“I help clients achieve what is most important to them using my skill, expertise and experience.“
David Levy is well-respected among judges and peers for being an honest, smart and principled attorney representing his clients with integrity.
After 50 years of practicing law, David now concentrates his practice representing the interests of children as a Guardian ad Litem, Child’s Representative and Parenting Coordinator. He provides his time, experience and deep knowledge of the law to help children of divorcing parents achieve the best outcome. An experienced litigator, he works tirelessly, both in and out of the courtroom, to fulfill that goal.
David is also a Certified Arbitrator and mediator, assisting parties to achieve a just and equitable result at a substantially reduced cost, financially and emotionally.
David was a founding partner of Berger Schatz and served as the firm’s managing partner from 1997 until 2012. He was also one of the principal authors of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act.
Approach
David values the family structure and looks for ways for both parties to feel satisfied with the outcome. He fosters trusted relationships with the parties by offering real-world, clear, and direct advice to help them achieve their goals.
He takes a big-picture view of life after divorce and is constantly thinking about the implications of each element of the process. His principled approach guides the parties to outcomes that will work for them and their children in the long run.
Reputation
David is a member of the American Bar Association (Family Law Section) and the Illinois State Bar Association. For the latter organization, he served as chairman, vice chairman and secretary of the Family Law Section Council and the Supreme Court Rules Committee. David was also a member of the Special Task Force for Attorneys for Children Committee, the Special Committee on Cable TV Programming and the Standing Committee on Unauthorized Practice of Law.
On behalf of the Circuit Court of Cook County, David served on the Special Task Force to Revise Circuit Court Rules and on the Special Task Force to reform court procedures in the Domestic Relations Division. In 1998, he served on the Attorney General of Illinois Statewide Task Force on Court Procedures and Forms. He is a founding member of the advisory committee to the Presiding Judge of the Domestic Relations Division, for which he continues to serve.
David has held a number of leadership positions within the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML). At the national level, he was elected to serve on the organization’s National Board of Governors, a position he held for twelve years over the past two decades. He previously served as treasurer and as a member of the Executive Committee. He has served as chairman of numerous AAML committees, including chairing the AICPA/AAML National Conference on Divorce for 14 years (a member of the committee for 18 years). He has chaired the Public Relations, Law Economics and Site Selection committees and has served on the Admissions Procedures and the National Written Test committees. He is also the past Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the AAML. On behalf of the Illinois Chapter of the AAML, David served as president, president-elect, vice-president and as a member of the Board of Managers.
A frequently published author, David has written articles on topics ranging from depositions, motions and business assets to child support orders, among other areas of law. He is a well-known speaker and panelist at legal and business conferences nationwide, lecturing regularly on emerging issues in family and matrimonial law. From 1995 to 2007, David also acted as a moderator on the television show, “Illinois Law News You Can Use,” produced by the Illinois State Bar Association.
David was selected by the Illinois Chapter of the AAML as the 2014 recipient of the prestigious Samuel S. Berger Award, which recognizes attorneys and judges who exemplify the highest standards of integrity, courtesy, knowledge of family law and the extraordinary ability to solve human problems. David is also a recipient of the Michael Cohen Award, given for continuing commitment and contributions to the professional education of matrimonial lawyers. Additionally, in 2025 he was awarded the Edward R. Jordan Award, named after a former Judge, given to a recipient for lifetime achievement and commitment to the advancement of Domestic Relations Law and Education. David is the only attorney in Illinois to be given all three of these awards.
Professional Recognition
- Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education’s Hon. Edward R. Jordan Lifetime Achievement Award, 2025
- The Best Lawyers in America®, 2014 – Present
- Family Law
- Family Law: Arbitration
- Chicago’s Lawyer of the Year in Family Law Arbitration, 2022
- Illinois Super Lawyers, 2006 – Present
- Top 100 Lawyers in Illinois, 2006 — 2007, 2012 — 2018
- Leading Lawyers Network, 2003 – Present
- 10 Best Family Law Attorneys in Illinois, 2011 – 2015
- Top 100 Attorneys in Illinois, 2015
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent®
Publications & Presentations
- Guest Lecturer – February monthly seminar for Guardians Ad Litem and Child Representatives, discussing the trends and new case law regarding the relocation of children after divorce, Judge Dickler, 2020
- Dave’s Top Ten: The Need-to-Know New Cases – AAML/BVR National Conference on Divorce, 2019
- Annual Seminar on Business Valuation, Financial & Tax Issues on Divorce Conference – IICLE/AAML, 2018 & 2019
- Ethical Conundrums – AICPA/AAML National Conference on Divorce. 2016
- Navigating the New Illinois Marriage & Dissolution of Marriage Act – Presented by the Presiding Judge of the Domestic Relations Division of Cook County, Illinois, 2015
- Children of Divorce Speaking Out – Guest Lecturer, University of Chicago School of Law, 2013
- Past, Present, and Future – Lawyers and Psychologists Working Together – Reconceptualizing Child Custody, ABA/APA National Conference on Child Custody, 2008
- Child Representatives and Training for Guardians ad Litem in Child Custody Cases – The Family Law Committee of the Lake County (Illinois) Bar Association, The Circuit Court of Lake County, 2006
- Successfully Analyzing, Negotiating and Trying Your Child Custody Cases – Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2005
- Everything You Wanted to Know About Drug/Alcohol Screening in Five Minutes or Less: 101+ Practical Solutions for the Family Lawyer — American Bar Association, 2003
- Use of the MMPI I & II in Contested Custody Proceedings – FairShare Magazine, 1997
Contact
dlevy@bergerschatz.comdownload vCard
Education
Illinois Institute of Technology / Chicago-Kent College of Law, J.D.
Ohio University, B.G.S.
Bar Admissions
Illinois
United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
Professional Memberships
Illinois Bar Association
Illinois Bar Association Family Law Section
American Bar Association Family Law Section
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers