Laura Ashmore has dedicated her career to the field of domestic relations law, with a concentration on complex family law matters involving children, high-net-worth individuals and their spouses, and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. She has deep expertise in cases that involve child custody, child support, visitation, maintenance, complex parentage matters and post-divorce issues such as enforcement and modification of judgments.
Ms. Ashmore’s diverse professional background affords her clients a tactical advantage in and out of the courtroom. Her experience and training includes a B.F.A. from the Theatre School at DePaul University, and clerkships in the Night Narcotics Unit of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Murder Task Force Unit of the Cook County Public Defender’s Office. She also practiced criminal defense, immigration, and family law in private practice prior to joining Davis Friedman. The varied expertise she accrued serves the firm’s clients well, enabling Ms. Ashmore to devise creative solutions to resolve challenging cases, employing negotiation, mediation or litigation as necessary.
Ms. Ashmore is part of an elite group of leaders in family law, and her legal peers have consistently honored her for her work in family law. She served as President of the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, making her Davis Friedman’s sixth partner to serve in this position since the organization was founded in 1962. She has earned Thomson Reuters’ prestigious Super Lawyer rating each year since 2014, and has been repeatedly named a Leading Lawyer. In 2021, she was honored as one of the top 50 Women in Law in Illinois by Chicago Lawyer magazine and the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
Ms. Ashmore views family law as one of the most fundamental yet intricate practice areas thanks to its complicated and far-reaching psychological and legal issues. She credits her decision to concentrate on family law to her father, a psychiatrist. “My focus has always been on using the law as a means to effect positive change,” she explains. “As a family lawyer, I assist people during what is often one of the most difficult times of their life. I offer unmitigated compassion, professionalism, and sound, balanced counsel as we work together to navigate this trying process. No two cases are the same, and I strive to provide the right solution for each unique family situation.”
Ms. Ashmore also works to educate and empower her clients. “Good communication is a cornerstone of my practice. My clients are informed and empowered, and are active participants as I guide them through the process. I work to sustain each client’s sense of the bigger picture; focus them on the future; and help them see the light at the end of the tunnel. A major part of my job is ensuring that clients have the financial and emotional security to navigate the next phase of their lives.”
Drawing on her expertise in domestic relations law and her courtroom experience, Laura Ashmore brings superior litigation and negotiation skills to the table to navigate and resolve contentious divorce, child custody and parentage disputes for clients throughout Cook, Lake and DuPage Counties.
Education & Publication
Expertise
Drawing on her expertise in domestic relations law and her courtroom experience, Laura Ashmore brings superior litigation and negotiation skills to the table to navigate and resolve contentious divorce, child custody and parentage disputes for clients throughout Cook, Lake and DuPage Counties.
Education
- DePaul University, The Theatre School, B.F.A., 1991
- DePaul University College of Law, J.D., 1994
- Northwestern University School of Professional Studies, Divorce Mediation Training, 2022
Admissions
- Admitted to the Illinois State Bar, 1994
- Admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 1994
- Admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, 2024
Professional Memberships
- President, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Illinois Chapter, 2017-2018
- Board of Managers, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2014-2024
- Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
- Member, Illinois State Bar Association
Honors and Awards
- Leading Lawyers
- Super Lawyers
- Top 50 Women in Law, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer Magazine
Community Involvement
- Volunteer, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation
Articles and Publications
- Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation, “Allocation Judgments,” Presenter
- Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, “When is Enough Discovery Enough That You Are Protected?” Faculty Member
- Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, “Powerful Practice Management for Family Law,” Faculty Member
- Legal Aid Advocates Conference, “Preparing for Custody Trials,” Panelist
- Legal Aid Advocates Conference, “Effective Discovery in Family Law,” Panelist
- Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation, “Litigation Practice in Domestic Relations Court,” Presenter
- Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation, “Crime and Punishment: Defending Simple Criminal Matters,” Presenter
- Illinois State Bar Association, “How to Find and Work with Attorneys,” Panelist