LIBERTYVILLE, ILL. (PRWEB) FEBRUARY 27, 2018
Congratulations to Deerfield resident Michael S. Strauss on receiving Lake County Bar Association's 2018 Access to Justice Award. This award is presented to the Lake County Bar Association member who has provided or supported legal services to low-income clients, and who has made a particularly significant or meaningful contribution to the provision of low-income legal services. Michael will be presented the Access to Justice Award March 9, 2018 at the Lake County Bar Association’s 2018 Access to Justice Awards Luncheon. The award luncheon will be held at the Glen Flora Country Club, 2200 N. Sheridan Rd, Waukegan. Please contact Virginia Elliott, Lake County Bar Association at 847-244-3143 or email her at info(at)lakebar(dot)org for more information.
In addition to providing Family Law legal services to low-income clients in Lake County, Michael is the vice president on the Board of A Safe Place, an organization located in Lake County that is dedicated to helping victims of domestic violence and their families. A Safe Place has comprehensive services for victims of domestic violence including a 24 hour emergency crisis line, emergency shelter, housing, intervention, education, and counseling. Schlesinger & Strauss, LLC is a proud sponsor of the Safe Place annual 5K Empower Run held every Spring. His wife, Cari, is the Chair of the annual 5k. The annual fundraising event raises domestic violence awareness and the proceeds help the organization to provide services to survivors of domestic violence and their children.
Michael S. Strauss is a partner at Schlesinger & Strauss, LLC. He earned his Bachelor of Science and Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign. Michael joined the Law Office of Gary L. Schlesinger in March 2006, and became a partner September 1, 2010, with the formation of Schlesinger & Strauss, LLC. Michael practices family law exclusively. He handles a wide range of family law matters, including complex divorce and child custody issues, visitation and parenting time, child support, and paternity. Michael also serves as a mediator and as a Child Representative and Guardian Ad Litem. He is approved by the judges of the 19th Judicial Circuit to be a mediator in child related cases.
Michael is a frequent guest speaker at various Family Law workshops and conferences and he recently presented at an event sponsored by The Lilac Tree on the New Illinois Child Support and Parenting Laws. The workshop topic focused on the new Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act and the terms “Custody and Visitation” that are now eliminated from Illinois divorce law. Michael is often a speaker at the Lake County Family Law annual conferences. He also annually presents at the Illinois College of Law Student & Alumni annual conference on issues of family law and small law firm practice. Michael was one of the co-editors of the Lake County legal publication, The Docket.
Michael was an elected member of the Illinois State Bar Association Assembly and was appointed by the Illinois State Bar Association to the Family Law Section Council and was formerly a member of the Child Law Section Council. He is currently the Secretary of the Family Law Section Council. He will be the Vice-Chair in 2018-2019 and then the Chair of the Council in 2019-2020. He was recently asked by the legislative director of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) to testify before a legislative committee of the Illinois House of Representatives concerning a proposed amendment to the statute dealing with what was called ‘custody’ and is now is called an ‘allocation of parental responsibility.' He testified in February before the committee of the Illinois House of Representatives on House Bill 4113 that deals with the best interest of the child concerning parenting time with each parent.
Michael was named a Rising Star in the area of Family Law by Super Lawyers Magazine in 2014 – 2017, a designation reserved for the top 2.5% of all Illinois attorneys under 40 and recently, Michael was named a Super Lawyer in 2018, an honor reserved for only 5% of attorneys in Illinois. The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin/Chicago Lawyer Magazine recognized Michael as one of the most talented up and coming young lawyers in Illinois, with his selection to the 40 Under Forty 2014 list. Michel is awarded a “Superb” 10.0 and “Clients’ Choice” Family Law AVVO rating, which are earned based on peer and client reviews. Michael, is a Deerfield resident and serves as the Director of Umpires for the Deerfield Youth Baseball Association since 2015.