Central City Estate Planning Lawyers

Services We Provide Include: • Probate & Estate Planning: Estate Administration, Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills; • Business Formation & Transactional Matters: Creation of Business Entities (i.e. LLC, Corp., Partnerships) & Other Business Agreements including Mergers & Acquisitions; • Income Tax Returns: Planning & Preparation (Individuals, Partnerships, Corp., Trusts, Gift & Estate Tax, Tax-Exempt Org., Payroll & Others); and • Audits & Appeals: Representation in Problematic Tax & Regulatory Matters.

Kevin G. Drendel Cornell College, cum laude, and a 1991 graduate of Northern Illinois University College of Law, magna cum laude. While at Northern Illinois University, he was a member of the Law Review, and published an article in the University’s scholarly (NIU Law Review 73, 1990). He also received the West Publishing Award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement. He is admitted to practice in front of all Illinois State Courts and the U.S. District Court, the Northern District of Illinois. Kevin is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and the Kane County Bar Association: Director (1999-2000), ...

Philip M. Fornaro is the managing attorney at Fornaro Law. Adopting a “never give up” attitude, Philip has become known for his ability to succeed where others fail for the last 20 years. His decision to diversify his practice in 2004 has resulted in the creation of a full service law firm which provides quality representation in a variety of legal areas. Philip follows the rule that positive energy will yield positive results. This energy is the driving force behind the success of Fornaro Law. He has become adept at creating a network and team between clients,...

Lauren Jackson focuses her practice primarily in the areas of real estate and estate planning, although her background includes probate, contracts, corporate formation and business succession planning. Lauren’s unintimidating, caring approach has garnered her a respectable reputation all over Northern Illinois. With her dedication for efficient cost effective services, you will learn that with Lauren on your side you have a reachable attorney with your best intentions in mind. Lauren prides herself on quality work over quantity and it has proved she is a success based on past customer positive reviews. Lauren eagerly represents...

Under Contract? Need a Lawyer? We excel in assisting clients buy and sell all types of real estate,including, but not limited to single family homes, condos, co-ops and multi family apartment buildings, in Chicago and the surrounding metro area (suburbs). We identify and quantify potential issues, evaluate risk and provide prompt guidance so that our clients can make educated and concrete decisions as they navigate the process of buying or selling real estate.

REAL Law Group, P.C. is a boutique law firm established in 2015 with the idea that effective representation requires both a professional commitment and personal approach that...

I am the founding attorney and owner of Qazi Law Offices. I received my Juris Doctorate from DePaul University Law School and my Bachelor of Arts from Loyola University Chicago.

In law school, I became fascinated and horrified by the prevalence of human trafficking. As an intern and associate at the International Human Rights Institute, I handled cases from hundreds of victims of trafficking who lived in Latin America. As horrible as their experiences were, I realized this was my calling: I could help them regain their voices and I was determined to fight for their liberties.

As an...

Benedict Schwarz, II has limited his practice to matrimonial and family law for over 40 years. He is a past director of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) and is also a trained divorce mediator; Mr. Schwarz has taught numerous 40-hour divorce mediation training and conflict resolution seminars and has also co-authored chapters on the subject in the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education publications.

In 1992, Mr. Schwarz was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court as a Commissioner of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC). In 2001, Mr. Schwarz was appointed the Chairperson of the Commission from January...

Nick Nelson was admitted to the Illinois bar in 2008. Since then he has focused on serving his clients and offering practical legal advice that accomplishes the goals of his clients and serves their best interest. Nick's personality, knowledge, and skills have proven beneficial for clients in legal disputes ranging from divorce, civil litigation, business guidance, and negotiations. Nick has won numerous awards and recognition from the legal community, including AVVO Excellent Rating, AVVO Featured Attorney Divorce, AVVO Top Contributor, AVVO Clients' Choice, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys 10 Best for Client Satisfaction, The National Advocates Top 40 Under...

Jennifer Bunker Skerston has worked in the Illinois Valley legal community for the past seven years handling many litigation related matters including will contests, property tax appeals, breach of contract, and personal injury claims.

Jennifer Bunker Skerston is actively involved in the Illinois State Bar Association Trusts and Estates Section Council. She is the Editor of the Council’s monthly publication distributed to members throughout Illinois. She also assists the Council in providing continuing legal education to attorneys, determining the need for new legislation, and reviewing and suggesting changes to current legislative proposals affecting wills, trusts and estates....

Kiley M. Whitty is a licensed attorney specializing in the areas of family law, child custody, bankruptcy, and creditor negotiations in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Will and surrounding collar counties. While in law school at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Kiley earned a certificate in Child and Family Law as well as a certificate in Advocacy which aided in her success as a litigator. As an associate with Anderson & Associates, P.C., Kiley has handled complex custody cases involving issues with legal and residential custody, parenting time, allegations of abuse and neglect, and child removal. Kiley has also handled a...

Angel M. Traub is a civil litigation attorney & principal owner of A. Traub & Assoc.. She graduated in 98 from NIU with her B.A. & was awarded the Outstanding Woman Student Award & Outstanding Communication Major Award in 98. Angel graduated from The John Marshall Law School with a J.D. In 01 where She was selected as a John Marshall Distinguished Scholar & was a member of the Order of John Marshall, Honorary Scholarship Society. She was admitted to practice in the State of Illinois & the Northern District of Illinois in 2001. Angel is trained & certified...

Attorney Naveed Husain is the managing partner of Farooqi & Husain, LLC. He specializes in the areas of family law, estate planning, and business for clients in DuPage County and Cook County in Illinois.

Naveed’s primary area of practice is family law. He has handled a wide range of complex divorce litigations, including multi-million dollar marital estates, contentious custody battles, and issues related to international law and child abduction. He routinely assists clients in child support, child custody, father’s rights, and other related issues. He often uses his background in business, estate planning, and asset protection...

Sean Robertson is an experienced business law and real estate attorney with more than 14 years of experience. He graduated from DePaul University College of Law and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and he gained a strong background in taxation law during his time in law school. Sean Robertson's legal experience has been varied and has involved issues surrounding business litigation, wealth management, estate planning, divorce, and family law.

During the last recession, Sean worked to litigate a wide variety of cases involving loan disputes, business interests, creditor/debtor contracts, and post-judgment law. This background gives him the understanding needed to...

Mazyar M. Hedayat is the principal of M. Hedayat & Associates, PC, a law firm that has represented Clients for nearly 25 years in the areas of business law and litigation, bankruptcy law and litigation, real property transactions and litigation, construction law and mechanics liens, corporate law, and more. After attending the University of Chicago and University of Michigan, Mr. Hedayat received his MBA from the U.M. Ross School of Business, and his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law. Mr. Hedayat is a title insurance agent and operated a full-service title company for 6 years....

Masah S. SamForay, has earned national recognition as a force for her clients. Beyond being recognized as a Top 100 Lawyer, Masah SamForay knows the concerns of clients, intimately. She is a divorcee and working mother who understands what it means to fight for her family during a difficult divorce.

Atty. SamForay is a Co-Founder and Past-President of the Black Bar Association of Will County. She is a member of the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. and served on the 2017-2018 Board and as the Co-Chair of the Small and Solo Firm Committee from 2013-2016. She is a...

David J. Winthers is a lifelong resident of DuPage County having graduated from Wheaton Central High School in 1974 and Wheaton College in 1977.

Charles is a shareholder at The Law Office of Lofgren & Wentworth, P.C. in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, where he practices business, property, and appellate litigation. After graduating from the SJ Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah, he clerked for Chief Justice John Broderick of the New Hampshire Supreme Court. He was then a litigation associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago before opening his own practice. He recently joined Richard Lofgren to form The Law Office of Lofgren & Wentworth, P.C., The Entrepreneur's Legal Resource. Charles' experience as an officer and director of multiple closely-held companies...

Since 1996, Illinois elder law attorney Carol A. Nolan, has been providing valuable legal advice for seniors and their families. As a skilled Wheaton estate attorney, Ms. Nolan is devoted to the rights and legal options of elderly and disabled people in DuPage County and Chicago's western suburbs. Her Lisle law office handles a wide range of financial, health care, and estate planning matters, including Medicaid applications and planning, disability planning, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), guardianships, wills, trusts, and probate administration.

Carol A. Nolan has been a frequent speaker on Elder Law, Medicaid issues, estate planning, probate and trust administration,...

Admitted to practice law in 1982, Maureen Sullivan Taylor graduated with a J.D. from Northern Illinois University Law School. In addition to interning at the United States' Attorneys' Office, Maureen was awarded the American Jurisprudence Award for Outstanding Achievement in Matrimonial Law and also served on the Law Review. Founder of the firm, Maureen is a trained and experienced mediator, and is both a Fellow of the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois and a member of the International Association of Collaborative Professionals. Maureen is admitted to the United States Supreme Court and the Northern District of Illinois Federal Court and...

My law firm represents people in DuPage, Kendall and Kane Counties. For nearly a decade, I have focused entirely on divorce, paternity (parentage), establishment and modification of support, parental rights, enforcement of divorce decrees and other family law related matters. I have litigated numerous divorce and parentage matters and know how to litigate yours. More importantly than that, I focus on keeping your case out of the courthouse as much as possible. That helps keep costs down and can actually expedite many cases.

I have an undergraduate degree in psychology with 5 years' experience working with abused children and adolescents with...

Admitted to practice law in 1995, Juli A. Gumina graduated with a J.D. from Illinois Institute of Technology-Kent College of Law, where she was on the Dean's List and a member of the Bar & Gavel Society. Juli received her B.A. from Loyola University in Chicago, where she graduate cum laude and was a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the national Jesuit honor society. Juli honed her litigation skills for several years as a public defender in DuPage County, prior to joining the firm to focus on family law. Juli is a trained and experienced mediator, and is frequently appointed...

Attorney Dion U. Davi has extensive experience in family, real estate and estate planning throughout Illinois. DuPage family law attorney Dion U. Davi is a skilled negotiator who seeks to resolve legal disputes with a favorable settlement whenever possible. When needed, however, he has the skills and experience to effectively and zealously advocate for his clients in court.

Barbara Morton graduated from the University of Colorado with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication in 1992. Ms. Morton followed her BA with an MBA in Finance and Accounting from Regis University in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1996. Ms. Morton received her law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan in 1998. She has been licensed to practice law in Illinois since May 1999. Her practice emphasis is in Family law issues, Real Estate, Wills, Powers of Attorney, Traffic and Personal Injury. She has represented clients in litigation matters before Federal and State Courts, arbitration and...

Jonathan David Herpy, Sr. has been named one of the top private equity and corporate attorneys in Illinois under the age of 40 by Chicago Magazine in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Jonathan has represented investors, sponsors, and managers of public and private pension plans, broker-dealers, investment advisers, custodians, and other financial industry service providers throughout the entire range of the investment spectrum and routinely provides market-leading advice on public/private offerings of equity and debt along with capital raising strategy.
In addition to the above, Jonathan has been touted as an industry leader for his sophisticated and efficient approach to structuring...

Attorney Justin J. Karubas has been a Principal at Rolewick & Gutzke since April of 2006. He obtained his law degree from the Chicago-Kent College of Law and was admitted to practice law by the Illinois Supreme Court in 1998. Attorney Karubas is a graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign from where he has a B.A. degree in Economics, Finance. Before joining Rolewick & Gutzke, P.C., as an Associate Attorney in 1998, he was a legal clerk both at Illinois Masonic Medical center in 1997 and McKeown, Fitzgerald, Zoller, Buck, Hutchinson, & Ruttle in 1996....

John Lynch became interested in debt relief and bankruptcy before he went to Law School. John was employed at Eastern Airlines in Miami, Florida, which at that time was the second largest airline in the US. Eastern Airlines filed for bankruptcy in 1990 and by 1991 it had closed its doors. John knew so many people that could not find work, had cars repossessed and faced mounting debt. Then, in 1992 Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida and Pan Am airlines also closed its doors. By that time John was a Paralegal and owner of a Title Company. He worked as...

Sharon R. Mulyk is a partner with Mulyk, Laho & Mack, LLC, where her practice is concentrated in family law and collections. Sharon is an active member of the DuPage County Bar Association, where she served as the President from 2012-2013. Sharon has also served, by appointment, as the DCBA Associate Counsel, Chairman of the Family Law Committee Chairman for the Membership Committee, Judiciary Committee, Planning Committee, CLE Committee and has volunteered her time to act as a Judicial Intervention Leader. She is the Past President of the DuPage Association of Women Lawyers and Past President of the DuPage...

Robert T.C. Kay, an established attorney in DuPage County since 1986, is the go-to legal counsel for individuals, businesses, and families across Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Naperville, and various other DuPage County communities. With a wealth of experience across diverse legal domains, he offers clients the advantage of streamlining and simplifying their legal affairs. Mr. Kay's consultation services encompass a wide range of areas, including Wills, Trusts, and Estates, Business Organization and Operation, as well as Commercial Real Estate Transactions. With over 35 years of expertise, he provides sound advice to individuals, business owners, and government officials. His focus extends to preserving and...

Michael V. LoCicero has practiced law in DuPage County for over three decades. Michael's dedication to the community includes volunteering in local education, sports, and government programs. As a seasoned attorney, he believes in personal service at a reasonable price and dedication to cases from start to finish. Michael values open communication with his clients by keeping them fully informed about case matters, providing advice, and ultimately helping clients make the best, fully-informed decisions possible. Michael's problem solving and cost-effective approach allows him to reach client goals as quickly as possible at a reasonable rate.

Michael A. Otte concentrates his practice on estate planning, trust administration, and contested and litigated estates and trusts. Additionally, Michael's particular area of focus is in elder law matters, including Medicaid planning, Medicaid appeals, guardianship, contested guardianships, nursing home contract review, general elder law matters requiring litigation or other court involvement, and other issues affecting the legal needs of older people. Michael has given dozens of both public and private seminars on his areas of experience in order to educate the public and fellow attorneys on important estate planning and elder law concepts. Michael is a member of the Chicago...

Dan is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communications and minors in Mathematics and Political Science.

Dan is a 1979 graduate of IIT/Chicago Kent College of Law earning a Juris Doctor degree and a Bar and Gavel Award. Dan was admitted to the bar in 1979 and has been a practicing attorney in Naperville ever since.

Dan is a member of the Illinois and Dupage County Bar associations. He is a current member of the DuPage County Real Estate Law Committee and the Trusts and Estate Planning Committee. His practice...

Monica P. Patankar is a partner with the law firm of Patankar Law P.C. Monica takes a compassionate approach to helping clients solve their legal issues. She listens to each story carefully and understands that no two issues are alike. Monica's legal training and experience have prepared her to handle your legal needs. Monica gained her legal knowledge at University of Notre Dame Law School in Notre Dame, Indiana. Upon graduation, Monica worked for a large law firm, Chapman and Cutler LLP in Chicago, Illinois. At Chapman, Monica worked with large municipalities and other governmental entities to raise capital for large...

Daniel J. Kollias' combination of experience in the real world and in the courtroom sets him apart from other attorneys. He represents clients with the goal of finding practical solutions to complex problems. Prior to starting his firm, Dan successfully owned and managed a restaurant and bar in Elmhurst for a few years before returning to the practice of law. He understands business from the perspectives of both the entrepreneur and the advocate.

Dan is at home both in the courtroom and at the negotiating table. Dan gained extensive in-court experience as a prosecutor in the...

With 25 years’ experience, Vince provides his clients with a diverse skill set for advising on and resolving most legal issues. As an experienced trial attorney, Vince advises his clients on how to resolve conflicts before litigation; yet, when a lawsuit is filed, Vince transitions to the role as staunch advocate, having been involved in a diverse array of cases related to business disputes, non-compete/non-solicitation claims, business dissolution and accountings, construction defect, mechanic’s lien and breach of contract claims, estate planning and probate matters, and municipal and pension hearings. Vince has conducted more than 100 jury and bench trials, involving...

Judith’s practice is focused in the areas of divorce, custody, paternity, and guardianship proceedings. She is an aggressive trial attorney and persuasive negotiator with extensive experience in negotiating and litigating divorce related issues including custody, visitation, maintenance, child support, the distribution of assets and liabilities, domestic violence and orders of protection.

Marques A. Eason is an attorney serving clients on the South Side of Chicago and throughout the South Suburbs in matters involving real estate property and a range of other legal issues. His areas of concentration include residential and commercial real estate, probate, and estate planning. Eason has 10 years of legal experience, including three years as a licensed practicing attorney in the State of Illinois where he founded his own practice, The Marques Eason Law Group, in 2017. He also worked for seven years as a paralegal on cases involving real estate, contract, and family law, including with the Law...

Melissa Fernandez (Marin) graduated from DePaul University in 2015 where she received her Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Political Science. Melissa went on to receive her law degree from DePaul University College of Law in 2019 with a certificate in Family Law where she graduated Cum Laude and maintained herself on the Dean's list for all three years. From a very young age, Melissa knew that she was passionate about family law. As a child of divorced parents, Melissa brings a unique perspective to the firm having experienced the breakdown of her family at a young age....

Kathryn C. Rolewick was admitted to practice law by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2013. She had worked as a Trust Administrative Officer for U.S. Trust, Bank of America, N.A. since graduating from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2013. She joined Rolewick & Gutzke, P.C., the firm founded by her father, David Rolewick, in 2016. Kathryn's areas of practice include estate planning, wealth management, probate estates, contracts, and general corporate and business structures.

Rolewick attended Boston College where she graduated cum laude from the Honors Program in 2004. She is a member of the DuPage County Bar Association, the...

Izabela concentrates her practice in estate and trust planning, probate, and estate and trust administration and litigation. Izabela also assists clients in planning for disability and special needs. Izabela also handles guardianship proceedings and serves as a volunteer Guardian Ad Litem for the Cook County Circuit Court. Additionally, Izabela has experience with domestic and international income tax and business planning, and corporate and individual tax controversies. She also advises clients on business succession matters, wealth transfer and preservation, and corporate, partnership and limited liability company transactions, including drafting various business arrangements and agreements. Izabela was named as an Illinois Super...