Anne P. Schmidt, Esq.

Biography

Attorney Anne E. Schmidt is the founder and owner of The Law Offices of Anne Schmidt, LLC, in Highland Park, Illinois. A highly credentialed and versatile attorney, Ms. Schmidt has more than seven years of legal experience, and she represents the rights and interests of clients throughout the greater Chicago Metro area, Lake County and across the Chicago North Shore who have legal needs involving any of the following:

• Collaborative law and mediation for divorce and other family law challenges
• QDRO, QILDRO and DRO issues (nationwide)*
• ERISA and employee benefits (nationwide)*
• LGBTQ and same-sex marriage matters

Over the course of her legal career, Ms. Schmidt has gained a reputation for delivering experienced, compassionate and professional counsel to those she serves to help them during very difficult and uncertain times in their lives. Highly trained and certified in mediation and collaborative law, she seeks to help her clients resolve their conflicts and reach agreements that will serve their families for years to come without having to resort to costly, stressful and adversarial divorce litigation.

In addition, Ms. Schmidt has a wealth of knowledge and experience involving employee health benefits, retirement plans and other related issues, particularly as it concerns her clients’ divorces. At all turns, Ms. Schmidt wants to ensure her clients experience as little disruption in their lives as possible as they navigate the divorce process but especially in the years that follow. She has earned numerous accolades from her peers along with many positive reviews and referrals from her satisfied clients for her outstanding professionalism and service.

A 1999 graduate of Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, Ms. Schmidt worked in corporate retail and marketing for years before deciding to pursue her legal career. She then attended UIC John Marshall Law School in Chicago, where she obtained her Juris Doctor in 2012. She also earned her Master of Law in Employee Benefits from the school in 2013. Following this, she attended the Center for Conflict Resolution in Chicago, where she received her Certificate in Mediation in 2013.

Since entering private practice, Ms. Schmidt has established herself as a leader in her legal community, and she has published numerous articles involving same-sex marriage issues, employee benefits, health care reform and other subjects. She is also a member of several local, state and national legal organizations, including the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois, The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, and the Family Law and Employee Benefits Sections of the American Bar Association, among others.

Ms. Schmidt volunteers her time and legal services with Prairie State Legal Services and the Metropolitan Family Services division of Legal Aid Chicago.

*outside of the state of Illinois, our drafting is considered consulting, not legal representation

Professional Associations

• Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois
• Illinois State Bar Association
• American Bar Association, Family Law Section, and Employee Benefits Section
• Society for Human Resource Management
• Rush Associates Board
• The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association (LAGBAC)
• Lake County Bar Association
• IACP-International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
• Metropolitan Legal Service

Classes & Seminars

• Adjunct Professor of Employee Benefits, The John Marshall School of Law

Pro-Bono Activities

• Prairie State Legal Aid