Berger Schatz

Michael S. Sabath is a distinguished litigator with over twenty years of experience in all areas of family and matrimonial law, including matters involving complex financial issues, corporate valuations, non-marital asset protection, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, as well as child custody, support, and visitation (including grandparent visitation).

Mr. Sabath is the managing partner of Berger Schatz’s Lake Forest office and has been a partner with Berger Schatz for over ten years.

A skilled negotiator, Mr. Sabath assists clients in reaching favorable settlements without the necessity of trial when possible. Mr. Sabath also regularly represents clients successfully in trials and appeals, including (most recently) In re the Marriage of Anderson (Illinois 1st Dist., 2011), in which Mr. Sabath prevailed in an appeal concerning a client’s entitlement to continued maintenance.

In 1999, Mr. Sabath was one of the youngest attorneys ever nominated as a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (Illinois Chapter). He has been selected for inclusion in Illinois Super Lawyers each year since the inception of the designation, and named to the Leading Lawyer Network each year since 2004. He has earned a peer rating of BV^® Distinguished^™ by Martindale-Hubbell^®.

Mr. Sabath is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association (Matrimonial Law Committee, and past co-chair of the Family Law Committee Young Lawyers Section), and the Lake County Bar Association, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (Illinois Chapter, and past Illinois Chapter Board Member). He has recently been appointed to the Board of Managers of the Illinois Chapter of the Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Bar Admissions

Mr. Sabath is admitted to practice in Illinois and before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Selected Publications

“Back-to-School Time Brings Lessons on Education Costs,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, August 2000.

“The Gay/Posey Enigma, Illinois Appellate Courts Continue to Wrestle with 505(a)(3)(h),” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, October 1998.

“Deviation from Guideline Child Support,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, September 1997.

Recognitions and Awards

Illinois Super Lawyers

Leading Lawyers Network

Peer rating of BV^® Distinguished^™ by Martindale-Hubbell^®.