Justia Legal Services & Lawyers Directory

-Successfully completed over 2,200 estate plans ranging in size to $210 million.
-Assisted in redirecting more than $150 million away from estate taxes and to charities and heirs.
-Eliminated estate taxes in more than 450 estate plans which were otherwise taxable.
-Conducted more than 50 briefings, seminars and workshops on estate and tax elimination planning.
-Co-author of "Combining Life Insurance and Annuity Policies to Create a Financial Engine for a Nongrantor CLAT," Journal of Practical Estate Planning, CCH Incorporated, August-September, 2004.
-Author of "Tax Elimination Planning", "The Ten Most Common Mistakes in Estate Planning", "How a Charitable Trust Can Save You Taxes", and "The New Tax Law- An Update" for a national charity's newsletter.
-Graduate of the Family Wealth Counseling two-year training school on Tax Elimination Planning, and of the Renaissance School of Social Capital concentrating on Charitable planning tools.
-Has for 13 years successfully represented an Illinois based university in assisting donors to make planned gifts, including Gift Annuities, Charitable Remainder Trusts, bargain sale gifts and other planned gifts.
-Has for 13 years successfully represented a national charity, has conducted a national workshop program resulting in Charitable Remainder Trusts, Revocable Living Trusts, Charitable Lead Trusts, Gift Annuities and outright cash gifts.
-Founder and Director of The Good News Foundation, which is an ECFA approved charity devoted to educating Americans about their estate planning options.
-Has for ten years successfully represented a senior assisted living facility in its planned giving programs.
-Completed the Heckerling Institute and the Notre Dame Estate Planning Institute on Estate Planning.

Bob Ross has practiced in Illinois in areas of wills and trusts, business law, acquisitions, succession planning and related commercial real estate matters since 1980.

Born: Chicago, Illinois, April 15, 1964

Education: Northern Illinois University, B.S., 1986, Northern Illinois University, J.D., cum laude, 1989

Practice Areas: Family Law; Personal Injury; Automobile Accidents and Injuries; Dog Bites; Motorcycle Accidents; Workers Compensation; Slip and Fall; Products Liability; Truck Accidents; Aviation Accidents; Pharmacy Law

Membership: Illinois State Bar Association; Kane County Bar Association.

Admissions: 1989, Illinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois

Miscellaneous Information: Delta Theta Phi. Member, Moot Court Society. Member, Northern Illinois University Law Review, 1988-1989.

Biography:

Mr. Jacobs graduated from Northern Illinois University where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in 1986. Mr. Jacobs continued his education at Northern Illinois University where he graduated cum laude in 1989 and received his Doctorate of Jurisprudence degree. Mr. Jacobs became licensed to practice law on November 9, 1989. While in law school, Mr. Jacobs was honored by being appointed to the Law Review and was involved in moot court where he successfully won competitions.

Upon graduation from Law School, Mr. Jacobs began his career as an insurance defense litigation attorney where he represented companies including State Farm, Kemper, Hanover, Andover, McDonalds, Seven-Eleven and Southland Corporation.

In 1991, Mr. Jacobs opened his own law firm in St. Charles, Illinois where he concentrated in general litigation until 2000 when he co-founded the Law Firm of Shaw Jacobs and Associates, P.C. which concentrates in domestic relations law.

In addition, Mr. Jacobs maintains an active practice representing plaintiffs who have been seriously injured as the result of the negligence of another. Mr. Jacobs personal injury practice includes automobile accidents, dog bites, wrongful death and work related injuries.

Mr. Jacobs is a skilled litigator with a proven track record of success and over 18 years of trial experience in both bench and jury trials.

Mr. Jacobs has been a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association and is currently a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and the Kane County Bar Association.

Richard Schmack was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Berwyn, Illinois. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from North Central College in Naperville, Illinois in 1977 with double majors in Political Science and History. In 1980 he received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

Upon graduation from law school in 1980, Richard was admitted to the Illinois Bar and the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. He is a member of the Federal Trial Bar. Richard has made DeKalb County his home since1985. He, his wife, Jackie, who is his office manager, and their sons reside in Sycamore.

Prior to opening his private practice in 1989, Richard served as an Assistant DeKalb County State's Attorney, handling misdemeanor and traffic prosecution, as well as child support enforcement. In his capacity as the civil assistant, Richard represented DeKalb County in lawsuits in Federal and State courts, served as legal advisor to all departments of County government, and represented the County's Zoning Board of Appeals, gaining valuable knowledge of the County's zoning ordinances and regulations.

In private practice Richard is a general practitioner well versed in the areas of Adoptions, Bankruptcy, Criminal Misdemeanors and Felonies, Traffic, DUI, Guardianships, Juvenile Law, Real Estate, Wills & Estates, and Zoning.

We Are A Debt Relief Agency. We Help People File Bankruptcy Under The United States Bankruptcy Code.

Brad Cahow has been practicing law in Kane, Dekalb, McHenry, DuPage, Cook, Will and nearby counties since 1981. Brad provides legal services in the following areas:

REAL ESTATE LAW

Brad has represented several thousand real estate clients in residential sales and purchases. He prepares contracts and provides title insurance services. His experience also includes loan modifications, short sales, and landlord tenant disputes

FAMILY LAW

Brad had years of experience in both uncontested and contested divorces, custody disputes, visitation rights, child support issues and adoptions.

ESTATE LAW

Brad prepares Wills, Revocable Living Trusts, Powers of Attorney for Heatlh Care and Property, Living Wills. His practice also includes Probate.

PERSONAL INJURY AND WORKERS COMPENSATION

If you suffer a personal injury or are hurt at work, Brad will assist you in recovering damages from the party responsible for your injury.

TRAFFIC AND CRIMINAL LAW

Brad provides representation in traffic, misdemeanor, driving under the influence, and non-violent felony cases.

CIVIL LITIGATION

Brad repsesents small claims litigants, debt collection defendants, landlords, tenants, and contract litigants.

INITIAL CONSULTATION IS FREE