January 2009

Gary Schlesinger testified on behalf the Lake County Bar Association Family Law Committee for the public hearing of the Family Law Study Committee established by the Illinois Legislature to recommend changes and revisions to the Illinois Family Law statutes.

On January 27, Michael Strauss will spend the morning in the Lake County courthouse as the court appointed mediator assisting the Judge's in settling the cases. He serve this role again on April 28, 2009.

On January 31, 2009, Gary Schlesinger is participating in a meeting of the ISBA Family Law Section Counsel.

On January 31, 2009, Michael Strauss will be presenting at the University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign, Illinois, on the topics of Family Law and Weathering the Storm in Tough Financial Times.

February 2009

Gary Schlesinger has been invited to speak at the monthly meeting at the Association of Women Attorneys of Lake County. The topic is revisions to Illinois Supreme Court Rules regarding retainer agreements.

March 2009

On March 13, 2009, Gary Schlesinger has been invited to be a speaker at an ISBA family law continuing education seminar in Chicago. The topic is the law regarding frozen embryos in a divorce case.

On March 18, 2009, Gary Schlesinger is teaching a one day course on Illinois divorce law for the Mundelein High School adult education program.

April 2009

On April 28, Michael Strauss will spend the morning in the Lake County courthouse as the court appointed mediator assisting the Judge's in settling the cases.

June 2009

On June 2, Gary Schlesinger will spend the morning in the Lake County courthouse as the court appointed mediator assisting the Judge's in settling the cases.

On June 25, 26, and 27, Gary Schlesinger will attend the annual meeting of the ISBA to include a meeting of the Illinois Family Law Section Council and the Assembly.

August 2009

On August 28th, Gary received notice that he has been named a Super Lawyer for 2010.

September 2009

On September 17, 2009, Michael and Gary will attend a 4 hour continuing education seminar sponsored by the Cook County (Chicago) Family Court on handling high conflict custody cases.

October 2009

Gary was invited to be a speaker at the Illinois Chapter of The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers continuing legal education annual seminar on Columbus Day, 2009. A previous engagement prevented Gary from accepting the invitation.

November 2009

In November, Michael was asked to be on a committee established by the Lake County Court Clerk to investigate and write rules concerning electronic filing of law suits and other papers with the court clerk.

On November 14, 2009, Gary attended a meeting of the Illinois State Bar Association Family Law Section Council.

December 2009

From December 10 through December 12, Gary will attend the mid year meeting of the Illinois State Bar Association. While there, he will attend a meeting of the Family Law Section Council on the 10th, a meeting of the Liaison Committee to the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission on the 11th, and the Biannual Meeting of the Assembly on the 12th.

January 2010

The Illinois Legislature passed and the Governor signed a bill that was initiated by Gary through the Illinois State Bar Association Family Law Section Council. The bill, Senate Bill 100, makes it easier for child support recipients to collect the penalty from employers who fail to withhold child support after receiving notice to do so. This change is effective January 1, 2010.

Similarly, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed House bill 2266 which Gary initiated through the Section Council. This bill expands the definition of visitation to include parenting time and joint custody for civil enforcement and criminal prosecution of unlawful interference with parenting time by the other parent. This was effective August 25, 2009.

March 2010

Gary was asked to be a speaker at an Illinois State Bar Association Family Law Seminar on March 4, 2010.