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Kelly T. Bennett
Kelly Thames Bennett is an attorney and partner at the Law Offices of J. Jeltes, Ltd. Kelly practices in the areas of divorce and family law, minor and adult guardianship, adoption, and decedent’s administration in Cook County, DuPage County, Will County, and Lake County. She was the 2019-2020 Chair for the Standing Committee on Women and the Law of the Illinois State Bar Association. She currently serves on the Board of the Schiller DuCanto and Fleck Family Law Center at DePaul University College of Law where she received her Juris Doctorate degree. Kelly volunteers pro bono legal service through Chicago Volunteer Legal Services and the American Bar Association Free Legal Answers program.
Katie Twardak
Katie joined Tomasik Kotin Kasserman, LLC as a trial attorney in 2019 where she practices in all areas of personal injury law. Katie was selected as an Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2017, 2018, and 2020 - 2022, a distinction that is limited to fewer than 2.5% of attorneys in Illinois. Katie received her bachelor’s degree from Boston College in 2006, her master’s in education from Dominican University in 2009, and her law degree from Loyola in 2014. When not at the office, Katie serves as a member of the Leader Council at Mercy Home for Boys & Girls and also mentors youth at Mercy Home through its tutoring program. Katoe attended Loyola University Chicago where she received her Juris Doctorate degree and Dominican Univerisity where she received her Masters in Education.
Genesis Hernandez
Genesis Hernandez graduated from the Honors College at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2018. In 2021, she received her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law, where she was a Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Fellow. Genesis concentrates her practice in all areas of family and matrimonial law. Prior to Judge Diana López’s judicial appointment, Genesis served as her law clerk at López Law Group. She then clerked at Kogut & Wilson, where she continues to work as an associate attorney. In her multiple capacities, Genesis has gained considerable knowledge of the firm’s clients and the inner workings of the family law field. With experience as a judicial extern for the Ret. Hon. Mark Lopez and assistance with Guardian ad Litem and adoption cases, Orders of Protection and many aspects of family law, Genesis is readily equipped to provide solutions to complex and sensitive family law matters. As a fluent Spanish speaker, she guides Spanish-speaking clients through their pressing issues. Genesis is also the chair of the HLAI (Serving the Hispanic Lawyers of Illinois) Young Lawyers Committee.
Rebecca Berlin Melzer
Rebecca Berlin-Melzer is the founder of Berlin Melzer Law LLC. She represents individuals in all aspects of family and matrimonial law proceedings. Rebecca has almost twenty years’ experience in the field, starting as a clerk for the Chief Judge of Domestic Relations in Cook County. After working at one of the largest family law firms and being the managing partner at a small family law firm, Rebecca founded Berlin Melzer Law LLC to give clients big firm experience, with small firm attention. While experienced in litigation and appellate advocacy, Rebecca approaches cases with an eye toward creative settlement. Rebecca received her mediation training from Northwestern University and is a Collaborative Law attorney. Beyond the practice of law, Rebecca had dedicated her time and efforts to help the community at large, including through her service on the Executive Board of a local domestic violence agency and volunteering through Chicago Volunteer Legal Services. Rebecca is also an adjunct faculty member at DePaul College of Law. Berlin Melzer Law as firm has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 2017 and Rebecca has been recognized by Super Lawyers since 2012.
Erin M. Wilson
Erin M. Wilson has been a licensed attorney since 2008, always practicing in family law, and in 2019, opened her own practice. The Law Office of Erin M Wilson LLC offers services in family law litigation, mediation, parenting coordination and as a child representative & GAL. Erin received her Juris Doctorate degree from DePaul University College of Law and BA from Michigan State University. Beyond advocating for her clients, Erin is active in the legal community including in the Illinois State Bar Association, the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, and Decalogue Society. She is also on parent committees at her children's school.
Kenyatta Beverly
Kenyatta Beverly is Labor and Employment Counsel for The Davey Tree Expert Company (“Davey”), one of the largest employee-owned companies in the U.S. Kenyatta has practiced law in both the public and private sectors for 12 years. She has served as the Director of Labor Relations for a Chicago charter school network, as Labor Relations Counsel for the State of Illinois, as an Administrative Law Judge at the Illinois Labor Relations Board, and as an associate attorney at Rooney Rippie & Ratnaswamy LLP and Mayer Brown LLP. Kenyatta is the President of the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. (“BWLA”) and a member of the BWLA Scholarship Fund Board. Kenyatta has been an active member of BWLA since 2010, and she has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors in multiple capacities. Kenyatta received her B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and earned her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Kenyatta is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is also an avid fisherwoman, enjoys weightlifting, has a green thumb, and often struggles to bake.
Dina Ninfo
Dina Ninfo works as Personnel Counsel with the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, Office of Legal Services, concentrating in employment law. She received her J.D. from The John Marshall Law School and a B.S. from John Carroll University. Dina is involved in a number of women's advocacy organizations where she works towards the advancement of intersectional feminism. Dina sits on the Board of the Chicago Chapter of the National Organization of Women ("CNOW") and also serves as the current CNOW PAC President. Dina sits on the WINGS Metro Associate Council, an organization that provides a continuum of integrated services in an effort to end domestic violence. Dina is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association ("ISBA") General Assembly and sits on the ISBA Standing Committee on Women and the Law. Dina is a former Officer of the Women's Bar Association of Illinois ("WBAI") and currently serves as a WBAI Legislative Co-Chair.
Katie Liss
Kathryn C. Liss (Katie) is the Assistant Dean, Director of Law Career Services and Executive Director of the Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center at DePaul University College of Law. She received her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law and B.S. from Miami University (Ohio). Prior to her current position, Katie practiced solely in domestic relations for over ten years. Katie remains actively involved in the Chicago Bar Association as its incoming Second Vice President and has served as Past-Chair of the CBA's Young Lawyers Section as well as founded the CBA’s Anti-Human Trafficking Committee and Task Force on Sexual Harassment and Assault. Katie also supports the Chicago Bar Foundation and mentors undergraduate pre-law students through Miami University's Pre-Law Alumni Advisory Board.
Whitney Siehl
Whitney K. Siehl is a Plaintiffs’ attorney focused on complex class actions at Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, LLP. Her notable cases include representing survivors of sexual abuse and harassment including survivors of Harvey Weinstein and USC gynecologist Dr. George Tyndall. She received her J.D., cum laude, from The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law and her B.A. from Northwestern University. At Northwestern, she was a member of the women’s golf team. Whitney chairs the annual golf outing for the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois (“WBAI”), and has served on the board of the WBAI since 2017, and as an Officer since 2019. She also served on the Professional Board of no-kill animal shelter PAWS Chicago and as a member of the Team PAWS marathon fundraising team. She previously received an Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Service from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for her dedication to representing underserved individuals and was recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star since 2019.
Lindsay B. Coleman
Lindsay B. Coleman is the founding owner and principle attorney of Coleman Law, P.C. Lindsay practices law in the areas of domestic relations and criminal law in Cook County and Lake County. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, she received her Juris Doctorate degree from University of Missouri – Columbia School of Law and BA from Miami University. Lindsay is a certified mediator, Guardian Ad Litem/Child Representative, and a Collaborative Law Fellow. In addition to practicing law, Lindsay serves on a handful of board of directors and volunteers her time on pro bono legal services and with charitable work close to her heart. Lindsay recently published an article with regard to sexual misconduct in the workplace. Read it here.
Tracey L. Schroeder
Tracey L. Schroeder is an associate attorney specializing in health care law. She previously practiced in several areas including condemnation, personal injury, contract disputes, insurance defense, property rights and government regulation and licensing. Prior to her return to the practice of law, Tracey spent 20 years working in public relations, communications and marketing in Chicago. She has worked for both for-profit and non-profit organizations, including Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, the American Board of Medical Specialties and, most recently, the Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund.
As a dedicated member of the WBAI, Tracey serves as a WBAI Director and also serves on several WBAI Committees, including Annual Dinner, Judicial Reception, Annual Golf Outing, and Newsletter Committee, where she serves as editor in chief of the WBAI Newsletter. Tracey earned her undergraduate degree from Miami University, her MBA from Dominican University and her JD at the John Marshall Law School.
Megan Lopp Mathias
Megan Lopp Mathias is a fierce advocate and legal counsel for entrepreneurs, middle market businesses and legal departments for large companies. Megan founded Lopp Mathias Law on principles of grit, strength and utilization of technology to create efficiencies and provide return on investment feedback to corporate clients. She has a long history of community involvement including sitting on the Board of various prominent organizations including the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago (whose mission is empowering women and eliminating racism), LifeSpan (fighting domestic violence and human trafficking), and the Coalition of Womens' Initiatives in Law. Megan has been recognized for her service to women and received the Alta May Hulett Award from Chicago Bar Association's Alliance for Women and the National Woman of Achievement Award from WIM and 2018 Woman of the Year award from WeWill. Megan was recently interviewed on the Solving#MeToo Podcast here.
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Shannon Stokes
Shannon received her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana in 1996. She graduated from DePaul University College of Law with her J.D. in 1999 and LL.M. in 2005. Shannon is currently the Interim Deputy General Counsel and Ethics Officer for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. She develops and manages ethics and compliance programs for this $26 billion agency, its 2,200-employee headcount, and its boards and commissions. Shannon also manages all department personnel litigation and discrimination complaints while managing administrative and attorney staff for the Office of General Counsel (OGC). Shannon oversees OGC’s Bureau of Administrative Hearings, Freedom of Information Act, Procurement, and Division of Child Support sections as well as co-chairs the department’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Internal Workgroup. Shannon has trained approximately 500 department employees on diversity and unconscious bias and she’s drafted the department’s diversity, equity, and inclusion interview question for all titles.
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