ESQUIRE INSIDE INTERNATIONAL FAMILY LAW Jay Dahlin is one of Schiller DuCanto & Fleck, LLP’s best not-so-secret weapons. An experienced family law attorney who achieves consistently excellent results for his clients, half of Dahlin’s caseload resides in the international arena, where he has handled cases ranging from international divorces to cross-border child abduction cases. WORDS BY CAITLIN MCCAULEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN CAREY AND JAMES GUSTIN/FIG MEDIA J ay Dahlin’s family law portfolio is anything but ordinary, with his practice focused on international cases, domestic family law cases, and cases where he acts as Guardian ad Litem to children—court-appointed counsel on behalf of the child(ren) in a case—Dahlin has built up a career heavily focused in child custody and advocacy work. Dahlin made the pivot from international business law, where he gained experience working in federal courts, to family law after growing somewhat disillusioned with corporate litigation. “I wanted to represent people, not corporations,” says Dahlin. Soon after joining the ranks of Schiller DuCanto & Fleck, LLP, an actor strives to convince his audience of the character he’s por- Dahlin took on an emergency international child abduction case. traying, Dahlin must also present his case and persuade the judge After he helped facilitate the child’s safe return from Chicago back that his client’s narrative and interests are worth ruling in favor of. to overseas, he realized he’d discovered his passion for international Dahlin’s philosophy centers on pragmatism and setting achiev- family law. able goals in the case as efficiently as possible. In international cases, Dahlin must operate within two separate “I counsel my clients to be rationally pragmatic,” says Dahlin. and sometimes vastly different legal systems. Ideally, cases proceed “I want to take the most direct and efficient path to get you where under the Hague Convention of International Child Abduction— you want to go.” a treaty that the majority of countries around the world have Dahlin also recognizes that it’s his responsibility to help his signed and agreed to, where the courts of the two nations involved clients understand what the court can and cannot do, particularly will coordinate to determine which country has jurisdiction and in international cases. where the outcomes of the case will be enforceable. But when His even-keeled personality and ability to adapt with changing dealing with a country who has not signed on to this agreement, fact patterns has helped Dahlin both to persevere through difficult Dahlin must navigate within both the U.S. legal system and an cases and maintain a rational perspective throughout. alternate overseas legal system where there may not necessarily be Dahlin’s pragmatic and goal-centered approach always keeps his the same due process we’re accustomed to in the U.S. clients’ best interests at heart, and he always strives to leave his cli- Part of Dahlin’s secret to his success is the artistic lens through ents a little better off than when they first met. And when it comes which he can view the courtroom. A student of theater in his down to it, shouldn’t that always be the end-goal? undergraduate years, Dahlin immediately saw a veiled connection to performing on stage and arguing a case in court. The Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP Chicago office is located at 321 While actors are given scripts to follow and lines to read, “as an North Clark Street, Suite 1200. For more information, call 312-641- attorney, you’re building your own script,” Dahlin says. Similarly, as 5560 or visit sdflaw.com. HINSDALE LIVING 46