Practice Areas
Ancillar Administration
Bankruptcy Law
My firm is a debt relief agency. I help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code. I represent individuals and commercial clients in bankruptcy proceedings that are initiated by either an insolvent individual, or business, or creditors seeking to have the debtor's remaining assets distributed among the creditors and, thereby, discharging the debtor from further obligation or restructuring and reorganizing the insolvent's debt structure.
Beneficiary Designations
Business Advice
Business Counseling
I have substantial experience counseling businesses and individuals on matters including:
- Compliance with local, state and federal laws and regulations
- Alternate forms of entity for new and growing businesses
- Business succession planning
- Business and employment contracts
- Contract review and complex negotiations related to commercial lending, real estate and equipment leasing, the purchase and sale of businesses and other contractual arrangements.
Business Law
Business Organization
Business Transactions
I provide a full range of legal services to business clients, including:
- Structuring and documenting clients' choice of business entity including corporations, limited liability companies, general or limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, or joint ventures
- Buying and selling businesses and business interests, including stock and asset purchases and sales, management and leveraged buyouts, and mergers; management of due diligence investigations from buyer and seller perspectives
- Documenting construction and construction management contracts for builders, owners, and sub-contractors
- Documenting and advising clients in real estate purchase and sale contracts, commercial leasing, zoning and municipal matters including subdivisions, variances, special permits, and related appeals
- Developing alternative forms of ownership and management of the start-up entity, including: voting and non-voting common stock, convertible preferred stock, warrants and similar rights; and specialized LLC provisions
- Drafting and reviewing employment, stock option, bonus and profit sharing agreements; employee nondisclosure, non-competition, and non-solicitation agreements
- Drafting and reviewing stockholder agreements, including cross-purchase, redemption, insurance-funded buyout, voting trusts
ByPass Trusts
Civil Litigation
My knowledge, training and over 30 years experience in litigation are supported by my aggressive and proactive style. I have represented individuals and businesses in a wide array of disputes, including those involving automobile accidents, contested family law matters, breach of contract matters, business break-ups, builder's suits, foreclosures and many others.
Commercial Law
Commercial Litigation
Litigation can have a significant impact on an individual's or company's ability to achieve their business objectives. I help individuals and companies involved in commercial litigation assess their options and make decisions consistent with their goals. I have aggressively represented individuals and companies in complex litigation and alternative dispute resolution proceedings including breach of contract, shareholder suits, corporation and partnership dissolution and actions for accounting.
Commercial Real Estate
Since 1974, I have helped clients respond to market forces and assisted clients in taking advantage of alternative financing sources, dealing with overbuilt markets and complying with a complex body of local, state and national environmental laws.
I work with developers, owners, property managers, tenants and investors in all types of transactions from routine purchase agreements to complicated development plans. Among my clients are individuals, corporations, buyers and sellers of real property, landlords and tenants, and investment and property-management companies. Facilities include apartment buildings, office buildings, shopping centers, strip malls, condominium conversions and development.
I handle all areas of real estate including:
- Sales and acquisitions
- Brokerage commission disputes
- Like Kind Exchanges - Starker Exchanges
- Construction contract issues and litigation
- Contract negotiations
- Debt restructurings
- Mortgage foreclosures
- Mechanic Lien foreclosures
- Landlord-tenant disputes
- Lease negotiations and contracts
- Loan workouts
- Project finance, including mortgages, sale-leasebacks, and non-traditional financing sources
- Property-management issues
- REIT formations and related issues
- Title-insurance matters
Commercial Transactions
I provide a full range of legal services to business clients, including:
- Structuring and documenting clients' choice of business entity including corporations, limited liability companies, general or limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, or joint ventures
- Buying and selling businesses and business interests, including stock and asset purchases and sales, management and leveraged buyouts, and mergers; management of due diligence investigations from buyer and seller perspectives
- Documenting construction and construction management contracts for builders, owners, and sub-contractors
- Documenting and advising clients in real estate purchase and sale contracts, commercial leasing, zoning and municipal matters including subdivisions, variances, special permits, and related appeals
- Developing alternative forms of ownership and management of the start-up entity, including: voting and non-voting common stock, convertible preferred stock, warrants and similar rights; and specialized LLC provisions
- Drafting and reviewing employment, stock option, bonus and profit sharing agreements; employee nondisclosure, non-competition, and non-solicitation agreements
- Drafting and reviewing stockholder agreements, including cross-purchase, redemption, insurance-funded buyout, voting trusts
Construction Law
I represent owners, contractors, builders, developers, and suppliers in all aspects of the construction process, including document preparation, contract negotiation and formation, contract performance, financing and warranty issues, mechanics and materialmen liens, and claims and dispute resolution.
Contested Wills and Trusts
Contracts
I pursue and defend a range of commercial litigation and contract disputes including business and real estate purchase and sale agreements, construction and construction management agreements, shareholder agreements, non-compete, non-solicitation, and non-disclosure agreements for employers and employees.
Corporations
Credit Shelter Trusts
Criminal Defense
I aggressively defend your rights if you are accused of alcohol-related offenses and other misdemeanors. I work to ensure the evidence against you is collected and preserved in a legal manner, that your constitutional rights are upheld and that you get a fair trial.
Crummey Trusts
Divorce
Divorce and Family Law
I use my knowledge, experience and training in family law to aggressively prosecute and defend my clients' rights. I also believe in reasonableness and cooperation, however, and adjust my representation to suit the needs of any particular client. I assist clients in all aspects of the law relating to the needs of today's families, including, but not limited to:
- Divorce (Dissolution of Marriage)
- Child Custody and Visitation
- Child support
- Alimony (Maintenance)
- Adoption
- I will help you protect your rights and the rights of your children.
DUI
Durable Powers of Attorney
DWI
Elder Law
I provide in-depth analysis and guidance in the emerging area of elder law and the special planning needs of older clients: financial planning; estate planning; major entitlement programs such as Social Security income, pension and retirement benefits, Medicare, and Medicaid; health care considerations; planning for incapacity, including living wills, durable powers of attorney and right-to-die issues.
Estate Administration
Probate is the legal process by which a person's debts are paid and assets are distributed upon his or her death. Estate Administration includes the probate process as well as non-probate transfers of the deceased's assets. I have had extensive experience in probate and the administration of estates, preparation of Federal and Illinois Estate Tax returns, clearing titles to the deceased's real estate and personal property and supervision of distribution of the deceased's assets to his or her heirs and legatees. Individual state laws direct the probate court how the deceased's estate is to be distributed. State laws and procedures vary greatly, so, it is important to consult a firm with expertise in this area of the law to ensure that the deceased's assets are distributed correctly.
Estate Planning
I handle a variety of estate planning matters, including planning for the distribution of an individual's property at his or her death and taking into account wills, taxes, insurance, property, and trusts so as to gain the maximum benefit of all laws, while, at the same time, carrying out the client's wishes. I assist clients in planning for future contingencies, such as death or incapacity and reduction of taxes, by preparing the necessary documents, including:
- Wills
- Living Trusts
- By-Pass Trusts
- Credit Shelter Trusts
- Special Needs Trusts
- Testamentary Trusts
- Ancillary documents
- Durable or general powers of attorney
- Medical powers of attorney
- Living wills (medical directives)
- Pour-over wills
- Marital deduction trusts
- Qualified domestic trusts (non-U.S. citizens)
- Credit shelter trusts
- Life insurance trusts
- Beneficiary designations
- Irrevocable life insurance trust
- Split dollar purchase agreements
- Crummey trusts
I also provide personal advice, counsel and guidance on a variety of estate matters, including:
- Planning for Disabled Children
- Planning for Disabled Spouses
- Second Marriage Issues
- Preparation of Estate Tax Returns
- Gifts to minors
- Education planning
- Direct gifts for medical and education expenses
- Retirement planning
- Beneficiary designations
- Estate administration
- Probate
- Liquidity and tax payment issues
- Domestic asset protection
- Prenuptial planning
- Tax planning for divorce
- Gifting Strategies
- Annual exclusion
- Lifetime exemption
- Partition
- Gift splitting
- Second-Generation Planning
- Generation-skipping transfer tax and exemption planning
- Dynasty trust
- Charitable gifts
- Charitable remainder trusts
- Charitable lead trusts
- Private foundations
- Public foundations
- Supporting organizations
- Succession planning
- Buy-sell agreements
- Family limited partnerships
- Limited liability companies
- Grantor retained annuity trusts
- Installment sales
- Private annuities
- Qualified personal residence trust
Estate Tax Return Preparation
Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts
Limited Liability Companies
Litigation
Living Trusts
Living Wills
Marital Deduction Trusts
Medical Powers of Attorney
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Partnerships
Personal Injury
Personal Injury Defense
Plaintiffs Personal Injury
I represent individuals injured because of the negligent or intentional behavior of another. Victims of personal injury are entitled to financial compensation for their medical and property loss expenses, incidental costs caused by the accident, and may be entitled to additional damages to cover future expenses, pain and suffering, or other issues. If you or a family member has been injured as a result of a car accident, pedestrian accident, slip and fall or other accident or injury, contact me to discuss your case.
"Wrongful Death" is a legal term that refers to situations when a person dies due to the negligence of another. Wrongful Death cases may arise as a result of a variety of incidents, including car and other motor vehicle accidents. My goal is to make sure that the survivor and beneficiaries are maximally compensated for their loss. In times of grief it is obviously difficult for family members to understand the importance of a prompt investigation of the circumstances of death, preservation of evidence and identification of responsible parties.
Planning for Disabled Children
Planning for Disabled Spouses
PourOver Wills
PreMarital Agreements
Probate
Probate is the legal process by which a person's debts are paid and assets are distributed upon his or her death. Estate Administration includes the probate process as well as non-probate transfers of the deceased's assets. I have had extensive experience in probate and the administration of estates, preparation of Federal and Illinois Estate Tax returns, clearing titles to the deceased's real estate and personal property and supervision of distribution of the deceased's assets to his or her heirs and legatees. Individual state laws direct the probate court how the deceased's estate is to be distributed. State laws and procedures vary greatly, so, it is important to consult a firm with expertise in this area of the law to ensure that the deceased's assets are distributed correctly.
Real Estate Law
Real Estate Litigation
Residential Real Estate
Purchasing or selling a home is often the largest financial transaction of a lifetime. I will see that this important transaction is done correctly, efficiently and that your interests are protected.
When representing the seller, my services include preparing or reviewing the sales contract; procuring the title insurance commitment; ordering the survey; clearing title exceptions for closing; preparing necessary documents for closing; procuring the mortgage payoff letter; coordinating date, time and place for closing; supervising the execution of documents and handling all matters at the closing.
When representing the buyer, my services include preparing or reviewing the purchase contract; assisting clients in the mortgage loan process; inspecting the survey for defects; reviewing the title commitment for defects in the seller's title; reviewing seller's documents; explaining and supervising execution of lender's documents, including the mortgage and note; checking and reviewing closing figures and prorations; and handling all matters at the closing.
My commitment to you does not stop at the closing. I would like to work with you and your family, building a solid relationship and servicing all of your legal needs.
Second Marriage Issues
Special Needs Trusts
Split Dollar Purchase Agreements
Testamentary Trusts
Trusts
Wills
Workers Compensation