On Sept. 12, Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. attorneys will sprint for justice during Chicago Volunteer Legal Services’ (CVLS) 25th anniversary of Race Judicata.

A 5K run/walk, Race Judicata furthers CVLS’ mission of coordinating, supporting and promoting the voluntary pro bono legal representation of the Chicago area’s poor and working poor. Proceeds raised for Race Judicata go to CVLS’ general operating costs.

Two of Chuhak & Tecson’s community service channels partnered for this event—Women Helping Women and the Diversity & Inclusion Council.

Women Helping Women, launched by Chuhak & Tecson’s women attorneys in 2009 to integrate business development with philanthropy, is celebrating its 10th anniversary in the fall. A year-long celebration titled 10 Ways to Give Back has the women attorneys supporting and participating in community service events throughout 2019. Race Judicata marks the seventh of the 10 events.   

To learn more about Chuhak & Tecson’s Diversity & Inclusion Council, click here.

On August 21, 2019, Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. will hold a fundraiser titled Coats n’ Cones to benefit Jewish United Fund’s (JUF) Chanukah Coat Club.

JUF’s Chanukah Coat Club is an initiative that leverages key partnerships with Jewish Child and Family Services Chicago, The ARK, the Dina and Eli Field EZRA Multi-Service Center, and the Chicago Chesed Fund in order to provide needy children and families of all faiths with the winter wear they need to stay warm during the harsh Chicago winter. Donations supply local children and families with new coats and winter accessories for the year to come.

During Chuhak & Tecson’s Coats n’ Cones day, employees will be able to wear summer clothes to the office and enjoy frozen treats. Employees may choose to make donations in honor of someone special in their life, who will receive a personalized Chanukah card announcing their gift. Donations gathered will go to JUF’s Chanukah Coat Club.

Two of Chuhak & Tecson’s community service channels partnered for Coats n’ Cones—Women Helping Women and FunFitnessFilanthropy.

Women Helping Women, launched by Chuhak & Tecson’s women attorneys in 2009 to integrate business development with philanthropy, is celebrating its 10th anniversary in the fall. A year-long event titled 10 Ways to Give Back has the women attorneys supporting and participating in community service events throughout 2019. Coats n’ Cones marks the sixth of their 10 events.   

Chuhak & Tecson combined its social, wellness and philanthropic efforts a few years ago into a FunFitnessFilanthropy Committee. Employees have the opportunity to develop and contribute to the firm in a way that brings them together for fun, wellness activities and giving-back events that support the community such as Coats n‘ Cones for JUF’s Chanukah Coat Club.

Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. principal and Naperville city councilman Kevin M. Coyne will address gun violence at “Preventing Gun Violence in Naperville/Aurora” from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, August 4, in meeting room A of the 95th street Naperville Public Library. Coyne will be joined by Mimi Cowan, Will County board member; Illinois Sen. Laura Ellman; Illinois Rep. Stephanie Kifowit; and Congresswoman Lauren Underwood.

Hosted by the local youth organization Our Safety, the panelists will focus on gun violence prevention and implementing gun safety in the Naperville and Aurora communities.

Leader of the firm’s Real Estate practice group, Coyne represents national franchises, restaurants, bars and professional practices and has substantial experience negotiating office, retail and industrial leases at the national and local levels for landlords and tenants. Priding himself on the personal attention he brings to every transaction, Coyne crafts meticulous documentation tailored to align with his client’s present and future business needs and goals. Serving as a council member for the city of Naperville has given him a unique perspective and constructive insight for clients facing municipal issues in Chicagoland.

Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. principal and Naperville city councilman Kevin M. Coyne will discuss the new marijuana legislation and how it will affect Naperville at the Naperville Area Leaders Network (NALN) event at 7 p.m. Monday, July 22, at Granite City in Naperville. Speakers include Jodi Trendler, a member of Naperville’s Environmental Sustainability Task Force and president, co-founder of The Resiliency Institute, Jeffrey Gahris from the DuPage Clean Energy Coalition, Patricia Gustin, councilwomen for the city of Naperville and Reba Osborne, director of government affairs for the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce.

For more information about NALN and the event, click here.

Leader of the firm’s Real Estate practice group, Coyne represents national franchises, restaurants, bars and professional practices and has substantial experience negotiating office, retail and industrial leases at the national and local levels for landlords and tenants. Priding himself on the personal attention he brings to every transaction, Coyne crafts meticulous documentation tailored to align with his client’s present and future business needs and goals. Serving as a council member for the city of Naperville has given him a unique perspective and constructive insight for clients facing municipal issues in Chicagoland. 

Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. will once again support Volunteers of America of Illinois’ (VOA of IL) annual drive Operation Backpack by collecting school supplies and backpacks for children in foster care and children of the veterans served by VOA of IL.

Operation Backpack, which takes place from June to the beginning of August, provides thousands of school supplies to children in pre-kindergarten through 8th grade. Items range from pencils and markers, to notebooks and folders, to sketchpads, to water color paints. For a complete list of needed items, click here

In 2018, VOA of IL partnered with 36 companies to provide children with brand new backpacks for the school year. Over 2,000 backpacks were collected. To learn how you can get involved, visit voaillinois.org/.

Two of Chuhak & Tecson’s community service channels partnered for VOA of IL’s Operation Backpack—Women Helping Women and FunFitnessFilanthropy.

Women Helping Women, launched by Chuhak & Tecson’s women attorneys in 2009 to integrate business development with philanthropy, is celebrating its 10th anniversary in the fall. A year-long event titled 10 Ways to Give Back has the women attorneys supporting and participating in community service events throughout 2019. Operation Backpack marks the fifth of their 10 events.   

Chuhak & Tecson combined its social, wellness and philanthropic efforts a few years ago into a FunFitnessFilanthropy Committee. Employees have the opportunity to develop and contribute to the Firm in a way that brings them together for fun, wellness activities and giving-back events that support the community, such as VOA of IL’s Operation Backpack. 

Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. principal Kevin M. Coyne will be one of the speakers in a live webcast from 4 to 6 p.m. (CST) on Tuesday, July 9, hosted by The Knowledge Group and titled The Opportunity Zone Investment Tax Regime: Recent Legislative and Regulatory Developments You Should Know. The speakers will focus on key strategies and tips on how to avoid potential risks and legal pitfalls. To learn more, click here.

Leader of the firm’s Real Estate practice group, Coyne represents national franchises, restaurants, bars and professional practices and has substantial experience negotiating office, retail and industrial leases at the national and local levels for landlords and tenants. Priding himself on the personal attention he brings to every transaction, he crafts meticulous documentation tailored to align with his client’s present and future business needs and goals. He is a frequent presenter of commercial real estate trends such as Opportunity Zones where he discusses the benefits they provide to investors and follows with the requirements needed to create a Qualified Opportunity Zone Fund. Serving as a council member for the city of Naperville has given Coyne a unique perspective and constructive insight for clients facing municipal issues in Chicagoland.

The Knowledge Group was established with the mission to produce unbiased, objective, and educational live webinars that examine industry trends and regulatory changes from a variety of different perspectives. The goal is to deliver a unique multilevel analysis of an important issue affecting business in a highly focused format. To contact or register to an event, click here. 

Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. proudly announces that principal David Shiner has been elevated to shareholder and associate Christina Mermigas is now a principal of the firm. These two dedicated and talented attorneys have well-earned reputations among clients and colleagues alike for their responsiveness and accessibility as well as their insightful counsel based on a holistic view of clients’ goals.

David Shiner joined Chuhak & Tecson in 1999 as an associate and was elevated to principal in 2005 before becoming leader of the firm’s Tax & Employee Benefits practice group in 2014.

“What makes David such an asset for the firm and his clients is that he is truly passionate about protecting his clients from unnecessary risk and avoidable tax burdens, whether advising on wealth protection strategies or federal, state or local tax controversies,” said Mitchell Weinstein, president of Chuhak & Tecson. “We are proud to have him as a shareholder, colleague and friend.”

A certified public accountant who also holds a Master of Laws degree in taxation, Shiner prides himself on his ability to craft strategies that keep his clients’ tax liabilities to a minimum. He has over two decades of experience counseling clients on income, gift and estate tax matters as well as the implementation of a variety of asset protection trusts. He also has a lengthy record of successfully defending his clients in controversies with the IRS of all sizes and complexity, both in administrative proceedings and U.S. Tax Court.

Additionally, Shiner’s practice includes providing counsel on a wide range of other matters that face his corporate clients, including entity formation, business succession planning, employee benefits, mergers and acquisitions and tax-deferred exchanges.

Shiner earned his Juris Doctor degree from The John Marshall Law School, Chicago, and his Master of Laws in taxation from Chicago-Kent College of Law. He says that while the tax laws have changed dramatically during his 20 years at Chuhak & Tecson, his goal of developing and implementing strategies designed to accomplish his clients’ objectives remains the same.

“Tax law is always evolving in ways that present new challenges as well as new opportunities,” Shiner said. “The key is to stay ahead of these changes and immerse yourself in their details and implications so you can offer the best guidance and avoid unwelcome surprises.”

In only three years at Chuhak & Tecson, Christina Mermigas has risen from associate to a principal of the firm, a testament to her tireless work ethic, commitment to maintaining the highest level of client service and professionalism, and her pursuit of business development opportunities within and outside of the firm.

“It was obvious from the start that Christina had the talent and commitment to make a name for herself at the firm,” said Weinstein. “She quickly gained the trust and respect of her peers, colleagues and clients, welcoming legal challenges and enhancing the already robust skill set that she brought with her to the firm.”

An accomplished transactional and business attorney, Mermigas has extensive experience with the documentation of loan financing, the acquisition of commercial real estate, the development of prudent and comprehensive business succession plans and asset protection strategies and other matters that impact the success of her corporate clients. She also develops personally tailored and holistic estate plans for clients, whether for those with modest estates or those with large, complex asset portfolios.

A magna cum laude graduate of Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, who earned her law degree, cum laude, from DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Mermigas regularly utilizes her license to practice in Florida to help clients in probate and estate planning matters that intersect with that state.

“The collegial environment at Chuhak & Tecson is what I value most and I am vested in the future of this firm,” Mermigas said. “I find it very rewarding to be an integral team player amongst the wide variety of practice areas the firm offers to their clients.”

On Saturday, June 8, attorneys, paralegals and staff paid tribute to civil rights activist Cesar Chavez by volunteering at Chicago Lights Urban Farm. Headed by principal Kristen E. Hudson, Chuhak & Tecson employees spent their afternoon planting and harvesting produce, weeding beds and turning compost at the nonprofit’s community garden.

Chicago Lights Urban Farm is dedicated to cultivating a thoughtful and engaged community of youth and adults through educational and economic opportunities, hands-on learning experiences, and access to fresh, local and sustainably grown produce. It is one of the several programs offered by Chicago Lights, a nonprofit organization that seeks to support and meet the needs of children, youth and adults facing the challenges of poverty in our city.

Chicago Lights Urban Farm aligns with two undertakings by Chuhak & Tecson in 2019—the Diversity & Inclusion Council’s MLK Days of Service, which offers various service opportunities in homage to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, and Women Helping Women’s (WHW) 10 Ways to Give Back, a year of service events in celebration of WHW’s 10th anniversary. Projects between the two programs include everything from making beds and serving meals, to fundraising so that new winter coats and accessories may be purchased for children, to bringing joy to struggling children through a holiday gift drive. For a full list of community service programs being served in 2019, click here.
 

Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. is proud to announce that Crain’s Chicago Business is honoring principals Kevin Coyne and Lindsey Paige Markus as two of Chicagoland’s “Notable Gen X Leaders in Law.”

Crain’s is recognizing accomplished attorneys between the ages of 40 and 55 who hold senior firm leadership positions and serve as role models or mentors to other attorneys. These “Notable Gen X Leaders in Law” also assume leadership positions outside of their law firms, including service in professional organizations and community service initiatives.

“Lindsey and Kevin are very deserving of this honor not only because they are proven leaders within our firm—they all serve as role models and mentors to our young attorneys,” said Mitchell Weinstein, president of Chuhak & Tecson. “We are very proud of them.”

Kevin Coyne leads the 18-attorney Real Estate practice group at Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. He represents national franchises, restaurants, bars and professional practices and has substantial experience negotiating office, retail and industrial leases on the national and local levels for landlords and tenants. He relishes his roles as both legal counsel and business advisor for commercial property transactions. As a Naperville city councilman, Kevin has unique perspective and constructive insight that benefits clients facing municipal issues in Chicagoland.

Lindsey Paige Markus, the firm’s first woman shareholder, draws on her early career in business, finance and neuroscience to develop creative solutions to fit estate planning, wealth protection and corporate needs of individuals and businesses. Licensed in Illinois, Florida and New York, Lindsey has a national practice and leads the firm’s 22-attorney Estate Planning & Asset Protection group where one of her priorities is mentoring younger, up-and-coming attorneys. She is a prolific writer and dynamic contributor to television news stations. She leverages her knowledge of charitable planning to help many nonprofits and has been recognized for her exemplary dedication and contributions to philanthropy.