Justia Legal Services & Lawyers Directory

Founded in 1994, the law firm of Sullivan Taylor & Gumina is dedicated to providing compassionate family law services to people throughout Chicago's western suburbs. Our attorneys bring an uncommon diversity of personal and legal experience to our clients' family law matters. As former public defenders, teachers, child advocates, state's attorneys, and therapists, we are able to help people work through the legal, emotional, and financial issues associated with complex family law matters.

Experienced Family Law and Criminal Defense Attorney
You want a strong, capable advocate for your interests in divorce or custody proceedings, but not a lawyer who is indifferent to your anxieties and concerns. My Wheaton, Illinois, law practice is dedicated to compassionate legal counsel while actively pursuing your goals.

Contact me at (630) 221-0100 for a free 30-Minute consultation.

The Law Office of Emily J. Kelly represents men and women throughout DuPage and Kane Counties. I offer knowledgeable representation in all aspects of Illinois family law including, divorce and property division, custody and visitation, child support, alimony, paternity, and modifications to support or custody arrangements.

I am also a proven criminal defense lawyer who you can turn to for effective representation if you have been charged with a crime. I work to protect my clients from the worst consequences of misdemeanor charges, juvenile crimes, and traffic offenses.

Strong Sensible Direction
I consider it my duty to listen to your situation and provide you with information about all of your options so you can make informed decisions. If litigation is necessary or prudent, I will aggressively pursue your best interests in court.

My unique and practical insights into the legal system as a former prosecutor, along with my dedication to individualized service as a sole practitioner, enable me to provide the strong and caring advocacy you deserve. I have practiced since 1989 and remain an ardent student of the law. In fact, I have testified before the Illinois Legislature and authored recently enacted child support legislation.

I Want to Help You — Call My Wheaton Office at (630) 221-0100
For compassionate and capable representation in family law or criminal defense, contact the Law Office of Emily J. Kelly for a free 30-minute initial consultation. My office is conveniently located near the DuPage County Courthouse in Wheaton. For your convenience, I accept Visa and MasterCard.

I am a native Chicagoan, and moved to DuPage County in 1972.

I attended DePaul Law School full-time in the evening, while working for one of the major trust companies in the Chicago Loop. I therefore received extensive training and experience in Estate Planning, Probate and Tax matters, and have practiced in those areas for over 30 years.

My first employment after law school was with a Chicago law firm that specialized in Real Estate and Real Estate Development matters. I worked for them for several years, adding extensive experience in both residential and commercial real estate transactions and commercial real estate development to my legal expertise.

As a private practitioner in DuPage County, I continued practicing in these fields, and added representation of clients in divorce and other domestic and family related matters. I have now represented hundreds of clients relative to dissolution of their marriages. Several judges have also appointed me as Guardian ad-litem or attorney for children in troubled situations or in complex divorce cases.

I feel that my expertise in each of these areas compliment the other. For example, complex divorces often involve real estate or business holdings, with the accompanying valuation and ownership issues. Sometimes, a trust for the benefit of children is appropriate. In doing estate planning, there is often the need to plan appropriately for the second marriage situation. Real estate clients also often need to appropriately plan their estates, and to take title to their home in a manner that is consistent with their ultimate estate desires.

I was admitted to practice in the courts of Illinois in 1971 and the U.S. Federal Court in 1971, and admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court in 1992. I am a member of both the Illinois and DuPage County Bar Associations.

I have been a member of the Kiwanis Club of Glen Ellyn for some years, and am presently the President of the club. As such, I recently accepted, on behalf of our club, the Family Shelter Services Civic Partner of the year award. We work closely with Family Shelter Services and other organizations to provide benefits to children in need.

My primary hobby is the study of history, particularly of the American Civil War period. I am the past president of two Civil War Round Tables (Chicago and Salt Creek, which meets in Glen Ellyn, Illinois), and a member of three Round Tables (Chicago, Salt Creek and Milwaukee). I have also given presentations, on a number of topics, to round tables throughout the midwest.

Our firm takes a team approach to resolving family law matters. By assigning a partner, an associate, and a paralegal to every client, we ensure that there is always someone in the office to answer our clients' questions and resolve legal matters. In addition, if necessary, we employ service counselors, business evaluators, forensic accountants, financial planners, psychiatrists, and psychologists to ensure our clients receive the best possible legal advice and representation possible.

We are strongly committed to building relationships with our clients. We understand that family law matters do not end when a divorce is final. Child custody and child support issues often continue until the children are in college and spousal support matters can continue for a lifetime. Our services go beyond the initial divorce proceeding. We ensure that our clients have the resources to manage divorce settlements, with an eye toward the secure enjoyment of their life.

Debra J. Braselton is an experienced family law attorney with a unique background and a career built around families. Debra's first career was as a certified nurse midwife at a large teaching hospital in Chicago. During her career as a nurse midwife, Debra gained a wealth of knowledge and experience with families, particularly with families in crisis. Debra's clients benefit from her experience and enjoy her unique sensitivity to the personal nature of their family law matters.
Debra handles cases involving divorce, custody, visitation, domestic violence, guardianship, and adoption in Cook, Dupage, Kane, and surrounding counties. She is adept at counseling her clients as to the proper course of action and regularly handles trials, pretrial conferences, evidentiary hearings, and contested motions in her cases. Debra is also a skilled negotiator – as comfortable developing and presenting a complex settlement proposal as she is evaluating and responding to a settlement proposal presented by her opponent. Whether she's handling litigated cases or negotiating settlements, Debra's skills help achieve the best possible results for her clients.
An advocate of alternative dispute resolution in family law matters, Debra was among the first attorneys in Illinois to receive training in collaborative law. Approximately half of Debra’s divorce practice is comprised of collaborative cases, and she is actively involved in the Illinois and international collaborative law professional organizations.
Debra achieves an out-of-court settlement in 95% of her divorce cases, a success rate she attributes to meticulous case preparation, excellent client communication, and a willingness to aggressively try the case when settlement options have been exhausted.
Debra demonstrates her commitment to professional responsibility through her active involvement in local bar associations, not-for-profit divorce educational organizations, and as a hearing officer for the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.