About Nikole
Nikole Messerschmidt built her legal foundation in the Upper Midwest. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire in 2010 and a J.D. from Valparaiso University School of Law in 2013. Those years shaped her early interests in litigation and family court work. They also set the rhythm for a career that moved quickly from a larger plaintiff firm into family law practice.
After law school she joined Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard in 2013. That role exposed her to civil litigation and the mechanics of preparing cases for trial. In 2017 she took a position described as Divorce and Family Law Lawyer at Sterling Law Offices, S.C. There she handled dissolutions, custody disputes, and other family court matters. Those years gave her repeated experience in court filings, contested hearings, and settlement negotiations.
Messerschmidt is admitted to practice in Illinois and Wisconsin, and she also holds admission in the Northern District of Illinois. She has taken additional training in collaborative practice and holds a Collaborative Law Certificate from the Collaborative Law Council of Wisconsin. That credential signals familiarity with structured out-of-court processes aimed at resolving family disputes.
Her professional memberships reflect work on both sides of the state line. She is a member of the Wisconsin State Bar and the Illinois State Bar Association. She also belongs to the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Association for Justice. Those associations provide access to continuing education and peer forums relevant to both trial work and family law practice.
Colleagues and clients have described her work in straightforward terms: handling complex family law matters, preparing cases for court, and engaging in negotiated resolutions where appropriate. Her background includes contested cases and collaborative processes. She brings courtroom experience from her litigation years and procedural knowledge from her family law practice.
She currently practices at Sterling Lawyers, LLC. Her practice includes divorce and other family law matters, as well as collaborative law cases and related court proceedings.
