Kelly R. Giraudo

My passion for family law began when I was 18 years old and experienced my parent's divorce.  At that age, I could understand what was going on and how difficult it was on my parents and siblings.  My parents were very cooperative and worked together to make the breakdown of our family as bearable as possible.  I have always admired them for that, and felt that one day I should help facilitate that kind of approach to divorce for other families going through such a difficult time.  Since then, I have been able to see the long-term effects of divorce on my parents and our family members.  In practice now, I strive not only to make the divorce process as easy as possible, but also to help my clients, both men and women, deal with the tremendous emotional effects it may have on them and their family.

Throughout college and law school, I continued to feel a pull towards the area of family law.  I completed my first adoption while practicing under my 711 license at the Civil Practice Clinic at Southern Illinois University School of Law.  The joy on my clients' faces as we exited the courtroom was priceless.  It solidified my yearning to concentrate exclusively in this area of law, and my passion hasn't waned with the passage of time. 
    
Susan and I share the same passion and instinct towards family law cases.  Since joining the firm, I have handled numerous contested child custody, visitation, interstate child removal cases, and adoptions.  I have also handled and tried numerous hearings regarding Orders for Protection.  I work on complex divorce issues, including asset division, child support, and spousal maintenance for both men and women.  I focus on negotiation and reasonable settlements of cases, but welcome the courtroom venue if the parties require a judge's decision. 
   
I am a qualified guardian ad litem, accepting appointments in the Tenth Judicial Circuit, which includes Peoria and Tazewell counties.

Education:

Kelly (Millay) Giraudo graduated cum laude from Mid-Continent University in 2005. She received her Juris Doctor from Southern Illinois University School of Law in 2009. At SIU, she served as a Research Assistant to Professor Mark R. Lee, and was employed by the SIU Civil Practice/Elderly Clinic, practicing family law, including divorce, custody, adoption, grandparent visitation and related matters.

Biography:

Kelly and her husband are the parents of one son.