Will Trevena is a principal in the Litigation practice group and has extensive experience representing clients in complex commercial litigation, including multidistrict litigation in federal court and government investigations. His experience includes developing trial strategy; managing complex discovery; taking and defending depositions; developing expert witness testimony and reports; preparing witnesses to testify at deposition and at trial; and responding to government subpoenas and other investigatory requests. He is proficient with civil litigation in which substantial reputational and financial exposure are at risk.
Prior to law school, Will worked as a software engineer and consultant in the telecommunications industry. To date, Will has worked in 18 countries across six continents. He has a head start understanding technology issues that regularly seem to come up in legal matters and is able to leverage that knowledge to gain insights in all areas of his practice, from identifying issues with an opponent’s production of documents in discovery to eviscerating the analysis of an opponent’s expert. He is also adept at reconstructing events from documents and digging deep into the bowels of the internet to find helpful material.
Will earned his J.D. degree from Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, and received his B.A. degree from University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, U.K., with honors, in Medieval and Modern History.
Stephen A. Wood, principal and co-leader of Chuhak & Tecson’s Litigation Practice Group, will be a panelist on a webinar presentation sponsored by the Washington Legal Foundation titled, U.S. ex rel. Polansky v. Exec. Health Resources: A Supreme Court Oral Argument Briefing. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, at 1 to 2 p.m. EST. Panelists will also include Jay B. Stephens, of counsel with Kirkland & Ellis LLP and former senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, Raytheon Company, and Joshua J. Fougere, partner with Sidley Austin LLP. The panelists will discuss the Dec. 6 oral arguments that the justices will hear on whether and under what circumstances the U.S. government can, after declining to take direct control of the case, dismiss a False Claims Act lawsuit filed on its behalf by a private plaintiff.
Chuhak & Tecson is pleased to announce that Bryan M. Montana has joined the firm as a principal in the Estate Planning & Asset Protection group.
Bryan focuses his practice exclusively on estate planning, designing customized wealth preservation, asset protection and tax minimization strategies for families and business owners. He handles wills, powers of attorney, trusts, trust and estate administration and special needs and disability planning.
Bryan has experience forming and structuring business entities as a part of the estate planning process with the ultimate goal of ensuring a smooth transition from one generation to the next. Bryan also has extensive experience helping families protect assets from the costs of long-term care, as well as qualifying for Medicaid and Veterans Affairs benefits.
Life changes typically require a change in your estate plan — starting a family, running a successful business, dealing with divorce and reaching retirement, just to name a few. Whether his clients are creating their very first plan or facing a major life event, Bryan’s rare combination of care and subject matter knowledge help them navigate even the most sensitive situations.
Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Bryan earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business with a major in marketing from Miami University and graduated from the University of Toledo College of Law, cum laude.
Chuhak & Tecson’s Stephen Wood, principal and co-leader of the firm’s Litigation practice group and a member of the Sterigenics and Sotera Health defense team, helped achieve a defense verdict when a jury recently rejected a woman’s claims that exposure to ethylene oxide from Sterigenics’ Willowbrook, Illinois, facility contributed to her leukemia. The verdict, delivered on November 18, 2022, came after a six-week jury trial in the Circuit Court of Cook County.
The case, Teresa Fornek v. Sterigenics US LLC, et al., No. 2018-L-10744, was the second case to go to trial this year arising out of alleged exposure to ethylene oxide from Sterigenics’ Willowbrook facility. Earlier this year, a Cook County jury awarded significant damages to another resident of Willowbrook. That verdict is currently undergoing post-trial review.
For additional information on this case or for assistance with a litigation matter, please contact Stephen Wood at swood@chuhak.com
Chuhak & Tecson is pleased to announce that Aali S. Fidai joins the firm as an associate in the Real Estate practice group, focusing on commercial real estate acquisitions, dispositions, development and financing. He provides experienced counsel for clients in real estate leasing transactions of all types and complexity, including leasing across a variety of asset classes, including mixed use, industrial, retail and hospitality and has solid experience negotiating office, retail and industrial leases on the national and local levels for both landlords and tenants.
Fidai’s prior experience in construction and real estate development, combined with his legal experience on real estate matters, gives him a broad perspective and insight into a client’s needs and enables him to offer not only an effective legal solution but also a practical one to achieve their business objectives.
Fidai received his B.A. degree from Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas, majoring in economics and finance. He earned his J.D. degree from The John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois.
Chuhak & Tecson’s David B. Shiner, principal and leader of the firm’s Tax & Employee Benefits practice group, will present a program titled “Issues in Prosecuting a Case in Tax Court” to the Illinois CPA Society – O’Hare Chapter on Wednesday, November 16, 2022.
Shiner is a certified public accountant with a master of law in taxation. He represents clients under IRS audit, in IRS Appeals hearings and in the U.S. Tax Court in gift, estate and income tax matters where hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars of taxes are at issue.
Founded in 1903, the Illinois CPA Society is one of the largest state CPA societies in the nation with more than 22,600 members. The CPA Society provides customized education, timely and relevant information, influential advocacy and countless opportunities to make powerful professional connections. Located throughout the state, Illinois CPA Society chapters provide local, affordable and relevant programs offering Continuing Professional Education (CPE) and networking opportunities. Members are assigned to a chapter based on their home address
Teenaged girls have it tough these days. Body shaming, ever-present social media, neighborhood violence and increasing mental health pressures all create unprecedented challenges.
At its fall Mix & Mingle, the women attorneys of Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. “landed a knockout punch” when their Women Helping Women program partnered with Box United’s Fight Like a Girl. The evening was a rousing success, bringing together about 150 guests who enjoyed delicious food and drinks while engaging in great conversations, making beneficial connections, starting potential business opportunities and having a wonderful experience — while supporting a worthwhile not for profit organization. The Fight Like a Girl program helps empower young girls to combat the barrage of negative influences surrounding them in school and in social settings. The program focuses on physical and mental well-being and is designed to engender greater discipline, self-acceptance and self-reliance through sports-based programming.
On October 25, 2022, Women Helping Women teamed up with Fight Like a Girl to host its 18th Mix & Mingle, welcoming women business leaders, entrepreneurs and strategic partners for an evening that combined networking, business development and philanthropy.
“There was palpable energy in the room at our recent Women Helping Women event,” said Loretto Kennedy, principal at Chuhak & Tecson. “Our guests were excited to learn about the excellent work being done by Mary Kate Vanecko, director of the program, and her Fight Like a Girl team, and very interested in meeting and mingling with other incredible women that attended. The evening was another terrific example of the amazing energy and the meaningful connections that are made when we introduce these impressive women in our respective networks to each other.”
Donations were generous in support of Fight Like a Girl. Vanecko was thrilled to accept more than $1,000 in cash donations as well as a treasure trove of more than 100 donated pieces of much needed items selected from their wish list, including pink boxing and training gloves, hand wraps, resistance bands and jump ropes, duffel bags, tumblers and water bottles, healthy snacks and assorted office supplies.
In 2009, Chuhak & Tecson’s women attorneys banded together to form a women’s initiative program. What developed was an invitation-only, after-hours networking event that integrates business development with philanthropy. With each event, Women Helping Women identifies and partners with a different not for profit organization dedicated to helping women or women and their children. To date, they have supported 19 not for profit partners, including such organizations as All God’s People, Family Focus’ Nuestra Familia Center, Jewish Child & Family Services, Magdalene House, The Nora Project, Young Women’s Leadership Charter School and this year, Box United and its Fight Like a Girl program.
Click here to learn more about Women Helping Women.
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Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. attorneys, Julie F. Gardner, Chair, Chicago Bar Association (CBA) Probate Practice Committee, and Christine A. Barone, Vice Chair, CBA Probate Practice Committee, will moderate a panel discussion entitled “Awareness of Elder Law Issues in Probate Practice” on November 1, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. (CDT). This is a live web event via Zoom.
The program will focus on the continued rise of elder law issues in the probate practice area and how attorneys can properly and pragmatically approach these delicate issues within their probate practice. The panel will discuss capacity issues, representation of cognitively-impaired clients, current estate planning methods tailored to aging client and initiatives at the intersection of elder law and probate, including Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Elder Law, Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) and more.
Speakers include Kerry R. Peck, Managing Partner, Peck Ritchey, LLC, Chair of Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Elder Law; Eric Parker, Partner, Stotis & Baird Chartered; and Hon. Aicha Marie MacCarthy, Circuit Court of Cook County, Probate Division.
Members of CBA, $60; Non-members $120; CLE Advantage, free and law student members, free. CLE credit pending.
For additional information or to register, please visit:
https://learn.chicagobar.org/products/awareness-of-elder-law-issues-in-probate-practice-11122#tab-product_tab_tech_requirements_for_viewing_live_seminars_meetings
Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. is pleased to announce that Jeffrey M. Heller joins our firm as a principal in the Corporate Transactions & Business Law group.
Jeff is a seasoned business attorney who adds his experience to our corporate team. Jeff advises individuals and closely held businesses on a wide range of corporate matters. This includes mergers and acquisitions, phantom ownership plans, operating agreements, joint ventures, succession planning, corporate governance, choice of entity considerations, entity formations, customer and supplier agreements, employment agreements and loan documents, while also providing counsel on the day-to-day operating needs of his business clients.
In addition, he focuses on sales and acquisitions of real estate and leasing, including office, retail and industrial leases and regularly counsels clients on wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney and federal estate tax and Illinois inheritance tax reduction.
Jeff received his B.S. degree in Finance with honors from the University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign and his J.D. degree from the University of Illinois College of Law. He also spent his third year of law school as a visiting student at Northwestern University School of Law
Edmond Burke, principal and practice group leader of Chuhak & Tecson’s 22-attorney Banking group, will be the moderator of a panel discussion entitled, “Workout Groups: The Talent Dilemma,” at the 11th Annual Bank Special Assets & Credit Officer’s Forum (Midwest) on October 27-28, 2022, at the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel.
The panel, comprised of Burke, Jessica Bent of Capital One, Mark Iammartino with Development Specialists, Inc. and John Hecker of KeyBank, will cover a range of topics, including how recent retirements in the workout groups have changed the future landscape of the workout industry; diverse hires; how workout group are structured; and how institutions are preparing for succession planning, among other issues. The forum continues to be the only place where special assets and credit workout professionals, special servicers, turnaround advisors, receivers, auctioneers and law firms can meet to discuss the latest on commercial and industrial loans, Small Business Administration loans, real estate, equipment, oil and gas and more.
The forum is hosted by Information Management Network. For additional information, contact Heather Rothmann, conference coordinator at heather.rothmann@imn.org.