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Olivia S. Brennan is an associate at Kozusko Harris Vetter Wareh Duncan LLP in Chicago, where she focuses her practice on domestic and international estate planning. She is a member of the Chicago Estate Planning Council and the American Bar Association. Ms. Brennan received her B.A. with high distinction (Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of Michigan and her J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
John T. Brooks is a Partner at Foley & Lardner LLP in Chicago, where he focuses his practice on estate, trust, and fiduciary litigation. He has been elected by his peers for inclusion in TheBest Lawyers in America since 2007 in the field of trusts and estates;was named the Chicago Litigation — Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers in America in 2015, 2019, and 2022; and was selected for inclusion in the 2005 – 2018 IllinoisSuper Lawyers and 2003 – 2022 Leading Lawyers lists. He is a member of the Chicago Bar Association and the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Brooks earned both his B.S. and J.D. (magna cum laude) from the University of Illinois.
William J. Butler is a Partner at McDermott Will & Emery LLP in Chicago, where he is the head of the firm’s Private Client Practice, focusing on both estate planning and probate administration matters. He has been recognized by Chambers High Net Worth 2018, Illinois and USA Nationwide: Private Wealth; Best Lawyers in America 2013 – 2019, Trusts and Estates; and Leading Lawyers Network 2010, 2015. Mr. Butler received his B.A. magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from DePauw University and his J.D. from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.
Timothy G. Carroll is a Partner at Harrison Held Carroll & Wall, LLP, in Chicago, where he focuses his practice on estate planning, probate, and trust administration. He is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, a member of the Chicago Estate Planning Council, and a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Mr. Carroll received his B.S. from Loyola University and his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law, where he was a member of the law review and the Order of the Coif.
James A. Casey is a Partner at Mayer Brown LLP in Chicago, where he focuses his practice on trusts, estates, and charitable foundations. He is a member of the Bar in Illinois and Michigan and is a certified public accountant. Casey received his undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University and his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School.
Katy CraftonFluet is a Partner at McDermott Will & Emery LLP in the Chicago and Silicon Valley, California, offices, where she focuses her practice on private clients, trusts, and estates. Fluet has been ranked for California (Northern): Private Wealth Law in Chambers High Net Worth 2020, 2021, 2022. She received her B.S. from the University of Illinois and her J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law.
William R. Franzen is Counsel to ArentFox Schiff LLP in Chicago, and focuses his practice on private clients, trusts, and estates. Franzen and his coauthors were awarded PROBATE & PROPERTY's Excellence in Writing Award, Best Overall Article Probate & Trust (1999). He is a certified public accountant. Franzen received his B.A. from the University of Illinois and his J.D. magna cum laude from Syracuse University College of Law, where he was Associate Editor of the Syracuse Law Review.
Sara T. Ghadiri is an associate and pro bono counsel at Chapman and Cutler LLP in Chicago, where her practice is focused on litigation. In 2018, she was the American Bar Association Free Legal Answers Pro Bono Leader, the LAF Order of Protection Litigation Project’s Volunteer of the Year, and the Illinois Jaycees Outstanding Young Person. Ms. Ghadiri received her B.A. magna cum laude from Illinois Wesleyan University and her J.D. with service honors from the University of Iowa College of Law.
Shannon L. Hartzler is a Partner at Lawrence Kamin, LLC, in Chicago, where she concentrates her practice in estate planning and administration. She is a member of the Chicago and Illinois State Bar Associations and the Chicago Estate Planning Council. Ms. Hartzler received her J.D. summa cum laude from Valparaiso University Law School.
Jeanette Suarez Hunter is a Partner at McDermott Will & Emery LLP in Chicago, where she is a member of the firm’s Private Client Practice Group. She was named to the 2015, 2016, and 2017 lists of Emerging Lawyers Under 40 in the area of trust, will, and estate planning law by Leading Lawyers and the Best Lawyers in America lists for trusts and estates in 2018 – 2023. She is also a member of the Chicago Estate Planning Council. Ms. Hunter received her B.B.A. magna cum laude, with honors from the University of Georgia and her J.D. cum laude from the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
Neil T. Kawashima is a Partner at McDermott Will & Emery LLP in Chicago, where he is a member of the firm’s Private Client Practice Group. He is a member of the American Bar Association and is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Mr. Kawashima received his A.B. from the University of Chicago and his J.D. from Cornell Law School.
Laurence J. Kline is a Partner at Hoogendoorn & Talbot LLP in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in estate planning and estate and trust administration. Mr. Kline is Past Chair of the Trust Law Committee of the Chicago Bar Association, a member of the Chicago Estate Planning Council, and the author of DISINHERITING UNCLE SAM — AN ESTATE PLANNING GUIDE FOR ILLINOIS RESIDENTS (1999). Mr. Kline received his B.S.B.A. from Northwestern University and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.
Jena L. Levinis Senior Counsel to Foley & Lardner LLP in Chicago, where she focuses her practice on estate and trust litigation. She has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star — Estate and Trust Litigation (2019 – 2022) and as a Leading Lawyers Emerging Lawyer Trust & Estate Law (2015 – 2022). Levin received her B.A. with highest distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her J.D. from Duke University School of Law.
Emily Petrovic Li is Associate General Counsel to Virginia Tech Foundation, Inc., in Blacksburg, Virginia, focusing on trusts and estates. She is a member of the Estate Planning Council of New River Valley. Ms. Li received her B.S. summa cum laude from the University of Kentucky and her J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Elise J. McGee is a Partner at McDermott Will & Emery LLP in Chicago, where her practice focuses on private client and wealth management, closely held businesses, and family office and private trust companies, as well as financial technology and blockchain. She is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, is a member of the Chicago Bar Association’s Executive Committee of the Trust Law Committee, and has been ranked in Chambers High Net Worth 2022, Illinois: Private Wealth, Up and Coming. McGee received her B.A. with honors from the University of Chicago and her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, where she was the Executive Editor of the Michigan Journal of Race and Law.
Janet Rae Montgomery is Of Counsel at Nisen & Elliott, LLC, in Chicago, where she concentrates her practice in estate planning and administration. Ms. Montgomery is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, is Past Chair of the Fiduciary Income Tax Committee, and is a member of the Chicago Estate Planning Council and member and Past President of the DuPage County Estate Planning Council. Ms. Montgomery completed her undergraduate work at the University of Southern California and at Trinity College, University of Dublin, Ireland, earned her B.A. magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from USC, and earned her J.D. from Stanford Law School, where she was a member of the Law Review.
J. Andrew P. Stone is a Partner at Kozusko Harris Vetter Wareh Duncan LLP, in Chicago, where his practice is focused on estate planning, estate administration, and wealth-transfer planning. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel; a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners; a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and Past Chair of STEP’s Chicago Branch; and Past Cochair of the International Tax Planning Committee of the Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law of the American Bar Association. Mr. Stone received his B.A. summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from Washington University and his J.D. from Cornell Law School.
Bernard T. Wall is Of Counsel to Harrison Held Carroll & Wall, LLP, in Chicago, where his practice is focused on trusts and estates. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Mr. Wall received his B.A. and J.D. from the University of Illinois, where he was a member of the Law Review and the Order of the Coif, and his LL.M. from Harvard Law School.
Rebecca Wallenfelsz is a Partner at Chapman and Cutler LLP in Chicago, in the Trusts and Estates Department. She has extensive experience representing individuals and institutions in estate planning and trust and estate matters. She is an active speaker and writer for IICLE®, the Chicago Bar Association, and other professional organizations. In 2011, she was named to the Law Bulletin Publishing Company’s “40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch” list of outstanding lawyers. In 2012, she was elected to the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. She serves as the firm’s Co-Pro Bono Partner and manages the volunteer efforts of Chapman attorneys.