Top Rated Family Law Attorney in Oak Brook, IL

Bennett Law Firm, LLC

| 2015 Spring Road, Oak Brook, IL 60523-1843

Visit: http://www.lawbennett.com

Phone: 630-912-6346

Fax: 630-573-9810

Selected To Super Lawyers: 2012 - 2020

Licensed Since: 1976

Education: Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Practice Areas:

Family Law

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Attorney Profile

Margaret A. Bennett is a family law attorney and founder of Bennett Law Firm, LLC, in Oak Brook, Illinois, where she focuses her practice on collaborative divorce and mediation. Ms. Bennett serves clients in Oak Brook and the surrounding Chicago metropolitan area.

In her more than 40 years as an attorney, Ms. Bennett has helped hundreds of clients and earned the respect of her colleagues. Martindale-Hubbell awarded her an AV Preeminent* peer review rating, its highest available rating, in recognition of her high legal abilities and ethical standards. She is listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers and is the recipient of awards from the DuPage County Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association and the International Biographical Centre.

Over the years, Ms. Bennett has served in many leadership positions with the DuPage County Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association. She has also written articles for professional publications and lectured on family law topics for professional organizations. She serves on the state of Illinois Child Support Advisory Committee and the Illinois House of Representatives Family Law Study Committee. She is a fellow of the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois and a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.

Ms. Bennett graduated with honors from the University of California at Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in political science. She earned her law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

Ms. Bennett holds licenses to practice law in Illinois and Colorado, as well as before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States. She is also admitted to the roll of solicitors of England and Wales.

*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.

Practice Areas

100%Family Law

Focus Areas

Alimony & Spousal Support, Child Support, Custody & Visitation, Dissolution, Divorce, Paternity, Prenuptial Agreements, Marital Property, Mediation & Collaborative Law, Same Sex Family Law

Selections

Super Lawyers: 2012 - 2020

Top Lists

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About Margaret Bennett

Admitted: 1976, Illinois

Professional Webpage: https://lawbennett.com/attorney-profile/

Honors/Awards:

Named to Super Lawyers list as an Illinois Super Lawyer in area of family law, 2012 to 2015 Named to the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Illinois by Super Lawyers, 2013 to 2015 Named to the Top 50 Women Super Lawyers in Illinois by Super Lawyers, 2012 to 2015 Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating in Legal Ability and Ethical Standards, 1998 to present Named to the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers, 2011 to present Who's Who in American Law, 2010 DuPage County Circuit Court Certificate of Appreciation, 2009 Leading American Attorney, 2008 Woman of the Year Award bestowed by The International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England, 2008 to 2010 DuPage County Bar Association Certificate of Appreciation, 1998 Illinois State Bar Association Board of Directors Award, 1990 DuPage County Bar Association Legal Aid Program Certificate of Appreciation, 1989
Highest Rating, AVVO.com
10 Best Attorneys, American Institute of Family Law Attorney

Bar/Professional Activity:

Chair, Illinois State Bar Association, Family Law Section Council, Parentage Subcommittee, 2014 - 2019
Illinois House of Representatives, Illinois Family Law Study Committee, 2008 - Present
Co-Chair, Illinois State Bar Association, Family Law Section Council, Child Support Subcommittee, 2010 - 2019
DuPage County Bar Association, Chairman of the Family Law and Practice Committee, 1997/1998 and 2011/2012 Appointment to Custody Evaluation Committee, 2007 to 2008 Appointment to the DuPage County Family Court Task Force, 1997 to 2001 Appointment to Family Law Mediation Rules Committee, 1996-1999 Appointment to Family Law Fee Arbitration Committee, 1997 to 1999, and drafted Local Court Rules for Mandatory Fee Arbitration Program Chairman of the Professional Responsibility Committee, 1996/1997 Chairman of the Real Estate Law and Practice Committee, 1994/1995
Illinois State Bar Association, Appointment to the Family Law Section Council, 2009 to present Appointment to Standing Committee on Judicial Evaluations Outside Cook County, 1997 to present Appointment to Real Property Section Council, 1996 to 2002 Elected to Illinois State Bar Association Assembly (governing body), 1986-1990 and 1994-2000
Appointment to the Family Law Study Committee by the Illinois House of Representatives, 2008 to present International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, Member, 2006 to 2010, 2012 to present Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois, Fellow, 2006 to 2010, 2012 to present Society of English and American Lawyers, United Kingdom, 2005 to present The Law Society, United Kingdom, 2004 to present Northern Illinois Real Estate Law Committee, Chairman, 1994-1997
Appointment to the State of Illinois Child Support Advisory Committee, 2010 to present
DuPage Association of Women Lawyers
West Suburban Bar Association
United States: Admitted to the Bar in Illinois and Colorado U.S. Supreme Court U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Illinois U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit United Kingdom: Admitted to the Rolls of Solicitors of England and Wales

Pro bono/Community Service:

Board of Directors, First Folio Theatre, Oak Brook, Illinois, (current) University of California Alumni Association, (current) Berkeley in Britain Alumni Association, (current) Society of English and American Lawyers, (current) Supporter of RRAF - a non-profit agency that provides support to adults with developmental disabilities, (current) Supporter of the Association for Individual Development (AID) which provides services to individuals who have developmental, physical and/or mental disabilities, (current) Resources for Retarded and Autistic Adults, Lombard, Illinois Board of Directors, 1996 to 2000 DuPage County Blue Ribbon Committee on People with Disabilities, Wheaton, Illinois Member, 1993-1995 Evangelical Health Foundation, Board of Sponsors, Oak Brook, Illinois Member, 1988-1992 Good Samaritan Hospital Development Counsel, Downers Grove, Illinois Member, 1988-1992

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

Speaker, “Why Illinois Should Adopt Income Shares to Determine Child Support”, Illinois State Bar Association Family Law Section Council, January 10, 2015. Speaker, “New Paternity Rule Highlights”, AAML Illinois Chapter Seminar, October 14, 2013. Speaker, “A New Parentage Act for Illinois”, Kane County Bar Association Family Law Committee, September 11, 2013. Featured speaker, “Income Sharing Approach to Determine Child Support”, Kane County Bar Association Annual Family Law Seminar, May 30, 2013. Speaker, “The Future of Child Support Calculations in Illinois: Income Shares vs. Percentage of Income”, Chicago Bar Association Domestic Relations Committee, January 28, 2013. Featured speaker, “Income Shares and Calculation of Child Support – Net Income”, Illinois Child Support Advisory Committee, July 23, 2012. Co-presenter of the Divorce University Financial Presentation sponsored by The Lilac Tree, May 6, 2012 and October 22, 2011. Featured speaker, “Why Illinois Should Retain the Net Income Approach When Determining Child Support”, Illinois Child Support Advisory Committee, October 19, 2011. Co-presenter of Team 5 of American Inns of Court, “How Far Can the Government Go Under the 4th Amendment in Using Modern Technology to Investigate and Track Suspects Without a Warrant?”, American Inns of Court meeting, April 25, 2012. Featured speaker, “Real Estate Law for Divorce Attorneys”, Illinois State Bar Association Family Law Section Council’s Mid-Year Seminar, 2001. Featured speaker, “Real Estate Pitfalls Affecting the Divorce Practitioner”, Illinois State Bar Association Family Law Section Council’s Annual Seminar, 2001. Featured speaker, “How to Avoid the Nightmare”, Illinois State Bar Association Real Property Section Council’s Annual Seminar, 1999. Featured speaker, “What Every Real Estate Attorney Should Know About Divorce Law and What Every Divorce Attorney Should Know About Real Estate Law”, Illinois State Bar Association Real Property Section Council’s Annual Seminar, 1998. Featured speaker, “The Allocation of Stock Options Upon Dissolution of Marriage”, Seminar on Financial, Business Valuation & Divorce Taxation Issues, 1998. Instructor, Paralegal Institute, 1992 to 1993
“The legal and ethical conundrum of child support in multi-partnered families” Illinois State Bar Association Family Law Newsletter, January 2015. “House Bill 6191 – The Illinois Parentage Act”, Illinois State Bar Association Section Council Newsletter, December 2012. "A Summary of Illinois House Bill 6191", Illinois State Bar Association Section Council Newsletter, November 2011. “Legal Practice Tips”, Illinois Bar Journal, Volume 88, December 2000. “The Real Estate Lawyer’s Divorce Primer (and the Divorce Lawyer’s Guide to Real Estate)”, Illinois Bar Journal, Volume 86 (Copyright assigned to West Law), September 1998. “Mandatory Matrimonial Fee Arbitration”, DuPage County Bar Brief, November 1997. “Another View of House Bill 365 (Leveling the Playing Field in Matrimonial Law)”, Illinois Family Law Report, April 1997. “The Allocation of Stock Options Upon Dissolution of Marriage”, Illinois Family Law Report, October 1996. “Penny Wise and Pound Foolish”, Illinois State Bar Association Real Property Newsletter, July 1995. “Real Estate for the Penny Wise”, Illinois State Bar Association Bar News, September 15, 1995

Representative Clients:

McDonald’s Corporation, Oak Brook, Illinois (real estate/legal matters) DuPage County Storm Water Management Committee (land acquisition/real estate) DuPage County Fair and Exposition Authority (interpreted statutes and provided legal opinions to the Authority) DuPage Department of Transportation (right-of-way acquisitions)

Educational Background: