Practice Areas: Family Law
Licensed in Illinois since: 1987
Education: Northwestern University School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2019 - 2024 Shelley B. Ballard PC
1500 Oak AveUnit 4E
Evanston, IL 60201 Phone: 312-316-0912 Email: Shelley B. Ballard Visit website
Details
Shelley Ballard is a solo practitioner (and adoptive parent herself) dedicated to helping others build their families through adoption. Shelley has provided counsel to thousands of families created through adoption since 1988.
Ms. Ballard is a cum laude graduate of Northwestern University School of law and a magna cum laude graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Engineering. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys, an active member (and current vice-chair) of the Chicago Bar Association Adoption Law Committee where she helps draft and lobby for changes in adoption law, and a contributor to the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education Handbook on Adoption. For many years, she was an adjunct professor at Loyola School at law where she taught an adoption seminar and has been recognized as a top lawyer in adoption by Leading Lawyers.
First Admitted: 1987, Illinois
Professional Webpage: https://www.sballardlaw.com/attorney/ballard-shelley-b/
- Former Adjunct Professor at Loyola Law school, taught a seminar on adoption law, 2014 to 2021
- Chicago Bar Association Adoption Law Committee, twice past chair, current vice-chair, 1988 to 1998, 2002 to present
- Former Guardian ad Litem for minor children in the Cook County, Illinois Adoption Court, 2012 to 2017
- Board of Directors of the On Your Feet Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to birth parents who have placed children for adoption, serving as President of the Board, Secretary and Treasurer, from 2004 to 2015
- Board of Directors, Secretary/Treasurer, Midwest Adoption Center, a nonprofit organization that provides services to persons touched by foster care and adoption, including search and confidential intermediary services, 2015 to present
- Leading Lawyer - Adoption (Advisory Board), Leading Lawyers
- Recognized by the Illinois House of Representatives in a formal House resolution for her efforts in passing the Baby Richard law, 1994
- Cum Laude, Order of the Coif, Northwestern University School of Law, 1987
- National organization of attorneys devoted to the ethical and competent representation of parties in adoption and collaborative reproduction matters, 1990 to present, Fellow, Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys
- BS, Engineering Science, Magna cum laude, Vanderbilt University School of Engineering, 1979
- Wrote the chapters on Interstate and Adult Adoption for the 2016 Illinois Adoption Law Practice Handbook, published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, and regular contributor to prior versions of the the Handbook since the 1990's, Author, www.iicle.com, 2016
- Wrote the chapters on Interstate and Adult Adoption for the 2020 Illinois Adoption Law Practice Handbook, published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Author, www.iicle.com, Adoption Law, 2020
- Wrote the chapter on adoption for the Illinois State Bar Association's Family Law Handbook, Author, www.isba.org, 2011
- Adoption Law
Office location for Shelley B. Ballard
1500 Oak Ave
Unit 4E
Evanston, IL 60201
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2019 - 2024