Anne E. Schmidt
Top rated Family Law attorney in Highland Park, Illinois
The Law Offices of Anne Schmidt, LLC
Practice areas: Family Law, Employee Benefits; view more
Licensed in Illinois since: 2013
Education: University of Illinois Chicago School of Law
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847-926-7679
The Law Offices of Anne Schmidt, LLC
1736 1st StHighland Park, IL 60035 Visit website
Attorney Anne E. Schmidt is the founder and owner of The Law Offices of Anne Schmidt, LLC, in Highland Park, Illinois. A highly credentialed and versatile attorney, Ms. Schmidt has more than seven years of legal experience, and she represents the rights and interests of clients throughout the greater Chicago Metro area, Lake County and across the Chicago North Shore who have legal needs involving any of the following:
- Collaborative law and mediation for divorce and other family law challenges
- QDRO, QILDRO and DRO issues
- Executive Compensation
- ERISA and employee benefits
- LGBTQ and same-sex marriage matters
- Prenuptial and Post Nuptial Agreements
- Expert Witness as it relates to Employee Benefits
Over the course of her legal career, Ms. Schmidt has gained a reputation for delivering experienced, compassionate and professional counsel to those she serves to help them during very difficult and uncertain times in their lives. Highly trained and certified in mediation and collaborative law, she seeks to help her clients resolve their conflicts and reach agreements that will serve their families for years to come without having to resort to costly, stressful and adversarial divorce litigation.
In addition, Ms. Schmidt has a wealth of knowledge and experience involving employee health benefits, retirement plans and other related issues, particularly as it concerns her clients' divorces. At all turns, Ms. Schmidt wants to ensure her clients experience as little disruption in their lives as possible as they navigate the divorce process but especially in the years that follow. She has earned numerous accolades from her peers along with many positive reviews and referrals from her satisfied clients for her outstanding professionalism and service.
A 1999 graduate of Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, Ms. Schmidt worked in corporate retail and marketing for years before deciding to pursue her legal career. She then attended UIC Law School in Chicago, where she obtained her Juris Doctor in 2012. She also earned her Master of Law in Employee Benefits from the school in 2013. Following this, she attended the Center for Conflict Resolution in Chicago, where she received her Certificate in Mediation in 2013 followed with a Collaborative training and continued further education.
Since entering private practice, Ms. Schmidt has established herself as a leader in her legal community, and she has published numerous articles involving same-sex marriage issues, employee benefits, health care reform and other subjects. She is also a member of several local, state and national legal organizations, including the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois, The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, and the Family Law and Employee Benefits Sections of the American Bar Association, among others.
Ms. Schmidt volunteers her time and legal services with Prairie State Legal Services and the Metropolitan Family Services division of Legal Aid Chicago.
Practice areas
Family Law, Employee BenefitsFocus areas
Alimony & Spousal Support, Child Support, Custody & Visitation, Divorce, Marital Property, Mediation & Collaborative Law, Name Change, Paternity, Prenuptial Agreements, Same Sex Family Law
- 50% Family Law
- 50% Employee Benefits
First Admitted: 2013, Illinois
Professional Webpage: https://www.anneschmidtlaw.com/about/
Bar / Professional Activity
- Metropolitan Legal Service
- Prairie State Legal Aid
- IACP-International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
- Lake County Bar Association
- Rush Associates Board
- The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association (LAGBAC)
- Society for Human Resource Management
- American Bar Association, Family Law Section, and Employee Benefits Section
- Illinois
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Special Licenses / Certifications
- Mediation Certificate, Center for Conflict Resolution
Pro bono / Community Service
- I currently draft QDROs for Prairie State and Metropolitan upon request.
Honors
- Legal Extern, Litigation Department of Revenue / Illinois Lottery, 2011
- Legal Research Assistant to Prof. Julie Spanbauer, 2010-2012
- Legal Research Assistant to Prof. Kim Chanbonpin, 2010-2011
Educational Background
- B.A., Hamilton College, Political Science/Religious Studies, 1999
- LL.M., The John Marshall Law School, Employee Benefits, 2013
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Collaborative Training, Collaborative Law Institute Illinois
- Employee or Independent Contractor? The IRS and The Recent Launch of the Voluntary Classification Settlement Program. (See JMLS TaxEB / InBrief, Vol. 5 Issue 3.)
- A possible Unintended Consequence of Health Care Reform: Low Vaccination Rates Amongst Undocumented Immigrants. (See JMLS TaxEB / InBrief, Vol. 4 Issue 2.)
- Firm blog series dealing with all aspects of employee benefits including Wellness Plans and Fringe Benefits
- Same-Sex Marriages Create a New World for Benefits Obligations. (Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, 2016)
- Adjunct Professor of Employee Benefits at The John Marshall School of Law
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2024 - 2026
- Rising Stars: 2020 - 2023