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Sandra R. Murphy is a partner in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP based in the Firm’s Chicago office. Sandra began practicing at McDermott in May of 1978 and became partner in 1986. She holds several leadership positions at the Firm. She heads the Family Law Practice Group. She also served two terms in the Firm’s Management Committee.
Sandra has received a variety of honors, and has held many leadership positions in professional organizations. She was honored by the National Association of Women Business Owners receiving the Woman of Achievement Award in May of 1997. Today’s Chicago Women named her one of the 100 Women Making a Difference in July 1996. Most recently, she was recognized as a leading lawyer by the Leading Lawyers Network, a division of Law Bulletin Publishing Company, and was named as an Illinois Super Lawyer in 2005 and 2006. She was also listed as one of the Top Ten Divorce Lawyers by the Chicago Sun-Times (her photograph was featured on the front page and within the article), and was featured on the cover of North Shore Magazine as one of the Top Twenty Divorce Lawyers. The Chicago Tribune Magazine and Chicago Lawyer have also recognized Sandra as an expert in her field. Since 1997, she has been recognized by her peers in The Best Lawyers in America.
Sandra is past national president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. The Academy is the most prestigious national specialty bar association in family law. Prior to being elected as national president of the Academy, she was elected as the first women president of the Illinois Chapter of the Academy. She also served on the board of governors of the Academy and as its counsel, secretary and vice-president. Ann Landers wrote a column regarding work Sandra had done for the Academy.
Sandra is the former chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Matrimonial Law Committee, and was chair of the Illinois State Bar Association’s select Illinois Family Law Council. She was named as a member of the Task Force on the Family for the Illinois State Bar. She is a member of the Legal Club, and is a diplomat of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers. The College is the premier national family law trial organization, and membership is limited to the 100 top family trial attorneys in the country. Status as a diplomat is conferred only by peer selection.
Sandra has also made a significant commitment to teaching, lecturing and writing. She has been a visiting or lecturing professor at Loyola University of Chicago, DePaul University and John Marshall Law School. She is a frequent lecturer on a broad range of family law topics. She has written numerous articles in legal publications as well as texts.
Sandra is a member of Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education Family Law Advisory Committee.
Education
Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D., 1976
Northwestern University, B.A., 1971 | 