Shelley B. Ballard
Shelley B. Ballard
Shelley B. Ballard is the owner and attorney of Shelley B. Ballard PC, in Chicago and Evanston, where she focuses her practice in adoption law. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys and both Secretary and Treasurer of the Board of the Midwest Adoption Center. Ballard is also a member of the Chicago Bar Association’s Adoption Law Committee and is currently serving as its Chair (2023 – 2024). She graduated magna cum laude from the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering and cum laude from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, where she was elected to the Order of the Coif.
Kirsten Crouse Bays
Kirsten Crouse Bays
Kirsten Crouse Bays, an attorney with Crouse Cobb & Bays, in Charleston, devotes her practice to adoption law. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, a member of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, and a member of the Illinois State Bar Association. Ms. Bays is also an adjunct professor of family law for Eastern Illinois University. She received her B.S. from Eastern Illinois University, her M.S. from Eastern Illinois University, and her J.D. from Washington University.
Victoria Bush-Joseph
Victoria Bush-Joseph
No bio available.
Deborah Crouse Cobb
Deborah Crouse Cobb
Deborah Crouse Cobb is a Partner with Crouse Cobb & Bays, in Collinsville, where she concentrates her practice in adoption and assisted reproduction issues. In addition to agency and private adoptions in the United States, she has significant experience with intercountry adoptions, adoptions involving the Indian Child Welfare Act, and contested adoptions. Ms. Cobb also teaches family law courses for Eastern Illinois University. She is a member the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, the North American Council on Adoptable Children, and the National Indian Child Welfare Association. Ms. Cobb has spoken on adoption-related issues at several Illinois Bar Association family law seminars. She is a member of the Illinois State and Madison County Bar Associations. She received her B.A. from Eastern Illinois University, her M.S. from Sangamon State University (now the University of Illinois Springfield), and her J.D. from Washington University School of Law.
Linda S. Coon
Linda S. Coon
Linda S. Coon is a sole practitioner, in Chicago, and retired Executive Director of the federally funded Families’ and Children’s AIDS Network (FCAN). She is a member of the National Board of Foster Care Alumni of America, a Past Chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Adoption Law Committee, and current Cochair of the CBA’s Adoption Law Legislation Subcommittee. Coon was the recipient of the Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, Advocate of the Year Award (2005). She earned her B.A. from MacMurray College and her J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Genie Miller Gillespie
Genie Miller Gillespie
Genie Miller Gillespie is a Partner with Gillespie Law Group, LLC, in Chicago, where she concentrates her practice in adoption, assisted reproductive technology, and guardianships. She is the Deputy Adoption Director and Past President of the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys. Gillespie is a Recipient of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s Angel in Adoption Award. She is a member of the Chicago Bar Association’s Adoption Law Committee. Gillespie earned her B.A. from Washington University and her J.D. from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law.
Chris S. Haaff
Chris S. Haaff
Chris S. Haaff is the owner of the Law Office of Christopher Haaff, in Crystal Lake, where he focuses his practice on family law. He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and has spoken and written about family law for IICLE^®, the Illinois State Bar Association, and other groups and publications. Haaff earned his B.A. cum laude from Greenville College and his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law.
Michelle M. Hughes
Michelle M. Hughes
Michelle M. Hughesis a Partner in the Law Offices of Michelle M. Hughes, P.C., in Chicago, where she focuses her practice on adoption, arts, and real estate. She is a member of the American Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys and a member of the Chicago Bar Association, where she served on the Adoption Law Committee (Vice Chair 2010, Chair 2011 – 2012). Hughes is also a former board member of the Association of MultiEthnic Americans. She earned her B.A. from the University of Illinois and her J.D. from the University of Chicago School of Law.
Richard A. Lifshitz
Richard A. Lifshitz
Richard A. Lifshitz is the Principal of the law firm of Richard A. Lifshitz LLC, in Chicago, where he practices primarily in adoption. From 1976 through 1978, he was an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Child Abuse Unit of the Juvenile Court. He has been in private practice since 1978. In adoption matters, in addition to representing traditional families, he has represented single parents and gay and lesbian couples. Mr. Lifshitz has been involved in every type of adoption and is a member of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. He has completed approximately 3,000 adoptions during his career. He represented the former adoptive parents in the “Baby Richard” case from 1991 through 1995. Mr. Lifshitz has been selected as an Illinois Super Lawyer repeatedly. He graduated from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri.
Sheila A. Maloney
Sheila A. Maloney
Sheila A. Maloney is a sole practitioner, in Downers Grove, concentrating her practice on adoption and assisted reproductive technology cases. In addition to her adoption practice, she handles residential real estate, probate, and guardianships matters. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys and a Fellow of the American Academy of Assisted Reproductive Technology Attorneys. Maloney is a member of the Chicago and DuPage County Bar Associations. She earned her B.A. summa cum laude from DePaul University and her J.D. from The John Marshall School of Law.
Rosemary S. Mulryan
Rosemary S. Mulryan
No bio available.
Edward J. O'Connell
Edward J. O'Connell
No bio available.
Denise J. Patton
Denise J. Patton
Denise J. Patton is the sole practitioner at the Law Office of Denise J. Patton, in the Village of Lakewood, where she devotes her practice to adoption law, surrogacy, and egg donation. Patton is a member and Past Chair (2002, 2017) of the Chicago Bar Association’s Adoption Law Committee and a Fellow of the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproductive Technology Attorneys since 2002. Patton earned her J.D. from DePaul Law School.
Edmund Ponce de Leon
Edmund Ponce de Leon
No bio available.
Christina M. Schneider
Christina M. Schneider
Christina M. Schneideris Special Assistant General Counsel for the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services, Office of Legal Services, in Chicago. Her work focuses on child welfare, adoption, and guardianship. She is a member of the Chicago Bar Association’s Adoption Law Committee and a Past Chair of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Child Law Committee. Schneider received her B.A. from Columbia College and her J.D. from The John Marshall Law School.

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Adoption Law (Illinois) (ARCHIVED 2011 EDITION & 2013 SUPPLEMENT)

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Shelley B. Ballard

Kirsten Crouse Bays

Victoria Bush-Joseph

Deborah Crouse Cobb

Linda S. Coon

Genie Miller Gillespie

Chris S. Haaff

Michelle M. Hughes

Richard A. Lifshitz

Sheila A. Maloney

Rosemary S. Mulryan

Edward J. O'Connell

Denise J. Patton

Edmund Ponce de Leon

Christina M. Schneider

Adoption Law (Illinois) (ARCHIVED 2011 EDITION & 2013 SUPPLEMENT)