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.

CHRIS S. HAAFF owns and operates his own law firm in Crystal Lake, McHenry County, Illinois. He is an experienced litigator and negotiator in all aspects of family law, including divorce, paternity, adoption, custody and visitation, child and spousal support, surrogacy, and qualified domestic relations orders. Chris is a frequent writer and speaker statewide on family law topics, and is involved with both the Illinois State Bar Association and the University of Illinois College of Law. Chris has been recognized as an ISBA “Young Lawyer of the Year” for outside Cook County and selected in the McHenry County Business Journal list of “Top Ten Business Professionals Under Age 40.”

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.

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.

Richard Schmack was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Berwyn, Illinois. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from North Central College in Naperville, Illinois in 1977 with double majors in Political Science and History. In 1980 he received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

Upon graduation from law school in 1980, Richard was admitted to the Illinois Bar and the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. He is a member of the Federal Trial Bar. Richard has made DeKalb County his home since1985. He, his wife, Jackie, who is his office manager, and their sons reside in Sycamore.

Prior to opening his private practice in 1989, Richard served as an Assistant DeKalb County State's Attorney, handling misdemeanor and traffic prosecution, as well as child support enforcement. In his capacity as the civil assistant, Richard represented DeKalb County in lawsuits in Federal and State courts, served as legal advisor to all departments of County government, and represented the County's Zoning Board of Appeals, gaining valuable knowledge of the County's zoning ordinances and regulations.

In private practice Richard is a general practitioner well versed in the areas of Adoptions, Bankruptcy, Criminal Misdemeanors and Felonies, Traffic, DUI, Guardianships, Juvenile Law, Real Estate, Wills & Estates, and Zoning.

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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.