Legal & Divorce Support
Divorce doesn't have to be so hard on kids.
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Parent Team offers child- and family-focused, evidence-informed resources to co-parents and other grown-ups so kids with two homes are better protected from the possible negative effects of divorce.
Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, Jen Schimbeno and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor for Children and Families, Brandyn Roark Caires, help strengthen co-parenting relationships to protect kids from the possible negative effects of divorce.
Because when the adults around kids get on the same team, from educators to attorneys to mental health professionals, that risk is significantly reduced.
And that's what Parent Team is all about.​
Jen and Brandyn's deepest desire is for parents to find their "how"—the support, tools, and resources they need—through Parent Team.
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Support for Parents include:
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Guidance for Parents
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Co-Parenting Collection (Online Course: Parenting from Two Homes, Steps to Navigating Extracurriculars, sample parenting schedules, and more)
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Divorce with Dignity (Collaborative Divorce/Conscious Uncoupling)
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Parenting Plan Guide (an early-intervention tool that helps you problem-solve proactively)
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1:1 Guidance
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Free Downloads
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For professionals, Parent Team offers trauma-informed, evidence-based training to help clinicians ease co-parenting conflict and improve divorce outcomes. Learn how you can become a Certified Parent Team Expert here.
Attorneys ​
Attorney Anique Drouin at
Drouin Family Law
Location: Northern Illinois, including DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Will, Cook, and DeKalb counties
630-560-6840
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Drouin Family Law is a woman-owned and operated law firm that provides services for those who want a divorce without drama.
Drouin Family Law works for solutions that are clear, custom-tailored, and protective of your children and your future financial stability. We focus on Mediation and Collaborative Practice but we will also provide consultation services and document preparation for uncontested divorces, litigation support, and Guardian ad Litem representation.
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Attorney Catherine D. Sheehan at
Mirabella Kincaid Frederick & Mirabella LLC
St. Charles & Wheaton, IL
630-665-7300
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"Catherine is a seasoned trial attorney who has taken hundreds of cases to verdict and judgment in jury and bench trials in both state and federal court. She has been named by Illinois Super Lawyers as one of the top attorneys in the state for 7 consecutive years and was identified as one of the top 40 trial attorneys in Illinois under the age of 40 by a national trial lawyer organization.
After going through her own divorce, Catherine became interested in pursuing a career in family law and joined the team at Mirabella Kincaid Frederick & Mirabella, LLC as an associate attorney where she now represents clients in divorce proceedings, parentage cases, guardianship matters, and claims brought by DCFS."
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Cat has graciously waived the consultation fee for MDW Community members. Just let her know we sent you!
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DuPage Legal Aid
Location: Wheaton, Illinois
630-653-6212
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"Most of our volunteer attorneys are available for cases involving family issues, such as divorce, custody and child support, but we do also provide some free legal help in other areas of law as well. If you are seeking such help, we will need for you to complete a telephone or in-person screening with one of our staff to confirm that you qualify under the applicable eligibility guidelines. During this confidential screening, you will be asked a series of questions and asked to provide some documents to verify your answers.
If you qualify for assistance, you will then be assigned to a staff attorney or volunteer lawyer from the DuPage County Bar Association who will help you going forward. If you do not qualify, the staff member with whom you have your initial screening will help point you in the right direction for other resources. To arrange a screening, please call (630) 653-6212 or CLICK HERE."
Attorney Jane Nagle at
McSwain Nagle Giese and Rapp, P.C.
Location: Wheaton, Illinois
630-407-1200
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Jane E. Nagle is a founding partner of McSwain Nagle Giese & Rapp, P.C., and concentrates her practice primarily in the areas of divorce and family law in DuPage, Cook, Will, Kane, Kendall, Lake and surrounding collar counties.
Over the years, Jane has handled numerous pre-decree and post-decree divorce cases as well as paternity, child support enforcement, and contested cases involving the allocation of parental decision-making and parenting time. Jane is also experienced in handling Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases as well as negotiating various types of unsecured debts, obtaining excellent settlements for her clients facing financial hardship.
Attorney Mollie Peskind
at Peskind Law Firm
Location: St. Charles, Illinois
(630) 444-0701
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"Mollie Peskind has an exceptional ability to think outside the box. As a result, she develops unique approaches to overcome road blocks to settlement. Creative problem solving combined with thorough preparation and relentless drive helps Mollie resolve even the most difficult disputes.
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Clients appreciate that Mollie is a good listener and understands their fears and concerns. She lends an empathetic ear and is always responsive. She ensures that all her clients feel heard and understood before deciding on a course of action. Her clients regularly recognize her in client testimonials. As one former client noted about Mollie, “She is a skilled attorney, a good listener and a nice person. The problem with most client-attorney relationships is the lack of mind share the attorney has outside the few minutes they are working on your case. Mollie was engaged in my case and delivered effective documents and arguments in an extremely efficient manner.”
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A FREE 30-minute consultation has been generously offered from Mollie to anyone from the MDW Community.
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The Lilac Tree
Location: Evanston, Illinois
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What you can expect:
Our mission - Helping individuals navigate and overcome the challenges of separation and divorce by providing access to legal information, support networks and professional resources.
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The Lilac Tree offers five unique programs:
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Personalized Information Sessions: During a 60-minute private and confidential meeting with a trained Lilac Tree counselor, individuals contemplating or at the beginning stages of separation or divorce receive guidance to help them understand the legal, financial and emotional considerations involved in separation and/or divorce.
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Divorce University™: The Lilac Tree offers a range of workshops, seminars, videos and webinars aimed at educating individuals on a variety of legal, financial, therapeutic and self-help topics. Presenters are qualified experts in their field who volunteer their time.
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Support Groups: Licensed Clinical Social Workers lead 8 or 10-week groups in a therapeutic, compassionate and supportive environment. Groups serve to connect individuals facing similar challenges to share their experiences and learn from each other. Pop-Up Support Groups are one time meetings based on a topic or stage of the process.
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Referral Program: The Lilac Tree maintains a vetted registry of attorneys, mediators, collaborative practitioners, therapists, financial planners, social service providers and more. Referrals are made free of charge.
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Self-Represented Litigant Education: The Lilac Tree provides general information about the law and the legal process to individuals who are not represented by an attorney.
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SUPPORTING WOMEN.
NO MATTER WHAT.
