About

Diane L. Redleaf, a family defense pioneer

 

Nationally-known leaders have called Diane L. Redleaf the “conscience of the child welfare system,” the driving force behind creating a “better, fairer child welfare system” and “the people’s lawyer.” A  civil rights lawyer for families in the child welfare system since she settled in Chicago in 1979,  Diane has played a leading role in hundreds of important cases on behalf of families, with over 60 published court opinions.

Diane has worked on dozens of friend of the court briefs in federal and state courts, including the United States Supreme Court. Here she is pictured with Louis Milot and his client Heather M. at Louis's successful argument on Heather's behalf at th…

Diane is pictured with Louis Milot and his client Heather M. at Louis's successful argument on Heather's behalf at the Illinois Supreme Court (In re M.M.).

Ms. Redleaf’s leadership has been recognized through multiple awards, including Chicago Bar Association Alliance for Women Founder's Award (2014) and the Carleton College Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award (2016), and the Decalogue Society Award of Excellent (2020 to name just a few.  

Diane received the 2015 Family Defender Award at the 10th Anniversary Gala for the Family Defense Center, the organization she founded in 2005 with major support of her philanthropist and social justice pioneer parents, Rhoda and Paul Redleaf.In 201…

Diane received the 2015 Family Defender Award at the 10th Anniversary Gala for the Family Defense Center, the organization she founded in 2005 with major support of her philanthropist and social justice pioneer parents, Rhoda and Paul Redleaf.

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Diane L. Redleaf, child welfare and family advocate for over three decades.

Diane L. Redleaf, child welfare and family advocate for over threedecades.