Best Lawyers Near You in Oak Brook, Illinois for Trusts and Estates
As an advisor and counselor to entrepreneurs, closely held businesses, and wealthy families and their family offices, Steve Gustafson draws upon multiple disciplines to provide integrated tax, business and financial advice. Steve’s practice has a substantial emphasis in the areas of tax and financial transactions, including structuring corporate, joint venture, commercial and real estate transactions, as well as assisting family businesses with tax and financial planning matters. He als...
Charles Harris helps high-net-worth individuals and owners of closely held businesses on matters related to tax and estate planning. Charles is recognized as a leading lawyer on tax and estate planning by the Chambers High Net Worth guide, which cited his "expertise in handling planning for US citizens with foreign interests, including US citizens who live elsewhere, or who are marrying a non-US citizen. As a certified public accountant as well as a private practicing attorney, Charles helps ...
Described by clients as a "phenomenal practitioner and extremely bright," Michael Hartz advises on business succession planning, tax-efficient wealth transfer into trusts for future generations and strategies for fulfilling philanthropic goals. Michael is ranked among the leading lawyers for private wealth law in Chambers High Net Worth, where his practical, effective solutions to complex problems have led to consistent recognition. With 40 years of experience in trust and estate planning and...
Partner Nancy M. Spain, a founder of the firm, Spain, Spain & Varnet P.C., which joined Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP in 2022, focuses her career in general and probate-related law. She began her legal career in Cleveland, prior to relocating to Chicago in 1981 where she first worked in the trust department of the former Lake Shore Bank, prior to practicing law at Spain, Spain & Varnet P.C. Throughout her career, Nancy has been actively involved in drafting legislation and working with ...
Larry is chair of the firm’s Private Wealth Services practice group. He facilitates successful legal strategies for entrepreneurs, tax-exempt organizations, fiduciaries and high-net worth families and individuals. This work involves estate, gift and charitable planning issues, including business succession, tax-efficient ownership structures, sophisticated tax-exempt structures, trust and estate administration, executive benefits, life insurance and international estate planning for wea...
Adam Damerow is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Adam, who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Adam is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jesse A. Footlik is a Partner with Peck Ritchey, LLC. In addition to representing individuals and families as heirs and beneficiaries, Jesse represents corporate and individual fiduciaries, including financial institutions and healthcare providers. Further, Jesse regularly advises clients involved in various Power of Attorney (POA) disputes, breach of fiduciary duty cases, contested heirships, wrongful death dependency hearings, and will and trust construction or interpretation matters. For o...
Julie Sirlin Pleshivoy advises high‑net‑worth families, family offices, and entrepreneurs on the full spectrum of wealth transfer and tax planning. Combining sophisticated tax knowledge with a background in investment management, she develops estate plans that safeguard family assets and support smooth transitions across generations. Leveraging her experience and an LL.M. in Federal Income Taxation, Julie brings a distinctive financial perspective to structuring business ventures, succession ...
Peter S. Coorlas is a senior associate of the Chicago law firm Peck Ritchey, LLC . Peter was an Assistant State’s Attorney for Cook County for 30 years, serving in the Special Litigation and Municipal Litigation Sections of the Civil Actions Bureau. Although Peter served in various areas while at the State’s Attorneys Office, he has primarily represented the interests of Cook County in probate matters, spending much of his time on contested litigation, including will contests, con...
Ryan T. Court is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Ryan T., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ryan T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Libby concentrates her practice in estate planning in the area of probate with a focus on the estate tax aspects, contested estates and trust reformation. Libby has practiced before the Tax Court and has represented several tax-exempt organizations, including both private foundations and public charities. She has administered numerous large estates and has successfully negotiated favorable settlements with the Internal Revenue Service both at the audit and appellate levels on issues such as v...
Eric builds sophisticated estate planning strategies for families and individuals, including business owners and executives. He also counsels clients on the legal and business implications of major life events, including premarital planning, relocating to a new jurisdiction, appointing short-term guardians for vacationing relatives and loved ones and designating agents for health care decisions. Eric represents clients spanning numerous industries and backgrounds, including traders, doctors, ...
Richard M. Horwood has devoted his practice to business and financial planning, including business law, taxation and estate planning. His extensive experience has allowed him to develop the resources that make him an acknowledged authority in these areas. He advises business owners, non-profit organizations, donors and collectors on a variety of complex planning issues. He advises art collectors regarding key issues such as authentication/provenance, collection management, tax matters, dispos...
Thomas C. Wedgwood is an associate attorney at Peck Ritchey, LLC. In addition to representing individuals and families, Thomas represents financial institutions, medical institutions, and various fiduciaries. Thomas graduated with his Juris Doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law where he graduated cum laude and was named to the Dean’s List each of his three years. Thomas was involved in several organizations in law school, including the Law Review and C-K Law Group’s Federal Heal...
Soffia H. Kuehner Gray is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Soffia H., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Soffia H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Evan Shaheen is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Evan, who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Evan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.