Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck is excited to welcome home Kimberly A. Cook, who is returning to SDF as a Partner to further expand the firm's footprint in Alternative Dispute Resolution, specifically in the realm of mediation services.
"We are delighted that Kimberly chose to come back to SDF," said Meighan Harmon, the firm's Managing Partner. "She brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the firm and her return marks an exciting new chapter for Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck. Kimberly's energy, creativity, and commitment to excellence align perfectly with our values, and we are enthusiastic about the positive impact the relationship will have on our practice and the community at large."
Ms. Cook is graduate of Spelman College who received her J.D. at the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, in Washington D.C. in 2006. Admitted to the Bar in both Illinois and Maryland, she began her legal career at the Lewis Law Firm in Washington D.C. before moving to Schiller in 2008 and rising to Partner in 2015. Ms. Cook left Schiller at the end of 2020 to open her own private mediation practice, Dovetail Conflict Resolution, where she successfully resolved hundreds of cases for her clients and where she started the popular Grown Girl Divorce podcast.
"I'm excited to return to SDF, which provided me with such a strong foundation for my legal career," Ms. Cook said. "The people in the firm have always been like family to me, and when the opportunity presented itself to foster a movement forward in family law, focused on innovation and representation, I knew that re-joining the firm was the right decision."
Over the past decade, SDF has aggressively expanded its Alternative Dispute Resolution practice group with several Collaboratively trained lawyers, an AAML trained Arbitrator and multiple certified mediators. Ms. Cook will further expand that ADR practice by continuing to serve as a Mediator, as well as working individually with clients navigating the divorce process.
Ms. Cook will also focus on the training and development of young attorneys in the family law area. "My return to SDF is not, for me, just about my own professional development. It's about my ability to mentor and cultivate the next generation of family lawyers in a greater way. I have had the benefit and privilege of unparalleled experiences, exposure, and opportunities throughout my career. I feel a great sense of responsibility to make sure that the next generation can say the same."
Ms. Cook will continue to serve as host of the Grown Girl Divorce podcast as well as maintaining her professional relationships with DePaul Law School and the UIC Law School. Ms. Cook is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and a member of the Black Women Lawyer's Association, the Economic Club of Chicago, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and Jack and Jill of America, Inc.