Jay Frank Quoted in Chicago Tribune Story About The High-Profile Griffin Divorce Settlement

10.07.15

Divorce attorney Jay A. Frank is quoted in a story titled, “Ken Griffin, Illinois' richest man, and wife settle contentious divorce case,” published in the Oct. 7, 2015, Chicago Tribune.

Written by Becky Yerak and Kim Janssen, the story concerns the settlement of the divorce between billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin and his wife, Anne Dias Griffin.

The two sides had gone to war over the validity of their prenuptial agreement. Griffin asked the Cook County Circuit Court to validate a 2003 prenuptial agreement. He said that Dias Griffin signed it after being counseled by lawyers. Dias Griffin sought to have the premarital deal thrown out, claiming she was under duress when she signed it.

Shortly after the trial over the prenuptial agreement began on Monday Oct. 5, 2015, the two sides entered into settlement discussions and came to an agreement.

The judgment for the dissolution of their marriage was signed Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015, by Judge Grace Dickler and the attorneys for both sides.

The judgment states that the premarital agreement from July 2003 is valid. It also states that the couple will have joint custody of their three young children. Dias Griffin had been seeking sole custody with reasonable visitation for Griffin. Griffin wanted joint custody. Dias Griffin also wanted to move the children to New York. The court document says that she withdrew that petition.

Yerak and Janssen report that Dias Griffin would have had "a hard road to go" to persuade a judge to throw out the prenuptial agreement.

Jay Frank is quoted as saying that unless Dias Griffin could show that Griffin did not adequately disclose his assets, she was "on the weak end of the case," adding, "I'd take his end of the case any day of the week."

A settlement is typically preferable because it's a "resolution the two of you have come to — there isn't a third party that doesn't know you, deciding who gets what," Jay is quoted as saying.  And while "you never want to involve the kids in the financial side" of any settlement and "those two issues should remain separate," Griffin may have believed he could trade some concessions on that front from Dias Griffin in return for a financial deal, Jay added.

About Jay A. Frank

Jay Frank is a senior matrimonial attorney with more than 40 years of numerous achievements. He represents a wide variety of clients, including attorneys, television and radio personalities, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, sports figures, physicians, accountants and other professionals on a local, national and international basis. In his practice, he has successfully pursued, traced and valued valuable assets. He also has successfully litigated or negotiated premarital agreements, property distributions, support awards and custody and visitation arrangements.

He is supported by the firm’s other lawyers who lend their skills in non-divorce matters, such as accounting, business, real estate and retirement plans, in order to provide a unique and effective team approach for every conceivable issue that might arise in a matrimonial situation.

Jay frequently lectures and writes about family law issues and has been quoted in the Chicago Tribune and Divorce Magazine, among many other publications. His remarks have also aired on television and radio.