News

10/17/2025 - Preparing Students for Advocacy in Family Law

DePaul Law’s Program of Excellence in Family Law, supported by the Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center, helps students transform classroom learning into real advocacy. With a curriculum that spans legal and policy issues across the private and public sectors, the program combines academic rigor with experiential learning. Students benefit from opportunities such as the Center’s 1L...

07/01/2025 - Welcome DePaul Law’s Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center's Incoming Members 2025-26

​Please join us in congratulating Patrick Ryan (JD ’05) as the incoming chair and Sarah Hawkins as the incoming vice-chair of DePaul Law’s Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center. We’re excited for their vision and leadership as they help advance the mission of the Center!  DePaul Law’s Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center Advisory Board welcomes Jessica Alvarez...

10/21/2024 - DePaul Law Mourns the Passing of Donald C. Schiller (JD ’66)

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Donald C. Schiller (JD ’66). Don was a titan of the Chicago legal community, and his mentorship, professionalism and legal acumen was recognized and admired by generations of attorneys.  Don founded Schiller DuCanto & Fleck in 1981, which he grew into one...

07/08/2024 - Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center 2024-25 Advisory Board Announcements

​​​​DePaul Law is excited to announce the incoming chair of the Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center Advisory Board, Nicole Onorato (JD ‘04), and the incoming vice-chair, Patrick Ryan (JD ’05)!​​DePaul Law’s Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center welcomes our new Advisory Board members: Lucas Godwin (JD ’23), Life Span; Alexandra...

07/03/2023 - Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center 2023-24 Advisory Board Announcements

​​DePaul Law is excited to announce the incoming Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center Advisory Board Chair Danielle Parisi Ruffatto (BA ’01) and incoming Vice-Chair Nicole Onorato (JD ‘04).​​​ DePaul University College of Law’s Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center Advisory Board welcomes Laude Hartrum IV, The Law Offices of Jonathan Merel; Sarah...

12/01/2022 - Student Spotlight: Lucas Godwin

​Lucas Godwin Finds Something Interesting in Every Family Law Case  ​Lucas Godwin (’23) has been actively involved with the Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center throughout his law school career. A Family Law Fellow since his first year, he currently serves as co-president of the Child & Family Law Association (CFLA).  “Lucas’ dedication to the DePaul Law community, to his...

05/10/2022 - Family Law Clinic Clients Find Favor in Divorce Proceedings

​​ The DePaul College of Law Family Law Clinic provides legal assistance with marriage, divorce, invalidity of marriage, legal separation, parentage, and adoption through a partnership with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (“CVLS”). All work in the Family Law Clinic (“Clinic”) is performed under the supervision of Clinic co-directors Profs. Phil Mohr...

07/01/2021 - Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center Advisory Board Annoucements

​​​​DePaul Law is excited to announce the incoming Chair of the Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center Advisory Board, Lisa Nelson (JD '93), and the incoming Vice-Chair, Diana López!​DePaul University College of Law’s Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center Advisory Board welcomes Chidinma Ahukanna, The Law Offices of Jonathan Merel, P.C., Boye Akinwande, Cook County Office of...

02/15/2021 - Domestic Relations Division's Self-Represented Litigants Assistance Program Launched

​​The Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center and the Pro Bono & Community Service Initiative are excited to launch the Domestic Relations Division's Self-Represented Litigants Assistance Program, a brand new remote pro bono project with the Cook County Circuit Court Domestic Relations Division. Starting in February, volunteer law students will be assigned to a...

07/01/2020 - Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center Advisory Board Elections

​​DePaul University College of Law’s Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center Advisory Board welcomes Kelly Bennett, Law Offices of J. Jeltes, Ltd., Marcellus Moore, Jr., The Alliance Law Group, P.C., Danielle Ruffatto, Ascend Justice, Madison Templin, Beermann LLP, Anita Ventrelli, Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP, and Erin Wilson, Law Offices of Erin M. Wilson, P.C., to the board. ...

01/31/2020 - Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center Incoming Chair and Vice-Chair

​​DePaul Law is excited to announce the incoming Chair of the Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center Advisory Board, Brendan J. Hammer (JD '07) , and the incoming Vice-Chair, Lisa Nelson (JD '93)!. Congratulations!

11/07/2019 - Annual Family Law Symposium – The New American Family

While the traditional model of the American family has been evolving over the last century, recent cultural, legislative, and case law changes served as the impetus for the SDF Family Law Center’s annual full day symposium on the 'New American Family'. Through various panel discussions with experts in the field, panelists and attendees explored the values and culture shifts of the former...

11/06/2019 - Judge's Lunch and Learn on Division of Embryos in Family Law Cases

​​​Cook County Domestic Relations Judges were invited to hear Prof. Susan Crokin, the O’Neill Institute Legal Scholar at Georgetown University Law Center, principal of Crockin Law & Policy Group, PLLC, and frequent national speaker on artificial reproductive technology (ART) law, present on the interesting legal topic of embryos division and allocation. Prof. Crokin discussed the legal...

10/25/2019 - The Evolution of Dissolution – Navigating the Shifting Landscape of Divorce

​Although modern-day couples looking to divorce have options ranging from mediation and self-representation to collaborative law and litigation, one thing remains constant; a good divorce, under any process, goes beyond the law to address the social, emotional, psychological needs, goals and interests of each party. The SDF Family Law Center collaborated with Berger Schatz in hosting a thoughtful...

10/25/2019 - Girls in Crisis - Part: II

The SDF Family Law Center partnered with the Illinois State Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Women & the Law in hosting a second seminar on how to help girls combat human trafficking, abuse and neglect, and the juvenile justice system within Illinois. Attendees learned about the roles played by different entities within the child welfare and juvenile justice system; the unique problems...