The Legal Guidance You Need & The Personal Attention You Deserve

The Chicago divorce & family law attorneys at the Law Offices of Jonathan Merel take the time to fully understand your situation, while devising a sound legal strategy centered on achieving your goals.

Chicago Divorce Attorneys

Helping You Pave the Way to a Brighter Tomorrow

Family law matters are undeniably stressful, emotional, and overwhelming. There are a lot of decisions to make along the way – decisions that could impact you, your partner, and your children for years to come. If your family is facing a contentious dispute, a complex divorce, or any other type of family law matter, rest assured that a family lawyer at the Law Offices of Jonathan Merel, P.C. can help you through this difficult time.

As one of the premier family law firms in Illinois, we proudly serve families throughout the Chicagoland area. Our knowledgeable Chicago divorce attorneys will take the time to fully understand your situation before devising a legal strategy centered on achieving your goals. Every step of the way, our legal team will be there to advise you and help you make informed decisions with your family’s needs in mind.

Divorce & Family Law Advocates

Over the last decade, our family law firm has helped countless families, so you can rest assured that the Law Offices of Jonathan Merel, P.C. has what it takes to resolve your case in a fair and favorable manner.

Our Chicago divorce lawyers make sure every client receives the one-on-one attention and personalized service they deserve, no matter the situation. We are sensitive and responsive to our clients’ needs, and adept at crafting effective trial and negotiation strategies to achieve our clients' desired results. At our divorce law firm, our goal is to counsel and advocate for those enduring a difficult and stressful period in their lives.

Let’s get started on your case. Call (312) 487-2795 to schedule your FREE, 20-minute consultation.

A Family Law Firm with a Long History

of Obtaining the Successful Results Our Clients Expect

They were thorough, thoughtful, respectful and always acted with my interests at heart.
“I wanted to feel as though I had someone in my corner and I got that with Jonathan and Simon. They were thorough, thoughtful, respectful and always acted with my interests at heart. Thoroughly recomme ...”
- Former Client
Jonathan and his team are everything you want in a lawyer.
“Dealing with family issues, particularly where children are involved, can be a very stressful and emotional time. Dealing with lawyers always scared me in the past as I did not have a good experience ...”
- BCT
I cannot stress enough how happy I was with their performance and I highly recommend that anyone with a Family Law matter have the Law Offices of Jonathan Merel represent them.
“The Law Offices of Jonathan Merel handled my divorce for me. I cannot stress enough how happy I was with their performance and I highly recommend that anyone with a Family Law matter have the Law ...”
- Richard
Jonathan is a great lawyer with great services and results
“Jonathan is a great lawyer with great services and results!”
- John
I highly recommend Jonathan and his firm for their professionalism, experience and for getting results!
“I hired Jonathan from a recommendation from a good friend of mine. Jonathan was great right out of the gates! He took his time with me and really laid out everything to expect during this difficult ...”
- Matt

Find a Family Law Attorney

Who Will Guide You Through the Legal Process Ahead

Meet the Team

Our Chicago Family Law Lawyers Are Your Trusted Advocates

Led by Chicago family law attorney Jonathan Merel, our family law firm has been serving the Chicagoland area since 2009. We are strong problem-solvers who can implement effective solutions to help you reach your goals.

Whether you are filing for divorce, negotiating a child custody arrangement, or seeking to establish paternity, we know that your case is delicate and emotional. With your family’s future at stake, you deserve to work with a divorce attorney in Chicago who is ready to fight for you while remaining compassionate of your situation.

You will find this caliber of legal representation at the Law Offices of Jonathan Merel, P.C. Regardless of the circumstances of your relationship with your spouse or partner, our family law office is ready and able to help. We have handled it all, from simple and straightforward divorces resolved outside of court to extremely contentious divorces that require strategic litigation.

When to Hire a Family Lawyer in Chicago

Family law matters involve any legal dispute related to marriage and family. Since they involve people you love, it is important to get the advocacy of a family lawyer right away – one who understands the personal nature of your situation and treats your case with the care and urgency it deserves.

Are you looking to get a divorce? Do you need to fight for custody of your children? Do you need legal representation in a child or spousal support case? All of these issues and more will require the representation of a Chicago family lawyer. Call the Law Offices of Jonathan Merel, P.C. today to speak with a family law attorney about your options.

Contact a Chicago family law attorney today! Fill out our online form or call (312) 487-2795 to set up a consultation.

How to File for Divorce in Illinois

To get a divorce in Illinois, you must file a “Petition for Dissolution of Marriage.” Once this document has been filed, you will have to serve the other party with divorce papers. The receiving party must then file a response.

After the petition and response, both partners may retain their own attorney to represent them through divorce proceedings. It is possible to represent yourself; however, divorce is not a simple legal process. Having a divorce lawyer on your side can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case.

Our Chicago divorce attorneys are also experienced in:

I Was Served Divorce Papers. Now What?

In order to be officially served divorce papers a legally authorized individual in Illinois must serve them upon you; this is called service of process. Typically a county sheriff or an authorized private individual (special process server) will serve individuals with divorce papers (Petition for Dissolution of Marriage) along with a court Summons by simply handing the papers to you (or a member of your household).

It's important to know that time is of the essence. As the Respondent (the party served with the divorce papers) in an Illinois divorce, you will have 30 days to file an Answer to the petition and file your Appearance.

Upon being served divorce papers, it's in your best interests to hire an experienced Chicago family law attorney. Your lawyer will handle all of the court filings, communication with the opposing counsel, collecting and presenting your financial information and advising you on the appropriate steps to take as your case proceeds.

Do I Need a Lawyer for Divorce in Illinois?

It is in your best interests to hire a divorce attorney in Chicago due to the complex nature of divorces in general. This is especially true if your spouse hires a divorce lawyer, because the success rate of pro se litigants (individuals representing themselves) against an attorney is very low. The average divorce requires the drafting of numerous legal documents which, if not completed properly, can be devastating to the litigant.

Once they find an attorney you are comfortable with, many litigants feel like a weight has been lifted from their shoulders, since they have an experienced professional to advocate on their behalf.

No matter what type of divorce you are seeking, rest assured that our family law firm has the knowledge and skill to represent you. Get in touch with our team!