About Sheila A. Maloney

Family law is more than my career—it’s the work I care deeply about. I guide individuals and families through some of life’s most challenging moments with strength, clarity, and genuine commitment. Whether you are building your family, buying or selling your home, or establishing an estate plan, my goal is to protect what matters most to you.  I am here to safeguard your interests, and guide you towards a stronger, more secure future. 

I graduated from John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois in 1986, after attending DePaul University, Chicago, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1981. My work experience includes providing social work services with the American Red Cross, offering critical support to families affected by disaster.  After law school, my first position was with the State’s Attorney’s office  where I conducted criminal trials and headed the juvenile delinquency division.  Next,  I worked at the Public Guardian’s Office, where I represented some of the community’s most vulnerable individuals—abused and neglected children and disabled adults—protecting their interests and managing their lives with care.

I was drawn to adoption law through a personal journey marked by a failed adoption. That experience, though painful, became the driving force behind my dedication to adoption reform and advocacy. I worked closely on legislative revisions which became law in Illinois (the “Baby Richard Law”creating the putative father registry) which strengthened the finality of adoptions. I launched my solo practice over 35 years ago concentrating on adoption law, and over time have expanded my practice to include assisted reproductive work guardianships, estate planning, and real estate transactions.