Top Best Estate Lawyers | 18140 Available

Robert J. Varak is a graduate of the University of Illinois (B.A, 1993) and The John Marshall Law School (J.D., 1996), where he was recognized as a Dean’s Scholar. In over a decade as a practicing attorney he has focused on estate planning and business law. Mr. Varak has created plans for estates of all sizes, from the most modest of estates up to and including complex estates with assets valued at millions of dollars. While the primary goal of most of Mr. Varak’s clients is to insure that their children are provided for financially, the plans he implements for his clients include creative tools to assure every parent that the guardianship, educational and other needs of their children are completely addressed while minimizing the costs and expense which may diminish many estates. In addition to representing private individuals, Mr. Varak has consulted with nonprofit organizations regarding implementing and optimizing their planned giving programs. He has drafted planned giving policies and advised organizations on everything from marketing to stewardship. Mr. Varak also has extensive experience in business law as both a transactional attorney and litigator. He has successfully litigated on behalf of Fortune 500 corporations as well as individual entrepreneurs, and he understands that every deal or lawsuit requires a unique plan suited to the business he represents. Mr. Varak is married and the father of three young daughters.Specialties: The Illinois Supreme Court rules do not allow attorneys to claim specialization. I do focus my practice on estate planning, living trusts, A-B trusts, QTIP, irrevocable life insurance trusts, wills, living wills, powers of attorney for health care, land trusts, special needs trusts and related endeavors.

Michael graduated from Pace University in New York with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Psychology, worked briefly as the general accountant in the medical science industry before attending Pace University’s School of Law in White Plains, New York.. He then worked in the Tax Department for Coopers & Lybrand, CPAs in Portland, Oregon.  He began his law practice in Portland, and moved to Chicago in 1989 where he continued his law practice and concentrated in Estate and Tax Planning.  The Stuart Legacy Alliance, LLC was created to address the recognized the need in the community for advisors to work together to accomplish clients’ goals more effectively.  The firm’s philosophy is that collaborating with a client’s advisory team better accomplishes the client’s overall goals in a proactive and dynamic way.  Currently the firm concentrates the practice in the areas of Estate and Exit Planning, Business Planning and Asset Protection with many innovative programs to help families and businesses keep their plans on track.. He serves on the Boards of the Mental Health Association of Greater Chicago and on the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America.. Michael enjoys the outdoors and can be found hiking, biking and occasionally playing a round of golf.

Attorney William A. Deitch founded The Estate Planning Law Group in 1996. His practice is dedicated to assisting successful individuals, families, and business owners create a secure and prosperous future. He built the practice upon a commitment to provide the highest possible level of service to client families. The focus of Bill’s estate planning practice is based on his own straightforward personal goals — fortifying families, protecting legacies, shielding against the problems brought about by incapacity, and ensuring that the dreams parents have for their children are not lost to taxes, poor planning or procrastination. In particular, Bill enjoys working with business owners who are planning to transition their business to the next generation. He provides comprehensive and customized planning solutions to address the individual needs and concerns of his clients.. Bill has assisted over a thousand clients in creating estate plans that work. Each client receives personal attention and the time necessary to ensure that their individualized plan meets their needs and is well understood. Clients often comment on Bill’s ability to make complex concepts understandable so that they can make the best possible decisions to protect themselves and their families. The Estate Planning Law Group is committed to fostering a team oriented planning model which actively includes our client’s trusted advisors in our unique planning process.. Bill will get to know you as a person and ask about your hopes and dreams so that he can understand what makes you most proud about your life and family. That’s the foundation. From there, he applies a mastery of the law, legal theories, taxes, and court and administrative decisions to create an estate plan that’s not only technically airtight but is animated by the spirit and values that define you—your work ethic, your devotion to family, your generosity.. The plan, and the documents that make it work for you, will be explained in straightforward language you and your family can understand. And, if you become incapacitated, or when you pass away, the caring staff at The Estate Planning Law Group will be there to assist your loved ones in protecting and settling your estate.. Bill received his B.A. from the University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana and his J.D. from DePaul University, where he was involved in student government, the International Law Society, and the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. Bill is an Adjunct Professor at the College of DuPage, where he teaches a highly regarded estate planning course to C.P.A.’s. He is also a frequent speaker on the topic of Estate Planning and Business Succession Planning and is a contributing author of the Estate Planning book titled “Your Life, Your Legacy,” which was published in 2003. Bill has taught thousands of accountants, financial advisors, insurance professionals, and members of the public about the full range of estate planning topics.. He is a member of WealthCounsel, a nationwide organization of attorneys and financial advisors dedicated to providing their clients with the most sophisticated and comprehensive planning solutions available. He also participates in the Illinois Wisconsin Forum of Estate Planning Attorneys.. Bill is a lifelong resident of the Chicago area and has lived in Winfield for the past 20 years.  He is married to Amy and has four children.  Bill keeps busy chasing his kids around and enjoys his workouts and family vacations.

I stand ready to serve my clients and work toward understanding what is important to you to help you achieve your goals.. I enjoy working with individuals and families for real estate closings, estate planning, estate administration/probate court.. Sincerely,. -Sarah

Lisa M. Gaspero has been married to her husband and law partner Carmen A. Gaspero for many years.  She is the mother of six children.  Outside of her law practice, Ms. Gaspero enjoys spending time with her family, playing the violin, viola and piano, and running.  She is a member of the Oak Park River Forest Symphony, where she plays violin.

I believe in compassionate and ethical representation of my clients.  Throuhout my practice, I have learned that clients value communication as one of the most essential aspects in choosing a lawyer.  Anyone who hires a lawyer wants to be kept informed as to the status of their case.  I am always just a phone call away for my clients, and voicemail messages will never go unanswered.. When not practicing law, I can be found playing softball, working out at the gym, singing in my church choir, or performing in the DCBA's annual Judge's Nite show.

HEINZ J. BRISSKE graduated from Monmouth College in 1971 with an A.B. degree in Economics and German, and then received his law degree from Duke University School of Law in 1974. He earned a certificate of completion of prescribed specialization courses in Estate and Personal Financial Planning from John Marshall Law School in Chicago in 1995, and an LLM degree in Taxation from the same institution in 1997.. Mr. Brisske began his legal career as an associate with the law firm of Hinshaw, Culbertson, Moelmann, Hoban and Fuller (now Hinshaw & Culbertson) in Chicago, Illinois. After three years, he and two other attorneys from the same firm formed the general practice law firm of Murphy, Jones and Brisske in Lombard, Illinois. That firm merged with the practice of Allen S. Greene in Wheaton in 1978. The firm of Greene, Jones & Brisske was active in the legal community in DuPage County for over 20 years.. Mr. Brisske co-founded the law firm of HUCK & BRISSKE, LLC of Wheaton, Illinois, with Kevin Huck in 1999. In 2013, after the retirement of Kevin Huck, he merged the law firm of Huck & Brisske with the law firm of Huck Bouma, P.C., of Wheaton, where the estate planning group is now known as the Life & Legacy Planning Group. He currently concentrates his practice in the area of Wealth Transfer and Estate Planning.. Currently residing in Wheaton, Illinois, with his wife of 44 years, Mr. Brisske still enjoys spending time with his two children, Laura and David. Even though they are no longer living at home, they have a close relationship and spend time together regularly. Laura is now married to Corey, and they have two daughters, Lilia and Josephine. Laura is a stay-at-home mom, living in Kalamazoo, MI. David is married to Jona; they have a daughter, Klara. David is a Partner at Permira, a London-based private equity firm, working out of their New York City offices. An avid photographer and wine collector, Mr. Brisske also enjoys the occasional round of golf. The Brisskes' favorite way to relax is to spend time at their getaway in Scottsdale, Arizona, no matter the season.. - Area of practice:. Wealth Transfer and Estate Planning. - Education/Degrees:. A.B. from Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois. J.D. from Duke University School of Law, Durham, North Carolina. L.L.M. in Taxation from John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois. - Publications:. Estate Planning Traps and Pitfalls, DCBA Brief, 1995. Implementation of and Substitutes for Advance Medical Directives, DCBA Brief, 1996. The Family Limited Partnership: An Overview, DCBA Brief, 1997. The "Five Wishes" Document: Is it a suitable substitute for a Statutory Power of Attorney in Illinois?. - Speaking Engagements:. Mr. Brisske conducts Practice Building Boot Camps for estate planning attorneys in various cities throughout the country for WealthCounsel, LLC. Over the years, Mr. Brisske has also spoken on various subjects in the field of Estate Planning, Retirement Planning and Family Limited Partnerships in numerous forums.. - Professional Affiliations/Memberships:. DuPage County Bar Association. Chairman: Estate Planning and Probate Committee 1993 - 1994. Chairman: Business Law Committee 1992-1993. Suburban Chicago Planned Giving Council 1997 - 1999. Illinois State Bar Association. DuPage County Estate Planning Council. WealthCounsel. ElderCounsel. Elder Law Answers

Kelly L. Petersen is a licensed attorney concentrating in the areas of estate planning and estate and trust administration, including decedent's estates and adult guardianships.  Prior to joining Huck Bouma, PC, Kelly practiced family law and represented clients in domestic relations proceedings. Kelly's experience in family law complements her practice in estate planning, particularly with respect to the negotiating and drafting of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements.. Ms. Petersen is active in the legal community, serving as a Chair of the Northwest Suburban Bar Association's Young Lawyers Committee and is published in the DuPage County Bar Association’s Brief.   While in law school at DePaul University College of Law, Ms. Petersen earned a certificate in Public Interest Law and received a CALI Award for the highest grade in Comparative Family Law for her dissertation on the enforcement of religious pre-marital agreements.

I am an attorney focusing on family law, estate planning and tax preparation. My practice areas include the following: 1. Estate Planning I prepare living trusts, living wills, pour-over wills, last wills, health care powers of attorney, property powers of attorney, HIPAA authorizations, grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs), irrevocable trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs), and family limited liability companies and partnerships (FLLCs and FLPs). I help fund trusts and I also administer trusts after the death of the trustors. 2. Tax Preparation I prepare individual (1040), business (1120, 1065), trust (1041),  estate (706), and gift (709) tax returns. 3. Business Start-Up I prepare and maintain the documents that are necessary to start-up a partnership, S-corporation, or limited liability company. 4. Probate I determine whether a probate is necessary, prepare the requisite paperwork, go to court, and administer the estate from beginning to end.. 5.  Divorce and Paternity. I have experience in the area of complex financial litigation and I have worked on the distribution of multi-million dollar estates and I do the following:. 1. Dissolution of marriage proceedings, including child custody, child support, maintenance, and post-decree matters;2. Parentage cases; and3. Preparation of Pre-Nuptial Agreements.

I am an estate planning and estate administration attorney. I pursued a career in estate planning because of the how important family is to me. "Family" consists of more than the people who are related to you by blood, but the eyes of the law may not recognize your "chosen" family when you are gone. I am grateful that I can help empower my clients with peace of mind to protect their families. The legal process doesn't have to be difficult and my goal is to simplify the process as much as possible for my clients.. I've always loved giving back to others and enjoy being active in my community. I lead a woman's networking group and am a member of the local Woman's Club. I am passionate about mentoring others who desire pursuing a career in the legal field.. I enjoy spending my free time with my husband and love "binge-watching" a good docu-series.

Having served our Country as a Naval Aviator, I understand the sacrifices that Service requires. In gratitude to those who serve, I welcome the opportunity to provide legal services to both active and retired military personnel, as well as to our First Responders.. Cmdr. Richard W. Hymes, Jr. USN (Ret)

Andrew J. Kelleher, Jr., J.D., LL.M. (Master of Laws in Taxation- Honors) and Certified Public Accountant, is a Founding Member of Kelleher + Holland, LLC. Andrew has worked on a multitude of business and estate planning matters and cases, including, but not limited to, selling, purchasing, merging, dividing and acquiring businesses, tax structuring, intellectual property licensing, shareholder agreements, business litigation, business banking and financing, employment law, executive compensation and severance, buy sell agreements, contract review and forming a variety of business entities.  He has been involved in planning complex trusts and estates for high net worth clients, probating estates, guardianships, pre-divorce planning, prenuptial planning, post-nuptial planning, commercial real estate acquisitions and dispositions, commercial real estate financing, cost segregation issues, transfer tax valuation discounting and related issues, personal injury, medical malpractice, real estate property tax issues, leasing matters for landlords and tenants, IRS dispute resolution, Section 1031 exchanges, real estate entity structuring and domestic asset protection matters, and litigation involving real estate valuation and titling.