We help guide you through a difficult process consistent with your particular needs.
Marcy Kott is a smart, concise and direct family law attorney, moving clients from start to finish with a keen eye for efficiency and success.”
As Principal Attorney at Berger Schatz, Marcy represents clients in a variety of marital dissolution cases involving complex financial issues, corporate valuations, non-marital asset protection, spousal support issues, child custody and child support disputes, visitation, relocation and international child abduction matters involving the Hague Convention. In addition to divorce cases, she has broad experience representing clients in matters involving pre-marital and post-marital agreements, same-sex marriages, adoption, complex parentage and assisted reproduction agreements.
Marcy understands that lawyers should be solving problems, not creating them. Clients need representation where they feel seen — someone who will cut through extraneous noise to get them the best result.
A certified divorce mediator and a Fellow of the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois, Marcy is adept in both alternative dispute resolution and litigation, and she is committed to utilizing the technique best suited to meeting her clients’ goals. Her flexible approach and practical orientation have enabled her to craft creative solutions to the most challenging cases.
Approach
With a unique and ultimately effective blend of fair-minded excellence, pragmatism and deep empathy, Marcy provides her clients with the tools and counsel to make them stronger and more capable.
Balancing efficiency and affability, she is adept in both alternative dispute resolution and litigation, striving to settle outside the courtroom but excelling at litigation when necessary. Marcy’s mission is to understand her clients’ priorities from the first meeting so they feel empowered to exercise control of their lives.
Her practical, clear, action-oriented advice relating to custody and parenting issues sets her apart and ultimately helps prepare clients for the long term.
With an understanding that outcomes are not necessarily determined by who spends the most, Marcy works with clients to develop a strategy that meets their individual, family and financial goals, deriving the maximum benefit at every turn.
Reputation
Marcy’s reputation is built on her ability to be both a skilled negotiator and a strong presence in the courtroom. Her most essential skill is her ability to ease her clients’ stress and help them prepare for the future through the development of an appropriate mediation or litigation strategy.
Professional Recognition
- The Best Lawyers in America®, 2017 – Present
- Family Law
- Family Law: Arbitration
- Chicago’s Lawyer of the Year in Family Law Mediation, 2022
- Illinois Super Lawyers, 2020 – Present
- Leading Lawyers Network, 2009 – Present
- Leading Lawyers Top 10 Adoption Attorneys, 2015
- Top 100 Women Attorneys in Illinois, 2015
- Crain’s Chicago Business
- Notable Women in Law, 2022
- Most Influential Woman Lawyer, 2017
Firm Administration
- Executive Committee, Member
Publications & Presentations
- “How Can You Protect Your Privacy During Divorce?,” 2024
- “Prioritizing Mental Health Before, During & After Divorce,“ 2024
- “Bridging the Gap Between Family Law and Mental Health Professionals,” Habits You Love, 2023
- “It’s a Fresh Start: Divorce Attorney’s Guide to Starting Over”, 2021
Community Involvement
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago mentoring program, mentor, 2018 – 2020
Contact
mkott@bergerschatz.comdownload vCard
Education
The John Marshall Law School, J.D., 1992
Indiana University, B.A., 1989
Bar Admissions
Illinois
Professional Leadership
American Bar Association, Member Chicago Bar Association, Member Illinois Bar Association, Member