Eva Matela Kogut
Beermann Pritikin Mirabelli Swerdlove LLP
Family law

Eva Matela Kogut has this core belief: It is crucial to first listen to clients to determine their goals and needs.

This is rarer than you might think; many attorneys impose upon their clients the goals that they think these clients should be pursuing.

This empathy for her clients combined with a deep understanding of the law, has made Kogut one of the busiest, and best respected, family law specialists in Chicago.

“Eva has a truly unique ability to be calm and clear but at the same time firm in her statements and her positions,” said Rita Ghose, with the law firm Brigitte Schmidt Belle, P.C. “She maintains her composure at all times. She does not allow herself to become so emotionally involved in the case so that she is unreasonable and difficult to work with. It is easy to become too aligned with our clients.This can affect a lawyer’s ability to advocate effectively. I have never seen this to be an issue for Eva.”

Ghose points to one case that clearly demonstrates Kogut’s talents. The young attorney with Chicago’s Beermann Pritikin Mirabelli Swerdlove and her partner were representing a husband in a contentious divorce case. Ghose said that the husband was insisting on a result that he had no realistic chance of achieving in court. Kogut’s partner grew so frustrated with the client that she withdrew from the case.

This didn’t stop Kogut. She took over the case and was able to resolve it within six months. Ghose said that Kogut’s superior client-management skills made the difference.

“She found just the right balance of straightforwardness, firmness and empathy to earn her difficult client’s trust,” Ghose said.

This is far from the only time in which Kogut has steered a difficult case to a successful resolution. Kogut’s peers say that this attorney is never outworked in the courtroom, and that few family law specialists can boast of the kind of respect that Kogut earns from both her clients and her fellow attorneys.

“In the courtroom, Eva is a savvy litigator,” said Lindsey Markus with the Chicago office of Chuhak & Tecson. “Even more impressive than her litigation skills are her brilliant mediation and collaborative skills. She is a team player in every sense of the word. I have had the pleasure of opposing Eva in several premarital agreements. Her exceptional analytical skills are matched by her concise legal writing. But above everything else, she is a true pleasure to work with.”

Kogut’s family law career is a thriving one. But she still sets aside time to serve her community. Kogut served as the president of the Young Professionals Group of Between Friends, a Chicago-based organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of domestic violence. She is also a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, a fellow and board member of the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois and a fellow of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals. Because Kogut speaks fluent Polish, she frequently serves clients in pro bono cases involving the Polish community.