Christine A. Barone She/Her

A principal in the Elder Law, Estate & Trust Administration & Litigation and Estate Planning & Asset Protection practice groups, Christine appreciates the sensitive and deeply personal nature of her work, which involves difficult conversations, consequential choices and nerve-wracking uncertainty. She finds the most rewarding aspect of her work is alleviating some of the burdens her clients feel during this stressful, unfamiliar process. With patience and demonstrable care for her clients, Christine takes the time to listen to their stories, learn about their family and financial dynamics and understand their concerns. She can then craft and outline various outcomes and scenarios so that her clients can not only make informed decisions but also feel that everything is going to be taken care of.

Elder law is the centerpiece of Christine’s practice. This encompasses contested and uncontested adult guardianships, decedents’ estates, trust administration and litigation, estate planning and asset protection. Notably, she handles planning for individuals with disabilities or special needs, as well as long-term care planning for Medicaid eligibility and appeals. She has also represented nursing homes in securing and appealing Medicaid benefits for their residents and in claims for payment from the state in the Illinois Court of Claims. She prepares and reviews contracts, wills, trusts, special needs trusts and powers of attorney.

Christine is a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA), which is an exclusive honor bestowed on a select group of attorneys by the National Elder Law Foundation. As of 2026, there are only 10 CELAs in Illinois providing resourceful and inspired solutions to clients facing elder law issues. She is also a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and frequently speaks and presents on elder law and estate planning topics. A former president and current board member of the Veterans’ Legal Aid Society, Christine was a member of Chuhak & Tecson’s Professional Education Committee.

Education
Loyola University Chicago School of Law
University of Iowa, 2009

Bar Admissions
Illinois, 2013

• Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law
• National Elder Law Foundation, Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA)
• National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Member
• Veterans’ Legal Aid Society, Board member and former president (2018)

• Emerging Lawyer, selected by Leading Lawyers (2023 – 2026)

• Chuhak & Tecson’s Women Helping Women program, ambassador

• A Guardian’s Duty to Pursue Benefits: Medicaid Planning in Guardianship CVLS (2022)
• Mock Medicaid Appeal – IICLE Elder Law Short Course (October 2020)
• Power of Attorney/Guardianship Seminar – Artis Senior Living, Bartlett, IL (June 2022)
• Qualifying Asset Transfers: Which Techniques Work: Medicaid Planning – NBI, Inc., Naperville, IL (October 2019)
• Ethics: Drafting Wills and Trusts – NBI, Inc., Naperville, IL (February 2019)