David Lieberman presented a webinar on “Charitable Giving and the Elderly: Contemporary Challenges and Solutions,” with the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and the American Law Institute, in October 2021
David Lieberman presented a program on “Do’s and Don’ts of Donor Intent: Managing Disputes Over Restricted Charitable Gifts, Donor Intent and Changed Circumstances,” at the American Bar Association – Section on Real Property Trusts & Estates Law’s Spring CLE Conference, in April 2021
Robin Maher and Peter Allport co-authored “Charting a Course in Complex Trust Litigation: Safe Harbors from In Terrorem Storms” which appears in the August 2021 edition of Estate Planning. Click to read the article.
We are pleased to announce that Peter Allport has joined the firm as a partner. Peter focuses his practice on representing clients in trust, estate, and family and other closely-held business disputes, as well as other types of fiduciary litigation. He has represented fiduciaries and beneficiaries in litigation before courts in numerous jurisdictions, as well as in connection with out-of-court negotiations and alternative dispute resolution.
We are pleased to announce that Rick Gelboim has rejoined the firm as an Partner. Rick advises high net worth individuals and business owners on a wide range of wealth transfer, estate and gift tax planning and charitable matters. He has significant experience structuring and implementing sophisticated and personalized techniques to reduce estate, gift and income tax. Rick’s practice includes work for large families and family offices to coordinate inter-generational planning. Rick also represents fiduciaries in the administration of trusts and estates.
In September 2020 the American Bar Association has appointed David Lieberman an Advisor to the Uniform Law Commission’s Drafting Committee on Conflicts in Law in Trusts and Estates, and its Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, has appointed David Vice-Chair of its Trust and Estate Litigation, Ethics and Malpractice Group.
Six LS&C attorneys are working with the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education to prepare its 2020 handbook on “Litigating Disputed Estates, Trusts, Guardianships and Charitable Bequests.” Jim Carey and Robin Maher are updating their chapter on Oral Contracts to Make Wills and Joint and Mutual Wills; Elizabeth McKillip and Dan Paluga are updating Elizabeth’s chapter on Will Contests; and David Lieberman, Elizabeth McKillip and Kiran Uppal are updating a chapter on Construing and Modifying Wills and Irrevocable Trusts.
David Lieberman has been appointed to the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel’s Professional Responsibility Committee for the 2020 – 2021 College year.
David Lieberman presented a continuing legal education program on “Litigation within Probate and Non-probate Estates” on March 16, 2020, as part of the Illinois State Bar Association’s virtual Trusts and Estates Litigation seminar.
Jim Carey has been appointed to the Executive Council of the Real Property Trust and Estate Law (RPTE) Section of the American Bar Association for 2020-21. The RPTE Section is comprised of over 20,000 U.S. and International lawyers, real estate and financial services professionals. Jim is a past Chair of the Litigation, Ethics and Malpractice group which devotes its efforts to issues involving trust, estate and fiduciary litigation matters. With this appointment, Jim is pleased to continue his thirteen years of leadership with the RPTE Section.
We are pleased to announce that Elizabeth A. McKillip has joined the firm as a partner. Elizabeth concentrates her practice on estate, trust and family business disputes. She works with trustees, trust beneficiaries, and heirs regarding probate court matters, trust administration and asset distribution. She regularly represents individual trustees and bank fiduciaries in trust or estate related litigation.
Robin Maher was a panelist at the ABA RPTE meeting in Boston. The title of her program was “Another Boston Tea Party?: Navigating Family Law Issues in Trust and Estate Litigation.”
Carleen Schreder presented “Turning the PTC Idea into an Operating Trust Company” at the Family Office Exchange (FOX) Private Trust Company Fundamentals Workshop held in New Orleans, LA February 2019.
Carleen Schreder, David Lieberman and Robin Maher (Rising Stars) were selected to Illinois Super Lawyer® for 2020, Carleen in the fields of Tax and Estate Planning, David and Robin in the fields of Estate & Trust Litigation.
We are pleased to announce that Maria M. L. Schwartz has joined the firm as an associate. Maria’s practice focuses on estate planning, tax planning, and estate and trust administration, for businesses, families, executives, entrepreneurs and other high net worth individuals.
We are pleased to announce that Dan Paluga has joined the firm as an associate. Dan’s practice focuses on representing corporate fiduciaries and individuals in complex trust and estate litigation, and representing owners in family business and closely-held business disputes.
Robin Maher presented “The Ins, and the Definitely Outs, of Drafting Settlement Agreements” at the ALI 18th Annual Advanced Course for the Estate Planner, Litigator, and Corporate Fiduciary Counsel: Representing Estate and Trust Beneficiaries and Fiduciaries, July 2018.
Carleen Schreder presented “Charitable Giving After the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: Who’s Right and How to Cope?” at the Chicago Council on Planned Giving Symposium May 2018.
David Lieberman presented “Fasten Your Seatbelts: The Testy Track of Advising Trustees in Litigation,” in Orlando, Florida, at the 2018 Spring Symposium of the American Bar Association Section on Real Property Trusts & Estates Law, May 2018.
David Lieberman hosted a roundtable discussion on charities in estate litigation at the March bi-monthly meeting of the Chicago Council on Planned Giving, “Planned Gifts Gone Awry: When Estate Litigation Challenges Your Donor’s Bequest.”
Robin Maher presented “Identifying the Client other Ethical Considerations” at the Chicago Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education: Planning for Disgruntled Beneficiaries, March 2018.
Carleen Schreder, David Lieberman and Robin Maher (Rising Stars) were selected to Illinois Super Lawyer® for 2018, Carleen in the fields of Tax and Estate Planning, David and Robin in the fields of Estate & Trust Litigation.
Carleen Schreder presented “Turning the PFTC Idea Into an Operating Trust Company” and she moderated a panel discussion on “PFTCs at Risk: A Call to Maintain Standards” for the Family Office Exchange Private Trust Company Workshop held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February, 2018.
Robin Maher presented “Ethics of Representing Multiple Clients and What To Do When Conflict Arises” at the Chicago Bar Association, Trust Law Committee, June 2017.
In September 2017,
David Lieberman was appointed co-chair of the Probate & Fiduciary Litigation Committee of the American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, as well as the section liaison to the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility and Section Officers Conference (CPR/SOC) Professional Responsibility Committee.
We are pleased to announce that
Brett Cagan has joined the firm. Brett has been practicing law for over 20 years and focuses his practice on all aspects of estate planning, wealth preservation, and estate and trust administration.
Jim Carey is the immediate past Chair of the Litigation, Ethics and Malpractice group of the Real Property Trust and Estate Law (RPTE) Section of the American Bar Association. The RPTE Section is comprised of over 22,000 U.S. and International lawyers, real estate and financial services professionals. The Litigation, Ethics and Malpractice group devotes its efforts to issues involving trust, estate and fiduciary litigation matters. The group is responsible for educating members on national trends in a variety of areas and assists other Section Groups in analyzing trust and estate litigation, ethics or malpractice disputes. Now, his leadership role has expanded to involve positions in several ABA-RPTE committees including the Task Force on Technology and the Practice.
In October 2017 Jim served as a co-presenter on the first installment of the ABA-RPTE Section’s three part fiduciary litigation series: “Challenges to Wills and Trusts and Lifetime Disputes”.
David Lieberman’s article “Managing Conflict: Attorneys Drafting Documents for Nonprofits and Donors” appeared on the cover of the August 2017
Planned Giving Today.
David Lieberman presented a “Model Rules of Professional Responsibility: Adopted Model Rules – Where Do We Go from Here?” on September 27, 2017, as an American Bar Association – Section of Real Property and Trust and Estate Law electronic CLE program.
We are pleased to announce that
Kiran Uppal has joined the firm as an associate. Kiran’s practice focuses on estate planning an estate and trust administration for businesses, families and other high net worth individuals.
Jim Carey moderated a panel on: ‘Turns out “Fiduciary” Means You Have to Give It Back:’ An Introduction to Estate and Trust Litigation at the ABA – RPTE 29th Annual Spring Symposia, April 2017.
David Lieberman presented, “Model Rules of Professional Responsibility – Adopted Model Rules – Where Do We Go from Here?,” at the ABA’s Section on Real Property Trust & Estate Law’s 2017 Spring Symposia, April 2017.
David Lieberman joined the Chicago Council on Planned Giving’s program committee and continues working with charitable organizations in contested matters.
We are pleased to announce that as of January 1, 2017
Robin D. Maher has become an equity partner.
Carleen Schreder,
David Lieberman and
Robin Maher (Rising Stars) were selected to “Super Lawyers” for 2017, Carleen in the fields of Tax and Estate Planning, David and Robin in the fields of Estate & Trust Litigation.