Kelli E. Gordon
Partner
Contact Kelli
- 217-544-3403
- 217-544-1593
Areas of Practice
- Adoption
- Alimony and Spousal Support
- Child Custody and Support
- Children’s Rights
- Custody and Visitation
- Divorce
- Domestic Violence and Neglect
- Estate Planning
- Family Law
- Guardianships and Conservatorships
- Landlord/Tenant
- Paternity
- Prenuptial Agreements
- Trusts, Wills, Estates, and Probate
Named both a Leading Lawyer in family law by Law Bulletin Media and a Super Lawyer in family law by Thomson-Reuters™, Kelli E. Gordon prides herself on helping clients through the most difficult periods of their lives. Kelli grasps the many nuances of family law and thoroughly enjoys her work. These traits help her provide exceptional personal service to clients. She makes a point of being available when her clients have questions, always offering professional and timely answers.
Kelli’s experience covers a wide range of family law matters, from the protection of adult disabled children and the division of family businesses to international kidnappings and unique estate issues to paternity and adoptions. Her widely recognized authority on these matters earned her an appointment as chair of the Illinois State Bar Association Family Law Section Council, where she is helping to revise the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act.
Kelli is also a mediator who helps families rapidly achieve resolution on legal matters outside a traditional courtroom setting. She works hard to keep informed on the latest developments affecting her clients, from the legal impact of social media to new surveillance technologies. She also makes sure interactions with opposing parties congenial. Rather than cause harm by dragging out proceedings, she aims to help families by reaching the best resolution possible quickly, so everyone can move forward.
Honors and Awards
- Leading Lawyers, Family Law, 2012-present
- Super Lawyers, Family Law, 2015-present
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, fellow, 2003-present
Bar Admissions
- Illinois, 1998
- U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois, 1998
- 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, 1998
Education
- Southern Illinois University School of Law, J.D. 1998
- University of Illinois, B.S., Business Administration, 1995
Cases & Results
- Defended a construction client over seven years from a series of union challenges that were noteworthy in the central Illinois construction community. He guided clients through unfair labor practice charges before the NLRB, prevailing wage investigations by the Illinois Department of Labor, during picketing and leafleting, and against challenges affecting the contractor’s ability to be awarded contracts. Twice he brought union opponents to federal trial for unlawful picketing and won money from juries for his client.
- Obtained a favorable jury verdict against a subcontractor after the subcontractor revoked its bid, causing Stan’s contractor client to pay more for the intended work. The client relied on the subcontractor’s bid to secure the contract award. The subcontractor refused to honor its bid, however, after learning that Stan’s client would not include the subcontractor on a second project the subcontractor quoted at the same time.
- After a long, difficult litigation process ending in a week-long federal jury trial, Stan successfully defended a contractor client in a Fair Labor Standards Act lawsuit brought by three former employees alleging a failure to pay overtime wages. Evidence in the case established that the employees were assisted in bringing the lawsuit by a union organizing committee. The jury refused to award the plaintiffs a penny.
- Stan and partner Howard Feldman successfully guided a construction client through a difficult dispute with the State of Illinois involving the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library, buildings their client constructed. The State of Illinois wrongfully blamed their client for significant delay damages, which it sought to recover, and it wrongfully withheld payment of contract balances, forcing their client to nearly go out of business. Through their persistence, Stan and Howard recovered a significant sum from the State of Illinois without resorting to litigation, preventing their client from going out of business.
- Stan has defended criminal cases in state and federal court, handling drug, firearm, and mail fraud cases, among others, and securing several “not guilty” verdicts. He secured a “not guilty” verdict in federal court on a firearms charge even though the client had just served a felony sentence for a similar offense in Missouri and despite photographic evidence linking the client to the firearm. In another case, Stan and Howard Feldman secured “not guilty” verdicts in a state court for a client charged with two Class X home invasion charges and an aggravated battery charge.
- Stan has handled business transactions, employment issues, estate administration and real estate matters for numerous members of his community. His clients include a funeral home, a public television station and a non-profit community organization.
Certifications
- Approved Custody and Visitation Mediator, Circuit Courts of the 7th Judicial Circuit in Illinois, 2007, after 40-hour training, University of Illinois, Springfield, January 2007
Professional Memberships
-
American Bar Association
- 1998-present
Illinois State Bar Association
- 1998-present
- ISBA Family Law Section Council, 2008-present, chair 2014–15
Central Illinois Women’s Bar Association
- President, 2005
Sangamon County Bar Association
- President, 2011
- Young Lawyers, President, 2005
- Law Day, chair
Lincoln-Douglas Inns of Court
- 2005-present
Publications
“What’s the status of the big family law rewrite?” ISBA Section on Family Law Newsletter, August 2014, Vol. 58, No. 2
“Minimum Contacts with Your Out of State Expert,” Trial Briefs, Illinois State Bar Association, May 2007, Vol. 52, No. 9
“Who is going to Pay for College?” Trial Briefs, Illinois State Bar Association, August 2010, Vol. 54, No. 1
Presentations
“Family Law, Nuts and Bolts, Trial Procedure,” Illinois State Bar Association, 2014
“Child Custody Litigation: Techniques for Trying a Custody Case from Rehearsal to Closing,” Illinois State Bar Association, 2013
“Pleading Under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act and Client Rationalization,” Illinois State Bar Association, 2012
“Temporary Relief — Emergency, Ex Parte or Otherwise,” Illinois State Bar Association, 2011
“Case Law Updates,” Illinois State Bar Association, 2010
“Inside Divorce Mediation,” Illinois State Bar Association, 2009
“Support for Non-Minor Children and Educational Expenses,” Illinois State Bar Association, 2009
“Orders of Protection,” Illinois State Bar Association, 2008
“Basic Skills,” Family Law, Illinois State Bar Association, 2007
“Primer on Domestic Violence — Getting Orders of Protection,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2007
“Strategies for Divorcing Elder Clients with Disabilities,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2005
“Family Law for the Elderly Client: The Dying Client in Dissolution Matters,” Illinois State Bar Association, 2005
“Update and Overview of Civil Practice: Service of Process,” Illinois State Bar Association, 2005