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Michael John Gauthier

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Avvo Rating10
  • Vernon Hills, IL
  • Licensed for 14 years
  • Free consultation
Michael John Gauthier
Michael John Gauthier
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About Michael

Aggressive, assertive and compassionate family law representation

I am a lifelong resident of northern Illinois, having earned my Bachelor of Arts degree from Lake Forest College and my Juris Doctorate from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. I am licensed to practice in the State of Illinois and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and am the recipient of the prestigious CALI Award for his work in Trial Advocacy. I dedicate my practice to family law litigation throughout the courts of Illinois and have represented clients in dozens of appeals before the First and Second Appellate Districts of Illinois as well as the Illinois Supreme Court. 

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Practice areas

FamilyDivorce and separation
  1. Divorce and separation: 90%

    Divorce, division of assets and debts, maintenance (alimony), child support, parenting time (visitation) and allocation of parental responsibilities

    16 years

  2. Family: 10%

    Post-decree (after divorce) custody, support and maintenance modifications and parentage cases

    16 years

Languages spoken

English

Photos and videos

1193448 1489876681

Contact

270 Center Drive
address map

Gauthier Family Law

270 Center Drive
Suite 220
Vernon Hills, IL, 60061

Website
http://www.gauthierfamilylaw.com/About/

Resume

License
StateStatusAcquiredUpdated
ILActive And Authorized To Practice Law200612/06/2020
We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.
Avvo Contributions
Legal answers59
Legal guides0
Awards
Award nameGrantorDate granted
Top 10 Attorneys Under 40National Academy Of Family Law Attorneys2015
Nation's Top One PercentNational Association of Distinguished Counsel2015
BV RatedMartindale-Hubbell2014
Top 40 Lawyers Under 40American Society of Legal Advocates2014
Featured Attorney- DivorceAvvo2013
Top Contributor - DivorceAvvo2013
Certified Small Claims Mediator19th Judicial Circuit2012
Named Member of ABA Advisory PanelAmerican Bar Association2012
Granted Admission7th Circuit Court of Appeals2012
Named to the Trial BarUnited States District Court2012
Certified ArbitratorCircuit Court of Cook County2012
Fastcase50 NomineeFastcase2011
Certified Arbitrator19th Judicial Circuit2011
Dean's Honor ListChicago-Kent College of Law2005
Cali Award for ExcellenceCenter for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction2004
Dean's Honor ListChicago-Kent College of Law2004
Academic Scholar AwardChicago-Kent College of Law2002
Deerpath AwardLake Forest College1996
Work Experience
TitleCompany nameDuration
AttorneyGauthier Family Law2017 - Present
Senior AttorneyLaw Firm of Wendy R. Morgan2010 - 2010
Attorney FounderGauthier & Gooch2010 - 2017
AttorneyWakenight & Associates, P.C.2009 - 2010
AttorneyLaw Offices of Thomas W. Gooch, III2005 - 2009
Associations
Association namePosition nameDuration
United States District Court for the Northern District of IllinoisMember of Trial Bar2012 - Present
7th Circuit Court of AppealsAdmitted to Practice2012 - Present
Volunteer Voter Protection Legal TeamVolunteer Attorney2012 - Present
Lake County Bar AssociationMember2005 - Present
Chicago Bar AssociationMember2005 - Present
American Bar AssociationMember2005 - Present
Illinois State Bar AssociationMember2005 - Present
Libertyville Boys Club FootballHead Football Coach1998 - 2000
Publications
Publication nameTitleDate
Windy City TimesSame-Sex Divorce: When there isn't a happily ever after2015
Lake County Suburban LifeDowntown Sign Prompts Police Visit2014
Cook County RecordRiffner Barber Rowden Sued for Malpractice2014
Chicago Daily Law BulletinOral Contracts Increase Accountants' Exposure to Breach of Duty Claims2013
Illinois Appellate CourtMiller v. Harris2013
Illinois Appellate Court 2nd DistHoch v. Boehme2013
Appellate Court of Illinois, 2nd DistrictTiman v. Ourada2012
Chicago Daily Law BulletinIssues involving multiple cases throughout Chicagoland2011
Huffington Post, New York Daily News, Chicago Sun-Times, London Daily MailMultiple issues in cases in Cook County2011
JezebelMotion to Dismiss2011
Above the LawMotion of the Day2011
Appellate Court, 2nd DistrictChristopherson v. Franklin2011
Illinois State Bar AssociationVoluntary Nonsuit? You'd Better Think Twice (Cited through Kasny v. Coonen & Roth)2010
Illinois Appellate Court, 2nd DistrictKasny v. Coonen & Roth2009
Grand Central PublishingThe Genesis of Justice (contribution)2001
Education
School nameDegreeGraduated
Chicago-Kent College of Law Illinois Institute of TechnologyJ.D.2005
Lake Forest CollegeBA - Bachelor of Arts2000
University of HavanaN/AN/A
Speaking Engagements
Conference nameTitleDate
Appellate Court, Second DistristChristopherson v. Franklin - oral argument of professional malpractice appeal2011
Libertyville High SchoolRacial and Economic Relations in CubaN/A
Legal cases
Case nameOutcome
Katten v. All ProBench Trial
LeRose v. McDonnellSettlement in favor of client
Buffalo v. CitgoSettlement in favor of client
(Plaintiff's name redacted) v. KaraDefendant's full policy limits awarded to client
Miller v. HarrisSettlement in favor of client
Zvertivnev v. Exotic MotorsJury verdict for Defendant
Hunter v. AdcockJudgment for Plaintiff
Dore v. Exotic MotorsJudgment for client
Christopherson v. FranklinSucceeded on Appeal, case remanded to trial court
Christopherson v. FranklinCurrently on appeal and set for oral argument on April 4, 2011
Kasny v. Coonen & RothSee appellate opinion below

Reviews

(49)
5 Star
94%
4 Star
0%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
6%
Review Michael Gauthier

Unicorn of all Lawyers

Posted by

My child custody case was extremely stressful and emotionally exhausting. I had consulted with many lawyers in the Lake County and Mchenry Areas and Mike truly stood out from the rest. I felt respected with the way he spoke to me with understanding and honesty. I felt supported and understood by my attorney. I am so incredibly thankful for the hard work both Mike and Katherine put in for my case. My entire experience with the firm was an absolute pleasure.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Professionalism

Posted by

Excellent experience! I highly recommend using Mr. Gauthier to anyone in need. He is a superstar attorney. Very professional and knowledgeable of family law. He made the process stress free!
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

parenting case

Posted by

Mr Gauthier was a pleasure to work with on my parenting case. He addressed all my concerns promptly.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Highly Recommend

Posted by

Michael Gauthier represented me during my divorce. He was empathic, responsive and quickly reacted to all my questions and concerns. I highly recommend Michael for his experience, knowledge and achieving a positive end result.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Finally a lawyer that actually Cares about my family

Posted by

By chance I discovered Mr. Gauthier’s family law firm on AVVO. His ratings are high, his prices are pretty standard with other attorneys. I knew after my first consultation that he really knows what he is doing and is extremely professional. I told him the father of my son is difficult to contact. He knew exactly who to contact to get him served. While in court, he fought hard for me and my son by not allowing the opposing counsel to walk all over us. He wrote up strict deadlines on our court orders for when things needed to be completed by. He saved me so much time by acting fast. Ultimately this saved me money by not allowing things to go on endlessly with continuances. I value how direct and honest his feedback is. If I ever have a friend that needs help with their family, I would not hesitate to have them call Gauthier Family Law.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

5 stars

Posted by

I rarely write reviews about my experiences with certain companies. However, I felt compelled to write a review about Gauthier Family Law. Earlier this year my marriage was falling apart and I knew a divorce was eminent. I called several attorneys for guidance and was told things would probably not go in my favor. I contacted Mike Gauthier of Gauthier Family Law and he couldn’t have been more professional. He made me feel as though he was concerned about my well-being and put me at ease from day one. I would highly recommend Mike Gauthier of Gauthier Family Law for your legal needs.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Compassionate Excellent Attorney

Posted by

I called Michael Gauthier’s office seeking help with my pending divorce. His office was pleasant and I was able to speak with Mr. Gauthier that next day. When we spoke, he was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. He listened attentively to my needs and answered all of my questions. I never felt judged and he didn’t force me into any one decision. I felt at ease during our call. I had certain goals that I wanted to meet when getting my divorce. Mr. Gauthier listened to those goals and came up with very smart, sensible solutions to meet my needs. He did an amazing job negotiating for me while keeping my goals in mind. Although I am sure Mr. Gauthier is very busy, I always felt important as a client to him and he kept the process moving quickly. He was always accessible and prompt in responding to texts, emails and requests. I am very happy to say that all my goals were met and my divorce was finalized quickly! Mr. Gauthier is absolutely someone you can trust to genuinely care about your needs and advocate for you with successful results.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Highly Recommend

Posted by

Michael represented me during a complex legal separation from my husband. He listened to my situation and successfully handled all of my legal matters and concerns. Michael is knowledgeable, ethical, well-respected, and personable, all of which made my experience a very positive one. If you need an excellent attorney look no further.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Great experience

Posted by

I worked with Mike on my divorce earlier this year. During our consultation he went over how the process works and what to expect for the entire duration. Him and the staff checked in regularly to make sure I am aware of next steps, and they made this a very smooth and quick process. Mike is professional, friendly, and very knowledgeable in his field.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Amazing, results-focused lawyer

Posted by

Mike has been a really important part of my life for a number of months. I won't say he's my friend - he always remains professional - but unlike many lawyers, he actually is looking out for me. He has calmed me down and convinced me to back down a number of times rather than waste valuable time and money. But if the issue was important, he would pursue it without stopping. He's very talented. There were times I'd get edgy but it turns out he knows exactly what he's doing. Mike focuses on results. He focuses on what's best for his client and the client's family. I would recommend him to anyone who may need a lawyer for family law.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney
See all reviews

Attorney endorsements

(51)
Are you an attorney? Endorse this lawyer

Michael Salvi, Litigation Attorney on Oct 5, 2016
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

I endorse this lawyer. Mike is a smart lawyer who fights hard for his clients. Every time I see him arguing a motion I am impressed. The judges respect him because he's prepared and presents his case in a logical, persuasive way. Thus, he wins, a lot.

Marc McCallister, Divorce and separation Attorney on Oct 24, 2015
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer.

John Borcia, Divorce and separation Attorney on Feb 24, 2015
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer.

Jeannie Ridings, Litigation Attorney on Nov 21, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer.

Douglas Borthwick, Personal injury Attorney on Nov 18, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer.

Saam Ghiaasiaan

I endorse this lawyer. Michael is a sharp witted, outside-the-box thinker who brings these attributes to the table for his clients' benefit.

Richard Rosenstein

I endorse this lawyer. Mr. Gauthier is a skilled and respected member of the legal community. He is a zealous advocate for the rights and interests of his clients.

John O'Brien, Divorce and separation Attorney on Jun 4, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

An extremely talented and well respected attorney in the legal community, I wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone looking for a lawyer who knows the law and truly cares about protecting the rights of his clients and getting them the most favorable result possible.

Thomas Gooch, Litigation Attorney on May 2, 2014
Relationship: Co-worker

I endorse this lawyer. I work with him. He's one of the best

Sean Cleary, Divorce and separation Attorney on Apr 24, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer. A brilliant and highly respected attorney in the legal community.

David Carrier, Divorce and separation Attorney on Oct 3, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer.

Martin Osinski

I endorse this lawyer.

Bryce Fetter, Family Attorney on Apr 15, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer.

John Phillips

I endorse Attorney Gauthier. From his answers and time on Avvo, it is clear he is dedicated to serving those in need and his clients. It's rare that lawyers spend so much valuable time helping the community, for free, and I applaud him for doing it to such a great level. Kudos.

Baskin Jones, Family Attorney on May 7, 2012
Relationship: Other

If you need a family law attorney in Illinois, may I suggest Michael John Gauthier.

Jorge Rodriguez, Family Attorney on Apr 22, 2012
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer. Family law questions can be stressful. Attorney Gauthier knows the law and can successfully guide you through your legal situation.

Jon Pettis

I endorse this lawyer.

Michael Duffy

I endorse this lawyer.

Joan Bundy, Family Attorney on Apr 2, 2012
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer. He always has intelligent and helpful things to say in response to questions posed by members of the public on Avvo. I would recommend his work without reservation.

Wesley Hill, Divorce and separation Attorney on Mar 25, 2012
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer.

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