Legal Services & Lawyers

Serving DuPage, Kane, Kendall & Will counties. Practice focused on domestic relations law: family law, divorce, separation, maintenance (alimony), custody, child support, domestic violence, pre-post-and ante-nuptial agreements.
I began my law career clerking then interning with the Kane County State's Attorney's Office (2001-2003) then since passing the bar I have focused my attention on family law.
Prior to law school I worked as a child advocate for abused and neglected children in Addison Illinois (1996-2000). From 1995-1996 I worked with the elderly population in an in-patient Alzheimer's/Dementia facility in Arlington Heights.

Mr. Shaw attended the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and graduated from Illinois College, Magna Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1983. He continued his education at the Northern Illinois University College of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctorate Degree in 1986, and became a Licensed Attorney in Illinois on November 6, 1986.

Having previously practiced in general and family law practices, and having served as the Child Support Attorney for Kane County Circuit Court Clerk from 1987-1995,
Mr. Shaw opened his own law practice concentrating in family law in 1991. In 2000 he co-founded the law firm of Shaw, Jacobs & Associates, P.C., St. Charles, Illinois, which concentrates its practice in family law, including dissolution of marriage, financial issues and custody litigation.

Mr. Shaw has been a legal Author and Lecturer for many years, and has served on family law committees including, the ISBA Family Law Section Council (having first served in 1991). He has authored and published articles in the ISBA Family Law newsletter and authored the first chapter of the Illinois Family Law Handbook. He has presented at family law seminars throughout the country.

On behalf of the ISBA Family Law Section Council Custody subcommittee, he
testified in Springfield before Illinois Supreme Court Custody Committee regarding proposed custody legislation on March 28, 2003.

Having a proven track record of success representing men, women and children in Illinois courts, Mr. Shaw has extensive court and trial experience. He has also served as a Mediator and Guardian ad Litem in Family Law cases, and has resolved numerous cases outside of court.

He has been interviewed on family law topics on both television and radio, and has volunteered his time at divorce support groups. Mr. Shaw is continues to serve as an attorney presenter at KIDS (Kids in a Divorcing Society) family court program for parents (1993- present), and is currently the Chair of the Kane County Family Law Committee. He and his firm also support various legal service groups that serve those in need.

Sharon R. Knobbe is a partner with Knobbe, Laho, Gradishar & Mack, L, where her practice is concentrated in family law and collections. Sharon is an active member of the DuPage County Bar Association, where she currently serves as the 3rd Vice President and has also served, by appointment, as the DCBA Associate Counsel, Chairman of the Family Law Committee Chairman for the Membership Committee, Judiciary Committee, Planning Committee, CLE Committee and has volunteered her time to act as a Judicial Intervention Leader. Sharon is also the 1st Vice President of the DuPage Association of Women Lawyers and Past President of the DuPage Chapter of the Justinian Society of Lawyers. In her free time, Sharon serves as an Adjunct Professor at the College of DuPage.

Anthony Andreano is a divorce lawyer in Will County, Joliet, Illinois. Attorneys at the law firm handle uncontested and contested divorces, agreed divorces, family law, child support, separation, custody, and other divorce and family law cases. We also handle criminal felony, drunk driving, DUI, expungement, sealing, real estate, and professional malpractice including legal malpractice matters.

Born: Chicago, IL, May 8, 1978

Education: Western Illinois University, B.A., 1999, Baylor University Law School, J.D., 2002

Practice Areas: Family Law; Divorce; Paternity; Child Custody; Child Support; Visitation Rights; Marital Property Distribution

Membership: Illinois State Bar Association; Kane County Bar Association.

Admissions: 2003, Texas; 2006, Illinois

Biography:

Associate with Shaw, Jacobs & Associates, P.C.; Licensed attorney in Illinois, Texas; Western Illinois University, B.A. (summa cum laude); Baylor (University) Law School, J.D. (concentration in criminal practice). Ms. Duvall currently practices in the areas of divorce, paternity, custody, child support, visitation.

Attorney Duvall has trial experience and has successfully handled many cases involving divorce and other family law issues, including financial, property and child-related issues

Susan Marie Pesch has been an attorney licensed in Illinois since 1991. Ms. Pesch has concentrated her practice in all areas of family law since she began her own practice 16 years ago. Built largely on referrals, Pesch Law Office handles a variety of domestic relations matters, including divorce, paternity, child custody, child support, day care expenses, maintenance claims, and name change petitions. Also, Susan is experienced in post-decree issues such as seeking parent contribution to college expenses and enforcement/modification of child support.

Ms. Pesch has represented clients in DuPage County and Kane County throughout her legal career. 100% of her practice is devoted to family law. Susan is also qualified to act as a Guardian ad Litem/GAL or Child Representative, serving the best interest of the children in a contested custody case. Her name is maintained on the Court approved list of individuals available for appointment as Guardian ad Litem. In addition, Ms. Pesch has been trained and certified as a family law mediator. In her role as mediator, she helps parties reach their own agreement without litigation on issues regarding custody and visitation.

Licensed in the Illinois courts and the Federal General Bar since 1991, Ms. Harry's practice focuses primarily on the areas of family law and criminal/traffic defense. Ms. Harry is proud of her ability to assist her clients with the resolution of their problems while making representation affordable.

Ms. Harry graduated Cum Laude from Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois in 1988 and from DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois in 1991. She became licensed in Illinois in 1991 and joined a local DuPage County firm practicing in the areas of criminal defense, family law, estate planning and bankruptcy. Ms. Harry formed her own law firm in 1995 and continues to practice successfully today in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Ms. Harry is an active member of the DuPage County Bar Association. Her previous appointments with the county bar include serving as the former Chair of the Professional Responsibility Committee, the former Chair of the Bankruptcy Committee, on the subcommittee for the Family Law Trial Advocacy Workshop for Practicing Attorneys and as a member of the Legal Referral Service Committee. Ms. Harry also supports the DuPage Legal Aid Foundation by volunteering her services as an attorney and raising funds by participating in the Annual Judge's Nite Show.

Brad Cahow has been practicing law in Kane, Dekalb, McHenry, DuPage, Cook, Will and nearby counties since 1981. Brad provides legal services in the following areas:

REAL ESTATE LAW

Brad has represented several thousand real estate clients in residential sales and purchases. He prepares contracts and provides title insurance services. His experience also includes loan modifications, short sales, and landlord tenant disputes

FAMILY LAW

Brad had years of experience in both uncontested and contested divorces, custody disputes, visitation rights, child support issues and adoptions.

ESTATE LAW

Brad prepares Wills, Revocable Living Trusts, Powers of Attorney for Heatlh Care and Property, Living Wills. His practice also includes Probate.

PERSONAL INJURY AND WORKERS COMPENSATION

If you suffer a personal injury or are hurt at work, Brad will assist you in recovering damages from the party responsible for your injury.

TRAFFIC AND CRIMINAL LAW

Brad provides representation in traffic, misdemeanor, driving under the influence, and non-violent felony cases.

CIVIL LITIGATION

Brad repsesents small claims litigants, debt collection defendants, landlords, tenants, and contract litigants.

INITIAL CONSULTATION IS FREE

Experienced Family Law and Criminal Defense Attorney
You want a strong, capable advocate for your interests in divorce or custody proceedings, but not a lawyer who is indifferent to your anxieties and concerns. My Wheaton, Illinois, law practice is dedicated to compassionate legal counsel while actively pursuing your goals.

Contact me at (630) 221-0100 for a free 30-Minute consultation.

The Law Office of Emily J. Kelly represents men and women throughout DuPage and Kane Counties. I offer knowledgeable representation in all aspects of Illinois family law including, divorce and property division, custody and visitation, child support, alimony, paternity, and modifications to support or custody arrangements.

I am also a proven criminal defense lawyer who you can turn to for effective representation if you have been charged with a crime. I work to protect my clients from the worst consequences of misdemeanor charges, juvenile crimes, and traffic offenses.

Strong Sensible Direction
I consider it my duty to listen to your situation and provide you with information about all of your options so you can make informed decisions. If litigation is necessary or prudent, I will aggressively pursue your best interests in court.

My unique and practical insights into the legal system as a former prosecutor, along with my dedication to individualized service as a sole practitioner, enable me to provide the strong and caring advocacy you deserve. I have practiced since 1989 and remain an ardent student of the law. In fact, I have testified before the Illinois Legislature and authored recently enacted child support legislation.

I Want to Help You — Call My Wheaton Office at (630) 221-0100
For compassionate and capable representation in family law or criminal defense, contact the Law Office of Emily J. Kelly for a free 30-minute initial consultation. My office is conveniently located near the DuPage County Courthouse in Wheaton. For your convenience, I accept Visa and MasterCard.

Our firm takes a team approach to resolving family law matters. By assigning a partner, an associate, and a paralegal to every client, we ensure that there is always someone in the office to answer our clients' questions and resolve legal matters. In addition, if necessary, we employ service counselors, business evaluators, forensic accountants, financial planners, psychiatrists, and psychologists to ensure our clients receive the best possible legal advice and representation possible.

We are strongly committed to building relationships with our clients. We understand that family law matters do not end when a divorce is final. Child custody and child support issues often continue until the children are in college and spousal support matters can continue for a lifetime. Our services go beyond the initial divorce proceeding. We ensure that our clients have the resources to manage divorce settlements, with an eye toward the secure enjoyment of their life.

I am a native Chicagoan, and moved to DuPage County in 1972.

I attended DePaul Law School full-time in the evening, while working for one of the major trust companies in the Chicago Loop. I therefore received extensive training and experience in Estate Planning, Probate and Tax matters, and have practiced in those areas for over 30 years.

My first employment after law school was with a Chicago law firm that specialized in Real Estate and Real Estate Development matters. I worked for them for several years, adding extensive experience in both residential and commercial real estate transactions and commercial real estate development to my legal expertise.

As a private practitioner in DuPage County, I continued practicing in these fields, and added representation of clients in divorce and other domestic and family related matters. I have now represented hundreds of clients relative to dissolution of their marriages. Several judges have also appointed me as Guardian ad-litem or attorney for children in troubled situations or in complex divorce cases.

I feel that my expertise in each of these areas compliment the other. For example, complex divorces often involve real estate or business holdings, with the accompanying valuation and ownership issues. Sometimes, a trust for the benefit of children is appropriate. In doing estate planning, there is often the need to plan appropriately for the second marriage situation. Real estate clients also often need to appropriately plan their estates, and to take title to their home in a manner that is consistent with their ultimate estate desires.

I was admitted to practice in the courts of Illinois in 1971 and the U.S. Federal Court in 1971, and admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court in 1992. I am a member of both the Illinois and DuPage County Bar Associations.

I have been a member of the Kiwanis Club of Glen Ellyn for some years, and am presently the President of the club. As such, I recently accepted, on behalf of our club, the Family Shelter Services Civic Partner of the year award. We work closely with Family Shelter Services and other organizations to provide benefits to children in need.

My primary hobby is the study of history, particularly of the American Civil War period. I am the past president of two Civil War Round Tables (Chicago and Salt Creek, which meets in Glen Ellyn, Illinois), and a member of three Round Tables (Chicago, Salt Creek and Milwaukee). I have also given presentations, on a number of topics, to round tables throughout the midwest.