Pam Hutul leverages over 30 years of experience in finance, tax law and psychology to help her clients achieve the best possible resolutions in collaborative and contested divorce, ownership, business valuation and complex child custody disputes. She is respected for her expertise in valuing complicated business entities and major real estate holdings, as well as developing and executing sophisticated financial planning strategies, and represents many of Chicago’s elite business leaders and families with multi-generational wealth.
Ms. Hutul’s deep expertise in family law, especially its technical legal and financial issues, is complemented by her broad knowledge of recent breakthroughs in neuroscience, which informs her understanding of how people reason and make decisions. Her approach—to form a partnership with each of her clients—helps her develop and implement innovative strategies that lead to better outcomes. Her multidisciplinary proficiencies help her settle even the most challenging cases.
While Ms. Hutul is a formidable litigator, she believes one of her most salient challenges is to manage high-stakes negotiations in matters that are difficult to value. This avoids unnecessary—and resource consuming—conflicts and fosters positive change.
“Divorce always brings fundamental change,” Ms. Hutul points out. “A major part of my job is to ensure that this process results in changes that yield a brighter future for my clients. The dissolution of such an important relationship produces a necessary transformation; I help my clients see that this is a platform for them to consciously and confidently redefine their goals. This helps them create a new—and improved—way of living.”
Ms. Hutul is an esteemed leader in the legal community. She was named by her legal peers to the prestigious Best Lawyers in America list. She has also been honored as a Leading Lawyer by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company.
Admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1975, Ms. Hutul received a master’s degree in history and religious studies from Northwestern University, where she also completed doctoral work. She earned a law degree with honors from John Marshall Law School and was named to the Order of John Marshall. She holds a certification in mediation from the Harvard Negotiation Institute at Harvard Law School, and is also certified in collaborative law by the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois, where she was named a fellow in 2012.
Ms. Hutul is also the treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Michigan Avenue Building Association and co-founder of the William D. and Pamela Hutul Ross Clinic for Sexual Health at NorthShore University Health System’s John and Carol Walter Center for Urological Health.
Education & Publication
Expertise
For three decades, Pam Hutul has been a leader in the field of domestic relations law. She is held in great esteem by her legal peers. Her unparalleled expertise in high-net worth divorce, complex business structures, real estate and complicated financial planning issues and her sensitivity to religious implications and needs are an asset to her elite clients, including high-profile members of Chicago’s business communities and families with multi-generational wealth.
Education
- 2011, Certified in Mediation by the Harvard Negotiation Institute at Harvard Law School
- 2011, Completed coursework in Negotiation at the Harvard Negotiation Institute
- 1990, Northwestern University, M.A. in history and religious studies
- 1975, John Marshall Law School, J.D. with Honors, The Order of John Marshall
- 1970, Lake Forest College, B. A., cum laude
Admissions
- 1975, Illinois
Honors and Awards
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America
- Named Leading Lawyer
- Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Michigan Avenue Building Association
- 2012, Co-founded the William D. and Pamela Hutul Ross Clinic for Sexual Health within NorthShore University HealthSystem’s John and Carol Walter Center for Urological Health
- 2011, Co-Chaired the Committee for the Dalai Lama’s visit to Chicago
- Active donor for Midwest Hospice and Palliative Care Center, Personal PAC, Northwestern University HealthSystem Faculty Foundation
- 2012, Certified in Collaborative Law and named a Fellow at the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois
Speaking
Pam has spoken at many continuing legal education venues over the years, and published many articles in legal journals.