About Ms. Sheryl Rae
Ms. Sheryl Rae Ghezzi earned her law degree from The John Marshall Law School in 1981 after completing undergraduate studies at Lake Forest College in 1973, where she majored in psychology and political science. Her academic path combined social science and law, a pairing that informed how she approached cases and counsel in the early years of her practice. The trajectory from liberal arts to legal training set a steady pace that carried through decades in private practice.
She is admitted to practice in Illinois and began operating her own practice in the mid-1980s. In 1986 she became principal of the Law Office of Sheryl Rae Ghezzi, building a practice rooted in client work and courtroom representation. Nearly three decades later she founded Focus Forward Law in 2011, continuing the thread of an independent practice while adapting to new demands and client expectations.
Ghezzi balanced practice with teaching and advisory roles. From 2004 until 2016 she served as adjunct faculty for the National Business Institute, delivering continuing legal education to fellow attorneys. Between 2013 and 2016 she chaired the Family Law Section of the Job Advisory Board at John Marshall Law School, a role that connected legal training to the practical needs of students entering family law work.
Her professional memberships reflect long-standing engagement in organized bar life. She joined the Chicago Bar Association in the early 1980s and maintained association ties with the Illinois State Bar Association beginning in 1990. In 2016 she is listed as a member of the American Bar Association, indicating an ongoing professional network that spans local and national organizations. She also served on the Lake Forest College Alumni Board of Directors from 2008 to 2012, returning time to the institution where she earned her bachelor’s degree.
The combination of teaching, board service and private practice shaped how she handled cases: practical problem solving, courtroom work when necessary, and advising clients through transition points. Her experience in family law matters informed both her classroom presentations and her work at the bench.
As of 2026 she continues to practice in Illinois, carrying the expertise she developed over decades into her current client work. Her current practice concentrates on family law matters.
