The Law Office of Gretchen E. Fisher
The Law Office of Gretchen E. Fisher
The Law Office of Gretchen E. Fisher currently handles divorce, paternity, and child support cases, as well as post-decree litigation (modification and enforcement of Judgments) in those areas.
Gretchen has been trained as a mediator and mediates all types of family law cases. She has been approved by the Circuit Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, Lake County, Illinois for appointments by the Court to mediate, but also handles mediations as requested by individuals and upon referral by attorneys.
She is frequently appointed to represent children in litigation as either the Guardian ad Litem or Child’s Representative.
Gretchen also handles collaborative divorce cases and is a Fellow of the Collaborative Divorce Institute.
Gretchen obtained her Bachelor’s Degree from Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa. She returned to her home state of Kansas to complete her law degree at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Upon graduation, Gretchen took the Illinois bar examination in preparation for her legal career in this state.
Gretchen is a member of the Lake County and Illinois State Bar Associations as well as the Association of Women Attorneys of Lake County. Gretchen is currently a member of the Lake County Bar Association Family Law Committee, and has previously served on other committees of that Association.
Gretchen’s service to the Illinois State Bar Association includes four terms on the Assembly or governing body of the Association. She has been awarded the John C. McAndrews Pro Bono Service Award by the ISBA.
I believe that an attorney has two jobs when representing someone in his or her divorce. The first is obvious. The attorney must provide the client with adequate and accurate legal advice, zealously advocate before the Court on the client’s behalf and have the knowledge necessary to obtain for the client everything to which the client is entitled under the law. Less obvious, but just as important, however, the attorney must help the client manage the stresses of the litigation or process and help the client prepare for life after the case is completed.
I have found that by putting as much effort into the latter goal, my clients are able to make better decisions, with more foresight, during, and are able to be more independent after, the litigation or legal process. I insist that my client be my partner throughout the case. I keep my client informed of the process and explain the situation and my client’s options at every turn. I ask that my client participate in this process as well by gathering the information he or she can gather and making the decisions that will affect him or her long-term. This team approach does not appeal to every individual, and I would be the first to say that I am not the right attorney for every client.
For those individuals who want to be productively involved in their legal process, which will so profoundly affect their future, however, I would very much like to be of service.
