Each year, students at the Depaul University College of Law partner with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CVLS) to represent low-income clients in divorce and adoption cases. Deputy Director Phillip Mohr and Supervising Attorney Robert Zielinski co-teach DePaul’s Family Law Clinic, which puts students through both lecture and practice components.
Under the supervision of Phil and Rob, second and third-year law students communicate with CVLS clients, draft pleadings, and attend court dates as soon as they are eligible to practice under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 711. The Clinic served 35 clients during the 2024-2025 academic year. Below are some of the highlights:
- Marie Boltz (3L) represented D., a survivor of domestic violence, in a divorce matter. Marie appeared for the client in both domestic violence court and family law court. Thanks to Marie, the client was able to divorce her abusive partner and was awarded primary care of their child and child support.
- Rayna Klatt (3L) helped Jamie get divorced after his wife had left him shortly after their marriage. Unable to locate the wife after diligently searching for her, Rayna sought leave of court to perform publication service. Rayna handled the final hearing, eliciting the necessary testimony from her client to finalize the case.
- Erica Wilson (3L) filed an adult adoption case on behalf of a mother and stepfather who wished to adopt their 18-year-old son. Erica prepared the appropriate paperwork, appeared in court on behalf of the clients, and quickly and efficiently secured an adoption judgment.
- America Salgado-Dominguez (3L) represented a Spanish-speaking senior client seeking a divorce. She counseled the client on the pros and cons of getting divorced at her age. When the client confirmed she was ready to proceed, America filed the case, attended court, and got her client much-needed closure.
- Jennifer Tenghea (2L) represented Alejandro, a Spanish-speaking client, who was in agreement with his wife to finalize their divorce. Jenny drafted a marital settlement agreement for the parties to review and sign. At the final hearing, Jenny questioned both parties to establish the necessary findings for divorce.
- Katie Athey (2L) handled a complex case involving service on an individual living in a foreign country. Katie’s client and the client’s four-year-old child were abandoned by the husband. Knowing the wife was in need of financial support, Katie performed valuable legal research to have the husband served. That case remains ongoing, but thanks to Katie’s efforts, CVLS is one step closer to resolution.
- Elyse Jost (3L) represented M., the wife in a divorce involving multiple children and financial issues. She was able to negotiate a full agreement and impressively kept her resolve in front of a difficult judge. Despite multiple court dates and a final hearing that lasted over two hours, Elyse achieved her client’s goals, which included divorce, primary care of her children, and financial support.