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Recent blog posts
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Asset protection is often perceived as a concern for the wealthy or the elderly, but young adults in Illinois also have significant reasons to consider safeguarding their assets. Whether you’re just starting your career, building savings, or investing in your first home, understanding how to protect your assets can provide financial security and peace of…
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The loss of a loved one is a difficult time, and on top of emotional burdens, there are often legal matters to address. In Illinois, probate is the court process that oversees the administration of an estate, ensuring debts are settled and assets are distributed according to the deceased’s wishes (or by state law if…
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After a person passes away, there are situations where their estate will enter into probate. During this time, the court will administer and distribute the deceased’s assets and pay off any debts. While it is often necessary, probate can be a costly and time-consuming process. However, there are strategies you can use to reduce these…
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My dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s when I was in law school, and as it became clearer that he was a fall risk – and too stubborn to stop going up and down stairs – we decided that it was best to sell the house where me and my two brothers grew up. The house…
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Prior to law school I worked in consulting. My job was leveraging automation and digital tools to replicate time-consuming redundant tasks for privilege and discovery teams on a nationwide litigation effort. I used VBA, SQL and Acrobat to save $180,000 across a single team. My skills in this area have allowed me to operate a…
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Three things in life are inevitable: death, taxes, and practice management software. Well, the third is only inevitable if you practice law… the moment you get sick of spreadsheets to keep track of your client matters is the moment you realize it’s time for practice management software. If you’ve been to a law seminar or…
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What is the Role of a Guardian ad Litem in a Guardianship?
: What is the Role of a Guardian ad Litem in a Guardianship?
In most counties in Illinois, the judge will appoint a Guardian ad Litem (frequently referred to by its abbreviation “G-A-L”) before appointing a guardian of a Ward. This is a confusing term because both “Guardian” and “Guardian ad Litem” have the word Guardian in them – but they could not be more different in their…
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If you are a new homeowner, congratulations! Maybe someone recommended to you recently that now that you own a home, it is beneficial to put your real estate in a revocable living trust and you’re wondering why. Read on! By putting real estate in trust, clients ensure that their home will be transferred to their…
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One issue that we come across frequently is a deed that has been sitting in a deceased parent’s name for years, and finally a child is ready to sell the property, but doesn’t have the authority to sell because their name is not on the deed. One way to go about selling the property is…