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Laura M. Urbik Kern Esq. - Hinsdale, IL
15 Spinning Wheel RdSuite 106 Hinsdale, IL 60521
Law Offices of Laura M. Urbik Kern
Updated: 05/14/2016
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Hinsdale Family Law Lawyer
Overview
I recognize that you have a choice in attorneys and all family law attorneys CAN ultimately resolve your problem. The questions you must ask are: "Will the attorney I choose work to dismantle my marriage as carefully as it was originally built? Will my children be the #1 priority throughout the process? Will my lawyer explain the process and recognize that my life will be forever changed from this point forward?"
Our practice is a client-centered, team approach: your life, your decisions. Our Chicago divorce attorney will guide you, lay out your options, and try to teach you conflict resolution methods that you may use in the future. Your family unit needs to be dismantled with the same care with which it was built. Our goal is to try to preserve family principles while resolving your problems.
Call or contact our office for more information about how Chicago divorce attorney Laura M. Urbik Kern can help you resolve your family law disputes. She understands what you need from your legal counsel and can represent you in matters of divorce, allocation of parental responsibilities or parenting time, property division, juvenile law, and guardianship.
About Laura M. Urbik Kern Esq.
Current Employment Position(s)
- Principal
Practice Areas
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Allocation of Parental Responsibilities or Parenting Time
- Property Division
- Juvenile Law
- Guardianship
Qualifications
Bar Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1984
- Supreme Court of Illinois, 1984
- Supreme Court of New York, 1985
- Supreme Court of the United States of America, 2009
Other Affiliations
- DuPage County Arbitration Program , 1990 - Present (Arbitrator)
- City of Elmhurst Police and Fire Commissioner, 2000 - 2005
- DuPage County Mediation Program, 1995 - Present (Mediator)
- City of Elmhurst Youth Commission, 1995 - 1996 (Commissioner)
- Federal Defender Program, Chicago, Illinois, 1983 - 1984 (Internship)
- California Western School of Law, San Diego, California, 1982 - 1983 (Research Assistant)
- Special Committee on Juvenile Justice, 2010 - 2011
- Custody Illinois State Bar Association, 2003 - 2007 (Co-Chair, Special Committee)
- Special Committee on Child Representatives, 2000 (Member)
- Visitation Council of Catholic Women, 1999 - 2007 (Legislation Chair)
- Attorney General's Task Force on Violence to Children, 1997 - 2000 (Member)
- Special Task Force on Children’s Representatives, 1997 - 1999 (Member)
- Task Force on Unified Family Courts, 1997 - 1999 (Member)
- Committee to Establish Juvenile Conflict Attorney, DuPage County, 1988 (Member)
- Illinois State Bar Association, 1984 - Present (Member)
- Illinois State Bar Association, Family Law Section Council, 2004 - 2005 (Ex-Officio)
- Illinois State Bar Association, Family Law Section Council, 2003 - 2004 (Chair)
- Illinois State Bar Association, Family Law Section Council, 2002 - 2003 (Vice Chair)
- Illinois State Bar Association, Family Law Section Council, 2001 - Present (Secretary)
- Illinois State Bar Association, 2001 - 2008 (Assembly Member)
- Illinois State Bar Association, Family Law Section Council, 1998 - 2001 (Member, Continuing Legal Education Committee )
- DuPage County Bar Association, 1984 - Present
- DuPage County Bar Association (Member, Committee Member)
- DuPage County Bar Association (Children's Rights Committee)
- DuPage County Bar Association, 1994 - 1997 (Board of Directors)
- DuPage County Bar Association, 1993 - 1994 (Chair & Founder Children’s Rights Committee)
- DuPage County Bar Association, 1984 - Present (Family Law Committee)
- Association of Family Court and Community Professionals
- DuPage Juvenile Officers Association
- DuPage Women Lawyers Association
- Illinois Juvenile Officer Association
- Illinois Mediation Counsel
- National Association of Counsel for Children
- CASA of DuPage, 1996 - 2000 (Pro Bono Staff Attorney)
- DuPage County Legal Aid Office, 1986 - Present (Pro Bono Attorney)
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
- Supreme Court of the United States, 2009
- ISBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Section Council, 2012 - 2013
- ISBA Legislation Committee, 2009 - 2013
- Illinois State Bar Association, 2000 - Present (Member, Family Law Committee )
- Illinois State Bar Association, 2013 - 2014 (Family Law Section Council)
- Continuing Legal Education Committee of Illinois State Bar Association Family Law Section Council, 1998 - 2001 (Member)
- Committee Member and Liaison to DuPage County Bar Association Children’s Rights Committee, 1998 - Present (Member)
- Association of Family Court and Conciliation Courts
- National Association of Certified Mediators
- Forensic Forum (Fellow)
- Illinois Collaborative Law (Fellow)
Classes and Seminars
- Instructor, University of Illinois Officer Training School, Champaign, Illinois, 1993 - 1994
- Instructor, Responsibilities included Teaching Classes on Juvenile Law, College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, 1991 - 1992
- Lecturer, Family Law Topics, 1999 - Present
- Instructor, YWCA Legal Night, 1996 - 2010
- Mediation Training Instructor, College of DuPage, 2009
- Moderator, Illinois Continuing Legal Education Family Law , 2008
- Presenter, DuPage County Bar Association Adoption Seminar, 2007
- Presenter, Interviewing Children, Guardian ad litem Training, DuPage County, 2006 - 2009
- Presenter, DuPage County Bar Association Mega Meeting, Parental Allocation, 2005 - Present
- Presenter, Elder Law Seminar, Part II, 2003
- Presenter, Advice for Family Law Practitioner, Kids Come First, Illinois State Bar Association, 2002
- Presenter, Illinois State Bar Association Family Law Program, 2000
- Presenter, Illinois State Bar Association Family Law, 2000
- Presenter, Mega Meeting DuPage County Bar Association, 2000
- Facilitator, Juvenile Diversion Program , 1999 - 2000
- Presenter, Child Representative Training, 1999
- Oral Presentations, Metro Family Services and Tough Love, 1996 - 1998
- Presenter, DuPage Association of Women Lawyers, Annual Trial Advocacy Seminar, 1996
- Do’s and Don’ts of Starting your own Law Practice, 2015 - Present
- Incarcerated Litigants, 2015 - Present
- Parents with Mental Illness & Undiagnosed Disorders, 2015 - Present
- Child Custody, Risk and Relocation: Developing Long Distance Parenting, 2015 - Present
- Retirement Assets in Divorce: Avoiding Mistakes, Best Practice, 2015 - Present
- What’s Trending in Illinois Family Law, 2014 - Present
- Domestic Violence Screening in Mediation, 2014 - Present
- National Organization of Bar Counsel Mid-Year Meeting, 2014 - Present
- Military Divorce: Identifying, Obtaining and Introducing Military Financial Practice Succession & Transition, 2014 - Present
- Intro into Legal Research, Solo and Small Firm Conference, 2013 - Present
- Advance Legal Research, Solo and Small Firm Conference, 2013 - Present
- Criminal law Update, Solo and Small Firm Conference, 2013 - Present
- DUI Traffic Law, Solo and Small Firm Conference, 2013 - Present
- Financial Statements, yours and your clients’, Solo and Small Firm Conference, 2013 - Present
- Social Media Email and Digital Evidence, Solo and Small Firm Conference, 2013 - Present
- The Frugal Firm, Solo and Small Firm Conference, 2013 - Present
- The Alphabet Soup of Social Security & Medicare Law, Solo and Small Firm Conference, 2013 - Present
- Federal and State Tax Update, Solo and Small Firm Conference, 2013 - Present
- Speaking to Win: Building Effective Communication Skills, 2013 - Present
- Mediation Training, 2013 - Present
- Volunteer Training for Lawyers Assistance Program, 2013 - Present
- Attorney Ed in Child Custody and Visitation, 2012 - Present
- Parental Alienation: The Research and the Courts, 2012 - Present
- Committee on Legislation Meeting, 2012 - Present
- Managing Personality Disordered Parents, 2012 - Present
- Advance Parenting Coordination Practice: Working More Effectively with Parents and Children, 2012 - Present
- MCLE Certification, 2012 - Present
- Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission Board Seminar, 2011 - Present
- The Big Picture - Advanced Family Law, 2011 - Present
- Alternative Dispute Resolution: Arbitration and Mediation Issues, 2011 - Present
- Elder Law Issues for Everyone: Your Aging Clients, Their Parents and You, 2011 - Present
- Child Law Section Meeting, 2011 - Present
- Elder Care Law Committee / MCLE Meeting, 2011 - Present
- ADR Committee Meeting, 2011 - Present
- Second Chance: The End of Looking Back, 2011 - Present
- AAML: Advance Family Law 2010 Seminar, 2010 - Present
- DCBA Law Practice Management Committee, MCLE Meeting, 2010 - Present
- Pro Bono Basics for Assisting Youth in Need, 2010 - Present
- Advance Mediation Training, 2010 - Present
- The Silent Victims: How Witnessing Domestic Violence Impacts Children’s Development, 2010 - Present
- Teaching Certificate for Divorce and Family Mediation Training, 2010 - Present
Pro Bono Activities
- DuPage County Professional Women's Network, 2008
- Think Tank - Family Advocacy
- Member, Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce, 2005 - Present
- Participant, Law Day Mock Trial, 1999 - Present
- Member, Hinsdale Chamber of Commerce, 1996 - 1998
- Hinsdale Rotary, 1994 - 1996
- Pro Bono Staff Attorney, CASA of DuPage, 1996 - 2000
- Pro Bono Attorney, through DuPage County Legal Aid Office, 1986 - Present
Past Positions
- Kubiesa, Spiroff, Gosselar, Acker & Kern, P.C. , 2001 - 2004
- DuPage County Prosecution of Traffic, Juvenile and Criminal Misdemeanors & Felonies, Assistant States Attorney, 1985 - 1988
- Village of Roselle, Village Prosecutor, 1994 - 2006
- City of Elmhurst Police and Fire Commissioner, 2000 - 2005
- Law Offices of Laura M. Urbik Kern, Hinsdale, Illinois, 1988 - 2001
- Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Committee, Present Hearing Officer, 2001 - 2016
- DuPage County Arbitration Program, Arbitrator, 1990 - 2016
- DuPage County Mediation Program, Mediator, 1995 - 2016
- City of Elmhurst Youth Commission, Commissioner, 1995 - 1996
- Federal Defender Program, Chicago, Illinois, Internship, 1983 - 1984
- California Western School of Law San Diego, California, Research Assistant, 1982 - 1983
Education
- California Western School of Law, San Diego, California, 1984
J.D. - University of Salzburg, Faculty of Law, Salzburg, Austria, 1982
Course Work and Certification in International Legal Studies & Jurisprudence - McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific, Sacramento, California, 1982
- College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph, Minnesota, 1978
B.A.
Major: Government - Immaculate Conception High School, Elmhurst, Illinois, 1975
Fees
Accepts Credit Cards
Articles
Published Works
- Editorial: "Children’s Rights", DuPage County Bar Brief, January, 1994
- Book Review: "Legal Rights of Children", DuPage County Bar Brief, January, 1994
- Chicago Daily Law Bulletin 2007 Law Day Editorial
Office Information
Address
15 Spinning Wheel RdSuite 106 Hinsdale, IL 60521
Phone
Office Hours
8:30am - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday
Websites
Achievements
Honors
- BV Rated by Martindale Hubbell
- Selected by Peers as Leading Lawyer (Top 5% in State in Family Law), 2003 - 2016
- Top 100 Consumer Lawyers by Leading Lawyers
- Top 50 Women Lawyers by Leading Lawyers
- 2003 Pro Bono Award - DuPage County Bar Association Legal Aid
- American Jurisprudence Award, 1984
- Best Appellate Brief Award, 1982
- Special Commendation for Outstanding Performance in Legal Research, Writing and Oral Argument, 1982
- Illinois Collaborative Law Fellow
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