Top Best Estate Lawyers | 18197 Available

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.

Mr. Berek is a Partner in the Trusts & Estates group at Horwood Marcus & Berk. He focuses his practice on Family Office Structuring and Administration, Wealth Transfer Planning, Income Tax Planning, and Trusts & Estates.. Prior to joining Handler Thayer, LLP, Mr. Berek was a Director at Credit Suisse, acting as a Family CFO in their family office group (formerly Frye Louis ) and ran their wealth planning group for the US Central Region advising clients of the private bank on family office and wealth transfer techniques. Prior experience includes practicing law in trusts and estates most recently with McGuireWoods LLP and Kirkland & Ellis LLP; tax and trust planning with Arthur Andersen LLP and Coopers & Lybrand LLP; and estate administration with The Northern Trust Company.. Mr. Berek is currently the editor of the two-volume treatise “Illinois Estate Planning, Will Drafting and Estate Administration Forms with Practical Commentary” published by LexisNexis. Mr. Berek is also an adjunct professor at DePaul University where he teaches Estate Planning, Estate, Gift and GST Tax, Income Taxation of Decedents, Estates and Trusts, and Tax Research in the Masters of Science in Taxation program; and at The John Marshall Law School where he teaches Advanced Income Tax, and Fiduciary Income Tax, in the LL.M Graduate Tax program.. Mr. Berek earned a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from DePaul University, a Juris Doctorate, cum laude (Law Review, Moot Court), and an LL.M. in Employee Benefits, with honors, from The John Marshall Law School.. He is a John S. Nolan Tax Law Fellow of the American Bar Association, Tax Section, a former chair of the Tax Practice Management Subcommittee, and a former Current Developments reporter of the Estate and Gift Tax Subcommittee.  He is past chair of the Illinois State Bar Association Trusts & Estates Section Council, and a past co-chair of the Chicago Bar Association Estate Planning Committee, Young Lawyers Section.. Mr. Berek is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Florida and is awarded an AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5 peer review rating by Martindale-Hubbell for both legal abilities and ethical standards.  Mr. Berek is also a Certified Public Accountant (Illinois), and a Certified Financial Planner™.

Since established in 1987, Visci & Associates has offered a wide range of legal and tax services to help our clients achieve goals, preserve wealth, and plan for success.We offer services in related areas of law, including Estate Planning, Elder Law, Estate Settlement, Real Estate, Business Law, Personal Taxes and Business Taxes,  insuring our clients' money and property concerns are addressed seamlessly and their goals achieved.  Our clients receive personalized service and comprehensive advice in each transaction and from year to year. Our clients are business owners, professionals, retirees, real estate investors, traders, and homeowners from many walks of life.   Our staff at Visci & Associates is committed to providing every person the highest level of legal services and responding promptly to our clients' needs.

The newest member of Team Russo, Katie Ann Trotta, focuses on estate and trust administration, probate, and estate planning.. Katie knew from an early age that she wanted to become an attorney. An accomplished athlete, she initially thought she’d be the next Jerry Maguire. However, Katie’s father passed away suddenly, without a will, while she was still in college. Katie witnessed the uncertainty, frustration, and challenges that come with settling an estate. Therefore, she decided to focus her practice on assisting people who are experiencing a similar situation, as well as helping people establish a plan in advance to prepare for the inevitable.. Today, Katie is committed to helping families protect their assets and plan for the future. Her experience in the financial services industry gives Katie unique insights into various aspects of estate planning.. Katie studied business at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where she was also a member (and Captain) of the university’s varsity softball team. She earned her law degree at Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, where she was a member of the Honors Program and graduated Cum Laude.