Eunice Ward

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Partner
ew@nottawar.com
 

 One of Chicago's "30 Toughest Lawyers"
 Chicago Magazine, 2001 >
 

Why family law?
Often, when I tell a stranger what I do, their response is “Oh isn’t that awful, how pathetic.  Your day must be terrible.”  Well it’s kind of the same thing as a cancer doctor.  This is what I do – I help people fix big problems in their lives.  It’s not sad for me because I do a great job for them – not just in what I get them legally but also in how I talk to them and the kind of service they are provided by this office.  So I’m pleased they have found their way here, where they can get the best help and have an opportunity for a new start.  Our services are crucial for people in crisis.  At that point, the marriage is over and the family is suffering.  Divorce is the tool to allow the family to move on.

What is a “win” in your line of work?
I consider a case a success when a person is able to leave the marriage with a view toward the future and a plan.  A person leaving a marriage should know that there is another path in life and they do not continue to be filled with anxiety about the future.  Clients are fearful about changes and they cannot envision a new life. I help them understand their financial picture and help them create a plan to manage their future.  Success is obtaining the best result for each client – one that will assure that each person can go forward and have a good life – maybe not the same life, but an opportunity to build a future.

What can clients expect when they work with Nottage and Ward?
At Nottage and Ward we have very strong, positive personalities.  In a social situation that may be daunting, but in a crisis situation it is very reassuring.  Although I do not make decisions for my clients, the client can feel our strength and have courage to proceed with our help.  We’re very direct, we’re informative and we assist the client on every decision.  We explain the case to the client and help them understand the process. We help them make decisions based on their value systems, not ours.  In the end, they need to be comfortable with these decisions.

What can they expect when they work with you personally?
I’m a good lawyer.  I know the law.  I am an advocate for my client.  I take positions that are responsible.  I’m very intuitive and insightful and have the experience to rely on, which helps me see what the client really wants or how to present a case to a particular judge. Everybody has a personality, attitudes and a point of view.  We’re all filled with our own ideas, prejudices, thoughts and all of those are brought to bear on the case.  I don’t work by a formula; I approach every person in the process as an individual. 

What do people thank you for afterwards?
People thank us for the directness. Certain people have little things that they remember: “Thank you for telling me to go get the money,” “Thank you for telling me I need to buy myself a new car.”  With one woman, I knew she wasn’t going to be able to keep the house.  I told her to get a real estate agent and start looking for a new house even though it was hard for her, even before we knew she would have enough money, even before she was able to move out.  I felt we would be able to work that through.  And she thanks me even today for that because once she saw the house, once she got the house, she felt much better about knowing there was a future for her.  Once having the house, she could visualize a new life. 

What would you say to put them at ease?
The client needs to know that we do a good job for them and we take their lives seriously.  We take what they bring to us as important.  Family, home, retirement, belongings are the most personal things to all of us.  Many people think the really big cases are found in corporate America, but we believe we work the big cases because we’re working on everything that’s closest to each one of us – our children, our finances, our home, our wellbeing.  Our cases are the big cases.

There’s a lot of intellectual capital in our firm, and we use it.  We are an all-for-one and one-for-all firm.  We designed the physical layout of the offices to facilitate collaboration and communication and de-emphasize hierarchy and boundaries.  Furthermore, we’re conveniently located close to the courthouse and if you need it, the entire firm can come over and stand by your side.  You have every one of us on your side all the time, and you can rely on the firm.  

Co-Founded NW:		1988
Adm to Bar:		1980 Illinois 1982 US District Court, Northern District of Illinois and Federal Trial Bar
Edu:		The Ohio State University (BS with honors 1968), Ohio State University (M.Ed 1969), IIT-Chicago-Kent College of Law (JD 1979), Phi Alpha Delta
Member:		Chicago & Illinois State Bar Assoc. Women’s Bar Association of Illinois
Specialties:		Complex financial issues

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