Merel Family Law

I highly recommend Brad Kaye. He is smart, personable, and extremely skilled at strategic planning during the divorce process. He has a deep knowledge of the law and approaches cases thoughtfully and with a clear plan.
Brad also does a great job balancing empathy with honesty. While he understands the personal nature of family law matters, he is realistic about what to expect within the legal system. That honesty and guidance were immensely valuable during this difficult process.

I was referred to Merel Family Law by another attorney, and even though my matter wasnt divorce-related, they supported me in pursuing a plenary Stalking No Contact Order. Finding a trusted attorney on short notice was hard, but Laude Hartman IV was my main point of contact and took my safety seriouslycommunicating clearly and appearing in court within 48 hours. Marleena Broekema was also involved and was professional, prepared, and compassionate throughout. I would highly recommend working with Merel Family Law!

While my divorce was uncontested, it was still a stressful, strung out, round and round process that took years to finalize. I am so thankful I had Jonathan and Marleena on my side through the entire ordeal. The peace of mind, patience, guidance, and insights they provided the entire way was invaluable!

I recommend the Law Offices of Jonathan Merel to anyone going through a divorce!

David Zwaska and his associate Laude Hartrum worked together to fight a post-decree petition from my ex-husband when other attorneys had told me it was a case I couldnt win. I am a Chicago native, who now lives in Arizona, and my case was in Will County. Though Im sure working outside ones home county can bring potential challenges for an attorney, David handled my case and all those involved in my case with finesse and creative expertise as Laude continuously pieced together the information I could provide and communicated with me to prepare for hearings. The turning points in my case were navigated with ingenuity and professional prowess. Both Laude and David have wisdom and experience in family law and have a confident energy and an empathetic ear. Because their presence is not intimidating in a world of litigation that is, communication is more effective and comfortable. After 13 months, they were able to prove that I was in the right and did not owe any of the maintenance I was accused of owing, and now I can close that chapter of my life forever. I highly recommend both David and Laude as a legal team who will respect you as a client and strategize in creative ways to achieve your goals. Kathleen W

Due to personal circumstances, I was referred to Aurelija Fitzpatrick at Merel Family Law from another prestigious law firm. I knew I could trust my Merel team of Aurelija and Paige Ryterski from the initial consult call. They worked exceptionally well together to identify creative strategies for the curve balls that a divorce will undoubtedly throw you. They are confident, timely, and articulate professionals. The divorce process is not easy. They did an incredible job to educate and guide me across the finish line.

I have been very satisfied with my experience with Merel Family Law. Bradley Kaye handled my second go around in family court with my child's father. Every time that I speak to him, Brad is professional, direct, thorough and supportive. I appreciate how well he explains a process or nuance of the law I don't understand. He lays out options and suggestions based on my situation in a way that makes me feel heard - without sugar coating the tough decisions or making false promises.
My child's father and I completed family court with an Agreed Order that was much better than I ever expected. I still utilize Brad's services to help navigate disputes and decisions even though our time in court is complete. It is a comfort to know that his support and expertise is there when I need it.

Marlenna Broekema was my second attorney I had for a child support/child custody matter. Marlenna was amazing and she was easy to contact and very responsive to call and emails. Marlenna was also very personable, knowledgeable and aggressive in regards to my case. Marlenna was able to handle my court proceedings with ease, giving me a favorable outcome. I wish I would have had Marlenna as my first attorney as I know my case would have been handled correctly.

Represented By Attorney Jaclyn DeSana for a family law case. She was always very informative and attentive to my needs and concerns. Communication was phenomenal the entire duration of my case. She made me feel 100% confident in this situation, always thorough and friendly. Her knowledge and dedication resulted in not only a positive experience but also a successful outcome for me. Jaclyn DeSana will always be recommend by me for anyone looking for great legal representation!!

I am truly blessed to have meet the Merel Family Law firm. they help me with my Custody case. Brett Kaplan represented me on this matter, and I have to say he was great. He understood what we needed. He was very professional and friendly and help me thru all this process that was painful and very emotional. Brett was patient and he show me he cared. I am very thankful that I had him by my side. Thank you very much to Jonathan Merel for taking my case thank you very much. Thank you very very much!!!
I would highly recommend them to all my friends and anyone in need
thank you again

When I first considered divorce, I never imagined I would need a lawyer. However, as my ex-husband's behavior became increasingly malicious, it became evident that I required the best representation available. I was highly recommended to the Law Offices of Jonathan Merel, P.C., specifically to Marleena Broekema.

Marleena's dedication, knowledge, and expertise shone through as she handled my case. She took the time to address all my questions and concerns, ensuring I felt informed and empowered every step of the way. During one of the most challenging periods of my life, her compassionate guidance and fierce advocacy made a remarkable difference, leading to the best possible outcome for both me and my child. I wholeheartedly recommend her exceptional legal services to anyone in need. Thank you, Marleena, I am deeply grateful for everything you've done

Upon doing some research I came across the Law Offices of Jonathan Merel and I don't regret my decision on having them work on my case. It was a pleasure to have Melissa and Caroline help me on my divorce, they made the process as easy and smooth as possible for me. Great communication and very professional.

I was referred to Josephine Norton through my fiance. After seeing what she was able to accomplish for her in one month compared to what her previous lawyer couldn't accomplish in one year, I was left speechless!

After speaking to Josephine and hearing how confident she was in taking on my case, it gave me confidence for my case. She was able to get my matter resolved in less than a month and was able to get this father full custody of his son!

Words can't describe how much of an amazing lawyer Josephine is. She is a great asset the Merele Law Group. I would highly recommend her to anyone who needs help and guidance but moreso a lawyer who truly cares and will fight hard for her clients!

If you need a competent, compassionate, and clever lawyer who always has your back then HIRE Melissa Caballero--Dunn. Like her name, everything Melissa did was in pursuit of finalizing my divorce as expeditiously as possible while also being conscientious of the cost. Without Melissa's commitment, my divorce would have dragged on unnecessarily. She guided me through the legal process and did so with empathy. I could contact Melissa at any time of the day, evening, and during her holidays and she always answered with good cheer and support. I highly recommend Melissa Caballero-Dunn and her team at Jonathan Merel to handle this difficult journey!!

Jonathan Merel - Chicago Divorce and Family Law worked on my divorce case. When I started working with them, they immediately identified how to move forward. They are professional, attentive and focused. I felt like this firm fully understood what is important to me and how to get to a final result in the most expedient way. They understand the divorce business and are truly on your side as a partner.

Jonathan's office represented me for several years of an extremely high-conflict case. They helped me finalize my divorce, and then they represented me again when we had to go back to court in a custody fight. I worked with a few of the attorneys over this time; my primary attorney was Brad Kaye. Jonathan, Brad, and the rest of the team handled my case with the utmost dedication, respect, compassion, and care. They are extremely knowledgeable, tenacious, and understanding. They focus on helping people resolve matters between themselves first, but in the event that that is not possible, they do not hesitate to fight on their clients' behalf. I would have been utterly lost without their representation and expertise. If you find yourself in family court, you won't find a better firm to represent you!