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Kristina L. Morales

Associate Attorney

Kristina is a second career attorney, with 15 years’ experience in a variety of finance roles. She started in high school as an intern for Washington Mutual. In college, while taking night classes, she worked full time at a local bank. She was promoted 6 times over the course of her 8-year career. Kristina has worked in every area of financial services, including teller work, personal banking, fraud protection, portfolio loan management, and licensure to sell investments.

She launched a career in corporate finance, working for a privately owned, multi-billion, multi-national shipping supply company. After starting as just a customer service representative, she worked her way up the corporate ladder. She received 4 promotions in 5 years, launched and solely ran the audit department, working under the CFO for the international organization. There, Kristina worked with executive leaders to develop and implement audit strategies and conduct formal presentations of findings. She trained and presented across all levels of the organization. She proudly received, what she views as her highest compliment, when her boss said, “You have such exceptional presentation skills. Your presence demands the attention of whatever room you walk into.” She also has extensive graduate coursework in Accounting Forensics, and hopes to finish her Master of Science on the subject in the near future.

Although she found great success in the corporate world, she wanted to do something that was meaningful in people’s lives. She made the decision to leave behind her life in finance to embark on a new journey. She received her Juris Doctor from Northern Illinois University, graduating Magna Cum Laude, with a concentration in International Law. Kristina was honored to be invited to present her original work at an international conference, titled “Liberation of Iemanjá: How Climate Action is Climate Justice for the Feminine Spirit,” which analyzed the disproportionate impact that environmental destruction has on indigenous women.

While in law school, Kristina worked as a Supreme Court Rule 711 intern for Winnebago County State’s Attorney. While at the State’s Attorney’s, she spent the first half of her time in the Juvenile Abuse and Neglect courtroom, and the second in criminal misdemeanors. She had the opportunity to actively participate in the courtroom, doing daily court calls, drafting and arguing motions, and second chairing both bench and jury trials.

Kristina was honored to have her first attorney role for the Office of the Illinois State’s Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor. There, she was able to polish her legal research and writing skills. She drafted detailed, persuasive briefs, and presented oral arguments to Appellate Court Justices across the State of Illinois on criminal appeals. While this was an exceptional learning experience for Kristina, she wanted to work directly with clients, focusing on their individual needs.

She then worked for Prairie State Legal Services, representing immigrant victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Lake County, Illinois. She quickly gained more exposure to the courtroom and was honored to represent clients during some of their most vulnerable and uncertain experiences. This allowed her the opportunity to appreciate the sensitive nature of domestic relations and its impact on the individual client.

Kristina loves to be in the courtroom and zealously represent her clients. She excels at connecting with clients from all backgrounds and understanding their perspective and goals. Her practice is now solely concentrated on family law and domestic relations, including but not limited to complex financial evaluation cases, contested custody issues, maintenance issues, and appeals.

Kristina is also fluent in Brazilian Portuguese and has proficiency in Spanish. She is hopeful to increase her Spanish fluency and one day learn Italian. She periodically volunteers for a non-profit in Chicago, teaching personal finance and professionalism courses to human trafficking survivors. She is a passionate writer, and aspires to become a published author in the near future. She absolutely loves to spend time outdoors. She enjoys it all, from sitting to observe the birds, taking a quiet hike, and fishing, all the way to kayaking, diving, sailing and even kiteboarding.

Practice Areas:

• Family Law
• Divorce

Education:

• Northern Illinois University - College of Law, J.D., Magna Cum Laude
• Columbia College of Missouri, B.S. Business Administration

Honors and Awards:

• DuPage Association of Women Lawyers Helen Kinney Scholarship, May 2024
• Howard Youngmeyer Memorial Scholarship, March 2024
• Dean’s Scholarship, NIU 2021-2024

Memberships:

• Illinois State Bar Association
• Lake County Bar Association
• Kane County Bar Association
• DuPage County Bar Association

Admissions:

• Illinois, 2024

Speaking Engagements

• “Liberation of Iemanjá: How Climate Action is Climate Justice for the Feminine Spirit” at GEIG International Conference at UFSC in Florianopolis, Brazil

Languages Spoken:

• Fluent in Brazilian Portuguese
• Proficiency in Spanish

Relevant Past Employment Positions

• Staff Attorney – Prairie State Legal Services
• Staff Attorney - Office of Illinois State’s Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor
• Senior Internal Auditor - Uline