Stephanie Ridella Vittands is CDEL’s Legal Director. As the Legal Director, she supports CDEL’s delivery of high-quality legal services, coordinates with staff attorneys, interns, and pro bono volunteers, and collaborates with the Executive Director on strategic initiatives.

Stephanie began interning with CDEL during her first year of law school and joined CDEL as an AmeriCorps VISTA Housing Coordinator after graduating from law school. Stephanie was then a fellow with CDEL through the Borchard Foundation Center on Law & Aging. Her practice areas have included landlord-tenant work, real property disputes, adult financial abuse cases, estate planning, adult guardianship, collections defense, and simple divorces. In addition to her work with CDEL, during law school she also interned at Chicago Legal Clinic, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, Illinois Legal Aid Online, the Chicago-Kent Law Offices and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. 

Stephanie earned her Bachelor of Arts in History and a Paralegal Certificate at Oakland University.  She went on to earn her Master of Arts in Medieval History and Early Modern History at Loyola University of Chicago. Stephanie received her Juris Doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law in May 2014, with certificates in Public Interest Law and Labor and Employment Law. She was also awarded the Dean's Distinguished Public Service Award. She is the 2021 recipient of The Honorable Abraham Lincoln Marovitz Public Interest Law Award.