Attorneys & Staff J. Richard Kulerski Esq. Kari L. Cornelison Esq. Matthew M. Williams Esq. Deborah A. Youtsey - Paralegal Carol Fullington - Paralegal Krystyna Koryzna - Legal Assistant

J. Richard Kulerski, Esq.

Mr. Kulerski is a divorce trial lawyer with over 40 years of courtroom experience. He is a staunch advocate of the newer non-court settlement techniques which save divorcing spouses both money and time.

He received Negotiation (1999), Advanced Mediation (2000) and Advanced Negotiation (2001) training at Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

• Published author of 2004 book on divorce negotiation strategies.
• "Advanced Practitioner" mediator rating (highest level achievable in United States) - Family Section - Association of Conflict Resolution (ACR).
• Court certified mediator
• Recognized by the Institute for Certified Divorce Planers (ICDP) Family Law Attorney National Referral List - 2001
• Published author of articles on collaborative divorce law and mediation.
• Member - International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (member, 2002)
• Fellow - Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois (2003)
• Peer Recommended Professional Divorce Magazine - 2000
• Listed in The National Registry of Who's Who - 2001, Registered at The Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
• Board Member - Mediation Council of Illinois (2000-2001)

Background, Education and Training:

• Born Chicago, Illinois January 10, 1940;
• Juris Doctor - DePaul University Law School 1963;
• Undergrad at Benedictine College (Kansas) and Loyola University (Chicago);
• Admission to Illinois Bar 1963;
• Admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois 1963;
• Duly admitted and qualified as an Attorney and Counselor of the Supreme Court of the United States of America, Washington, DC August 26, 1971;
• Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Program of Instruction for Lawyers. Advanced Mediation Training (Robert Mnookin, Gary Friedman, Jack Himmelstein, instructors) - 2000;
• Illinois State Bar Association Fred Lane Trial Technique Institute 1996-1997;
• Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Program of Instruction for Lawyers, Program on Negotiation (Roger Fisher, instructor - 1999);
• George Williams College of Aurora University School of Social Work - Conflict Resolution and Divorce Mediation Institute - 1999 (additional training in divorce mediation and screening for impairments) - 1999;
• Pepperdine University School of Law, Malibu, California - Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution - Advanced Family Mediation Skills - 2000.
• (Pepperdine ranked # 2 in Dispute Resolution by US News & World Report, January 2002.)
• Collaborative Law Training, Collaborative Law Institute, Bloomington, Minnesota. (Stuart Webb, instructor, 2002).
• Pepperdine University School of Law, Malibu, California - Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution - Collaborative Law Training, 2002.
• 30 hour mediation externship done in the Kane County, Illinois divorce court along with 10 hours of extern group roundtable discussion. Externship sponsored through the George Williams College of Aurora University School of Social Work - Conflict Resolution and Divorce Mediation Institute - 1999 - 2000;
• Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Program of Instruction for Lawyers, Advanced Negotiation Training (Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, Sheila Heen, instructors) - 2001;
• DuPage County Bar Association Matrimonial Trial Advocacy Workshop 2000.
• Illinois State Bar Association L.A.P. trained volunteer - 1999;
• JDS Mediation Training Institute, Chicago, Illinois 1998;

Mr. Kulerski is the father of two daughters and he lives in DuPage County, IL with his wife and younger daughter. He credits his ex-wife for encouraging the close relationship that he has always had with his older daughter.

Memberships:

• Advanced Practitioner Member - Family Section - Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) - a merged, national organization of the Academy of Family Mediators (AFM); Conflict Resolution Education Network (CREnet) and the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution (SPIDR)
• Fellow - Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois
• International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
• The Mediation Council of Illinois - Member Board of Directors (2000-2001)
• Family Law Section of the Illinois State Bar
• Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the Illinois State Bar
• DuPage County Bar Association Family Law and Practice Committee
• Panel member - DuPage County Lawyer Referral Service
• Attorney Member - American Responsible Divorce Network

Former Member:

• Chicago Bar Association Matrimonial Law Committee
• American Bar Association Section of Family Law
• American Bar Association Section on Alternative Dispute Resolution
• DuPage County Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee
• Association of Attorney-Mediators
• Southwest Bar Association Family Law Committee
• Domestic Relations Panel of the Lawyer Referral Service of the Chicago Bar Association.
• Domestic Relations Panel of the Lawyer Referral Service of the Chicago Bar Association.
• Will County, IL. Bar Association - Family Law Committee
• Former appointee (of the Chicago Bar Relations Subcommittee of the Domestic Relations Advisory Committee) to serve as Attorney for the Child or Guardian Ad Litem in custody and visitation matters in the Domestic Relations Division of Circuit Court of Cook County, IL.

Kari L. Cornelison, Esq.

Background and Education:
Born in Chicago, Illinois May 27, 1971

Juris Doctor-John Marshall Law School 1996

Undergrad at Michigan State University

Admitted to Illinois Bar 1996

Admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois 1996

Admitted to Florida Bar 1997

Ms. Cornelison is the mother of two young children and resides in Chicago with her husband and family. She is an experienced family law, real estate attorney and litigator. Prior to joining the firm of J. Richard Kulerski, P.C., she had her own practice for several years. In addition, Ms. Cornelison was also an associate at Chicago Women at Law, Ltd. and Serpico, Novelle, Ltd.

Memberships:
Illinois State Bar Association
Chicago Bar Association
Florida Bar Association

Matthew M. Williams, Esq.

Background and Education:
Born Melrose Park, November 01, 1970.

Matt graduated Cum Laude from Northern Illinois University College of Law in May of 2003, and is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois. During the last two years of law school, Matt worked at the Kane County State's Attorney's Office. He began as a volunteer intern in the Arraignment courts. He was later assigned to the Adult Felony Drug division where he prosecuted Class X and Class 1 drug cases. Of 100 law students, Matt was 1 of 6 selected to represent Northern Illinois in National Mock Trial competition in 2003.

Prior to Law School, Matt worked as a Child Care Worker/Outreach Specialist for abused and neglected children who had been placed in long term residential care by the Department of Children and Family Services and/or Department of Mental Health. He worked mainly with adolescents as their advocate in abuse/neglect cases as well as in juvenile delinquency court.

Matt's received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Northeastern Illinois University in 1995.

Matt was married in 1998. He and his wife, Rachael, are expecting their first child in May, 2004.

Deborah A. Youtsey, Senior Paralegal

Ms. Youtsey has been an American Bar Association Certified Paralegal since 1980 and has 18 years of law office experience. She supports our staff attorneys in all facets of the dissolution process. She coordinates with clients and opposing counsel and prepares numerous court forms and pleadings.

Carol Fullington, Paralegal

Ms. Fullington is an American Bar Association Certified Paralegal who also supports our staff attorneys. She assists them with telephone work, management of court calls and she also prepares a variety of motions, petitions and other court documents. Carol interfaces with our clients on a daily basis and helps them gather and present pertinent financial information for court required discovery requests and compliance.

Krystyna Koryzna, Legal Assistant

Ms. Koryzna is a legal assistant who supports our staff attorneys. She assists them with telephone work and interfaces with our clients on a daily basis and helps them gather and present pertinent financial information for court required discovery requests and compliance.