Merel Family Law has announced that Jody Meyer Yazici, author of the authoritative treatise "The Illinois Practice of Family Law," has joined the firm as a partner. With more than 30 years of practice in Illinois, Meyer Yazici brings a depth of experience that few attorneys can match, according to the firm.
Meyer Yazici is the author of "The Illinois Practice of Family Law," a reference that Illinois judges and practitioners turn to daily and that many attorneys first encounter in law school. Known across the field as the "Red Book," it covers the full scope of state and federal law affecting family law practice. She has written every one of its 25 editions since the first was published in 1995, the most recent in March 2026, continuing a project she began as a law student alongside the late Muller Davis. The treatise is part of Thomson Reuters' Illinois Practice Series.
Meyer Yazici built her practice on the most financially complex matters in the field, working from her earliest years with accountants, business valuators and other financial experts. That grounding shaped an approach she has carried ever since. She applies the same standards to every case regardless of size, and she sees the treatise not as a side project but as part of a larger purpose she shares with the firm's leadership: elevating the practice of family law.
"Once you get beyond the very superficial level of almost any case, even simple cases have complex issues that need to be addressed," Meyer Yazici said. "It's important that lawyers see this field as something deserving of that attention and level of professionalism."
That conviction is what drew her to Merel Family Law, a firm she describes as forward looking and aligned with her own commitment to raising the standard of the practice. The firm, founded in 2009 by Jonathan Merel, handles divorce, high net worth divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, property division, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, LGBTQ family law, domestic violence, and mediation. It serves clients across the Chicago area and metropolitan Detroit with more than 20 attorneys across four offices.
"Jody has shaped how family law is practiced and understood in Illinois," said Jonathan Merel, founder of Merel Family Law. "For more than 30 years she has written the reference that judges and attorneys across the state rely on, and she has done it while holding every case to an exacting standard. Raising the level of this field is exactly what we set out to do when we built this firm, and we are proud to welcome her as a partner."
Beyond the treatise, Meyer Yazici has been published in the Illinois Bar Journal and the ISBA Family Law Section Newsletter, contributed to "Strategies for Family Law in Illinois," and assisted in the prepublication review of "The Lawyer's Guide to the Cost of Capital" by Shannon Pratt and Roger Grabowski. She has been named repeatedly to the Leading Lawyers Network and served for many years on the Chicago Council of Lawyers' judicial evaluation committee. She earned her law degree from Cornell Law School and her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University. She has practiced in all aspects of family law since her admission to the Illinois bar in 1994.
This partnership underscores a trend in the legal industry where top-tier talent is joining boutique firms that prioritize specialized expertise and client-centered approaches. For the legal community in Illinois, Meyer Yazici's move means that one of the most influential voices in family law will be directly shaping the firm's strategy and casework. For clients, it signals access to a partner who not only understands the nuances of complex financial matters but also has authored the definitive reference that judges use. The impact on the industry could be a continued elevation of standards, as Merel Family Law aims to set a new benchmark for professionalism in family law practice.
