Michael J. Berger Partner

mberger@bergerschatz.com

PRACTICE AREAS: Divorce, Domestic Relations, Family Law, Matrimonial Law

Michael J. Berger focuses his professional energies on analyzing the financial and business aspects of family law proceedings. Mr. Berger’s clients include professionals with complex issues involving business valuations, segregation of personal and enterprise goodwill interests, and protection of non-marital assets from a spouse’s marital claim.

Mr. Berger has been a senior partner at Berger Schatz and its predecessor firms since 1987. In addition to his work resolving complex financial and business matters, he also counsels clients in all areas of family and matrimonial law, including prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, marital settlements, parenting agreements, child-custody and child-support matters, and family law settlements.

Mr. Berger is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, the Lake County Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Mr. Berger has also been named to the Leading Lawyers Network and is one of a select group of attorneys to earn a peer rating of AV® Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell®.

A regularly published author, Mr. Berger has written numerous articles relating to matrimonial law for the American Bar Association, the Illinois Journal of Family Law, and other organizations and publications. He is a highly respected speaker, lecturing frequently at local and national conferences and seminars sponsored by the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, among other legal and business associations.

Mr. Berger has also been recently recognized among the Illinois Top 100 in the 2011 issue of Super Lawyers Magazine.

Education

• Illinois Institute of Technology / Chicago-Kent College of Law, J.D., 1973
• Roosevelt University, B.A., 1970

Bar admissions

Mr. Berger is admitted to practice in Illinois.

Presentations

• “Presenting and Cross-Examining Financial Experts," Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education: 9th Annual Family Law Conference, DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois (April 2010).
• "Dissecting a Business Valuation Report,” American Institute of Certified Public Accountants/American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, National Conference on Divorce, Las Vegas, Nevada (May 2008).
• The Estate Planner’s Guide to Divorce,” Chicago Bar Association, Trust Law Committee, Chicago, Illinois (February 2008).
• “Creative Financial Settlements,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education: Business Valuation, Financial and Tax Issues Affecting Divorce 2007, Wheeling, Illinois (January 2007).
• "Personal vs. Enterprise Goodwill," Business Valuation Association, Chicago, Illinois (December 2003).
• "Entity vs. Personal Goodwill," national audio conference, Business Valuation Resources, LLC (August 2003).
• "The Estate Planner's Guide to Divorce Planning," Chicago Estate Planning Council Seminar, Chicago, Illinois (May 2003).
• "Entity vs. Personal Goodwill," American Institute of Certified Public Accountants/American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, National Conference on Divorce: Property and Complex Financial Issues, Las Vegas, Nevada (May 2002).
• "Divorce, Businesses, and the Mystery of Valuing Goodwill," with Jennifer Cantrell, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants/American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, National Conference on Divorce: Property and Complex Financial Issues, Las Vegas, Nevada (May 2002).  Read Entire Article
• "The Financial Side of Divorce - Litigation Issues: How to Handle the Deposition of a Valuation Expert," Clifton Gunderson LLC, Deerfield, Illinois (January 2001).

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