Divorce, Family Law & Estate Planning Attorneys

Stern Mendez concentrates its representation in domestic relations, immigration, adoption, estate planning, and asset protection matters. We assist clients with divorce, custody and parenting time, parentage and other family law matters. We pride ourselves on our excellent and comprehensive representation, whether we are helping a family plan their estate, negotiating an amicable settlement, or litigating domestic relations matters. Our services include litigated and negotiated divorce, high net worth divorce, attorney-assisted mediation, modification and enforcement of judgments, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, asset protection, trust administration, corporate planning, family-based immigration law and employment-based immigration law. Our firm is located in Evanston, Chicago, Lake Forest and Oak Brook. Meet our lawyers below.

 

Joshua E. Stern, Esq.
Divorce & Family Law Attorney

Joshua E. Stern, Esq. is the founder, principal and managing partner of Stern Mendez. His goal is to help families through difficult transitions and act as a source of stability throughout the legal process.

Joshua represents clients in all areas of family law, including divorce litigation and negotiated divorce settlements, high net worth divorce, uncontested divorce, maintenance (alimony) and custody disputes, property division and child support, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, among others.

Meet Joshua E. Stern

Marvin Mendez, Esq.
Divorce & Family Law Attorney

Marvin Mendez is a principal at Stern Mendez. He is passionate about creating safe spaces in which his clients can express discreet and personal ideas. A parent himself, Marvin’s ultimate goal when children are involved is to maximize the welfare and civility for the family unit.

Marvin uses his in-depth knowledge of family law to successfully execute the crafting, litigation and enforcement of pre- and post-decree matters, while advocating over custodial proceedings treating child custody, child support and visitation with compassion and care. He has successfully litigated high-profile cases and advocated for his clients in the courtroom.

Meet Marvin Mendez

Amy Silberstein Freedman, Esq.
Divorce & Family Law Attorney

Amy Silberstein Freedman is a partner at Stern Mendez. Her practice is concentrated in divorce and family law. Amy’s steadfast dedication to her clients is reflected in the positive outcomes she elicits on every matter—regardless of how difficult or contentious.

Amy has experience representing and advocating for domestic relations and domestic violence clients. Other areas of representation include divorce settlements and litigation, child support, modification of parenting allocation judgments and maintenance (alimony), among others.

Meet Amy Silberstein Freedman

Jason Shore, Esq.
Divorce, Family & Immigration Law Attorney

Jason Shore is a divorce, family and immigration law attorney who joined Stern Mendez as partner in the spring of 2022. His passion for supporting families and children makes him a strong advocate whether clients are navigation divorce or the immigration system.

Fluent in Spanish and a parent himself, Jason aims to ease both of these processes for parents and children. He also serves as a Guardian Ad Litem and advises the Court during custody hearings.

Meet Jason Shore

Shay Formanek, Esq.
Divorce & Family Law Attorney

Shay Formanek is a divorce and family law attorney who joined Stern Mendez as partner in summer of 2023. She specializes in complex litigation, mediation, negotiated settlement agreements and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements.

A zealous advocate for her clients, Shay approaches each of her cases with strategic and assertive representation. Shay views each divorce as unique, and tailors her expertise to meet her clients’ needs and preferences.

Meet Shay Formanek

Leo Sokolov, Esq.
Divorce & Family Law Attorney

Leo specializes in a range of divorce services, including pre- and post-decree matters and cases with tax-related issues, and has been practicing divorce and family law in Illinois since 2015. He is fluent in Russian and supports clients who speak Russian and are seeking an attorney who can effectively communicate.

Leo prioritizes building client relationships rooted in respect and patience, and he takes on each case with diligence and empathy. He is known for providing a calm and steady hand from start to finish and can be counted on to dive into every detail with diligence.

Meet Leo Sokolov

Evan Compton, Esq.
Divorce & Family Law Attorney

Evan Compton is a partner at Stern Mendez. His passion for family law and legal research makes him a fierce and thorough advocate for families navigating divorce and domestic relations matters.

Evan’s time at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services gave him experience handling cases of child abuse and child welfare. Other areas of representation include divorce litigation and negotiated divorce settlements, custody disputes and child support, among others.

Meet Evan Compton

Martin Sliwinski, Esq.
Divorce & Family Law Attorney

Martin Silwinski is a partner at Stern Mendez. He concentrates his practice on various matters related to family law, including high conflict divorce cases, pre- and postnuptial agreements and complex financial analysis.

Martin works diligently and efficiently to walk clients through every phase of whatever issue they face, and to guide clients to the best possible outcomes for their individual case. He does so by listening carefully to clients, advocating zealously for them and making informed and well-prepared arguments before the Court.

Meet Martin Sliwinski

Manish C. Bhatia, Of Counsel
Estate Planning Attorney

Manish C. Bhatia represents individuals and families in all areas of estate planning, including probate avoidance, tax planning, asset protection and planned giving. Prior to starting his estate planning practice, he worked for a boutique estate planning law firm in the northern suburbs of Chicago.

Manish prides himself on making the estate planning process as efficient and comfortable as possible—so that his clients can achieve the peace of mind that comes with knowing that their wishes are accurately reflected and that their loved ones will be protected.

Meet Manish Bhatia

Call us at (847) 868-9684 or contact us for a free consultation or to learn more about our services.