Top Estate Lawyers Near Me in Chicago Area

Emmett R. McCarthy was born on the south side of Chicago and attended Mt. Carmel High School. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and received his Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law. While at DePaul, he received the CALI Award for Legal Ethics and was an Editor for the DePaul Environmental Law Digest. He has spoken at seminars for the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and the Chicago Bar Association. He is past Chair of the Real Estate Taxation Committee and the Tax Sale and Tax Deed Subcommittee of the Chicago Bar Association, and has also served as Legislative Liaison for those committees.  Mr. McCarthy joined the firm in 2002 and has been a partner since 2007. Mr. McCarthy has been selected as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers.. Mr. McCarthy has handled a wide range of medical malpractice and personal injury claims, business and real estate transactions and other areas of civil litigation. He worked on a case that resulted in a record-breaking $51 million verdict for a client who was severely injured in an automobile collision. The verdict is the highest Illinois compensatory verdict for personal injury. He also worked on a case that resulted in a record-high verdict of $12,508,098 for the family of a quadriplegic child who drowned in a bathtub after being left unattended by her home health care nurse. The verdict is an Illinois high for death of a minor and is also a record high for death of a severely disabled individual.. Mr. McCarthy also handled a jury trial involving a breach of contract and fraud claim between two corporations regarding the sale of newspaper publications. The plaintiff pierced the defendant’s “corporate veil” and obtained a jury verdict in the amount of $580,. The plaintiff also won a motion to award pre-judgment interest of almost $85,. The judgment was affirmed on appeal in its entirety. The plaintiff then moved to collect on the judgment through a citation to discover assets and was forced to file a complaint to set aside a fraudulent transfer of the defendant’s largest tangible asset, the real estate of its president. The transfer was set aside and then the plaintiff levied against the real estate. Shortly before the levy sale, the defendant paid the judgment, plus post-judgment interest and costs, in full.. Mr. McCarthy’s practice is concentrated in real estate tax sale, tax deed and exemption matters; Indemnity Fund proceedings; sheriff levy sales; medical malpractice and personal injury claims; business and real estate transactions and other areas of civil litigation.

Donna J. Pugh is a partner at Foley & Lardner LLP where she focuses her practice on obtaining governmental approvals related to land use and zoning on behalf of her retail, health care and corporate clients. With her approach of bridging the gap between client, civic and municipal needs, Ms. Pugh has an exceptionally high success rate of securing necessary entitlements for land development projects in the Chicago area.. A consensus builder, Ms. Pugh works to unite property owners, elected officials and community groups to achieve approvals that maximize flexibility of future land use and benefit all involved stakeholders. A member of the firm’s Real Estate Practice and Senior Living Industry Team, she was selected for inclusion in the 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Illinois Super Lawyers® lists for her zoning and land use work. She was also selected for inclusion in the 2010 Super Lawyers® Corporate Counsel list. She has been selected as a Leading Lawyer in the area of Land Use, Zoning & Condemnation Law from 2003-2010, and was named as one of the Top Business Lawyers in Illinois in 2010 Leading Lawyers Magazine – Business Edition. Ms. Pugh is recognized in the 2011 edition of Best Lawyers of America for her work in land use and zoning law. *. Ms. Pugh has experience in securing rezoning, variations, text amendments and other land use approvals.. Ms. Pugh is proud to recognize that the firm Foley & Lardner LLP has taken top honors in client service among law firms serving the Fortune 1000 and has been ranked number one on the 2010 BTI Client Service 30 list.. * The Illinois Supreme Court does not recognize certifications of specialties in the practice of law and no award or recognition is a requirement to practice law in Illinois.

Deborah B. Cole is a partner and member of the firm’s Estate Planning Group. Deborah has built her practice based upon her belief that professionally done estate planning is essential for every adult American. Although some estate planners focus on the super wealthy and senior citizens, Deborah believes that estate planning is an ongoing process, beneficial for young families, single parents with young children, recent divorcees, persons contemplating marriage, new retirees, as well as persons in non-traditional relationships and families planning for a person with Aspecial needs@ often due to a disability or the receipt of a large settlement. She focuses her practice on estate planning, which includes drafting wills, trusts, asset protection plans, health care directives and mental health directives. She also handles probate and trust administration matters, real estate matters and family business succession planning.. Although Deborah is well versed in the sophisticated planning tools and techniques required by larger estates and more complex situations, Deborah prides herself on assisting all of her clients in maintaining the maximum control over their assets and affairs, avoiding conflicts and accordingly financial abuse or exploitation during periods of mental incapacity. She also has been very effective at strategies to minimize taxation, and avoid, to the extent possible, lengthy and expensive probate and guardianship court proceedings. Deborah understands that providing thorough and personal service is the basis for successful client relationships, whether she is counseling individuals, families, corporate fiduciaries, charitable organizations or family business owners.. Deborah is a certified mediator and has provided mediation services on a volunteer basis with the Center For Conflict Resolution. She has handled disputes involving property damage, neighbor disputes, and child custody and visitation. However, because of her experience with guardianship matters, she has been particularly successful not mediating disputes among family members fighting over the care and control of finances of an elderly parent or family member. To Deborah, success in these situation is achieving a resolution to the dispute that all participating family members agree to, which avoids further court interaction, allows resources that would have been consumed in litigation costs to be redirected towards enhancing the care of the elderly person, and preserves family relationships. As of 2015, Deborah has added Guardianship and Probate mediation services to her practice.. Deborah’s professional work also reflects her conviction that preserving and supporting African American business owners and charitable organizations is critical to the growth and vitality of the community and to addressing issues concerning employment, education and crime. Deborah works with for profit business owners and charitable institutions to preserve and protect their businesses through trademark and copyright protection, planning for the proper business form, best practices, reporting to the appropriate governmental agencies and general planning for growth and diversification. Deborah is particularly proud of the work that she has done with family businesses to develop plans that will allow the business to continue with the next generation or maximize profit on sale.. In her spare time Deborah plays duplicate bridge as often as she can, and enjoys reading and travel.

Dean J. Papadakis, (Partner) born Oak Park, Illinois, 1969; admitted to bar, 1994, Illinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. Education: University of Illinois (B.A., 1991); Chicago-Kent College of Law (J.D., 1994). Visiting Student, University of Illinois College of Law, 1993-1994. Member, University of Illinois Law Review, 1993-1994. Member: Chicago Bar Association. Languages: Greek. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Commercial Real Estate Transactions. Email: Dean J. Papadakis

Danielle Meltzer Cassel is a Shareholder in the Vedder Price Real Estate group focusing on transactional real estate, land use and public incentives law. Since 1996, her transactional and land use work has covered a broad spectrum of property types in both urban and suburban contexts, including mixed-use developments, retail and office developments, hotels, hospitals, schools and universities, religious institutions, industrial parks, manufacturing facilities, billboard signage, and single-family and multifamily residential developments.. Ms. Cassel has represented purchasers and sellers, lessors and lessees, providers of debt and equity, developers, project operators and end users in transactions ranging from the beginning phases of due diligence, formation of joint ventures, design and construction to the ongoing operations, disposition, redevelopment and refinancing of existing properties.. Ms. Cassel has successfully obtained governmental approvals for several hundred land use and development projects, including numerous planned developments, subdivisions, annexations, disconnections, map and text amendments, special uses, variations, permits, business licenses (including liquor, restaurant and hotel licenses), establishment of legal-nonconformity status, landmark designation and historic preservation projects, utility and transportation infrastructure agreements, and approvals for billboard, high-rise and streetfront signage.  Ms. Cassel has successfully negotiated and closed PPP or economic incentive components for more than 100 projects, nationwide, including impact fee and utility cost reductions, recapture agreements, tax increment financing, governmental grants and loans, sales and property tax rebates and abatements, and various state and federal tax credits.. The elite Legal 500 United States lists Ms. Cassel as a "Leading Lawyer" for the entire Country in Real Estate and Construction-Land Use/Zoning.  Ms. Cassel has been selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, named as a Leading Illinois Commercial Real Estate Lawyer by Leading Lawyers Network and recognized as an "up and coming" lawyer (Illinois Real Estate category) in Chambers USA, which noted her "phenomenal brain and terrific client skills.”. From 1999 until 2008, Ms. Cassel co-taught seminars in zoning and land use law at both Northwestern University Law School and University of Chicago Law School. She has been an invited speaker for the Urban Land Institute, Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, American Bar Association and International Council of Shopping Centers.. Ms. Cassel was a member of Leadership Greater Chicago’s Class of 2006 and has received a "Tomorrow’s Leaders Today" award from Public Allies Chicago and a Special Recognition Award from the Partnership to End Homelessness. She currently serves on boards of the Primo Center for Women and Children, The Law Project (formerly the Community Economic Development Law Project) and Yale Club of Chicago. Ms. Cassel also served for several years on boards of Public Allies Chicago, Business and Professional People for the Public Interest and WomanCraft, Inc.. Prior to joining Vedder Price, Ms. Cassel spent 13 years in the Real Estate Department at DLA Piper US LLP. Prior to beginning her legal career, she worked, studied and volunteered extensively in several fields related to inner-city development and enhancement of public sector service delivery. Her three most significant research projects included multi-year studies of the 1990 National Affordable Housing Act; lending collaborations for Community Reinvestment Act credit among traditional mortgage lenders and neighborhood-based institutions; and bridge loans facilitating non-syndicated Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity investments.

Daniel A. Edelman is a member  of the firm of Edelman, Combs, Latturner & Goodwin, LLC.  He is a 1976 graduate of the University of Chicago Law School.  From 1976 to 1981 he was an associate at the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis.   In 1981 he became an associate at Reuben & Proctor and was made a partner there in 1982.  From the end of 1985 he has been in private practice in downtown Chicago.  Virtually all of his 14-attorney firm’s practice involves litigation on behalf of consumers, including individual and class actions under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, and Truth in Lending Act, and debt collection defense.  Mr. Edelman argued for the consumer in Heintz v. Jenkins, 514 U.S. 291 (1995), establishing  FDCPA coverage of attorneys.. Mr. Edelman is the author or coauthor of numerous publications on class actions and consumer protection law, including Predatory Mortgage Lending (Ill. Inst. for Cont. Legal. Educ. 2008), author of Chapter 6, “Predatory Lending and Potential Class Actions,” in Real Estate Litigation (Ill. Inst. For Cont. Legal Educ. 2008), Chapter 4-1, “Truth in Lending Act,” in Illinois Causes of Action (Ill. Inst. For Cont. Legal Educ. 2008), Predatory Lending and Potential Class Actions, ch. 6 of Illinois Mortgage Foreclosure Practice (Ill. Inst. For Cont. Legal );  Predatory Lending and Potential Class Actions, ch. 5 of Real Estate Litigation (Ill. Inst. For Cont. Legal ); Illinois Consumer Law, in Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act and Related Areas Update (Chicago Bar Ass’n 2002); Predatory Lending Litigation in Illinois (2001); Consumer Class Action Manual (2d-5th editions), National Consumer Law Center 1990-2002; Payday Loans:  Big Interest Rates and Little Regulation, 11 L.Rptr. 14 (1999); Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Update --  1999, Chicago Bar Ass’n 1999; An Overview of The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, in Financial Services Litigation, Practicing Law Institute (1999); Consumer Fraud and Insurance Claims, in Bad Faith and Extracontractual Damage Claims in Insurance Litigation, Chicago Bar Ass'n 1992; Chapter 8, "Fair Debt Collection Practices Act," Ohio Consumer Law (1995 ed.); Fair Debt Collection:  The Need for Private Enforcement, 7 L.Rptr. 89 (1995); The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act:  Recent Developments, 8 L. Rptr. 303 (1996); Residential Mortgage Litigation, in Financial Services Litigation, Practicing Law Institute (1996); Automobile Leasing:  Problems and Solutions, 7 L.Rptr. 14 (1994); Current Trends in Residential Mortgage Litigation, 12 Rev. of Banking & Financial Services 71 (1996); Applicability of Illinois Consumer Fraud Act in Favor of Out-of-State Consumers, 8 L.Rptr. 27 (1996); Illinois Consumer Law (Chicago Bar Ass'n 1996).  He has testified before the Federal Trade Commission and legislative committees on consumer related issues.. Mr. Edelman is licensed in Illinois state court and in all federal courts in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan, as well as others.

Crystal R. Bush is an attorney practicing in the Chicagoland area.  She concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning, probate, corporate and business law, commercial and residential real estate and family law.. Crystal is also an adjunct professor at Harper College where she teaches probate and commercial real estate law.  She has also taught estate planning and family law. Crystal is a member of the Northwest Suburban Bar Association where she authors the New & Noteworthy column for the monthly newsbrief.  Crystal is a volunteer at Chicago Volunteer legal Services where she serves as a guardian ad litem for minors.. Crystal is an active speaker and recently presented a topic on "Money, Marriage, Taxes and Divorce" to the Northwest Suburban Bar Association Tax Law Committee. She has also presented numerous seminars to organizations such as AT&T, the Chicago Bar Association, North Shore Community Bank & Trust, South Suburban Bank, Hull House, Women Employed, the Chicago Chapter of Society of Women aAccountants, the Black MBA Association and the Chicago Chapter of the Association of Minority Engineers.  She has published several articles on financial planning, was featured in an article in the Chicago Daily Law Bullentin and has appeare several times as a guest financial expert on Minority Business Report.. Very active in community service she is a past member of the Chicago Bar Association where she served as a Directory of the Young Lawyers Section and served on the long-range planning committee.  She is a past co-chair of the Young Lawyers Section Client Development and Firm Economics committee and is a past legislative liason for the Young Lawyers section Estate Planning Committee.  She is a past member of State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka's Business Leader's Roundtable, a past treasurer for the League of Black Women.  She has received numerous rewards including an award for exceptional contribution for her presentation of a series of financial workshops at AT&T's Synergy in Action Conference.

Counsel for businesses and people.

Commercial real estate and buisness attorney based in Chicago, Illinois with extensive experience in real estate acquistion, dispostion, development and financing. Moderator of commercial real estate and business blog

Chris has over 20 years of experience practicing law in Chicago and has successfully closed hundreds of commercial and residential real estate deals in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. He started his career with law firms downtown practicing litigation and transactional law which now gives him a diverse legal background to serve his clients with a wide range of expertise. Chris has refined his skills in transaction law over the last 17 years and provides clients with expert counsel in the areas of real estate transaction law, business transaction law and estate planning. Whether you're planning to buy or sell a 50 unit apartment building or a one bedroom condo, Chris will help you through your transaction and acheive your goals.. Chris graduated from law school with a Juris Doctor Degree in 1996 from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He also has a master of laws degree (LL.M. Degree) in commercial real estate law from the John Marshall School of Law.. Chris is a member of the Chicago Bar Association in which he is a member of the Real Estate Law Subcommittee and Condominium Law Subcommittee and Chris is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association.. CALL CHRIS FOR A FREE CONSULATION!

Chris has been a licensed Illinois attorney since 2008, and has a Masters of Law (LL.M) degree in real estate. He has extensive experience handling a broad range of real estate issues, including short sale negotiations, property tax appeals, and issues arising from contract to closing. He represents and counsels buyers, sellers, developers and investors in all aspects of acquisition, disposition, financing, development and sale of mixed-use and residential property. Additionally, as a licensed Illinois managing real estate broker, he is able to offer his clients a different perspective in the acquisition or disposition of real estate.

Chicagoland Attorney

Chicago-based attorney who concentrates on all matters related to estate planning, trust and estate administration, tax planning (income, gift and estate tax), and real estate transactions (commercial and residential).

Chicago lawyer who focuses primarily on real estate and business law.. In real estate, I have experience representing buyers and sellers, lessors and lessees, in all phases of real estate transactions.  I also handle disputes arising under landlord-tenant law, condominium law, and foreclosures.. In business, I provide counsel to start-up businesses in business formation and transactions, such as the formation of LLCs, LLPs, and S-Corporations, and the structuring of partnership agreements, employment agreements, and business contracts of all sorts.

Business divorces

Business Advisor and Real Estate Consultant:. Small boutique firm working to assist entrepreneurs, business start ups, property investors, new home buyers, and distressed owners. Business Advisor and Real Estate Consultant:. Small boutique firm working to assist entrepreneurs, business start ups, property investors, new home buyers, and distressed owners. Wendy Calvert began her career as a corporate attorney with a focus on complex commercial litigation, primarily in the fields of construction, property and casualty, and contractor liability.  Through this experience, Wendy has managed and successfully litigated cases in Illinois and Wisconsin.. In 2004, Wendy relocated to Illinois to work as insurance litigation counsel and later as an executive sales consultant and insurance expert.. Wendy now utilizes her skills as a contract negotiator, litigator and sales consultant to negotiate real estate deals and help entrepreneurs create and grow businesses of their dreams.. EDUCATION. Wendy earned her Juris Doctor in 1999 from the University of Wisconsin Madison. In 1989, Wendy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Communications from Marquette University.

Bradley M. Cosgrove is a Chicago medical malpractice attorney, personal injury attorney, and partner at Clifford Law Offices. He is an experienced trial attorney in the areas of medical malpractice, trucking accidents, automobile collisions, personal injury, and wrongful death who believes that results speak for themselves.. As a young Chicago personal injury attorney, Brad began his career as a trial lawyer. As a matter of fact, he undertook his first jury trial just one day after he received his law license on behalf of a woman permanently injured as a result of being hit by a car as she legally crossed the street within a crosswalk. Within five months after being sworn in as an attorney in Illinois, he gave the closing argument in a case that resulted in a $3 million gross verdict on behalf of a family who lost their father in a trucking accident. As he worked to establish himself as a leading Chicago medical malpractice and personal injury attorney, Brad was reported to be the youngest lawyer in Illinois to obtain a verdict in excess of a million dollars. This verdict was affirmed by the Illinois Appellate Court in U.S. Bank v. Lindsey, 397 Ill. App. 3d 437 (1st Dist. 2009), and the case solidified logo liability in trucking cases throughout Illinois.. After Brad’s record-setting start, he continued to obtain numerous million-dollar settlements in Illinois as well as in other states. He was the lead trial counsel for a grandmother who died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago as a result of medical malpractice, and his attorney experience benefited the client. In that case, a chest x-ray was improperly read by a resident physician and a timely surgical consultation was not requested, which caused a terrible infection that spread throughout the patient’s body causing major organ failure and death. After a two-week trial, a jury returned a verdict for one million dollars.. Brad has received numerous accolades recognizing his superior trial skills. The National Trial Lawyers named him one of the Top 100 Lawyers in the country. The Law Bulletin Publishing Company named him one of the Top 40 Under 40 attorneys in Chicago in 2014. He was named as an Illinois Rising Star from 2006–2016. He also gives back to the profession and to the community through his work as a leader of the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association as an elected Assembly member, and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association serving on its Board of Managers, as well as through the Wounded Warrior projects that helps veterans and their families.. Prior to joining Clifford Law Offices in 2013, Brad was the lead trial lawyer in excess of two dozen trials in various areas of the law. In his first week at Clifford Law Offices, he immediately appeared before a jury trial at the Daley Center on behalf of a brain injured child. Brad is extremely intense and focused, two characteristics that influence his performance as a nationally recognized personal injury attorney. He is a man who knows how to prepare for trial with a sense of purpose and organization while keeping the client’s best interest at the forefront of his thoughts. He has handled cases throughout Illinois including Cook, Champaign, DuPage, Will, Lake, Kankakee, Winnebago, Williamson, Ford, and Kendall Counties. Brad has also handled cases outside of Illinois including Indiana, Kentucky, Arizona, and Minnesota. He has argued several cases on appeal before the various Illinois appellate districts on catastrophic injury and death, and he has argued before the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Brad has lectured at the John Marshall Law School on expert witnesses and trial practice, topics of which he has experienced numerous times as a Chicago medical malpractice attorney. He also has been invited to speak many times before the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association on a variety of trial preparation topics.. Brad Cosgrove’s reputation as a fair, tough and successful advocate for those in need has made him a proud addition to the Clifford Law Offices’ legal team as a partner at the firm.

Brad Ader is a partner at Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C. Brad is a member of the firm's Real Estate and Corporate groups. Brad assists private, institutional, and governmental real estate owners, developers, investors, landlords and tenants in a wide variety of commercial and multi-family transactions including purchases, sales, financing, leases, subleases, licenses, easements, construction contracts, landlord waivers, subordination and non-disturbance agreements, and development agreements. Brad also counsels real estate brokerage companies on matters of legal compliance and drafts form agreements and disclosures for their use in day to day business operations.. In addition, Brad represents motor vehicle dealers in connection with their acquisition, disposition, financing, and leasing of dealership real estate.. Prior to joining the firm, Brad closed more than $350 million in transactions as a real estate broker in the Chicago office of a national firm specializing in sales of office, industrial, and retail properties.

Before setting out on his legal career, Jesse A. Footlik began at the University of Michigan where he obtained his B.A. in sports management. Later, when he attended the Chicago-Kent College of Law, he served as the president of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society. Alongside his love for sports, Jesse was regularly named on the Dean's List and even received CALI awards for excellence in Estate Planning, Federal Transfer Tax and Legal Writing. As a Partner at Peck Ritchey, LLC, Jesse effectively assists clients with legal matters regarding estates, trusts, and probate.. Jesse was named an Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Star for 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 nominated by his peers as one of the best attorneys in Illinois, an honor which is bestowed on up to only 2.5% of the attorneys in Illinois annually.  He was also selected by Leading Lawyers Magazine as a top Emerging Lawyer in Elder Law and Trust, Will & Estate Planning Law for 2019. Jesse is an active member of the Chicago Bar Association, where he serves as Vice Chair of the Probate Practice Rules and Forms Committee, and he also serves on the Chicago-Kent Young Alumni Council as a Vice President.

Attorney Reem H. Odeh is a dedicated litigation attorney who concentrates in a range of law areas including immigration, personal injury, criminal defense, family, medical malpractice, social security, commercial, bankruptcy, and disability law.. The Law Offices of Reem Odeh is located in the heart of the city withing walking distance to most courts and city offices at 134 N. La Salle, the same office as the Law Offices of Sandaman, Levy, & Petrich.. Of counsel* with attorneys throughout the US, The Law Offices of Reem H. Odeh and its associates carry valuable knowledge of the law on an international scale. The firms' reputation has stemmed from both local and international legal matters.. Attorney Reem Odeh and her associates are dedicated to seeing that each every client receives zealous representation, attention and respect.. Of Counsel* Attorneys: Attorney David Trais, Attorney Waleed Ghuneim.. *Of counsel denotes attorneys who collaborate with our firm on a cases by case basis. They work independently from The Law Offices of Reem H. Odeh and are not legally responsible in any way for cases except those we collaborate on. All such collaborations will be disclosed to our clients.

Attorney Elizabeth Demonte is a highly skilled litigator and author who has done significant work on pre-decree divorce, post-decree divorce, parentage, child custody, child support and grandparent visitation cases. She penned article, “Spotlight On: The Nurse-Family Partnership,” which was published in the prestigious Children’s Legal Rights Journal.. Demonte received her Juris Doctorate from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and graduated summa cum laude from DePaul University with a bachelor’s in Business Management. She also received the coveted Certification in Child and Family Law and was awarded a position as Editor on Loyola’s Children’s Legal Rights Journal, a major honor.

Arnold E. Toole has been practicing law since 1992. Currently based in the United States, he has also worked extensively in Southeast Asia. He concentrates his practice in corporate and commercial matters, contracts, real estate, landlord-tenant law, asset protection, and entertainment law.

Arieh M. Flemenbaum practices in the area of business and corporate law, business succession, internet and E-commerce, commercial real estate, and estate planning.. Arieh M. Flemenbaum counsels businesses concerning their daily operations, including reviewing, revising and drafting a variety of contracts, purchase orders, warranties and sales forms, website terms of use and disclaimers; developing employment policies, employee and executive compensation and termination/severance packages, "phantom stock" and other incentive and pension programs; addressing loans and financing needs for expansion, working capital and new ventures; advising on intellectual property issues (such as copyright and trademark protection and applications); creating strategies and implementing business succession and estate plans.. Arieh M. Flemenbaum's practice spans several industries, but is concentrated in manufacturing, transportation, logistics, packaging, printing, software developers and integrators, e-commerce specialists, media and advertising, and commercial real estate development.. You can follow  Arieh M. Flemenbaum on Twitter at  BizLawyers (or ) for additional thoughts, issues and resources for business owners.. You can also visit  Arieh M. Flemenbaum's blog, "Chicago Business bLAWg" (or ), the blog that addresses issues effecting your business!

Animesh Ravani is the founder and Managing Partner of Northstone Law focused on corporate and transactional matters for individuals and corporate clients.  Mr. Ravani’s background in business allows him to serve as a trusted business advocate for his clients, often bringing added value to the financial structuring and economics of the transaction.  Mr. Ravani counsels companies of all sizes from formation, through every growth step, to succession and dissolution.  He also has significant experience representing emerging companies, entrepreneurs and venture capital investors in connection with their investment activities.. Prior to forming Northstone Law, Mr. Ravani was a co-founder and Partner at Chawla & Ravani.  As Partner, Mr. Ravani has represented corporate clients in a variety of industries, including retail, professional services, real estate, healthcare, medical products and devices.  His extensive experience in negotiating successful deals includes: structured, negotiated and documented the acquisition of a $20 million multi-unit franchise system located in the Midwest; negotiated and documented commercial leases with some of the largest mall operators; structured and documented the acquisition of a $6 million multi-tenant retail building in Glendale, Arizona; structured and documented the merger of a multinational wholesaler in the seafood industry; negotiated and documented a $1 million professional services agreement with a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company; formed and managed a $2 million private equity fund focused on investments in real estate and emerging medical technologies; and negotiated and documented a multimillion dollar distribution agreement for an orthopedic medical device company.. Mr. Ravani began his career at Grant Thornton LLP, where he managed a team of sales and use tax professionals and acted as a principal in the group’s projects.  As Manager, Mr. Ravani developed working knowledge and experience of different phases of tax research consulting, including nexus studies, voluntary disclosures, and completing sales and use taxability research projects for clients in a broad range of industries.  Mr. Ravani has extensive experience working with clients in the hospitality industry where he was instrumental in obtaining multimillion dollar sales and use tax refunds for his clients.. Mr. Ravani is a current member of the Indian-American Bar Association (IABA), North American South Asian Bar Association (NASABA), Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), and American Bar Association (ABA).. Mr. Ravani received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Illinois-Urbana, Champaign.  Mr. Ravani received his Juris Doctor from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where he was staff writer on the Public Interest Law Journal (PILR) and a recipient of the Certificate in Trial Advocacy.  In addition, Mr. Ravani was a member of Thomas Tang Moot Court team, which placed eight nationally.  Mr. Ravani is currently licensed by the Illinois State Bar and also has been admitted to the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois.

An experienced legal professional, Nicole M. Soltanzadeh is a counselor who advises clients in estate planning, estate and trust administration, and real estate negotiations.  She possesses diverse and extensive experiences in litigation, estate planning, and real estate and business transactions.. Early in her career, Nicole earned substantial experience as a litigator, advocating for her clients routinely in state and federal court, and at the trial and appellate levels.  She has skillfully brought hundreds of cases to closure through mediations, settlement conferences, and trials. Her experience as a litigator informs her planning, as she is mindful of the planning traps to avoid when working with clients. Nicole is passionate about proactive planning and providing her clients with the peace of mind in knowning that their assets are well-managed and their loved ones are provided for.. Nicole graduated with honors from The George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C., a top-tier law school at which she gained valuable experience clerking for the U.S. Department of Justice, serving as a research assistant for her professor’s treatise on professional responsibility, and clerking for small and mid-sized litigation boutiques.  She also holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree from Northwestern University.. Nicole has practiced in California, Illinois, and Michigan. She now lives in Chicago and maintains her Illinois and Michigan law licenses.  She is an active member of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Trust and Estates, Real Estate, and Elder Law Sections, and is an active member of Wealth Counsel, Elder Counsel, and the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys.