Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. is proud to announce that Ashlee Germany, the first recipient of the Joseph A. Tecson Scholarship, has joined the firm as a law clerk. In her new role, Germany works directly with attorneys, gaining hands-on experience in a variety of the firm’s practice areas.
The scholarship is administered by DePaul University College of Law and is open to any first-year law student in good standing and with proven financial need, with a preference for those who have performed community service. It provides support to one student each year with books and supplies and is renewable for those students who remain in good academic standing. All Joseph A. Tecson Scholarship recipients are invited to attend firm events and apply to the law clerk program. Now a third-year law student at DePaul, Germany is actively engaged in numerous student organizations—as president of the Student Bar Association, managing editor of the DePaul Law Review and member of the Diversity Council. She previously chaired the Black Law Students Association and the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity.
As a Chuhak & Tecson law clerk Germany has myriad opportunities to develop her skills—from legal research to discovery work and from sitting in on depositions to going to court with attorneys. The longstanding maxim at Chuhak & Tecson is—Your experience here as a law clerk is what you make of it.
Germany enjoys expanding and sharing her legal knowledge through writing. Her article titled “Cause I ain’t got no pencil: a call for Chicago Public School funding litigation reform” will be published in the DePaul Law Review in 2019. While she studied many practice areas, her favorite course to date is constitutional law because of the role it plays in protecting the rights of citizens. She is considering focusing her practice in employment or commercial litigation law, two of Chuhak & Tecson’s 12 practice groups.
Germany received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Prior to joining Chuhak & Tecson, she was a legal intern at Modelez International in Chicago and a summer associate at Stinson Leonard Street LLP in Kansas City.
For more information about the scholarship, visit Joseph A. Tecson Scholarship Fund.
Principal Lindsey Paige Markus joined WGN Radio – 720 AM host Steve Bertrand on his Wintrust Business Lunch radio show on “Giving Tuesday,” November 27, 2018. Markus unraveled the upcoming changes for this year’s tax season and provided strategies that maximize savings. Focusing on “bunching” deductions of charitable gifts in family foundations and comparing that entity to the current trend of a donor-advised fund (DAF), Markus shared realistic tax scenarios that listeners identified with to get them thinking about the possibilities for this year’s tax planning. Listen to the broadcast in its entirety by clicking here.
Markus, a shareholder at Chuhak & Tecson P.C., draws on her early career in business, finance and clinically applied neuroscience to communicate with clients and develop creative solutions to fit their estate planning, wealth protection and corporate needs. She is a dynamic contributor to local news outlets such as NBC 5 Chicago, Fox News Chicago and WCIU, and has been recognized as a Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Women Lawyer, a Law Bulletin 40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty, a Woman Making an Impact in the Law, an Illinois Super Lawyer and a Leading Lawyer. Markus is licensed in Illinois and Florida and has a national practice.
Wintrust Business Lunch with Steve Bertrand is broadcasted weekdays from noon to 1 p.m. on WGN Radio – 720 AM on the dial.
On Wednesday, Nov. 28, Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. principal David Shiner will present “Practical Guidelines for Managing a Decedent’s Estate.” This interactive workshop is set for 8:30 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. at the Illinois CPA Society, 550 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago. Shiner will examine tax issues that may escalate from the death of an estate holder, explore post-death estate planning opportunities and provide practical guidance for the preparation of estate returns.
Leader of the firm’s Tax and Employee Benefits practice group, Shiner works closely with his clients structuring transactions that minimize exposure to state and federal estate taxes. Shiner is also a certified public accountant with a masters of law in taxation. He is highly experienced with handling cases in the U.S. Tax Court in gift, estate and income tax matters.
For additional information or to register, visit Practical Guidelines for Managing a Decedent’s Estate.
On Thursday, Nov. 15, Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. principal Edwin I. Josephson was recognized as a Distinguished Counsellor by the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA).
Conferred annually, this recognition is presented to ISBA members who have completed 50 years of honorable service at the Bar, while demonstrating a continued interest in the advancement of the profession of law and setting an inspiring example of devotion and fidelity to the duties and obligations of an attorney and counsellor.
Josephson focuses his practice on general corporate, tax law, real estate and estate planning. He is a frequent speaker and author on issues of taxation to accounting and business organizations and publications.
Founded in 1877, the Illinois State Bar Association is the premier legal association in the state. As a voluntary organization of 28,000 members, its primary focus is to assist Illinois lawyers in the practice of law and to promote improvements in the administration of justice.
Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. principal Terrell J. Isselhard has been recognized for his ongoing commitment to the Chicago Bar Association (CBA).
During a special luncheon, the CBA celebrated their members’ outstanding achievements and contributions to the law and thanked them for their 50-year membership.
With a strong background in finance and tax law, Isselhard counsels business owners and entrepreneurs in a wide range of industries on all aspects of their business planning and operations, including structuring their business for future generations and creating a smooth and mutually beneficial transition plan. He has contributed to both his community and Chuhak & Tecson through his involvement in numerous not for profit organizations, as board of director, and by way of serving on the firm’s Management Committee and as chair of the firm’s Compensation, Finance and Marketing Committees. He is currently co-chair of Chuhak & Tecson’s Diversity & Inclusion Council.
Recognized by his peers as a Leading Lawyer since 2004, Isselhard has established a national practice representing physicians, physician organizations and other healthcare organizations and entrepreneurs in business and healthcare matters. He has written for national and local publications and given presentations to various industry groups, including legal, accounting and healthcare professionals and has conducted numerous seminars for continuing education credit.
Founded in 1874, the Chicago Bar Association is one of the oldest and most active metropolitan bar associations in the United States. Its membership of 20,000 consists largely of lawyers and judges from Cook County and the State of Illinois.
On Oct. 23, the women attorneys of Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. hosted the firm’s annual Women Helping Women (WHW) Mix-and-Mingle event at Rivers Restaurant where nearly 150 women gathered to support the important work being done at Family Focus’ Nuestra Familia, a nonprofit center serving families in Humboldt Park, Cicero and the Hermosa communities.
Attendees donated over 275 winter baby items, including blankets, pajamas and snowsuits. Nearly $3,000 in gift cards and monetary donations, including contributions from Chuhak & Tecson employees, were also collected.
These donations will support the center’s “Baby Bucks” initiative, an incentive program that rewards parents with “baby bucks” for participating in center-based activities such as educational programs and group meetings focused on promoting the healthy development of their baby. Parents can then use their “baby bucks” to purchase items they need for their children.
“Not only does the Baby Bucks program help parents get critically needed items they may not be able to afford, it also fosters self-reliance by allowing parents to choose what their children require as opposed to being given items for free,” said Merri Ex, president and CEO of Family Focus.
Chuhak & Tecson attorneys and employees warmly welcomed attendees upon arrival. A visual presentation detailing the Nuestra Familia center’s programs played in the background while attendees enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, wine and the firm’s custom-made C-Tini’s. Donations beautifully adorned the room and overflowed on the center table.
In the middle of the evening, attorney Leynee A. Cruz highlighted the importance of events like WHW’s Mix-and-Mingle.
“The role of women in business has never been as important as it is today,” Cruz said. “Events like tonight, with women from over 30 industries, allow us to make connections, learn from one another and develop new business.”
Mariana Osoria, vice president of Family Focus’ centers and director of the Nuestra Familia center, could not contain her overwhelming excitement as she saw women bringing in a multitude of items for Nuestra Familia.
“We feel honored to be this year’s beneficiary,” Osoria said. “I have met so many amazing women and the night is not over yet!”
The 2018 Mix-and-Mingle ended with Chuhak & Tecson‘s “biz dev” challenge, an interactive activity that encourages guests to connect on their own time for a one-hour coffee or lunch meeting to network and discuss business development.
Women Helping Women is an after-hours networking group for women business leaders and entrepreneurs to mingle, build business and support a charitable organization benefiting women or women and their children.
Chuhak & Tecson looks forward to holding WHW’s 10th anniversary event in the fall of 2019.
For information on Family Focus or the Baby Bucks program, visit family-focus.org. To learn more about Chuhak & Tecson’s WHW events or to request an invitation to next year’s event, contact Jane LaGrassa at jlagrassa@chuhak.com.
To bring awareness of the abuse, neglect and financial exploitation that is on the rise among elderly persons, Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. attorney Julie Gardner, chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Elder Law Committee, can be heard in a public service announcement that has begun its one-year campaign on WBBM Newsradio. She encourages listeners who suspect abuse of any kind toward an elderly or disabled person to call the Adult Protective Services Hotline at 866-800-1409.
Centering her law practice on contested and non-contested estate matters, Gardner executes all stages of the administration of probate, guardianship estates, decedent’s estates and trusts, as well as other related estate litigation. Gardner is dedicated to advocating for the elderly and disabled populations, particularly in situations of abuse.
The Adult Protective Services Hotline is available statewide, 24 hours a day, and is a function of the Illinois Department on Aging.
Principal Stephen Wood is participating as a panelist in a complimentary briefing on Oct. 31, 2018, from 1 to 2 p.m. EST titled “Reforming Multidistrict Litigation: A Proposal for Rules that Promote Transparency and Consistency in MDL Practice.” Hosted by the Washington Legal Foundation (WLF), this webinar will provide insights to attorneys and business owners on efforts and proposals to make multidistrict litigation more fair and effective for all parties concerned.
Click here to register or learn more about this timely program.
Regardless of their marital status, research shows that women do not dedicate enough time to financial planning. Be a part of change by attending Estate Planning & You—Plan Today, Strengthen Tomorrow presented by Lindsey Paige Markus from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, at Fidelity Investments, One North LaSalle Street. The evening is hosted by Chicago Financial Women (CFW), and the cost is $35.
Estate planning is essential for securing a woman’s financial future and it provides greater control and security over a legacy. Markus will review the basics of estate planning and other important concepts tailored to help women strategically manage their financial future.
A shareholder with the law firm Chuhak & Tecson, P.C., Markus leads the firm’s 22-attorney estate planning and wealth protection practice group. She draws on her early career in business, finance and neuroscience to craft and implement creative solutions for the estate planning, wealth protection and corporate needs of individuals and businesses. She is an indispensable resource for clients who entrust her with their finances and futures. In 2018, Markus was honored as one of Crain’s Chicago Business “Notable Women Lawyers,” a distinction recognizing accomplished women attorneys who work tirelessly to effect positive change, serve as inspirations and mentors to other women attorneys and commit their time and talents to charitable organizations and philanthropic endeavors.
For additional information or to register, click here.
CFW is committed to expanding the professional networks of Chicago-area women in finance. It provides networking opportunities through professional development, educational enrichment and social gatherings in a spirit of fun, friendship and camaraderie. CFW is a non for profit organization.
