This October, attorneys and staff at Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. are putting their craft skills to use by making 25 blankets for Soldiers’ Angels. The blankets will be distributed to soldiers who are stationed overseas—just in time for the cold winter season.

A volunteer-led organization, Soldiers’ Angels provides aid and comfort to military personnel, veterans and their families. To date, the organization has sent hundreds of thousands of care packages and letters to soldiers deployed overseas, has provided care to military personnel in VA facilities, and has distributed voice-controlled laptops to more than 6,000 severely wounded soldiers, among other projects.

The blanket-making activity will serve as the 20^th event in Chuhak & Tecson’s 25 Ways to Give Back service initiative. In honor of our clients and our silver anniversary, the firm is participating in 25 community service events throughout the year. Projects include everything from volunteering at senior centers, to preparing a meal at Ronald McDonald House, to a backpack collection for underprivileged youth. For more information and ongoing updates, visit 25 Ways We’re Giving Back.

Chuhak & Tecson, P.C., is proud to announce that principal Lindsey Paige Markus has been named to the 2012 roster of “40 Under Forty” – 40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch, a highly selective honor sponsored by Law Bulletin Publishing Company to recognize talented young attorneys from across the state.

Markus concentrates her practice mainly in estate planning and wealth protection and also enjoys advising not for profit organizations.

This is the 13^th year for the 40 Under Forty awards, and more than 13,000 nominations were received. To maintain the program’s integrity, nominating attorneys may not put forward their own names or those of colleagues from within the firms where they work.

“Right now there are over 60,000 attorneys in Illinois, and only 520 have received this award in the last 13 years,” said Adam Hrejsa, program director. “That means less than one percent of the attorneys in Illinois have been selected.”

Principal Mitchell Weinstein became the first Chuhak & Tecson attorney to make the 40 Under Forty list in 2005, followed by Mitchell Feinberg, another principal, in 2007. Weinstein mentored Markus when she first joined the firm as an associate.

“What stands out most is her skill in networking and marketing and her ability to go out, meet people and bring in business,” Weinstein said. “She’s got a knack for doing that.”

“From the get-go, Lindsey has had a very strong overall level of confidence that is unusual in young lawyers,” he said. “She doesn’t just have confidence; she can back it up. For a young lawyer learning a new field, she has been competent in learning the technical skills and marketing skills, and she’s also been very interested in writing articles and giving speeches to help educate the public like nobody I’ve seen before.”

Markus said her passion for public speaking springs from years of theater productions during her youth. She seriously considered an acting career before deciding to pursue an economics degree from Brandeis University. A second degree followed—a master’s in international economics and finance—and out of that came work that involved the structuring of securities transactions and joint ventures with domestic and international media conglomerates.

Markus studied cognitive restructuring and guided top engineers and scientists through the Critical Thinking Skills Project that her mother, Dr. Donalee Markus, was invited to provide for NASA.

During this time, Markus co-authored a book, Retrain Your Business Brain: Outsmart the Corporate Competition, published by Dearborn Press in the United States and Asia.

After a few years in these pursuits, Markus began to notice the attorney present at every critical juncture, and she recognized the need to acquire legal skills. In 2006, Loyola University Chicago School of Law awarded her a juris doctorate.

The zigzag path Markus took to a successful law career is exactly what fuels her success, she believes.

“I think I bring a unique set of skills to the table—finance, business development and clinically applied neuroscience—which allow me to feel comfortable with numbers and understand how clients think and process information,” Markus said. “I appreciate the fact that not all clients have a natural affinity for numbers and complex corporate structures, and I use stories, analogies and diagrams to get the message across. My number one goal with every client is to make sure they understand what we’re doing and how the numbers and structures relate to their plan.”

Weinstein believes Markus has exactly the temperament needed for the kind of law she practices.

“In the field of estate planning, where you get to know people on an intimate level, she has a good rapport and a good working relationship with her clients,” he said.

When Weinstein received his own 40 Under Forty distinction, the greatest honor was knowing that the recognition comes from other attorneys.

“It is much harder to earn respect from peers outside the office, who in some cases may be your adversary or even your competition in trying to get business, than doing so inside your firm,” he said. “For Lindsey, I think she will be very honored to be recognized by her peers in that way.”

Hrejsa said the selection committee puts great stock in the strength of the nomination submitted, not on the number of endorsements any one attorney may receive.

“We look at the whole body of work,” he said, “so it goes from what they’ve done in their practice to being willing to work pro bono in the community to being an active member of the bar associations. Someone whose clients or peers have commented on the excellence of their work. It’s the total package we’re looking at.”

Community service is one of the most important aspects of Markus’ life. She participates actively on Advocate Health Care’s Charitable Foundation Gift Planning Advisory Committee, the Between Friends Bubble Ball planning committee and The Standard Club membership committee. A founding member of Women Helping Women, the Chuhak & Tecson group mixing networking with philanthropy, Markus also is organizing a Wills for Heroes event as part of the firm’s “25 Ways to Give Back” service initiative.

Sitting on two committees for the Jewish United Fund, and a former Executive Board Member of the JUF Young Leadership Division, she was named to the first-ever “Double Chai in the Chi: 36 Under 36” list of Jews striving to make the world a better place this year by the JUF Young Leadership Division and Oy!Chicago. Markus has also been named an Illinois Rising Star by Super Lawyers magazine for three years running.

Markus said that while she considers her recent accolades to be a “tremendous honor,” this is not a time to rest on her laurels. Instead, the honors motivate her to find more ways to add value to colleagues, clients and the community.

One way she does that is by teaching a continuing legal education seminar “on the basics of estate planning that every attorney should know,” she said. Markus offered the program first at Chuhak & Tecson and hopes to take it on the road to other firms that don’t have their own estate planning groups.

Determined to remain a lifelong learner herself, she recently completed training necessary to become a fellow in collaborative law, a legal process that encourages divorcing couples to reach amicable settlements without litigation.

Every client in a divorce needs a new estate plan, said Markus, anticipating many opportunities to consult on the implications.

“I’d love to shake up the collaborative law world,” she said. “I think I will be the first estate planning attorney to become a Collaborative Law Fellow in Illinois, and I’m anxious to carve out my niche.”

Hrejsa has no doubt that 40 Under Forty award winners will make a mark on the world in the days ahead. That’s why they’re identified as up-and-coming professionals to watch.

“When we pick an attorney, it’s the fact that they’ve done very well,” Hrejsa said. “They’re getting ringing endorsements from their peers in their practice area as well as from their clients.

“Many of these past honorees are firm leaders,” he said, “and some are federal judges. When I look back at this list and look forward to where they are now, it’s really foretelling of the future success they will achieve.”

Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. is lending a hand to the world’s four-legged friends.

On September 28, the firm will host a Team Shirt & Jeans Day to benefit PAWS Chicago. By donating either $10 or pet care supplies, attorneys and staff will earn the right to wear jeans and their favorite sports jersey to the office. Items being collected for PAWS include leashes, collars, stainless steel bowls, brushes, cat toys and cleaning supplies.

Located in Lincoln Park, PAWS Chicago finds new homes for thousands of homeless pets each year. Since the organization’s founding in 1997, the number of homeless dogs and cats euthanized annually in the city has dropped more than 50 percent. PAWS provides a number of services in addition to adoptions, including a spay/neuter clinic and community outreach program.

The PAWS collection will serve as the 19th event in Chuhak & Tecson’s 25 Ways to Give Back service initiative. In honor of our clients and our silver anniversary, the firm is participating in 25 community service events throughout the year. Projects include everything from volunteering at senior centers, to preparing a meal at Ronald McDonald House, to a backpack collection for underprivileged youth. For more information and ongoing updates, visit 25 Ways We’re Giving Back.

With summer winding down, employees at Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. completed two service events in the month of August.

Event Partner: Ronald McDonald House

As the 16^th event in the firm’s “25 Ways to Give Back” service initiative, Chuhak & Tecson employees and their families provided and prepared a meal at Ronald McDonald House, located in downtown Chicago. About 15 volunteers prepared and served a full taco bar to 100 people currently staying at Ronald McDonald House while their children undergo medical treatment nearby at Lurie Children’s Hospital.

The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana provide a home away from home for families of pediatric patients. These houses allow families to stay together just blocks from the hospital where their child is being treated.

Event Partner: Bridge Communities

On August 24, Chuhak & Tecson held a Jeans Day to benefit Bridge Communities. On Jeans Days, employees who donate at least $5 earn the right to wear jeans to the office. Collectively, the firm met its goal of raising $840, which will provide one month of housing for one family served by Bridge Communities.

Bridge Communities provides services to help break the cycle of poverty and end homelessness. Transitional housing units, located in seven communities throughout DuPage County, give families a place to live for a year or two, which provides them with peace of mind and allows them  to accomplish other goals, such as finding a job. Visit www.bridgecommunities.org to learn more about their programs and transitional housing.

As part of the firm’s 25^th anniversary service initiative, about 30 attorneys and staff from Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. will participate in Race Judicata on September 13. Now in its 19^th year, the 5k walk/run is sponsored by Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation and supports the Foundation’s mission of providing free legal services to low-income Chicago residents.

Founded in 1964, CVLS has provided pro bono legal services to more than 18,000 Chicagoans. The organization is comprised of nearly 3,000 volunteers who donate their time in order to assist people who otherwise would not have access to legal representation. All proceeds from Race Judicata will go toward general operating costs of CVLS. The race is one of several fundraisers sponsored by CVLS each year. For more information, visit cvls.org.

Race Judicata will serve as the 18th event in Chuhak & Tecson’s 25 Ways to Give Back service initiative. In honor of our clients and our silver anniversary, the firm is participating in 25 community service events throughout the year. Projects include everything from volunteering at senior centers, to preparing a meal at Ronald McDonald House, to a backpack collection for underprivileged youth. For more information and ongoing updates, visit 25 Ways We’re Giving Back.

On September 14, Chuhak & Tecson principal Lindsey Markus will participate in a panel discussion on “High Stakes Planning: Advanced Directives and the Issue of Mental Capacity” at Northern Trust in downtown Chicago. The program, which is hosted by Northern Trust and Advocate Charitable Foundation, will begin at 8 a.m., following a breakfast at 7:30 a.m.

First, Raymond C. Odom, national director of wealth strategies for Northern Trust, will give a presentation titled, “Purpose Driven Wealth Transfer: Changing Estate Planning Apathy into Philanthropic Passion.” This will be followed by the panel discussion, featuring Markus, Edwin DuBois, MD, director of clinical ethics at Advocate Health Care; William Rhoades, chairman of the Department of Medicine for Advocate Lutheran Hospital; and Stacy Singer, central region fiduciary practice leader of Northern Trust. The panel will be moderated by Michaeline Gordon, an attorney at Anthony J. Madonia and Associates.

Advocate Charitable Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Advocate Health Care. The foundation builds relationships and partnerships throughout Chicagoland and central Illinois, working to inspire charitable giving that supports the mission of Advocate Health Care. Advocate Charitable Foundation’s philanthropic program focuses on attracting national, regional and local support for patient care, education, research and community-based health services across Advocate’s 250+ sites of care.

Markus, who concentrates her practice in Estate Planning & Asset Protection, works closely with business owners and families to develop individualized estate plans that maximize wealth preservation and minimize gift and estate taxation. She assesses how the law affects her clients, generates creative solutions to their complex situations and carefully communicates these options. Markus sits on the Advocate Gift Planning Advisory Committee for Advocate Charitable Foundation and her passion for philanthropy is evident through her work with many charitable causes. Licensed in both Illinois and Florida, Markus has been recognized as an Illinois Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

For more information or to register for the presentation, visit advocatehealth.com/advisorevent.

Venue Information:

Northern Trust

6^th floor

50 S. LaSalle St.

Breakfast at 7:30 a.m.; program at 8 a.m.

Chuhak & Tecson will hold a Jeans Day August 24 to raise money for Bridge Communities, a not for profit committed to ending homelessness in DuPage County.

On Jeans Days, employees who contribute at least $5 to a selected not for profit organization can wear denim to the office. The firm aims to raise $840 for Bridge Communities, which will provide one month of housing for one family.

For the 45,000 people living in poverty within DuPage County, the risk of homelessness is high. Bridge Communities provides services to help break the cycle of poverty and end homelessness. Transitional housing units, located in seven communities throughout DuPage County, give families a place to live for a year or two, which provides them with peace of mind and allows them  to accomplish other goals, such as finding a job. Visit www.bridgecommunities.org to learn more about their programs and transitional housing.

Jeans Day will serve as the 17th event in Chuhak & Tecson’s 25 Ways to Give Back service initiative. In honor of our clients and our silver anniversary, the firm is participating in 25 community service events throughout the year. Projects include everything from volunteering at senior centers, to preparing a meal at Ronald McDonald House, to a backpack collection for underprivileged youth. For more information and ongoing updates, visit 25 Ways We’re Giving Back.

Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. employees donated clothing, school supplies, and food in separate collection events held throughout the month of July.

Event Partner: Brown Elephant Resale Shop

From June 25 to July 3, the firm collected 15 boxes of clothing and accessories for the Brown Elephant Resale Shops for men, women and children. The Brown Elephant is the official resale shop of the Howard Brown Health Center, which is one of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health care organizations.

The resale stores, located in Oak Park and Chicago serve over 220,000 people and sell over 740,000 items annually. The stores help fund over 50 percent of underinsured or uninsured individuals that come to the Howard Brown Health Center seeking services. 

Event Partner: Volunteers of America of Illinois – Operation Backpack

Between July 2 and July 24, Chuhak & Tecson employees brought in new school supplies and backpacks for Operation Backpack. Over 60 backpacks full of school supplies including pens, pencils, notebooks and calculators were donated to Volunteers of America of Illinois. The items will be given to children in foster care throughout Chicagoland.

Part of the mission of 25 Ways to Give Back is to encourage others throughout the Chicago area to give back as well. Garvey’s Office Products took this mission to heart and participated in Operation Backpack, donating eight boxes of supplies, including 25 packs of markers, 25 dozens of ballpoint pens, 25 boxes of crayons, 25 notebooks and 25 three-ring binders.

Volunteers of America is a not for profit focused on empowering people of all ages and backgrounds, while providing community-based human service programs for over 114 years. For more information on Volunteers of America of Illinois, visit www.voaillinois.org.

Event Partner: Lakeview Pantry

From July 23 to July 31, Chuhak & Tecson collected non-perishable food items for Lakeview Pantry. The collection resulted in 182 canned goods, boxes of pasta and snacks donated by employees. The food will go to families and individuals that come to Lakeview Pantry seeking nourishment.

Lakeview Pantry was founded in 1970 and serves over 2,600 people per month. Not only do they provide food to the hungry, they also provide clothing to those in need, and help clients manage and discuss issues that cause food insecurity, such as unemployment and housing instability. For more on Lakeview Pantry, visit www.lakeviewpantry.org.

A meal provides a family with a chance to catch up from the past day, spend time together and relax. For families who have children in the hospital, mealtime is crucial to help them unwind and prepare for the next day ahead.

On August 6, attorneys and staff from Chuhak & Tecson, P.C, will provide and prepare a meal for Ronald McDonald House Charities’ Meals from the Heart program. About 20 firm employees and their family members will create a menu, purchase food and prepare dinner for 75-100 people at Ronald McDonald House, located near Lurie Children’s Hospital in downtown Chicago.

This is the 16th event in Chuhak & Tecson’s yearlong “25 Ways to Give Back” service initiative. In honor of its clients, the firm is participating in 25 community service projects to celebrate its silver anniversary. Projects include everything from serving meals to the homeless, to volunteering at senior centers, to providing backpacks filled with school supplies to children in need. Visit 25 Ways We’re Giving Back for more information.

The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana provide a home away from home for families of pediatric patients. These houses allow families to stay together just blocks from the hospital where their child is being treated. To learn more, please visit http://rmhccni.org/.

From July 23 to July 31, Chuhak & Tecson , P.C. will collect non-perishable food items for Lakeview Pantry as the next project in its “25 Ways to Give Back” program. The firm will donate all collected items toward the pantry, which strives to eliminate hunger throughout the Chicagoland community.

Lakeview Pantry provides on-site food distribution, food delivery service to homebound clients, donated clothing giveaways and a case management program to help clients address issues that frequently cause food insecurity, such as unemployment and housing instability.

The food drive serves as the fifteenth activity in Chuhak & Tecson’s yearlong community service initiative. In celebration of its 25^th anniversary and in honor of its clients, firm employees are participating in 25 service projects assisting those in need. Projects include everything from serving meals to the homeless, to volunteering at senior centers, to providing backpacks filled with school supplies to children in need. Visit 25 Ways We’re Giving Back for ongoing updates.

Founded in 1970, Lakeview Pantry is one of the oldest food pantries in Chicago. Today, the pantry provides food to more than 2,600 people in need every month. For more information about Lakeview Pantry, visit http://www.lakeviewpantry.org/.