Mallory Moreno, principal at Chuhak & Tecson, P.C., will co-moderate a breakout session at the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc. – Illinois Chapter’s (IL NAELA) 2021 Fall UnProgram which is set for November 12, 2021, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This program will be held via Zoom.

Moreno and co-moderator, Melissa Kallio of Dutton Casey & Mesoloras, P.C., will moderate a session on Medicaid Planning for Spouses. The program will also include Steven Milburn and Kathy Butcher of the Office of the Inspector General addressing questions about Medicaid applications; Attorney Ray Prather discussing electronic wills; and additional breakout sessions on a legislative update, Medicaid planning for children with disabilities, implementing electronic wills, incorporating technology into one’s practice, planning irrevocable trusts and issues with Powers of Attorney.

Moreno focuses her practice on adult guardianships, both contested and non-contested, estate and trust administration and litigation, including financial exploitation, will and trust contests, fiduciary disputes, issues of capacity, powers of attorneys, undue influence, financial exploitation, citations and fraud. A significant portion of her practice is dedicated to long-term care planning, Medicaid, Medicaid appeals, estate planning, special needs planning and disability law.

Moreno is a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA), an exclusive honor bestowed on a select group of attorneys by the National Elder Law Foundation. As of 2021, there are only 17 CELAs in Illinois providing creative solutions to elder law issues. Moreno also serves as vice president for IL NAELA and chairs several of its committees. She is a frequent faculty speaker for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) as well as other organizations and serves as co-chair of the Young Lawyers’ section of the Chicago Bar Association’s Serving our Seniors Committee.

The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc. (NAELA), founded in 1987, is a professional association of attorneys dedicated to improving the quality of legal services for seniors and people with special needs. NAELA membership is comprised of attorneys in the private and public sectors who represent legal issues affecting seniors and people with disabilities. Members also include judges, professors of law and students. NAELA sponsors continuing legal education programs on Elder Law throughout the year, seeks to provide support to other organizations serving seniors and people with disabilities and advocates on public policy issues facing seniors and people with special needs. NAELA does not provide direct legal services.

The program is approved for 4.5 hours of Continuing Legal Education credits. To register, please click here. Registration fee for non-members of NAELA-IL is $225; students are $50.

As leader of the firm’s Tax and Employee Benefits practice group, Shiner works closely with his clients resolving tax controversies and structuring transactions that minimize exposure to state and federal estate taxes. He is also a certified public accountant with a master of laws in taxation. He is highly experienced with handling cases in the U.S. Tax Court involving gift, estate and income tax matters.

Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. is excited to announce that Eliot Schencker has joined the firm as a senior counsel in the firm’s Condominium & Common Interest Community Association practice group. Also, the firm is pleased to announce the additions of associate Hannah Clark to its Estate & Trust Administration & Litigation practice group and associate Agnes Ptasznik to its Estate Planning & Asset Protection practice group.

“Eliot, Hannah and Agnes all embody the insight, teamwork and collaboration our clients come to expect in helping them achieve their goals through exceptional and efficient service,” said Mitch Weinstein, principal and president of Chuhak & Tecson. “On behalf of the firm, we couldn’t be happier that each of them chose Chuhak & Tecson as the next logical step to continue their professional growth. Our firm itself continues to grow, and evolve, and each of them enhances our team and our ability to provide the highest quality legal services and act in the best interests of our clients.”

Schencker focuses his practice on representing condominium associations, common interest communities and housing cooperatives in a variety of litigation and arbitration matters, including declaration enforcement actions, construction defect claims, contract and easements disputes, consumer fraud, municipal code violations, mixed use development disputes, developer financial liability and collections. He also advises clients on numerous transactional matters, including contract review and documentation, declaration and bylaw amendments, rules review and updates, and the interpretation of governing documents and the Illinois Condominium Property Act. Schencker received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University Bloomington and his Juris Doctor from Western State University College of Law, Fullerton.

Clark focuses her practice on navigating clients through various aspects of the probate process and addressing their various estate planning needs and goals. Previously, she served as a legal fellow for the St. Louis Metropolitan Equal Housing and Opportunity Counsel, a not for profit organization providing pro-bono eviction defense to keep members of the community housed. Clark received her undergraduate degree from Carthage College and her Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University School of Law.

Ptasznik focuses her practice on advising clients on various estate planning matters, finding practical and efficient solutions tailored toward their specific needs. Prior to joining the firm, she gained extensive experience in both sides of the civil litigation process through her two-decade long career with the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Illinois, having defended the state in deprivation of rights’ actions and prosecuting consumer fraud and deception cases. Ptasznik received her undergraduate degree from Loyola University Chicago and both her Juris Doctor and Master of Laws degree from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.