Ralla Klepak is a horrible woman who does indeed use the "child representative role" as a cash cow without one iota of care for the best interest of the child. Ralla Klepak is only concerned about the best interest of her pocket book and whomever can serve that best interest regardless of the harm it has on the child. She is known as the lawyer to have to take custody from straight mothers. When someone mentions Ralla Klepak, the first words out of the mouths from the legal community is that she is a thief and she is evil. She does intimidate and bully both clients and attorneys, distorts the law to her benefit. She gets herself appointed to a divorce case by the court and then turns around and charges $350.00 an hour to people regardless of their ability to pay. If they do not pay she asks the courts to hold the clients incivil direct contempt and have them jailed until someone pays the bill. We are not talking about millionares here, we are talking about average people earning less then $45,000.00 per year. She charges fees for non-exsistent services such tax allocation adjustments, going over her fees, filing her fees all which have nothing to do with the child. Her standard is to see the child once for approximately 10-15 minutes. Abdun Pallasch of the Suntimes did a three part story on her where a child begged the then Cook County Guardian Patrick Murphy to take over his case as Ralla Klepak met him once, then insisted he go back to a school which was later shut down by the State for severe child abuse violations. I have met children who scream, cry or just shut down when the name Ralla Klepak is mentioned. I have met children who are now adults that were the victims of Ralla Klepak's "best interest of the child" sham, that have broken down and cried that she is still in the system and who still suffer the emtional trauma of what she has put them through as children. I have met Fathers who were sent to her by persons such as yourself who have expressed deep regret and asked forgiveness from their children and ex-spouses for exposing their families to Ralla Klepak in hiring her as their divorce attorney. She has taken children's bank accounts, college funds, forced people to sell their homes, deplete their pensions, go into extensitive credit card debt and has forced grandparents to pay her fees because she does not care how she gets paid, she must get paid as the Court Appointed Child Representative. She was censored by the Supreme Court in the 1980's when she put herself the beneficary of client's condo upon his death. Washington State's Attorney General has the Illinois Attorney General to investigate Ralla Klepak's practices when she sent a Father an arrest warrant through mail,because the Father could not afford to pay her fees of $350.00 per hour as the Court Appointed Child Representative as well as other things that the Attorney General felt were innappropraite in this specific case. The legal profession in the Family Courts of Cook County know very well of what I speak . Ralla Klepak demeans and makes a mockery of the United States Court System, reaking life long emotional and mental trauma on the children and families in the Family Courts of Cook County. read more

I couldn't disagree more with the previous review. Ralla is a devoted and tireless proponent of children's rights. Mike, perhaps as opposed to being a client of Ms. Klepak, you were in the unfortunate position of being opposing counsel.. which would clearly account for your vitriol. I have known Ralla personally and professionally for many years and am not a stranger to the legal community. I have seen her work furiously to defend her clients, particularly children who are in no position to speak for or defend themselves. When choosing an attorney, I think his/her dedication to the principles of law and the defense of those who have no voice far outweigh some misogynistic fears you seem to harbor. She did not receive the honor of "Super Lawyer" two years in a row due to power and intimidation. She was awarded that honor because her peers and clients took the time to acknowledge and honor her for her superior legal attributes and successes. Additionally, I do not think, nor do I believe people appreciate such pejorative fear mongering terms as "Ursala" and I think it inappropriate to express an opinion about a professional on this site by including in your diatribe: "... she walks with a cane." What does that have to do with an analysis of anyone's ability? Whatever point you were attempting to make is lost in your petty name calling and should never be taken seriously. If I were in need of, or when my friends and colleagues are in need of a referral to a great attorney who defends clients above and beyond most, I would whole heartedly recommend and refer them to Ms. Klepak. There is no better example of an advocate. I recommend her without hesitation and as a premier advocate of her clients. Let us separate emotion from reason and allow the public to judge those on this site based on reality, a proven track record and results as opposed to using this site to cast obvious slings and arrows against a worthy adversary. Unequivocally, five stars for Ralla Klepak. read more

ralla klepak? ralla klepak? are you kidding me!!! i can't believe she's still around able to continue to ruin childrens lives let alone continue to have a license to practice anything....she ruined my children's lives. we dealt with her for over 10 years, and still get a bill from her to this day. why can't anything be done about her? the judges must know about her illegal practices. she is so obvious and bousterous of her powers, what does she hold over everyone's heads. i would love to take her to court, but how. if she can take children from the parent who is in the best interest of the children, and give them to a parent who is an abusive alcohalic, per her doctors, then go into court and not allow her doctors report in. get the children to jump on her band wagon and go against the best interest parent. then one child wants out of her camp, so she gets the other child to cry sex abuse on the traitor child. then doesn't allow them to defend them self to dcfs, which stays on record and will follow them forever. the chances of a laymen bringing her to court and getting her to pay for her crimes i think would be nill to none michael s. has given the best discription that could ever have been given.....ursula the sea witch. thats how we all refered to her. i know there are good atty's out their that know how criminal she is and have even tried to call her on the carpet with judges,however to no avail. i also know of other atty'ys that just go along with her, for they also fear the wrath, as she screams in the halls and court room's "and i have the power to do it" i only hope someone who has more power than she, and is brave enough, and has no children she can take from them will take her on to save the other children who may have yet to go through the court system and may be within klepaks grips. someone please please take the sea witch on. read more

Ralla Klepak is a power hungry and mean spirited person. She is a bully and a liar. She intimidates and extorts people to her side. She is horrible for children and is only interested in her ego and way being enforced as well as getting ridiculous money forced out of parents and destroying families financially. It is a joke to say that she is good for children or crazy people don't like her. It is fair to say that she is intelligent, has big clout in the divorce courts, and is a good businesswoman. To describe her physically (and sincerely not in an attempt to be mean) one only has to qoute one of her "clients" who called her Ursala the sea witch (from the Little Mermaid). She is an obese woman who walks with a cane and has a mean scowl and is almost always yelling. Ralla Klepak is very scary looking and very large. She has had issues in the past with the ARDC and she had issues with a Trust all that could be found on the web and other records. She was active at one time in the LGBT community. Many have filed complaints about her with the ARDC. If there is a G-d, Ralla Klepak will one day have to answer for all the children she has destoyed by her ego and greed. She is a terrible child's rep. She is a brutal and mean person and even worse as an attorney with power and intimidation. She is a destroyer of families. read more

Funny how some people use the internet to hide their identity to insult people. I was broke, in big debt and about to drop out of school studying to be a teacher because my husband had taken everything out of our bank accounts, locked me and my son out of the apartment and told me he would outspend me in a divorce case and take custody of our son.away from me because I was going to school instead of working. My ex-husband is a Chicago Police Officer and I was a stay at home Mom. I was living in a shelter and no one would take my case. I wandered into Ms. Klepak's office on e Saturday and she told me: "Stay in school. It is your salvation." She took my case pro bono and never complained about the time she had to spend or the abuse she had to take from Mr. Cop, who actually threatened her. Two and a half years later, I got custody of our son and I finished school and now teach kindergarten in Chicago, because of her. She is smart, well respected and does not compromise or sell her clients out.. Mr. Michael, she may walk with a cane, but she walks tall and everyone respects her [except you, loser]. I'll bet you like to pick on small kids and wives, from the grouchy tone of your "review". Sore loser! How much did you pay your lawyer to lose to her? Bless the Lady with the cane. read more

Unfortunately Mr. Sydni K. you have done yourself a great diservice in associating yourself with Ms. Klepak. She is a detriment to society. I and many other clients that have had the pleasure of working with her feel she is dangerous in her tenacity. Crazy people? Thats not very politically correct though certainly something I would expect from a Ralla Klepak supporter. It is indeed a shame that you are a public servant that speaks of the oppostion in such crass terms as "crazy". I will not go into the details of the case, as it is pending. Though I will say she is attempting to award custody to a diagnosed bi-polar father. In fact, off of his meds, he has caused bodily harm, unwarranted in a public place and was not charged due to the history of his disorder. If Ms. Klepak wishes to be be relieved of her hard earned cash. I and other "crazy people" would be happy to persue a class action law suit. Oh and one more thing, there can be no countersuit for defamation of character if the claims are to be founded. read more

This woman is biased towards whomever will kiss her back end. "Gives" the opposing party 900 dollars toward their balance and claims nothing is wrong...yet, it does not add up!! Reporting her to ARDC will do nothing because they are all attorneys who look out for each others interests! She is way too old to be a child's representative or guardian ad litem....needs to retire rather than make more children suffer in the hands of abusive parents! Also uses expunged dcfs documents against parents who were found innocent of charges....and does nothing but slander the party who she does not like...definitely shows bias in words and in actions. read more

I know I have one star but if I could, I'd give negative googol stars...no, wait, negative infinity stars is more appropriate. As my niece's court appointed "guardian", working in the "best interest" of the child, this woman did all she could to deny my brother-in-law custody and award sole custody to a paranoid schizophrenic who now resides in a nursing home because she believes a computer in her stomach tells her what foods are poisonous. May no one have to go through the hell my niece and her dad went through. Remember that the best mother doesn't always have breasts and a vagina...sometimes the father is the best mother! read more

As a public servant, I often have to refer my friends to a private attorney. Ralla Klepak has been selected for two years running as one of the top lawyers in Chicago. She has been designated as a "Super Lawyer" in Chicago Magazine for 2006 and 2007 because she is compassionate, brilliant, tough and principled. When she takes on a client, her loyalty and devotion to her clients is amazing and she never quits, no matter how long or how tough a case is. The Judges and other lawyers respect her. Crazy people fear her. She is a jewel in a corrupt world. read more

Ralla Klapak is deceased, has been for at least 7 years.