Since Davis Friedman’s inception over 75 years ago, our attorneys have negotiated, litigated, settled or mediated virtually every type of family law dispute imaginable. We understand how traumatic divorce and child custody disputes can be for our clients and their families because we have been standing beside them since 1946. That makes us the oldest law firm devoted to family law in Chicago.
We are proud to represent a wide range of individuals, from high profile and high net worth individuals to executives, business owners, physicians, fellow attorneys and non-working spouses or partners. Our clients come from all walks of life and professions, but are bound by one circumstance: the struggle to negotiate the challenging process of a divorce, child custody, or family law case, which they cannot control or resolve on their own.
Over the decades, our firm has built a well-deserved reputation for excellence thanks to our attorneys, who are respected for their acumen, integrity, compassion, and deep mastery of family law. They leverage this deep knowledge to guide clients through the myriad of complex legal and financial issues in high net-worth divorce, contested divorce, collaborative divorce, pre-marital and post-nuptial agreements, business valuation, child custody, child support, adoptions and more.
Davis Friedman is recognized for having some of the most respected family law attorneys in the Chicagoland area by both judges and opposing counsel. Our partners have spent time as law school professors and instructors and lecture regularly for the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the Illinois State Bar Association. Our lawyers are former child welfare advocates, attorneys with the Cook County Public Defender and Cook County States Attorney’s office, mental health workers, in-house counsels and even a professional ballerina. Many have advanced degrees in economics and corporate law, and are well versed in valuation and division of assets, forensic and future valuation of business, appraisal, co-ownership, income tax implications, and complex compensation structures – critical areas in a divorce proceeding. A Davis Friedman partner led the effort to draft recent Illinois legislation that changed the way spousal maintenance is awarded and clarifies property settlement awards in family law cases.
In all cases, our attorneys draw on their diverse experiences, and those of other firm members, to secure the best possible outcomes for clients at the negotiating table or at trial. Every year, many of our attorneys are given the highest ratings by their peers and awarded recognition by Leading Lawyer Network, Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America and Illinois Top Lawyers. Several of our attorneys are Fellows of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and six of our partners have served as President of the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. They are also immersed in their communities, making time to volunteer at the Greater Chicago Food Depository and the Uptown Café Soup Kitchen, or providing pro-bono assistance to groups such as Metropolitan Family Services, Cabrini Green Legal Aid, and Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation.
Whether it is a divorce, child support or a child custody situation, Davis Friedman lawyers work tirelessly to avoid the worst-case scenario – protracted litigation. In every family law matter, we treat each case with professionalism, personal insight, empathy, and integrity to address each client’s unique situation, minimize stress, and eliminate unnecessary conflict. As spouses and parents themselves, our attorneys also recognize that the decisions they help our clients make are life-altering choices. And as skilled strategists and expert negotiators, our partners and associates mediate with confidence—and litigate forcefully when necessary.
At Davis Friedman, all of our services are grounded in clear, timely and honest communication; guided by integrity and care for our clients’ best interests; and aimed to achieve the best outcome for our clients and their families.