Enjoy This Holiday Season Despite Your Divorce Divorces can be tough on families with children, but it is especially difficult during the holiday season. The holidays are often a cornerstone of family bonding and tradition, and it can be extremely hard to navigate...
Year: 2016
DFCS and UI Springfield Collaborate to Create the Child Protection Training Academy
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is partnering with the University of Illinois Springfield to create an unprecedented new training program called the Child Protection Training Academy (CPTA). The Academy is one of the first of its kind in the...
Illinois Hairdressers Trained to Recognize Domestic Abuse
In August of this year, Illinois became the first state in the U.S. to pass a law mandating that hairdressers receive training to recognize signs of domestic abuse in their clients. Signed by Governor Bruce Rauner, this law will take effect on January 1st, 2017....
“Polished Man” Campaign a Worthy Cause
Across social media this October, celebrities have been posting pictures of themselves with one fingernail painted as part of the “Polished Man” campaign. The movement was started by Elliot Costello, CEO of Australian non-profit organization YGAP. Costello was...
The Brangelina Break-up
It’s been a tough year for Hollywood marriages, and now another celebrity partnership has come to an end. Power couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt reportedly separated on September 15, after just a little over two years of marriage. Jolie filed for divorce, citing...
Joch the Support Dog Helps Victims of Child Abuse
Child abuse victims in Bloomington, Illinois have a new friend to provide love and comfort. Joch (pronounced Jock) is a two-year-old black Labrador and is the first support dog to come to McLean County. He was trained in the Support Dogs Inc. program, based in St....
Chicago Attorney Michael Ian Bender Named Among 10 Best in Illinois for 2016
The Litigation, Lawsuits & Disputes Division of the American Institute of Legal Counsel (AIOLC) has recognized the exceptional performance of Chicago attorney Michael Ian Bender as one of Illinois’ “Top 10 Attorneys and Firms” for client satisfaction in 2016. The...
Love Essentially: New laws aim to make divorce easier
By Jackie Philossoph This article originally ran online in the Chicago Tribune. It appeared in print on February 18. Most people who have been through a divorce will tell you that the process can be long, and that months or sometimes even years spent in litigation...
Domestic relations law change critical to children
This article by Michael Ian Bender on child related domestic relations law, originally appeared in the Illinois State Bar Association’s Bench & Bar Newsletter, Vol. 46 #4, December 2015. Click the icon below to read the full article.