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40 Under Forty – Class of 2016
Adam Kibort
Grund & Leavitt, P.C.
akibort@grundlaw.com
40 Under Class – 2016
Adam Kibort has built one of the most successful family law practices in the Chicago area before even reaching his 40th birthday. That is an impressive accomplishment. But it's not one that surprises the attorneys and judges who have watched Kibort steadily build his career.
Chicago attorney Richard Wilson said that Kibort possesses each of the talents necessary to make an outstanding lawyer. To Wilson, this includes intelligence, an unwavering ethical compass, the ability to see more than one side of an issue, a knack for quickly grasping the factual and legal issues present in any case, resourcefulness and sound judgment.
"To all of this, I have to add three critical characteristics Adam has consistently, and without exception, maintained and demonstrated: honesty, integrity and humor," Wilson said. "Not only have I never known Adam to demonstrate or display a dishonesty or falsehood, I've been consistently reminded that he both believes in honesty as an essential character trait and lives by his belief."
Wilson is far from the only Chicago legal professional to praise Kibort's legal talents. Attorney Leslie Fineberg, with Chicago's Nottage and Ward, said that Kibort has the unique ability to quickly determine the best approach to take for his clients.
Kibort has the ability, too, to reduce the tension inherent in family law cases, helping all the parties involved in a dispute to reach the best possible resolution.
Judges have also taken notice of Kibort's abilities.
For example, one Judge who nominated Kibort said, "Mr. Kibort has appeared in my courtroom several times on complex family law cases involving significant assets and highly emotional litigants. There is a lot of pressure associated with these cases, but Mr. Kibort handles it beautifully with candor, calmness and preparedness." The Judge continued, "Mr. Kibort is knowledgeable on the facts and the law, empathetic, diligent, thoughtful and practical. He litigates cases when the circumstances require, but first tries to resolve cases amicably in an effort to help families move on with their lives.
Retired judge Karen Shields, who now works with JAMS Arbitration, Mediation and ADR Services in Chicago, has worked with Kibort on several mediations that she has run. Watching Kibort work has reinforced what Shields has always thought about this family law specialist: She considers him to be one of the most intelligent young attorneys that she has ever met.
That's impressive, considering how many young legal professionals whom Shields has encountered during her long career.
"Adam is the one whom the other attorneys rely on to know the file and to understand the complexities of the case," Shields said. "When we are brainstorming options, I look to Adam for some creative ideas, and he usually has them. He also works really well with his clients, and I have noticed the opposing client never lashes out at him unlike other attorneys who are frequently on the receiving end. Nothing seems to rile or upset Adam."
While growing his career in and outside of the courtroom, Kibort has also enhanced his skill set by obtaining a Masters in Business Administration (MBA), with distinction, from DePaul University's Kellstadt School of Business (2016), in order to focus his practice on resolving complex financial matters, including business and tax-related issues.
He was one of the youngest attorneys ever elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) and the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL). He is also a published author and frequent speaker on family law topics.
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40 Under Forty 2018 Presentation
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