"I graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1988," says Mark Wakenight, the founder of Wakenight & Associates, P.C., "returned home to the Chicago area, and for the next twelve (12) years was fortunate enough to represent clients in many different areas of law: bankruptcy, criminal defense, human rights, personal injury, property damage, real estate, traffic, license reinstatement, adoption, probate, guardianship, paternity, divorce, etc.

"When the Law Offices of Goldberg & Wakenight opened a second office in Oak Park," Wakenight continues, "I was still handling a large variety of cases, but I began to refine my thinking about what kind of clients I wanted to represent.

"By the time I opened Wakenight & Associates, P.C. in 2001 in Oak Park, it was clear that I was most comfortable representing divorce and family-law clients, and that if I wanted to improve as a lawyer, I had to pursue these areas of law wholeheartedly. I could not hope to become the best possible divorce and family-law attorney I could be, by representing clients with other types of problems.

"As my divorce and family-law business grew, I had more clients than I could handle, and I began to hire like-minded Associates to represent the additional clients. This made the process better still, because now I had colleagues with whom I could exchange ideas, strategies, and information."

"We still get occasional requests to represent clients in other types of cases, but we do not accept any case outside family law," Wakenight says. "All we do is family law, all day, every day. That’s the philosophy behind our company."

The Law Offices of Wakenight & Associates, P.C. remains dedicated to divorce and family law and continues to grow. The firm now has eight (8) excellent, knowledgeable Associate Attorneys serving clients from Law Offices located in three (3) counties: Cook County (Oak Park), DuPage County (Lombard), and Will County (Mokena).

Protecting Your Children and Your Finances

Divorce and family law conflicts can result in heated legal battles over every imaginable issue, from end tables to burial plots, but to the Courts the most important issues are those that have a long lasting impact on the parties, namely, issues involving children and money.

The Courts consider children's issues to be the most important, because the children are innocent and in need of the Court's protection and concern. Financial issues that regard children, such as child support, are the next most important issues for the same reason. The last of the most important issues are the financial issues of property division, debt allocation and maintenance, etc.

The lawyers at Wakenight & Associates, P.C. are ready to protect their clients' every right, especially their rights as to their children and finances. "A knowledgeable and experienced divorce and family-law attorney not only deals with the problems in the present but will always think of the future as well. Children's issues are often modifiable. If new facts warrant a change, you can go back to Court and change orders of custody, visitation, support, etc. Final custody orders, however, can be modified within two years only in extreme circumstances. Some types of orders cannot be modified. Still other orders may or may not be modified. Temporary orders lay the groundwork for the final resolution of the case and are crucial when the issues at stake, such as custody of a child or permanent maintenance payments to your soon-to-be ex-spouse, have long-term implications. You must consider the future to fully appreciate exactly what is at stake right now.

"Cost Benefit Analysis is also crucial. Our attorneys examine the issues in dollar terms and factor in the comparative costs of settlement vs. trial to help our clients decide how to resolve disputes over end tables, over an additional year of maintenance, over buyouts vs. the sale of property, etc. You need to know the numbers to fully appreciate exactly what is at stake right now.

Diffusing the Conflict to Settle your Case

"We get the full spectrum of cases, from those where the issues are simple, the parties reasonable and the final Judgment for Dissolution is entered within two weeks of us being hired to those cases where the fighting and litigation extends the case to trial and continues on for years thereafter.

"The Lawyers at Wakenight & Associates, P.C. help clients diffuse their marital conflicts," explains Wakenight. "Many times the fighting starts before the clients understand the law, know their rights, appreciate future implications, and really know what is at stake.

"There is always disappointment, because the relationship was not what was hoped for. Anger and blame are common. People stop forgiving. People stop compromising. People stop being quiet or listening. People take advantage of each other. The truth is distorted, even lost. Children and other third parties are drawn into the conflict. People become irritable and less agreeable. Problem solving without professional outside assistance becomes difficult."

Wakenight adds that the best way to settle your divorce is to prepare for trial. "Once we have all the ‘facts' – the bank statements, the bills, the appraisals, evaluations of the psychologists, etc. – the emotional responses linked to the legal issues can be diffused and most cases settle once the cold logic of settlement becomes apparent."

A Solid Reputation in the Family-Law Community

"I think I speak for the group when I say that the attorneys in our offices find divorce and family law to be intellectually stimulating and emotionally satisfying," Wakenight says. "You have important contact with clients. You get to draft important pleadings and documents. You get to go to Court. The stakes are high. You get to help people and their children. It is the full lawyer experience. None of us wants to be a real-estate lawyer or a bankruptcy lawyer or any other type of lawyer. We love our work."

The firm's exclusive focus has made the lawyers very confident. "We're very good attorneys. We know our business," concludes Wakenight. "I think our reputation in the Courts is excellent. Judges know when we are on the case that the client has an excellent, knowledgeable, ethical attorney. I can't think of a better starting point than that."

For additional information

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Call the Wakenight Law Office nearest to you.

For a free phone consultation with an attorney
Please call today the office closest to you.

Oak Park Office (Cook County)
(Lake & Harlem)
1144 Lake Street, Suite 206, Oak Park, Illinois 60301
Phone: (708) 848-3159
Fax: (708) 848-3145

Mokena Office (Southern Cook and Will Counties)
(I-80 and LaGrange Rd.)
9405 Bormet Dr., Suite # 5, Mokena, Illinois 60448
Phone: (708) 478-4659 (Cook County) (815) 727-6144 (Will County)
Fax: (708) 478-4544

Lombard Office (DuPage County)
(I-355 and North Ave.)
21 W. 415 North Ave. Suite# 200, Lombard, Illinois 60148
Phone: (630) 629-6268
Fax: (630) 629-6305