Education
The Catholic University of America - Columbus School of Law, Juris Doctorate (2006)
Spelman College, Bachelor of Arts (2001)
Kimberly’s family law practice is informed by an intimate understanding of the needs, challenges, and family dynamics of her contemporaries. This understanding is valuable throughout the divorce process, particularly when custody, spousal, and child support issues are involved. In addition to divorce, Kimberly also handles dissolution of civil unions, as well as prenuptial and postnuptial agreements.
Highly regarded by clients, judges, and her peers, Kimberly has been named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine since 2013. She has also been named a 40 Under 40 Illinois Lawyer to Watch (2013) and in The Best Lawyers in America (2015-2017).
Kimberly knows that disintegrating relationships are distressing for all involved, but she helps her clients recognize that they are not at all powerless, but instead the driving force that shapes the future.
Whether advising young professionals without children, or fathers or mothers with several, Kimberly helps her clients focus on the big picture and involves them in generating solutions that keep control in their hands and out of the court’s. She works in concert with clients to develop clear plans and strategies that enable them to take back control of their lives, rebuild, and move on in the best way possible. Kimberly endeavors to resolve cases amicably through negotiation, but she is a skilled litigator and is always prepared to go to court if out-of-court settlement is not possible.
- 2018 Notable Minority Lawyer - Crain's Chicago Business (2018)
- Kimberly Cook on family law, oversharing and all things Beyoncé
- Appointed by the Supreme Court of the State of Illinois to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Jury Instructions in Civil Cases for the term January 1, 2017 – December 31, 2019
- Women of Excellence Awards honoree, Chicago Defender (2015)
- Leading Lawyers Network - Leading Lawyer (2018-2019)
- Leading Lawyers - Emerging Lawyers (2015-2017)
- Best Lawyers in America (2015-2019)
- Law Bulletin Publishing Company’s “40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40” (2013)
- Illinois Super Lawyers "Rising Star" (2011-2019)
- The Dean's Award - Catholic University of America - Columbus School of Law (2005)
- Illinois (2007)
- Illinois Bar Association
- Chicago Bar Association - Chair of the Domestic Relations Committee (2015-2016)
- Black Women Lawyer’s Association
- Spelman NAASC – Chicago Chapter
- Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
- Chicago Bar Foundation: Anderson Fellowship Committee Member (2010 – present)
- UI Health Children’s Hospital Advisory Council
- Economic Club of Chicago
Authorships
- Do You Need A Postnuptial Agreement? Black Enterprise Magazine (Online Edition), August 2012
In The News
- "From family survival to family law," interviewed by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, May 2014
Articles and Publications
- Love is in the Air!
- New year, stale marriage? Divorce Day brings surge in filings
- Fall Newsletter, 2018
- Back to School Planning for Divorced Parents
- Private lives, right to know a balancing act
- Domestic Violence
- Judges, attorneys face new world regarding gender identity and custody
- Newsletter Vol. 9, No. 2 - Spring
- Kimberly A. Cook was a guest on the Matt McGill Show on WVON 1690 AM.
- Special Considerations for Special Needs Children During Divorce
- Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin Separate in “Conscious Uncoupling”
- Children Have Little Choice in Visitation
- Living Together While Going Through a Divorce
- Imputed Income for Support Awards
Having grown up in the Republic of Panama, Kimberly is sensitive to the many ways culture, religion, and other social forces impact family life. As a married working mother, former teacher, and former staff member of an organization focused on children’s development and well-being, Kimberly has in-depth knowledge and experience in parenting matters, including developing parenting plans and mediating parenting schedules.
Kimberly recognizes and understands that the “traditional” parenting schedule made popular in the Eighties— the “every other weekend and one night for dinner” plans —are not always realistic for New Millennium families. Investigating family dynamics, she believes, is the key to developing arrangements that work for modern parents. Fully understanding how a week looks for mom, for dad, and for the kids helps assure that plans reflect how families actually live.
Committed to serving others, Kimberly is a volunteer attorney at the Cook County Domestic Violence Courthouse. She served on the Young Professionals Board of the Chicago Bar Foundation (2010 – 2012) and is an annual participate in Race Judicata and the March of Dimes – March for Babies Walk. She is also a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, Black Women Lawyer’s Association, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Kimberly received her B.A. from Spelman College and J.D. from The Catholic University of America – Columbus School of Law. She served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Gerald B. Lee, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, and the Honorable John Mott, Superior Court of the District of Columbia – Domestic Relations Division.
