Doris Schumacher McMorrow

Partner

dmcmorrow@davisfriedman.com
vCard

Doris Schumacher McMorrow begins every divorce case by thinking it through to a realistic conclusion. "I help my clients visualize an end result, seeing their alternatives and the best ways to get there," she explains. "My primary focus is to try to resolve each situation outside of court. I believe, however, that my clients benefit from a better result because I continue to prepare every case for trial. This way, we are ready to negotiate at just the right moment, and well prepared at any point in the process."

She emphasizes the importance of holding a clear perspective at the beginning of each case. "Unreasonable expectations prevent cases from being settled in a timely manner. I strive to reduce friction. Conflicts lead to unnecessary litigation and higher attorneys' fees, for both parties."

Staying focused on a reasonable endpoint, she says, can sometimes lead to a breakthrough. "Practicing family law requires the ability to connect with clients during times of great emotional and financial upheaval. As a divorce lawyer, I believe it is my job to help my clients through painful and difficult situations, to guide them through the legal process, and to obtain the best results for them and their children."

McMorrow began her career as a corporate attorney for a national retailer. "I focused on allocating responsibilities and anticipating liabilities with major manufacturers and other vendors. We always placed the consumer's best interest at the forefront when we negotiated complex relationships with suppliers. Many of the principles of negotiating remain the same in divorces," she observes, "but the dynamic becomes much more intimate when a family's future is at stake."

She left corporate law when she had her first child. Though the law was her chosen profession, ballet was long her passion and avocation. McMorrow began taking classes when she was five and studied ballet throughout her life, so then it was a natural choice for her to start a ballet school. Ten years later, her school in Winnetka had expanded to 135 aspiring ballerinas.

She recognizes that her heightened capacity to view the family in a broad context developed not only from her legal experience but also from her days managing a school for young dancers. Besides an acute ability to focus, dancing requires balance, strength, flexibility and controlled energy: in sum, an unusual perspective for an attorney, but a perfect blend of skill sets for McMorrow's work.

"I was impressed that so many of my students' parents were clearly centered on the well-being of their children," she recalls. "When there was a family problem that affected them-separation, divorce, illness or death-the parents naturally wanted me to know about the situation. Often they would ask me to be vigilant for any signs of stress affecting their children. And because they asked, I also found myself offering parents productive advice," she recalls. "I believe that's what being a family law attorney is about: giving advice with the best interest of people in mind."

When McMorrow returned to the profession in 1993, she chose a family law practice. She joined Davis Friedman in 1999. "I have insight into how parents should share time with children because of the experience of my own divorce. I'm a very strong advocate, but also a realist. I consider very carefully what would be beneficial for the children and beneficial for my client and, hopefully, the other spouse as well."

For her commitment and career, McMorrow credits her family. "I've always been inspired and influenced by my father, who was a lawyer, and by my uncle, who was a psychoanalyst. Both my grandparents were doctors. I followed my grandmother to Vassar College. I was raised to be a professional."

She adds, "I am known for being an extremely dedicated, responsible person... therefore, I try to instill that sense in my clients. 'Keep your head above the fray,' I advise. I encourage clients to look inward and forward, to shift their focus away from how much they might want to hurt or to take the most from the other person. By changing their focus, they can visualize what they really need and want so they can begin the next chapter in their lives."

Summing up, McMorrow recalls an insight from ballet: "As a dancer I learned, it's not about the spotlight. The act itself of dancing-not the recognition and accolades-is what dancing is all about. Everyday, I strive to integrate this principle into my practice to serve my clients better."

"I've also learned how having a sense of humor can defuse tense situations," she notes. "Today, I still will ask a client who is overwhelmed with anxiety, 'What are you doing for fun?'"

Admitted to the Bar

1977, Illinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois

Education

Vassar College, B.A., magna cum laude, 1973, majored in English

Suffolk University Law School, J.D., 1977, Law Review

Professional Memberships

Illinois State Bar Association