Association and the Northwest Suburban Bar Association.
Robert “Bobby” Buchanan
Divorce Lawyers
Robert “Bobby” Buchanan is the founder and owner of The Law Offices of Robert B. Buchanan. He resides in Clarendon Hills, Illinois, with his wife Kathleen, and two young children, Luke and Nora.
Originally from a small coastal town in Northern California, Bobby spent his twenties earning his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and travelling throughout Europe and South America. Of note, he taught English in Brazil for a year while learning Portuguese.
In 2009, Bobby moved to Chicago to attend Chicago-Kent college of law on scholarship. After graduating in 2012 and earning his license, he began working for a boutique firm that focused on criminal defense and family law issues. His litigation skills developed quickly representing clients at every major court house in the Chicagoland area.
In 2017, The Law Offices of Robert B. Buchanan was founded with the core values of compassion, integrity, and team work.
Bobby set out to build a firm that was client-focused and on the cutting edge of legal representation. Utilizing his managerial skills, love of technology, and desire to help people change their lives for the better, Bobby has built a massively successful team of litigators and support personnel.
In his spare time, Bobby spends as much time as possible with his family. He likes to go running along the train tracks while pushing Luke in the stroller, helping Nora with tummy time, and cooking his wife a delicious meal.
Jacqueline N. McClellan
Divorce Lawyers
One of Jacqueline McClellan’s core tenants as an attorney is preparedness. She understands that family law cases will impact her clients’ lives for years to come, so she not only fights for you, but she also fights for your future. Jacqueline believes your family deserves to be happy after your case, and she works to set that up
Jacqueline has wanted to be an attorney since she was seven years old. During summers off school, she would get dragged to work with her mom. She saw family law up close because her mom was a family law attorney. Her mom’s clients would tell seven-year-old Jacqueline how much her mom was helping them, and her goal has been to help her clients as much as her mom did.
Her mom would take her to the DuPage County and Kane County courthouses, which are now two of the counties she practices in. Every time she goes there for a case, she is reminded of where she began. She looks around and is proud to be helping people in the same job she dreamed of having as a child.
Adeena J. Weiss-Ortiz
Divorce Lawyers
Weiss Ortiz P.C. delivers the highest quality legal counsel on the most complex and critical issues facing clients today. Clients include individuals and businesses achieving success nationally, regionally and locally. Mrs. Weiss-Ortiz is a Miami, Florida native and began her pursuit of the law at a young age at the Law Office of Jack J. Weiss (1928-1995) in Miami, Florida, where she worked many years prior to moving to Chicago. She was employed throughout law school and thereafter in private practice, municipal entities and pro bono agencies. Her career flourished litigating cases in the courtrooms of Chicago.
Admissions & Certifications
- Illinois
- Florida
- U.S. District for the Northern District of Illinois
- Trial Bar for U.S. District for the Northern District of Illinois
- Certified Circuit Civil Mediator (Florida)
- Certified Family Mediator (Florida)
- U.S. District for the Southern District of Florida
Community & Legal Activities
Volunteer Attorney, National Immigrant Justice Center (2018)
Volunteer Attorney, Rape Victim Advocates (2017-Present)
Volunteer Attorney, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (Child Representative & Guardian ad Litem) (2016-Present)
Volunteer, Soup Kitchens of St. Paul Church, Fellowship House, First United Methodist Church (2012-2013)
Speaker, Government Attorneys, Loyola Law School (2009)
Honoree, Cambridge Who’s Who (2009)
Trustee, Simmons College (2008-2009)
Treasurer, Women’s Bar Association of Illinois Political Action Committee (2008-2010)
Volunteer, Constitutional Rights Foundation Lawyers in the Classroom Program (2006-2010)
Board Member, Women’s Bar Association of Illinois Political Action Committee (2006-2010)
Volunteer, Chicago Commission on Human Relations for Arab Affairs (2006-2008)
Investigator and Interviewer, Judicial Evaluation Committee, Decalogue Society and the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois (2005-2010)
Coach and Judge, Chicago Bar Association, Hispanic National Bar Association, and Loyola University Moot Court Competitions (2004-2007)
Tutor, Academy of Applied Arts, Science and Technology through the Learning Express volunteer program (2006)
Pro Bono, Statutory summary suspension hearings in affiliation with the Cook County Public Defenders Office and the Chicago Bar Association’s Trial Advocacy Program (2004)
Drafted I-130 Petition for dying Haitian U.S. citizen which was publicized in the Miami Herald (1999-2001)
Associations
- American Bar Association
- American Intellectual Property Law Association
- Arab American Bar Association
- Chicago Bar Association
- Decalogue Society
- Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois
- Hispanic National Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Puerto Rican Bar Association
- Women’s Bar Association of Illinois
Michael J. Maslanka
Divorce Lawyers
Michael J. Maslanka is an attorney in the full-service downtown Chicago, Illinois law firm of Sacks, Goreczny, Maslanka & Costello, P.C. Michael is a graduate of Brother Rice High School (Chicago, IL), Saint Xavier University (formerly known as St. Xavier College) (Chicago, IL), and Southern Illinois University School of Law (Carbondale, IL). He has been licensed to practice law in Illinois since 1984, and is also admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
He is a member of the following associations: American Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, and the Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association. He is a Silver Fellow of the Illinois Bar Foundation, and has been actively involved in the work of the Illinois State Bar Association for over 31 years, and is the current Chairman of the Human Rights Section Council, and the newsletter editor and Secretary of the Real Estate Law Section Council. He is a member of, and a Past President of, Group Legal Services Association (formerly API), and a former member of an American Bar Association Standing Committee. He also serves as a mentor for many GLSA members.
Michael has co-authored articles which were published in law journals. He has been a moderator and speaker at many Continuing Legal Education seminars, been quoted in the L.A. Times and in several law journal articles, and authors many legal articles for newsletters, a trade association, and a title insurance company. Michael was a guest speaker on a cable television program, and is a member of the St. Xavier University Estate Planning Advisory Council. He also is a volunteer tutor at the Oak Lawn Public Library for those who have English as a second language.
Having the best divorce lawyer in Cook County, or any other location for that matter, can be beneficial for several reasons:
Legal Expertise: Divorce laws can be complex and vary from state to state. An experienced divorce lawyer in Cook County would have a deep understanding of the local laws and regulations, ensuring that your case is handled correctly and efficiently.
Asset Division: If you have significant assets or property to divide, having a skilled lawyer can ensure that your interests are protected and that the division is done fairly.
Child Custody and Support: If you have children, custody and child support arrangements can be emotionally charged and legally intricate. A seasoned lawyer can help negotiate agreements that are in the best interest of the children while protecting your rights.
Alimony and Spousal Support: Determining alimony or spousal support can be contentious. A skilled lawyer can help you navigate this process and advocate for a fair arrangement.
Negotiation Skills: A top divorce lawyer knows how to negotiate effectively. They can work towards favorable settlements that might save you time, money, and emotional stress compared to going to court.
Emotional Support: Divorces can be emotionally taxing. A knowledgeable lawyer not only provides legal advice but can also offer emotional support during this challenging time.
Paperwork and Procedures: Divorce involves a significant amount of paperwork and legal procedures. A competent lawyer ensures that all documents are filed correctly and on time, reducing the risk of delays or complications.
Court Representation: If your divorce case ends up in court, having a skilled lawyer can make a substantial difference. They know how to present your case effectively and argue on your behalf.
Objectivity: Emotions can run high during a divorce. A lawyer can provide objective advice, helping you make rational decisions rather than being driven solely by emotions.
Avoid Mistakes: Without proper legal guidance, you might unknowingly make mistakes that could negatively impact the outcome of your case. An experienced lawyer can help you avoid these pitfalls.
Alternative Dispute Resolution: A good lawyer will explore alternatives to litigation, such as mediation or collaborative divorce, which can be less adversarial and more cost-effective.
Legal Precedents: Experienced lawyers are familiar with past divorce cases and outcomes in the jurisdiction, which can help them build a stronger case strategy.
While having the “best” lawyer is subjective and depends on individual circumstances, it’s essential to find a lawyer with a proven track record in divorce cases, strong negotiation skills, and compatibility with your needs and communication style. Keep in mind that divorce is a significant life event, and having the right legal representation can make the process smoother and more manageable.