Staci Balbirer Distinguished as 40 Under Forty 2023 Honoree by Chicago Lawyer Magazine

09.28.23

Aronberg Goldgehn proudly announces Chicago Lawyer Magazine has selected Staci Balbirer to join the 2023 cohort of 40 Under Forty honorees. Those named to the list are nominated by fellow legal practitioners who believe that their skills, experience and character will set the tone for legal practice in Illinois in the coming decades.

As Co-Chair of Aronberg’s Family Law Group, Staci has been making waves in Chicago’s divorce and family law legal scene, impressing colleagues, opposing counsel and even Illinois Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Rochford with her unruffled and humane approach to emotionally fraught and legally challenging cases.

Staci’s practice focuses on high-stakes family law disputes related to custody, child support, property, pre- and post-nuptials and orders of protection. As mentioned in her 40 Under Forty profile by the recollections of Justice Elizabeth Rochford, Marcy Newman, attorney with Chicago's Newman & Lum and Marny Kravenas, attorney with Chicago's Bielski Chapman, Staci has encountered a wide range of unique situations involving pet custody, parental incarceration, grandparent visitation rights and even an international Hague Convention case involving a mother allegedly smuggling her children across the United States border from Ecuador against the father’s wishes.

Through it all, opposing counsel and colleagues alike commented on her composed demeanor and client-focused practice including:

“I witnessed Ms. Balbirer address complicated issues ranging from domestic violence, to addiction, to support calculations in a way that helped keep tensions to a minimum and achieved outstanding results for her client that also were in the best interests of the children. Ms. Balbirer was able to help her client remain calm and goal centered in the midst of what could have been an overwhelmingly stressful situation. Her ability to soothe rather than inflame inherently tense litigation is a skill that makes her an outstanding family law attorney.” Daniel Bilsky, Attorney at Beermann Law Group
 
“Staci consistently understands how to manage high emotions and stay in control of the case, which can be difficult when there are heightened personalities and complicated family dynamics at play. Maintaining a stable client relationship is very necessary in this field. I never feel that she will be combative; instead, I know she’ll be a good advocate for her client and have respect for everyone in the room.” Grace Rohan, Founder at Rohan Law
 
“Staci’s client-conscious approach to family law is a model to follow. She takes her cases to the best possible results for the clients, yet her approach and process is always driven by reasonableness and equity. She knows when to fight and knows when to settle. […] Staci shines in the courtroom – nothing catches her off guard.” Julie Johnson, Of Counsel at Weiss-Kunz & Oliver
 
Nominators also noted Staci’s extensive involvement in the local and legal community. She takes great pride in working and, in turn, learning from organizations such as the Illinois State Bar Association’s Family Law Section Counsel and Parentage Sub-Committee, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the International Academy of Family Lawyers.

Additionally, Staci is a member in the Lauri S. Bauer Foundation, a charity founded to help those suffering from a sudden loss of a family member. She previously was the co-president of Glencoe Junior Kindergarten during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and is a former member of the Make-A-Wish Illinois Associate Board.

If the 40 Under Forty list is a snapshot of the future of law in Illinois, Staci’s inclusion indicates that the field will continue to value family law practices that addresses the nuances and humanity of all parties.



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