Divorce, Family Law & Estate Planning Services

For those seeking to establish a new family relationship through a formal adoption process, Stern Mendez offers thorough, sensitive legal adoption services in the Chicagoland area.

After issues are finalized in a divorce, we always hope that both parties follow the terms of those agreements—but unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. When this happens, it may be necessary to bring an action against your spouse to compel him or her to comply with your agreement or the court’s decision. This action is called an enforcement of judgment.

Asset protection is the process of ensuring your assets from creditors, unwanted distribution, liquidation and excessive taxation.

Many issues need to be resolved before a divorce is finalized in Illinois. When a couple cannot reach an agreement amicably or through negotiation, but still wish to avoid the demands of litigation, a mediator can be brought in to help. Attorney-assisted mediation occurs when the couple’s divorce lawyers also join the mediation process.

In all court issues involving children, the most important consideration is protecting the best interest of the child—which is why Illinois courts carefully monitor where the child moves to maintain this best interest. When a child moves a significant distance, it must be approved by the court. Legally, this is called child relocation (previously known as child removal).

One of the most important issues to resolve in a divorce is ensuring all of the couple’s children have a stable financial future to guarantee their well being. This financial obligation is called child support.

Corporate planning permits individuals and businesses to separate their individual assets and liabilities from that of the corporation’s, establish a succession plan and reduce the size of the business-owner’s taxable estate. The incorporation process includes selecting the appropriate corporate entity, drafting corporate bylaws and planning for the day-to-day operations of the business.

At Stern Mendez in Evanston, Chicago, Lake Forest and Oak Brook, we understand that you probably never thought you would need to hire a divorce lawyer. That’s why we take our responsibility so seriously to represent you in an Illinois divorce—and to guide you in understanding the divorce process.

Here is a quick overview of the divorce litigation process in Illinois: You or your partner file a request asking the court to resolve an issue. Both of your lawyers will gather all the information necessary to settle the dispute, then present it before a judge. The judge then rules…

After issues are finalized in a divorce, we always hope that both parties follow the terms of those agreements—but unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. When this happens, it may be necessary to bring an action against your spouse to compel him or her to comply with your agreement or the court’s decision. This action is called an enforcement of judgment.

Estate planning is the process of preparing the distribution of one’s assets in the event of incapacity or death.

Guardianship is a legal arrangement in which a court appoints a responsible individual to make decisions on behalf of someone who is unable to do so themselves. At Stern Mendez, we assist families and individuals through the often-sensitive process of establishing, modifying or understanding guardianships. Our experienced attorneys represent clients…

If your high income level, family wealth or personal investments are adding complexity to the dissolution of your marriage, Stern Mendez has attorneys who specialize in high net worth divorce. We have expertise determining how to best manage family gifts, high income and complicated compensation structures while ensuring your income and assets are protected.

Illinois courts take child relocation very seriously, since a child will be removed from the home county’s jurisdiction. To that end, the court will consider a long list of factors in determining whether relocation is appropriate. As in all matters concerning the child, the overarching goal is to maintain the…

At Stern Mendez, we are here to support LGBTQ+ people during divorce and offer stability throughout the legal process. Our attorneys specialize in same-gender divorce (often referred to as same-sex divorce). We are committed to empowering you to make the careful and often complicated decisions surrounding divorce with confidence.

In many divorce cases, the issue of alimony or spousal support will arise. More formally, this is known as maintenance and is a sum of money paid from one spouse to the other. Maintenance is designed to help the lower-earning spouse maintain the standard of living he or she would have enjoyed if the marriage had not ended.

During a divorce, it can sometimes be difficult to translate statute and laws into real world examples. This is especially true for maintenance, also known as alimony or spousal support. Figuring out the numbers and specifics during your divorce can add a lot of stress to an already emotional time….

Monetary issues can often add to the stress of divorce. A often contested issue is maintenance or alimony, which is a sum of money paid from one spouse to the other so the lower-earning spouse may maintain a standard of living he or she would have enjoyed if the marriage…

Mediation is a dispute resolution process led by a trained, neutral mediator that enables parties in a legal matter to resolve their conflict by agreement, outside of the judiciary. Mediation is a cost-effective alternative to litigation and provides the parties more flexibility and creativity than court.

As a divorced couple experiences salary changes, remarriage or other life events, divorce judgments and parenting agreements should be modified to reflect this new set of circumstances. Fortunately, Illinois law permits the modification of nearly any issue covered in your original divorce—including maintenance (alimony), child support and parenting time. This is known as a modification of judgment.

Oftentimes, even if a couple has failed to reach a divorce agreement, they still are willing to communicate to resolve the case. In this instance, it is common for the parties and their attorneys to meet for a settlement conference and attempt to resolve the terms of the divorce out…

If a couple has children, their divorce must address the issue of parental allocation—which includes both decision-making authority and parenting time. Parental decision-making authority is the legal right to make decisions regarding the child. Parenting time, also known as visitation, is the time each parent spends with a child and how that time is divided.

Paternity cases are often about more than determining who is a child’s father. Once the legal father has been established, what will his role be in the child’s life? How much financial support should he provide? While separate from a divorce, a paternity case encompasses many of the same issues, including child support, parental allocation and parenting time.

If a couple agrees on how issues should be resolved should they ever face a divorce, it can be far better to address those issues ahead of time. In this circumstance, a family lawyer can put an agreement into place to ensure that the couple’s wishes are carried out in case they do get divorced. This is known as a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement based on whether it was created before or after the marriage.

Probate and estate administration is the process of distributing the deceased’s estate to his or her descendants.

The process of divorce can be intimidating. At Stern Mendez in Evanston, Chicago, Lake Forest and Oak Brook, we are dedicated to supporting you and providing clarity throughout the process. That’s why we created this basic overview of the legal process of divorce in Chicago, Illinois and the other suburbs…

One of the issues facing a divorcing couple is deciding how their assets and property will be split after the divorce is final. The act of thoroughly and fairly dividing their property in a marital estate is known as property division. The division of property can often be one of…

A trust administrator, also known as a trustee, holds the trust’s assets and administers them according to the terms of the trust.

Trust and estate litigation involves resolving conflicts related to wills, trusts or the management of an estate. Even the most carefully crafted estate plans can be challenged. Trust and estate disputes often arise during vulnerable and uncertain moments—after the passing of a loved one, or when a decline in mental…

The process of divorce does not need to be a drawn-out dispute between the divorcing partners. If a couple has reached an agreement on the terms of the divorce, or wishes to resolve their case amicably, they can avoid court and enter into an uncontested settlement. This is considered an…

As with any divorce, there are many issues that need to be resolved before the dissolution of marriage. With an uncontested divorce, there should be extra care taken to make certain that no potential matter is glossed over for a quick settlement. Stern Mendez created a checklist of common issues…