SCHILLER DUCANTO & FLECK LLP ADAM ZEBELIAN Matrimonial Law a Better Fit Than Murder Trials for Litigator by Ed Finkel Adam M. Zebelian’s first murder jury trial was a gang-related triple homicide. It was the first of two murder trials and 18 overall jury trials he handled in his 7½ years as an assistant state’s attorney in Cook County. That trial was a career inflection point for Zebelian, who joined the Chicago matrimonial firm of Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck LLP in January 2017. Zebelian questioned several witnesses in the case. One was the medical examiner, who walked the jury through the nature of the victims’ wounds. And even more searing, he read the victim impact statements composed by the families at sentencing. “Afterward, I went to my office, and I was bawling because it was such an intense moment (during the sentencing) to appear on behalf of the victims who were killed—but also to watch another life be taken away in front of me, in the sense that (the defendant) was going to spend the rest of his life in prison,” Zebelian says. “As much as it felt good to obtain justice for those victims and those families, it was also painful to watch the defendant’s family lose their son, too.” The experience made Zebelian, now 36, realize that despite the importance of “There’s lots of overlap,” Zebelian says. “I it wasn’t anything specific on Zebelian’s resume prosecutorial work and his immense respect like helping people and solving problems, that prompted her to recommend hiring him. for those who do it, it wasn’t how he wanted to and I thought it was probably a good fit. It’s “It was his presence,” Ventrelli says. “There spend the rest of his life. probably the most emotional area of law, and was a genuineness, a thoughtfulness and a “It’s such a hard thing to watch and I have always dealt well with highly emotional burning desire that emanated from him to participate in,” he says. “The whole situation situations—be it as a state’s attorney or just in take his litigation practice to another level.” was very sad. There were no winners.” regular life. I’m very good at defusing tension That early promise played out the way and giving good advice.” Ventrelli imagined. “He does whatever it MOVING TO MATRIMONIAL LAW Villanti says Zebelian’s people skills and takes to get the job done, and he relishes it,” Zebelian became an associate at Schiller, thorough preparation endear him to not only she says. “He’s at home in the courtroom, he the largest matrimonial law firm in the judges but also opposing attorneys. loves putting on testimony. When he came country, at the suggestion of partner Thomas “You can have a highly stressful, high-conflict to us, the first times we had him putting on Villanti. Villanti’s wife worked with Zebelian situation, and once Adam starts talking, the witnesses, it was evident that he came in head at the state’s attorney’s office, and the two had tension goes away, and people will start acting and shoulders over most people who are in his become friendly. a little bit more reasonably,” he says. age range—and not just because he’s tall.” Although he had never considered the “Adam is a really good litigator, he has Zebelian’s people skills have also helped him practice area before, Zebelian deduced there excellent courtroom skills, and the clients all to succeed in the practice, Ventrelli says. “Adam would be several similarities. He also realized trust and respect him,” says Villanti. finds a way to connect with people and tell that private practice would help pay off Anita Ventrelli, the partner with whom their stories effectively,” she says. “No matter loans from The Dickinson School of Law Zebelian probably works the most, says what the outcome is, people understand where at Pennsylvania State University, where he she always figures those with prosecutorial it came from, they understand the risks going received his law degree in 2009. experience know how to think on their feet. But in. I couldn’t have asked for a better acolyte.” This article originally appeared in Emerging Lawyers Magazine for 2020 and has been reprinted with permission. ©2020 Leading LawyersRECENT MATRIMONIAL CASES Zebelian feels like he’s meshing well with the A COLLEGIATE ADVOCATE About seven months after arriving at Schiller, practice area of matrimonial law. “I’ve really The Zebelian brothers grew up in the small Zebelian was involved with a child removal enjoyed it,” he says. “I’ve helped a lot of people town of Armada, Michigan. Their father, case in which the mother—his client—was in a very bad period of their lives, which has William Zebelian, was a gym and history trying to bring the child with her to Europe. been very rewarding. I have a degree in human teacher when Adam attended middle school. Zebelian served as second chair to the partner biology (from Michigan State University). I He had become principal by the time his on the case, so he insists he shouldn’t get the always liked math, and there is a lot of math brother, who’s 5½ years younger, made it primary credit. But the experience definitely in divorce law.” He says math is especially there. Their mother, Julie Miel Zebelian, is a helped him get his feet wet in matrimonial law. important in valuing and dividing up assets. research scientist, but she came from a long “That’s a very difficult (type of) case to line of attorneys—one of her grandfathers was win, and we won that case,” Zebelian says. VARIETY OF CAUSES a county prosecutor and the other a county “It’s always an uphill battle. It helped that our Although some friends and colleagues judge, Zebelian says. client was a professional, and she was a very wonder how he possibly finds the time, “I grew up with a certain respect for the law good mother and a very involved mother. It’s Zebelian has become a board member of both and lawyers,” he says. always easier to look good as a lawyer when the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago What really pointed him toward the law, you have a good client. (LAGBAC) and the Chicago Bar Association. in retrospect, was his decision to take a stand “Since then, I’ve been on several evidentiary He also belongs to the National LGBT Bar against a longstanding tradition among high hearings and trials because my history as an Association, the Illinois State Bar Association school students in his town. On the last day assistant state’s attorney—and the amount of and the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois. of school, some upperclassmen would line up trial work I did there—has segued well into Sulema Medrano Novak, a partner at their vehicles in what was known as “truck being a matrimonial attorney.” SmithAmundsen LLC in Chicago who started row,” adorned in Confederate flags, and then Among the roughly 80 clients or matters he at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office parade around town. A college student at the has handled was the case of Tamra Baer, who the same day as Zebelian and has been a friend time, Zebelian was particularly inspired by the had been divorced for six years but wanted ever since, continues to overlap with him aghast reaction of his brother and his friends, to modify her custody judgment. The post- professionally in her role as regional president who were then in middle school. divorce proceeding—with cross-motions for the Hispanic National Bar Association. “I wrote an article in the small-town paper to alter decision-making and the parenting “Despite the heavy demands and Armada Times saying how awful this was,” he schedule—worked out as Baer had hoped. requirements of private practice, Adam takes says. “It was this odd, deplorable tradition. I “Adam is fabulous,” she says. “I thought the time away from his personal and social life said how it needed to change and should not be his knowledge of the law, with his previous to further the mission of LAGBAC and other tolerated by anyone in town. And that was the experience with the state’s attorney’s office, diverse bar associations, and to give his time last year they had the parade. There was a huge gave him really good attention to detail. He to the community to strengthen the overall debate in the town about whether it should was great—we won everything we put before Chicago legal climate,” she says. continue, which is mind-boggling now.” the court. Zebelian has volunteered for the last several The experience proved foundational for “From what I’ve been told, it’s very difficult years for the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Zebelian. “I remember the gratification that I to get additional time once an agreement is Women’s Network, where he’s served as host got from helping end that terrible tradition in put in place. I thought I was the underdog. committee chair and led efforts for its annual our small town,” he says. “I realized I was able The fact that it ended up coming in my favor fundraiser. He also co-founded and serves on to advocate for things I thought were right and was fabulous.” the board of Stonewall Sports Chicago, an that I was good at it. The mothers of some of That included more time with her children LGBTQ-oriented sports league. the kids wrote in and said I was misinterpreting and ensuring that more money would be “I don’t really have much free time, to be what they were doing—that they were rebels, withdrawn from her ex-husband’s paycheck. honest,” he says. “I like playing kickball.” In and it’s not racist. The town was divided on “Adam was available 24-7, was very fact, Zebelian is captain of his team, called whether it should continue as a tradition. But professional and he has good relationships, the Basic Pitches, and travels the nation, from that was the last year it happened, and to this not only within the firm,” she says. “Anything Las Vegas to Austin, Texas, to participate in day, I’m very proud of that.” I asked of him, he delivered. He was able to tournaments. He also enjoys spending time Zebelian continued to enjoy life in general talk me off the ledge when I was getting very with his boyfriend, Raul—a costume designer and taking a stand for what he thought was frustrated.” who has worked for some of the drag queens in right as a law student at Penn State. Among the good relationships Zebelian RuPaul’s Drag Race—and their two rescue dogs, “I moved to Pennsylvania by myself, I didn’t forged was with the judge, whom Baer described Leo and Coco. know anyone, and I made friends from all over as very strict, to the point where Baer had Zebelian has stayed close with his family, the country, from all walks of life,” he says. “I begun to refer to her as “Judge Judy” outside of which includes his brother, Joseph Miel came out of the closet, fully. It was probably court. “She would yell at everybody—but she Zebelian an internal medicine resident at the my favorite period of time of my entire life, wouldn’t yell at Adam,” Baer says. “He was very suburban Detroit hospital where they were those three years in rural Pennsylvania with respectful to all involved.” both born. Zebelian takes pride in having my law school friends.” Villanti, who tried the case with Zebelian, introduced his brother to a London native describes the dynamic similarly. “Adam would who is now his girlfriend. They met at the Gay OPTING FOR THE STATE’S ATTORNEY make her laugh, make her smile. We decided Pride Parade in Amsterdam last year. During law school, Zebelian considered midway through the trial that Adam was going “My brother went to Gay Pride with me and becoming a public defender, but his criminal to do all the witnesses. For whatever reason, all my friends,” Zebelian says. “He’s the only law professor, a former public defender, told his personality was meshing well with the straight guy (in the group), and he ends up him a good prosecutor could accomplish judge,” he says. “The outcome was awesome meeting his girlfriend. Actually, I met her first, more. That led to summer internships with for the client. It was a good decision.” so I take all the credit for it.” the prosecuting agency in the city of Warren, This article originally appeared in Emerging Lawyers Magazine for 2020 and has been reprinted with permission. ©2020 Leading LawyersMichigan, and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, which hired him when he passed the bar. Zebelian’s former colleagues there sing his praises just as loudly as his current office-mates at Schiller. Then-first assistant state’s attorney Dan Kirk, who’s now manager of strategic planning at Exelon, recalls that Zebelian worked his way up faster and gained more notice at higher levels of the office than the vast majority of new hires. “His name percolated up to everybody, including the state’s attorney herself,” Kirk says. “He became very well-known as somebody who was very smart, very hard working and a good partner to have. If he finished his work early, he would pick up other people’s work. He was reliable and trustworthy, and somebody you could look to for advice. And he’s a very likable person. I don’t know anybody who didn’t like him or enjoy his company.” For all those reasons, senior attorneys often “cherry-picked” Zebelian to work on cases with them, Kirk says. “In each and every instance, the feedback I would hear was, ‘This Adam Zebelian guy is a rock star. He’s going places in this office. He’s a future leader.’ If he had stayed in the office, he would have been.” Medrano Novak says Zebelian has an unusual combination of natural gifts when it comes to both the quieter, reading and writing side of being a lawyer, as well as handling litigation. “Being on your feet in front of a judge or jury, getting your story out clearly, and in a persuasive manner that is not overly aggressive—that is something he has been recognized for, on multiple occasions,” she says. “Adam has all the skill set he needs to be an excellent attorney.” Matt Jannusch, an assistant state’s attorney who worked with Zebelian and currently serves on the board of LAGBAC with him, recalls that Zebelian’s networking and listening skills “impressed the socks off our hiring committee. There was no doubt that he was going to be hired.” And Zebelian continued to impress with his work ethic and developing courtroom skills, says Jannusch, who was interviewed for this article while attending a recruiting fair at the National LGBT Bar conference. “I’m here right now hoping to find the next Adam Zebelian for our office,” he says. “We miss him dearly. I understand why he went to Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck. But I can’t say enough about him. His work ethic, his personality, and his temperament are just amazing. He is a delightful human being.” n This article originally appeared in Emerging Lawyers Magazine for 2020 and has been reprinted with permission. ©2020 Leading Lawyers