Alumna and family law attorney Colleen Hurley (left) speaks with second-year student Candace Watkins about her interest in pursuing a career in family law. Family
law attorney and alumna Colleen Hurley (JD ’14) presented on
interpreting the newly revised Illinois Parentage Act during a lunch-and-learn event sponsored by the
Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center.
Hurley explained many
of the changes found in the new act’s provisions by
contrasting them with the language in the former law. While Hurley
acknowledges that there are still uncertainties when deciphering the
statute, she has developed a firm understanding of how to utilize the
new revisions.
Hurley based her talk on her experiences as an associate at the family law firm of
Wakenight & Associates, PC. She covered areas ranging from how
one would establish paternity to how a legally recognized parent
would construct a parenting plan, and the relevance of attorneys in
developing these plans. Along with providing real-world anecdotes
about life as an attorney, she helped attendees expand their own
understanding of the act by allowing them to review a Cook County
order that laid out the formation of a parenting time allocation
judgment.
After the presentation, Hurley answered questions about the practice of
family law and how to break into the field.