Biography of Scott C. Colky

scolky@colkyandkirsh.com
312-558-9700, extension 223

Scott Colky is the senior and founding partner of Colky & Kirsh, Ltd.  Scott began his career as a criminal trial attorney and has logged many hours in the courtroom, handling hundreds of major felony cases, including murder cases.  Renowned among peers for his creativity and expertise in turning around even the most intractable cases, Scott is often sought out to serve as co-counsel.  He also is well known and highly regarded for his cross-examination of psychiatrists and psychologists in custody cases and has garnered the respect of the mental health community for his understanding of complex mental health issues. In this regard, he is perhaps best known for his work on The Walgreen Custody and Adoption Case (1995-96), which was widely reported by both the Chicago and national media. He has been retained as an expert witness on the validity of pre nuptial agreements.

Scott is a 1974 graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has been active in campus, state and national politics from a young age, including local organizing on behalf of Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 presidential campaign and Adlai Stevenson III’s 1970 senatorial campaign. Scott also served as President of the Undergraduate Student Association while at the University of Illinois and helped establish Student Legal Services and the Tenant Services Union. He has remained committed to using his legal skills to further causes important to him, such as successfully representing Clergy and Laity Concerned, a national nonprofit advancing peace and justice issues, in a suit against the Chicago Board of Education which was allowing on-site military recruitment at city high schools while preventing Clergy and Laity Concerned from providing counseling on other options. The outcome of this case has been cited more than 15 times in a variety of district courts, the Rhode Island Supreme Court and the Tennessee Court of Appeals. 

Scott received his J.D. degree from Loyola University of Chicago in 1977 and was admitted later that same year to the Illinois State Bar, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. Scott also is admitted to practice law in the State of Montana. Current professional affiliations include:

• Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
• Member, Illinois State Bar Association, Family Law Section
• Member, Vice Chairman of Family Law Section Counsel of the ISBA
• Member, Montana State Bar Association
• Member, Board of Managers Chicago Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
• Member, ISBA Special Task Force on new proposed child custody legislation in Illinois

In addition, Scott co-authored the Illinois Surrogacy Contract Act and has provided testimony before both the Illinois Supreme Court Special Committee reviewing child custody in Illinois and the Illinois Judiciary Sub-Committee on proposed parentage legislation, including removal.

Scott also has written and presented extensively on a broad range of issues relevant to Family Law. Publications include:

• "Privileged Communications under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act and Family Law Issues," ISBA Family Law Newsletter (December 2003)
• "The Child Representative Statute is Unconstitutional," ISBA Family Law Newsletter (December 2002)
• "Problems In The Enrollment of Foreign Judgment," ISBA Family Law Newsletter (May 2001)
• "The Forgotten Writ," ISBA Family Law Newsletter (January 2000)
• "Modification of Custody Within Two Years after Davis," ISBA Family Law Newsletter (March 1999)
• “Restricting Visitation: What Evidence is Sufficient?" ISBA Family Law Newsletter (May 1998)

 Several of these articles are available through the Links section of this website.

 Presentations include:

• “Issues Surrounding the Constitutionality of Illinois Child Representative Statute” and “Appropriate Conduct of Attorneys Representing        Children,” Loyola University School of Law (2003)
• “Custody in Illinois," National Business Institute (September 2003)
• "Custody Tidbits,” ISBA Family Law Program (June 2002) 
• “Child Custody and Time Sharing in Illinois," National Business Institute  (March 2000)
• “Pre and Post-Nuptial Agreements and Drafting Tips,” ICLE. Family Law Update (1999)
• “Divorce: The Role of the Psychologist and Psychiatrist, An Attorney’s Perspective,” Evanston Northwestern Hospital (1998)
• “The Role of Forensic Experts in Child Custody Disputes,” Illinois Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, ISBA Annual Meeting (1998)
• “Supervised and Restricted Visitation in Illinois,” I.S.B.A. Mid-Year Meeting (1998)
• “Third Party Standing in Custody Cases,” A.F.C.C. National Conference (1996)
• Faculty Member, Trial Practice Court, Loyola University School of Law, Moot Court Civitas (1995, 1996)
• “The Role of the Pro-Active Guardian ad Litem,” A.F.C.C. National Conference (1993)

• “Pitfalls to avoid in use of computer information State and Federal eavesdropping and wiretap laws” ISBA Family Law and Computer Evidence program (December 2005)

• “Wiretapping, Keystroke Logging Programs and Videotaping in Family Law” AAML Family Law Seminar for Experienced Attorneys (October 2005)

• “Custody Practice Under the UCCJEA” ISBA Family Law Seminar Las Vegas (February 2006)

Scott was born and raised in Chicago. He has been married since 1981 and is the father of two sons.

 Named by peers to the:

Biography of Matthew A. Kirsh

mkirsh@colkyandkirsh.com
312-558-9700, extension 224

Intelligent, compassionate and creative are words Matt Kirsh’s colleagues freely use to describe him.  While Matt is an experienced trial lawyer, it takes much more than technical proficiency to be an effective domestic relations attorney.  A quality divorce lawyer must also be able to understand his clients’ problems and to understand the emotional and human nature of the issues faced by people going through a divorce.  At the same time, however, a good lawyer navigates the most direct path to a fair resolution of his client’s case.  Matt possesses a tremendous ability to be simultaneously understanding and effective.

Matt has been practicing as an attorney since 1989 and specializing in domestic relations since 1992.  His experience as a divorce lawyer includes five plus years of working with his father at Kirsh & Berman, Ltd, three years of sole practice and since 2001, his partnership with Scott C. Colky at Colky & Kirsh, Ltd.

Most divorce cases involve both financial and child related issues.  Matt has earned the respect of the judiciary and is frequently appointed to represent children in contested custody cases.  As a well-rounded lawyer, he also has successfully handled cases with complex financial issues involving closely held businesses, stock options, and income tax consequences.

Matt received both his undergraduate (1986) and law (1989) degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and a member of the Illinois State Bar Association.  He currently serves as an investigator for the Chicago Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Committee, is the former Chairman of the Family Law Committee of the Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Section and a former associate member of the Illinois State Bar Association Family Law Section Council.

Matt was born in Chicago in 1964 and has been married since 1989.  He and his wife are the parents of two boys and two girls.  As a husband and father of four, he has excellent insight into the problems and challenges faced by today’s families.

 Named by peers to the: