West Dundee Estate Planning Lawyers

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...

While working full time, and raising his two children, Justin started college in pursuit of becoming an attorney. His dream has been brought to fruition as he is ready and able to tirelessly represent his clients. He considers his role as an attorney to not only be an advocate for his clients, but also for the community. Justin brings passion and strong ethical fortitude to the practice of law. When not practicing law, Justin enjoys spending time coaching youth football and baseball.

EDUCATION

Northern Illinois University College of Law, J.D. & Certificate in Civil Advocacy, 2016

DePaul University, B.A. Philosophy &...

Eric J. Vogel was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 2008 after graduating from John Marshall Law School. He served as Assistant Public Defender in the McHenry County Public Defender’s Office for over 10 years. In his time at the Public Defender’s Officer, he handled cases in several areas of the law, including, misdemeanor and felony criminal, juvenile abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency and specialty courts. Mr. Vogel has extensive experience in all aspects of litigation. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and History from Arizona State University in 2002.

Attorney Vogel understands that every client’s...

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...

Hipple Law, P.C. specializes in bankruptcy and estate planning cases. We handle Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy cases throughout the Chicagoland area for individuals and small businesses. We serve clients located in Kane, DuPage, Cook, Will and Lake counties. BANKRUPTCY: Ms. Hipple's education and prior work experience sets her apart from other bankruptcy attorneys. She has extensive financial services industry experience, including working closely with numerous types of financially distressed small businesses. Ms. Hipple's education also includes an MBA, which is unique for the majority of attorneys. She has also handled numerous divorce cases which provides her...

Richard has been an attorney since 1972. He brings a wealth of experience to his work. His main areas of practice are Personal Injury, Workers' Compensation, Estate Planning and Real Estate. He and his staff have been recognized in the community for their professionalism and responsiveness. He has been listed as one of Expertise.com's "Best Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Elgin 2021". However, the highest honor he has received throughout his career is that his clients often refer their children to him. He has proudly served multiple generations of families in the Kane County area and beyond.

Christine’s focus as an attorney is on helping her clients through the most difficult situations life offers. Whether her clients are facing criminal charges, the end of a marriage, issues related to children, or end of life concerns, Christine’s passion for helping them through these issues is evident through her honesty, patience, and ability to make even the most complex legal issues make sense to her clients. Christine attended the Northern Illinois University College of Law, where she graduated cum laude with Juris Doctorate degree. During her tenure at NIU College of Law, she earned a Certificate in Criminal Practice. She...

Michael Rada is the owner and sole practitioner in the Law Offices of Michael Rada, LLC located in Barrington, Illinois. Michael’s practice serves clients with matters in estate planning, probate, elder law and business law. Michael has served clients ranging from mid-sized companies to individuals.

Knowing that the law is not a “one size fits all” proposition, Michael applies his wealth of experience dealing with people and complex problems in finding the right solution for each individual client. He believes that listening to the client and fully understanding the desired outcome is an essential part of the legal process. In addition,...

Aaron J. Lytle is one of the firm's suburban Chicago attorneys who practices in several key areas: estate planning and wealth protection, wills and trusts, probate administration, trust administration, business planning, taxation, real estate and special needs planning for children with disabilities. Mr. Lytle has spent several years working in the business sector on corporate issues relating to succession planning, valuation, acquisitions and generating capital. Before joining AHR, he worked for companies such as American Express and Bank One (now JP Morgan Chase).

Mr. Lytle also previously served on the Board of Trustees for DayOne Reliance, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that...

Karrsten Goettel concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial and residential real estate, real estate development, leasing, zoning and land use, business, merger and acquisition transactions (sales and purchases of assets and/or stock), corporate and business law and estate planning and administration. He has practiced among our firm's attorneys since 1997 and as a partner since 2002.

Mr. Goettel currently serves on the Board of Commissioners of the St. Charles Park District (where he is President), as a member of the St. Charles Housing Commission and as a Board Member of the Celtic Sports Foundation. From 2000 to 2002, he...

-Successfully completed over 2,200 estate plans ranging in size to $210 million. -Assisted in redirecting more than $150 million away from estate taxes and to charities and heirs. -Eliminated estate taxes in more than 450 estate plans which were otherwise taxable. -Conducted more than 50 briefings, seminars and workshops on estate and tax elimination planning. -Co-author of "Combining Life Insurance and Annuity Policies to Create a Financial Engine for a Nongrantor CLAT," Journal of Practical Estate Planning, CCH Incorporated, August-September, 2004. -Author of "Tax Elimination Planning", "The Ten Most Common Mistakes in Estate Planning", "How a Charitable Trust Can Save You Taxes",...

Brent Glenn graduated from The University of Chicago Law School in 2000. He began his career at top law firms in Chicago and Washington, D.C. including Winston & Strawn and Sheppard Mullin. At that time, he concentrated his legal career on commercial real estate matters including real estate finance of both borrowers and lenders, commercial real estate sales, purchases and leases. In addition, he provided real estate support in corporate transactions valued at more than a billion dollars.

In 2017, Brent opened his own practice in Barrington, Illinois. In addition to commercial real estate, his practice now includes a...

Carin Brio started her practice at one of the largest real estate law firms in the State of Massachusetts as one of a handful of associates who represented clients in over 200 real estate cases every month. Since then, she has added estate planning, probate, family law, and other areas of law to her practice and helped hundreds of clients with the legal matters that are important to them. Now based out of Knoxville, Tennessee, Carin and her staff work diligently on their cases - whether it is a contested divorce case, setting up a trust for your family, or...

Robert Medansky is an experienced Divorce and Family Law Attorney providing clients and their families throughout Cook, Lake, DuPage, Kane, and McHenry Counties in Illinois with quality guidance and legal representation. He is a skilled negotiator and accomplished trial attorney who is widely recognized and respected for his integrity and vigorous advocacy to protect his client’s rights and interests. Since 1986, Mr. Medansky has successfully represented numerous clients in complex financial and high-conflict divorce matters. He approaches every family law matter with compassion, integrity, and a focus on personal service. As a skilled negotiator, he takes a strategic...

For 20 years, I have represented clients in contested divorce and custody matters in McHenry County. I am also a court appointed guardian ad litem and mediator in family law cases. I also provide representation for clients needing estate planning and Medicaid planning.

Practice consists of residential and commercial real estate, wills and trusts.

Jason Taken is a Navy Veteran turned Estate Planning and Probate attorney. Jason serves Cook County and the broader Northern Illinois areas.

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. • Personal Injury

If you are going through a divorce or family law matter, it can feel like your whole life is hanging in the balance. Not knowing what will happen to you or your family can be overwhelming. To help clients with divorce and family law matters in their time of need, Stange Law Firm, PC has limited its practice to divorce and family law matters. For your convenience, we have offices in multiple states. We also respond to all phone calls and emails from clients left before 5 pm the same business day. We also give clients...

I have been practicing law for over 35 years. I graduated 3rd in my class from law school, so I had the opportunity to work at one of Chicago's largest law firms on Michigan Avenue, Ross & Hardies, right out of law school. At that time my experience was mostly in the area of personal injury law having clerked during law school for one of the nations top personal injury lawyers, Leonard M. Ring & Associates. In April of 1991 I started my own firm that has continued to prosper under the philosophy of providing, "Quality,...

Attorney Militello is the Managing Parter at Prime Law Group, LLC. Prime Law Group is truly a team of lawyers and staff. Our collaborative approach often takes the form of cooperation to share past experiences and develop creative approaches to new issues. This team approach has the additional advantage that if a new issue suddenly arises or an existing project becomes a top client priority, we can quickly assign additional lawyers who will already have the background necessary to tackle the problem at full speed.

Jonathan Anderson is the owner and founder of Anderson Attorneys, PC. For more than 35 years, Jon Anderson owned Anderson & Associates, P.C. which grew to be a leading law firm with 12 attorneys in four offices who represented clients in divorce, family law, estate planning, probate, bankruptcy, and debtor/creditor relations and other matters. In June 2022, he sold Anderson & Associates, P.C. In 2023, he founded Anderson Attorneys, PC, a smaller, high-quality, specialized, boutique law firm that focuses on financially sophisticated divorce litigation and estate planning, and probate matters. For over 35 years, Jonathan Anderson...

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...

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....

Katrine R. Fleishman’s (née Lazar) practice is focused in the areas of real estate and estate planning, including trusts, wills, and powers of attorney for health care and property. Katrine helps her clients – whether they are first time homebuyers, experienced investors or anyone in between – navigate the closing process, successfully closing hundreds of real estate transactions. She works with her estate planning clients, tailoring a plan for their future that fits their individual needs.

Katrine has been with Newland and Newland, LLP since 2015. Before joining Newland & Newland, LLP, she was an associate at a Chicagoland firm where...

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), ...

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.

Robert Kramer worked as a front-end supervisor at Builder's Square while attending law school, using the position to help finance his education. He earned his law degree from Northern Illinois School of Law in 1993. After graduation, Robert joined a law office that provided commercial real estate services to restaurant franchises across the Midwest. He later moved to a general practice litigation firm in Hinsdale, Illinois, where he concentrated on divorce and family law, real estate transactions, and personal injury cases. In 1997, Robert opened his own law firm, establishing his first office in Plainfield. Nearly two decades later, in 2016,...

Eron McCormick is the Principal Owner of The McCormick Law Firm, LLC. He earned his law degree cum laude from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in 2014, where he also contributed to the Journal of Clinical and Practical Law as an Associate Editor. His academic foundation began at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, where he majored in Political Science and minored in Communications. During his time there, he served as Student Government President, participated in the Model Illinois Government Moot Court Team, and was inducted into Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society. Mr. McCormick handles matters related...

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...

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...

When faced with the hard times and decisions that come with a family law matter, the most comforting aspect is having an attorney that cares about the situation and how the best way it can be handled. Andrew Rankin always has the best interest of the client in mind, and manages the family law situation with authentic care. Drew is originally from Highland, Illinois. Drew is a Partner at Stange Law Firm, who manages the East Region of the Firm, including all of the Illinois offices and the Arnold, Missouri office of the firm. Drew has been with Stange Law Firm...

I have been practicing law since 2001. I graduated from Chicago-Kent College of Law in May of 2001 and from DePaul University in June of 1996. My main area of concentration is family law, i.e., divorce, paternity, child support, allocation of parental responsibilities (formerly known as custody) and adoption. As a family law attorney, I understand that my clients have to make difficult decisions while dealing with complex issues and emotions. As such, I believe that the key to successful representation depends not only in understanding the underlying issues, but, also in experience and expertise in the law...

Since 1991 Steve's practice has grown tremendously. Steve practices in foreclosure defense, estate planning, real estate and mortgage loan modifications and his practice has grown to include several lawyers and support staff. (Steve's partner Gary Newland and his team practices in personal injury_ Due to Steve's experience and expertise he is often asked to speak at bar association seminars to other lawyers on areas of law that he practices in. Steve has also volunteered his services to the foreclosure court help desk at the courthouse to assist individuals who are facing foreclosure. Due to Steve's success...

Amanda concentrates her practice in the areas of trusts and estates. She prosecutes and defends trustees, executors, and administrators, relating to will contest, undue influence, breach of fiduciary duty, business wind-up, estate accounting, and trust accounting disputes through initial filings, discovery, trial, and post-trial issues such as appeals. Amanda also provides services in trust administration, probate administration, and general litigation. Amanda is an experienced litigator, having represented clients in appeals, estate and trust contests, business disputes, commercial disputes, elder abuse issues, and guardianships. She is known for building and maintaining relationships with clients through trust and collaboration.