Your Family
In Family Law®
Why Choose Merel Family Law?
Fighting for families since 2009.
At Merel Family Law, we specialize in providing legal services to our clients in all aspects of family law. What we do is only half of what sets us apart from other divorce firms in the Chicagoland and Detroit areas, though. How we do what we do is just as important.
Our Family Law Practices
Meet Our Family Law Attorneys
Chicago Divorce Lawyer
If you’re currently going through a divorce, working with our Chicago divorce lawyer can be critical for helping the process go smoothly. Our dedicated attorneys can help you decide what you want your divorce to look like, how to properly and amicably divide your marital assets, and how to make sure all parties involved—including your children—are protected throughout the entire process.
It depends on your state’s laws and the circumstances surrounding your divorce. In general, most couples receive an equitable portion of the marital assets, including cars, houses (and mortgage payments), bank accounts, and debts. For couples who created a prenuptial agreement prior to their marriage, this part of the divorce is often a quicker and smoother process. With over 230 5-star reviews, our clients know that our relationship lawyers provide only the highest quality of legal services, including assistance with asset division during a divorce. When you work with us, you don’t have to worry about losing out on precious assets. We will fight tirelessly to protect your property—and your future.
The best way to win a child custody battle is to make sure you have a trusted, qualified legal professional to represent your case. Otherwise, you may run into costly legal issues that could hurt your chance of winning custody of your children. Our divorce attorneys have over 15 years of experience with all types of family law matters, and we can help with everything from custody arrangements to marital settlement agreements and more. If you’re going through a divorce, don’t feel as if you have to do it alone—we’re here to help you through it.
Generally, if a married couple’s assets total $1 million or more, it is considered a high net worth divorce. Such assets can include cars, homes, bank accounts, stocks and bonds, collectibles, jewelry, businesses, 401(k)s, and debts. Because of the nature of high net worth divorces, we recommend working with our dedicated high net worth divorce attorney to ensure that you receive a fair share of your marital assets. We have 20 attorneys available to help you through your divorce—and they are all highly qualified and experienced in all family law matters, including high net worth divorce cases, with decades of combined trial experience.
There is no minimum net worth requirement to craft a prenuptial agreement. If you and your partner want to plan for the future by drafting a legally binding prenup agreement before you get married, we recommend speaking with our trusted prenup lawyers for guidance on how to get started. Our attorneys have been helping clients craft prenuptial agreements and work through divorce proceedings since 2009, and we’re here to help you, too. We can provide invaluable guidance on how to protect your assets and plan for your future with clarity and confidence.
A property division agreement in a divorce is created to simplify the asset division process. Our property division lawyers work with couples to draft clear, straightforward agreements that specify who will receive what in the event of a divorce. Whether it’s related to your home, your vehicles, or your debts, a property division agreement can help protect your assets while also saving you time and money in the long run. For couples looking to get legal help with writing up an agreement, we offer 4 convenient office locations where you can discuss your case with one of our trusted family law attorneys.
Your Trusted Chicago Divorce Lawyer
If you have questions about how to handle your divorce—or you’re looking for a trusted legal professional to guide you through the process—our Chicago divorce lawyers are here to help. We work directly with couples to make sure the divorce proceedings go according to their plans. We can help draft settlement or property division agreements, explain the differences between arbitration and mediation, and help you decide what is the best option for your specific circumstances. Regardless of how you choose to move forward with your divorce, we’ll make sure that all of your assets, children, and your future are protected.
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Frequently Asked Questons
It depends on the case and the complexities involved. Second-parent adoptions allow partners in a same-sex relationship to hold equal rights and responsibilities for their children. Pursuing a second-parent adoption can help protect the child in the event that one parent becomes unable to continue caring for them, either by becoming incapacitated or in the event of death. Throughout their legal career, our second-parent adoption lawyers have helped over 5,500 clients—many of whom are involved in same-sex relationships—and we’re ready to help you, too. We will work to protect the interests of you, your spouse, and your children.
The amount you receive for alimony is determined by how financially dependent you are on your spouse during your marriage. Courts also look at the length of the marriage, the age of both parties, and each spouse’s ability to work. Our divorce lawyers at our BBB-accredited law firm work to provide top-tier legal support for couples going through a divorce. We will review your specific circumstances and craft a case that supports your situation.
If you and your partner are considering separating or initiating a divorce, it’s important to speak with our qualified LGBTQ divorce attorneys as early as possible. The sooner you get legal representation, the better—especially when it comes to protecting your assets, your children, and your future. Our divorce lawyers have been recognized by Super Lawyers, and we’ve earned the Lawyers of Distinction recognition in 2023, proving that we give our all to every case—including those involving LGBTQ families. We are experienced in LGBTQ cases, so we know how to handle all of the intricacies involved in same-sex divorce cases.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 decision to federally legalize same-sex marriages, LGBTQ couples have earned the same rights to divorce as heterosexual couples. However, they may face more complications, especially when it comes to parental rights and the division of assets. That’s why it’s so important to work with our award-winning LGBTQ divorce lawyers. We’re experienced in handling LGBTQ divorce cases, and we can make sure that you receive the same treatment as those involved in non-LGBTQ divorces. We will walk you through the entire divorce process step-by-step and stand by you from start to finish.
A family law attorney and a divorce attorney both handle aspects of family law, but divorce lawyers typically focus primarily on divorce proceedings, including the division of assets, custody agreements, and prenuptial agreements. Family law attorneys, however, can assist in divorce proceedings, alimony, child support, custody arrangements, domestic violence protections, and any other legal matters involving your family. We’ve been recognized as one of Best Lawyers’ best law firms in the country, largely due to our dedication to our clients and our compassionate way of handling family law and divorce cases. Whether you’re going through a divorce or require legal assistance for a separate family law matter, we’re here to help.
Find Your Local Family Law Office
To provide more reliable access to our family law attorneys, we have four convenient office locations around Chicago and Detroit. We are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm EST. Visit our downtown Chicago, Highland Park, Hinsdale, or metro Detroit locations for all of your family law needs.