Marshall Auerbach

Marshall J. Auerbach, 86, died peacefully surrounded by family on August 13, 2019 after a courageous battle with pulmonary fibrosis. Marshall was born to the late Sadie and Sam Auerbach. Marshall was a prominent matrimonial attorney in Illinois, winning all five appearances before the Illinois Supreme Court. He was the principal author of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act in 1977 allowing for no-fault divorce. This was the state's first major revision of matrimonial law in more than a century. Marshall was a partner at Jenner & Block and subsequently founded his own law firm, Marshall J. Auerbach & Associates. He authored hundreds of articles, was a frequent lecturer, and a former chair of the Illinois Bar Association Family Law Section. Marshall was featured in a number of articles over the years, including in Money and People magazines. Known by his colleagues as the "Dean of Divorce," he was often sought after for advice on difficult matters. In 2005, the City of Chicago honored him for his contribution to Illinois law with an honorary street named after him at Dearborn and Randolph, across from the Daley Center. Marshall, an avid Bears fan, is survived by his wife, Carole (nee Landsberg), his sons Keith and Michael, his daughter-in-law Nicole, his grandsons Max, Zach and Simon, his nieces and nephews Barabara (Tom) Venn and Marilyn (Mike) Tarasievich and his cousin Bruce (Nancy) Miller. Marshall and Carole recently celebrated 59 wonderful years of marriage. He was the beloved brother of the late H. Steven Auerbach. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation at 230 E. Ohio St., Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60611 or www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org. A memorial service will be held at Weinstein & Piser Funeral Home, 111 Skokie Blvd., Wilmette, IL on Sunday, August 18th at 11:00 am. For info: 847-256-5700.