Samuel Francis Cannizzaro | Chicago Divorce and Family Lawyer

• - Chicago Bar Association
• - Illinois State Bar Association; ISBA Assembly Member

• The Chicago-based Justinian Society of Lawyers has honored Sam F. Cannizzaro, a partner in Birnbaum, Haddon, Gelfman & Arnoux, LLC, during a recent dinner ceremony. Cannizzaro has been a member of the Justinian Society for 31 years.

Recently, a mom who was not married but had a 5-year-old daughter, came to me since she wanted to move with her daughter to Tennessee to live with her fiancé who was in the Army. The father of the child, who had parenting time 3 out of every 4 weekends, had filed a Restraining Order against her anticipated move. I was able to defeat the Restraining Order, file a Petition for Removal (to allow my client to move away with the child), and get her a ruling allowing her to move with her child to TN, prior to the start of this fall school year. She was very grateful.

I worked as a singing waiter at an Italian Restaurant all through college and law school. My customers knew me and trusted me, and it gave me a base of new clients when I graduated. Also, in law school, I worked 4 semesters at the Loyola Law Clinic, and got great experience (and clients). I then went on my own, and clients and other attorneys were and are my best source of referrals. I am now a partner in a prestigious downtown Family Law Firm.

Someone who cares. Most attorneys are competent, but unless they try hard, clients can get overlooked and the focus necessary to serve every client fully may be lost. Once clients meet with me, they know that they are my priority, and that I will fight hard for them.

In a perfect world, all Judges are impartial and rule only on the merits. The fact is that Judges are human, and if they know an attorney and trust him/her and know that he/she has an excellent reputation for honesty and competence, that may have an impact on those decisions that he/she must make in cases that have close calls. I am happy to have a very good reputation and rapport with all the Family Law Judges in Cook, Lake and DuPage Counties. I have been practicing before them for over 30 years.

Whether they have a good case, approximately how much it will cost, and, often, my legal advice.

Nothing definite. I use that initial consultation to listen to the facts, learn what the client is looking for, and counsel them through it. If they then go ahead and hire me, we can discuss what paperwork, information, and retainer I will need to get started.

Aside from my successful track record, clients like me because I listen to them, I don't sugar-coat things, I try to save them money in fees, and I always return calls and attend Court Dates on time. You'd think those would be basics with all attorneys, but not even close. Again, I also truly care about my clients and their cases. Clients also like that I don't just keep 9-5 hours - I am available many evenings (even late) and weekend dates, too.

Getting results for my clients that may have been discouraged before they hired me. Also, when the phone rings and it is a new client that a former client referred and had nice things to say about me. I also enjoy succeeding when against some of the finest Family Law Attorneys in the State.

I am a wish-granter for the Illinois Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. That is VERY rewarding! I also am a song-leader/cantor at two parishes on the northwest side of Chicago. I have two great children, a daughter in her final year of college and a son who is a Junior in High School, that I adore and love to be involved in their activities. Finally, I am a huge baseball fan.

Yes. For years, I was the President of the local Edgebrook-Sauganash Chamber of Commerce. I am still an active member. (I mentioned singing in church and Make-A-Wish above.)