About Mary
Mary Szudarek built a career that crosses law and financial planning. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Pre-Law from Northern Michigan University in 2003 and went on to graduate from DePaul College of Law with a J.D. in 2008. She later completed DePaul University College of Law’s Certificate in Family Law and finished the Certified Financial Planning Certificate Program at Northwestern University in 2019.
Her early legal work began in clerical roles at small Illinois firms. She spent time as a law clerk at Sheats & Kellogg, P.C. in 2006 and at Tameling & Associates, P.C. in 2007. In 2008 she joined Prairie State Legal Services as a staff lawyer, a position that exposed her to public-interest representation and a wide range of family law matters. Those years shaped the practical side of her approach to client issues.
In 2013 she became managing partner of The Law Offices of Janusonis & Szudarek, P.C. She leads the firm’s family law practice and handles cases that range from contested divorce proceedings to post-judgment modifications. Her practice increasingly intersects with financial questions, a development reflected in her pursuit of formal training in financial planning. That combination informs how she evaluates asset division, support calculations, and settlement proposals.
Szudarek holds credentials in collaborative practice. She earned certification as a Collaborative Divorce Lawyer through the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois in 2017 and maintains membership in the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals. She is also a member of the Financial Planning Association since 2018. These affiliations point to a practice style that often emphasizes negotiated solutions and coordinated planning among attorneys, financial professionals, and other specialists.
Colleagues describe her work as pragmatic. She balances courtroom experience with negotiated resolutions. Her time at Prairie State Legal Services, followed by private practice, gives her perspective on both litigation strategy and the practical needs of families navigating change. She supervises cases at the firm and mentors younger attorneys who join the practice.
In day-to-day practice she handles divorce, custody, support, and property matters, and she integrates financial planning considerations into case strategy. She continues to serve clients out of The Law Offices of Janusonis & Szudarek, P.C., where her current practice focuses on family law and collaborative divorce matters that involve financial complexity.
