Child Custody · Chicago
Top Child Custody Lawyers in Chicago
Child custody lawyers focus on parenting time, decision-making responsibility and relocation disputes. This list compares 15 child custody lawyers practising in Chicago on verified licences, years in this area, focus and sourced reputation.
- Updated 14 Oct 2026
- Ranking v1.0.0
- How we rank
- lawyers considered
- 15
- 8 verified licences
- 53%
- average years in practice
- 11
The ranking
Score out of 100- 1
Adaeze E. Shapiro
VerifiedOf Counsel
Prescott Law Group38 yrs in practice4.7(11)Child CustodyEmploymentFamilySpeaks English, Tagalog
- 2
- 3
Thomas J. Abernathy
VerifiedAssociate
Calder Law Group25 yrs in practice4.0(9)BusinessChild CustodyFamily+1 moreSpeaks English, Mandarin
- 4
David Ashford
VerifiedManaging Partner
Sterling Law Group27 yrs in practice3.3(8)ImmigrationChild CustodyEmployment+1 moreSpeaks English, French
- 5
Hugo Ramirez
VerifiedSenior Associate
Calder Law Group15 yrs in practice4.0(1)FamilyChild CustodyReal Estate - 6
- 7
Mateo L. Feldman
VerifiedSenior Associate
Vance Law Group15 yrs in practice3.8(2)BusinessChild CustodyCriminal Defense+1 more - 8
Leila Nakamura
VerifiedPrincipal Lawyer
Vance & Granger LLP3.0(1)FamilyBusinessChild Custody+1 moreSpeaks English, Tagalog
- 9
Rafael Sorensen
UnverifiedFounding Attorney
Vance Law Group18 yrs in practice4.7(15)FamilyChild Custody - 10
Ines S. Patel
UnverifiedFounding Attorney
Sterling Law Group11 yrs in practice4.0(11)DivorceChild CustodyCriminal Defense+2 more - 11
Yasmin Patel
PendingPrincipal Lawyer
Quill & Brook LLP17 yrs in practice4.3(9)DivorceChild CustodyEmployment+2 moreSpeaks English, Arabic
- 12
Benjamin Ellison
UnverifiedManaging Partner
Merritt & Ashby LLP29 yrs in practiceEstate PlanningChild CustodyDivorce+2 moreSpeaks English, French
- 13
Irene Byrne
UnverifiedManaging Partner
Prescott Law Group22 yrs in practice4.8(3)BusinessChild CustodyFamilySpeaks English, Spanish
- 14
Zara J. Chen
UnverifiedManaging Partner
Linden & Harrow LLP18 yrs in practice4.0(1)ImmigrationBusinessChild Custody+1 moreSpeaks English, Mandarin
How we rank
Each lawyer gets nine component scores from 0 to 100. The bar shows how many of the 100 available points each component contributed. Weights are fixed for every lawyer in this list and published in full; payment plays no part.
Expertise50%
- Credentials20%
- Relevant experience15%
- Specialization15%
Standing35%
- Verified reputation15%
- Professional recognition10%
- Relevant track record10%
Service & data15%
- Client experience5%
- Profile & data quality5%
- Data freshness5%
Chicago legal resources
- Illinois State Bar Association
Statewide bar association.
- Chicago Bar Association
Lawyer referral service.
- ARDC of the Supreme Court of Illinois
Lawyer registration search and disciplinary records.
Choosing a child custody lawyer
Ask how often the lawyer handles contested custody hearings and whether they work with custody evaluators or guardians ad litem.
Frequently asked questions
What does "best interests of the child" mean?
It is the legal standard courts use to decide custody, weighing factors such as stability, each parent’s involvement and the child’s needs.