Jody Meyer Yazici, the author of 'The Illinois Practice of Family Law'—the authoritative reference for Illinois judges and attorneys—has joined Merel Family Law as a partner. With more than 30 years of experience and authorship of the treatise known as the 'Red Book,' Meyer Yazici brings a depth of expertise that is rare in the field.
Meyer Yazici has written all 25 editions of 'The Illinois Practice of Family Law,' part of Thomson Reuters' Illinois Practice Series, since its first publication in 1995. The most recent edition was released in March 2026. The treatise covers the full scope of state and federal law affecting family law practice and is a daily resource for Illinois judges and practitioners, many of whom first encounter it in law school.
Her practice has focused on financially complex matters, working from early in her career with accountants, business valuators, and other financial experts. This grounding has shaped an approach she applies to every case, regardless of size. She views the treatise not as a side project but as part of a larger purpose shared 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 drew her to Merel Family Law, a firm she describes as forward-looking and aligned with her commitment to raising practice standards. Jonathan Merel, founder of the firm, noted, 'Jody has shaped how family law is practiced and understood in Illinois. 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.'
For HR vendors, this move signals a growing emphasis on specialization and high standards in family law, which may influence the types of legal services and software needed by firms handling complex family matters. As Merel Family Law expands its expertise, vendors offering case management, financial analysis, or legal research tools could see increased demand from firms seeking to match the elevated practice standards championed by Meyer Yazici.
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.
Founded in 2009 by Jonathan Merel, Merel Family Law serves clients across the Chicago area and metropolitan Detroit. With more than 20 attorneys across four offices, the firm handles divorce, high net worth divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, property division, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, LGBTQ family law, domestic violence, and mediation.
