Deanna L. Hoyt

Partner 

Location: Libertyville, Illinois

Phone: 847-680-4970

Fax: 847-680-5459

Email Me

Deanna began working for Schlesinger & Strauss, LLC in February 2017 as an associate attorney. July, 2022 Deanna was named a Partner. Her primary practice is in the area of family law in Lake County, IL. Deanna has represented clients in divorce, custody disagreements, the setting and modification of child support, enforcement of court orders, and in guardianship matters. She received her Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

Deanna is an active member of many bar associations. She is the Co-Secretary of the Association of Women Attorneys of Lake County and is a member of the Associations’ Biennial Continuing Legal Education Committee. Additionally, Deanna is active in the Illinois State Bar Association (“ISBA”). Deanna is a member of the Women & the Law Committee, Child Law Section Council and was a part of the Inaugural Class of the ISBA’s Leadership Academy. She is also an active member of the Lake County Bar Association.

Deanna regularly assists as the Volunteer Mediator for the Self-Represented Litigant Family Law Courtroom in Lake County, IL. The Self-Represented Litigant Family Law Courtroom is specially designed to meet the needs of the people who are representing themselves in family law matters without attorneys. Deanna also represents clients on a pro bono basis through the Lake County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyer Program.

In 2021 Deanna was been recognized by her peers as a Rising Star in Family Law. Only 2.5% of attorneys in Illinois receive this distinction.

Areas of Practice

• Family Law
• Guardianship
• Adoption
• Divorce
• Separation
• Premarital Agreements
• Paternity
• Custody & Support

Bar Admissions

• Illinois 2016

Education

• Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, Bachelor of Science: Criminal Justice and Criminology
• Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Chicago, IL, May 2016, JD, Certificate in Trial Advocacy, Certificate in Child and Family Law

 Relevant Past Employment:

• Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Chicago, IL, 711 Law Clerk, May 2014 – May 2016
• DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, Wheaton, IL, Law Clerk, May 2014 – August 2014

Organizations

• Association of Women Attorneys of Lake County, June 2017 – present
  • Co-Secretary, June 2018 – present
  • January 2020 Continuing Legal Education Committee– committee member, June
    2019 – January 2020
  • January 2022 Continuing Legal Education Committee – committee member,
    January 2021 – present
• Illinois State Bar Association, December 2016 – present
  • Women and the Law Committee, June 2018 – present
    • ISBA Central Community Manager, June 2019 – June 2021
    • Legislation Subcommittee, June 2021 – present
• • Child Law Section Counsel, June 2020 – present
    • ISBA Central Community Manager, June 2020 – June 2021,/li>
    • Legislation Subcommittee, June 2021 – present
• • Leadership Academy, December 2019 – September 2020
• Lake County Bar Association, February 2017 – present
• EPWNG (“Exclusive Professional Women’s Networking Group”), September 2021 –
  present

Publications

• Transformation in Illinois’ Department of Juvenile Justice, Child Law, The newsletter of
  the ISBA’s Section on Child Law, Volume 33, Number 2, November 2020.
• Promoting Access to Justice Among Self-Represented Litigants, The Catalyst, The
  newsletter of the ISBA’s Standing Committee on Women and the Law, February 2019,
  vol. 24, no 3, and The Docket, The Official Publication of the Lake County Bar
  Association, Vol. 26 No. 5, May 2019.
• Practical Lessons To Learn From Chavis v Woodworker’s, The Docket, The Official
  Publication of the Lake County Bar Association, Vol. 25 No. 11, November 2018.