We have not found any cost information for this lawyer
William McSurley
also known as Bill McSurley
About William
Biography
Aggressive litigation, strategic negotiation.
Mr. McSurley's courtroom successes have impacted families from Illinois to California, reuniting children with their parents. His tireless efforts in all areas of family law have won challenging cases to keep children safe. Such cases center on custody, and have frequently resulted in him expeditiously securing emergency orders of protection, safeguarding children from abuse.
Mr. McSurley graduated at the top of his class at University of Illinois, Chicago, first earning the summa cum laude distinction with his bachelor's degree and later magna cum laude with his Juris Doctorate from the university's College of Law. He earned Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society's distinctive gold key and was voted president of the law school's Family Law Society. Mr. McSurley excelled as a member of the Family Advocacy Clinic, where he passionately represented parents and children. His stellar work in abuse and neglect proceedings eventually earned him a leadership role, mentoring law students in emotionally charged child-centered litigation.
Mr. McSurley's intellectual rigor and work ethic earned him coveted internships with judges across the nation, allowing him to develop keen insight into their decision-making process. In law school he won a prestigious internship with the U.S. Department of Justice and drafted decisions for the judges of the Executive Office of Immigration Review. He also interned with the judges of the Juvenile Court of Denver, Colorado and the family law division of the Circuit Court of Will County, Illinois.
As a judicial intern with the family law division of Will County, Mr. McSurley aided judges and worked closely with Judge Dinah L. Archambeault throughout all stages of divorce and custody proceedings.
Practice Areas
6
Practice Areas
Fees and Rates
Looking for an attorney? Avvo can help.
Search our directory
Quickly connect with top attorneys through our legal directory to get help with your legal issue.
Avvo's live chat agents can help coordinate a consultation with a local attorney.
Chat with a live agent who can match you with the right attorney for your legal needs.
Chat withLicenses
Licensed in Illinois for 13 years
State: Illinois
Acquired: 2012
No misconduct found
Location
Merel Family Law, P.C.
440 West Randolph Street, 5th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60606
Gallery
Ad
Transform legal challenges into solutions.
Connect now to review your situation.
William McSurley's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
25 Client Reviews
Filter Avvo Reviews (25)
Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.
Practice Areas
Showing 1 - 5 of 9 reviews | Professionalism
Posted by Teresa | March 13, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody
Highly Recommend: William McSurley – Professional, Dedicated and Results-Driven
I highly recommend William for anyone needing a skilled and dedicated attorney. He has extensive expertise in Child Custody/Divorce and brought knowledge and strategic insight to my case that other attorneys were lacking. William is organized, communicative, and solution-focused, making complex l...
Posted by anonymous | August 10, 2022 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody
Highly-skilled and competent
"Highly-skilled and competent representation," Bill McSurley I'm very pleased with the end results. The challenges that we faced to bring this case on level ground was no easy task. Because of your hard work, dedication and commitment, Today I stand on solid ground. Nothing brings more unspeakable j...
Posted by anonymous | May 19, 2022 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes
Child custody
William help guide me through a difficult case. He was always available and gave me the direction and advise I needed.
Posted by Reshon | May 13, 2021 | Child Custody
Highly recommended!
William is an attorney that honors his word. I retained William for a custody case and he began working immediately. He took a case that was seemingly unfavorable to me in the beginning and turned it around, completely! His calming demeanor and professionalism were added bonuses in addition to him be...
William McSurley
Replied last May 13, 2021Thank you, Reshon. You had a difficult case; but, you listened well, worked hard, and did everything I told you to do so that we could get the outcome that you wanted -- and it we got it! Again, congratulations. It was a pleasure to work with you and I wish you and your family all the best in the future.
Posted by Lizette | January 23, 2019 | Hired Attorney | Family
Phenomenal!
William is such a great lawyer and very professional. There are not enough words to describe how greatful I am for everything he has done for me and my son. William has been fighting by my side for about 3 years now and he has done nothing but deliver amazing results. There is honestly no other lawy...
William McSurley's Lawyer Endorsements
"I endorse this lawyer."
Tina Abramovitch
Unknown lawyer
Brian Reidy
Divorce and separation lawyer
Experience
Honors
2017
10 Best Family Law Attorneys, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys
2016
"10 Best" Family Law Attorneys for Client Satisfaction, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys
Work Experience
2018 - Present
Family Law Attorney, Weiman Silberman, LLC
2015 - 2018
Attorney, Badesch Abramovitch, L.L.C.
2014 - 2015
Attorney, Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving
2013 - 2014
Attorney, LeVine, Wittenberg, Shugan & Schatz
2012 - 2012
Judicial Intern, Circuit Court Of The Twelfth Judicial Circuit, Will County, Illinois
2011 - 2011
Judicial Intern, Denver Juvenile Court
2011 - 2011
Summer Law Intern, United States Department of Justice
Associations
2012 - Present
Chicago Bar AssociationAttorney Member
2012 - Present
Illinois State Bar AssociationAttorney Member
2012 - Present
Will County Bar AssociationAttorney Member
Education
2012
University of Illinois College of Law
JD - Juris Doctor (magna cum laude)
2009
University of Illinois, Chicago
BA - Bachelor of Arts (summa cum laude)
Languages
English
Activity
Legal Answers
Legal Guides
Legal Answers
Q&A
How do I vacate guardianship papers in Randolph county Illinois?
19 Feb 2020
Q&A
Guardianship ?
02 Dec 2019
Q&A
Can a biological mother terminate my guardianship after 3 years?
17 Oct 2019