Mallory A. Moreno She/Her

Principal

Leader of the firm’s Elder Law practice, Mallory Moreno serves as a voice for the voiceless, a steady hand in times of anxiety and uncertainty and an empathetic counselor and advocate who skillfully protects the interests and well-being of seniors, individuals with disabilities and the families who love them.

Overview

The depth of Mallory’s comprehensive subject matter knowledge and her demonstrable personal commitment have made her an invaluable resource for clients facing the challenges, crises and complexities that can come with aging or disability. Whether she is working to ensure that a client has the resources they need for long-term care, helping a family navigate the emotional and practical minefield of a sudden and unexpected illness, or taking the steps necessary to protect a client from financial exploitation, Mallory is compassionate and pragmatic in equal measure.

Mallory’s practice focuses 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 attorney, undue influence, financial exploitation, citations and fraud. She also dedicates a significant percentage of her time to long-term care planning, advance and crisis Medicaid planning, Medicaid appeals, estate planning, special needs planning and disability law.

Having helped her own family through some of the same issues that are now at the core of her practice, Mallory understands that every person has unique needs and concerns and every family has its own interpersonal dynamics and history. Tailoring her counsel and planning accordingly, Mallory provides clients with the clarity and peace of mind that comes from knowing that an exceptionally well-qualified practitioner and fiercely protective ally is in their corner.

Those qualifications include Mallory’s designation as a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA), an exclusive honor bestowed to a select group of attorneys by the National Elder Law Foundation. As of 2024, there are only 13 CELAs in Illinois providing creative solutions for clients who are faced with the vast array of elder law issues. Mallory is also a member of the Board of Directors and past president of the Illinois Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (IL NAELA). She has earned an impressive number of recognitions and awards from her peers for her professional excellence and accomplishments.

Believing that knowledge is power, Mallory puts a high priority on educating clients and colleagues alike on elder law and related issues. She is a recurring faculty speaker for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) as well as other organizations.

Similarly, she dedicates her time and efforts to mentor aspiring attorneys at her alma mater and younger attorneys at the firm.

Service plays a vital role in Mallory’s life. Along with a family member who has disabilities, she volunteers for the Special Olympics and is both a volunteer and board member of W.A.L.L.S., Inc. (Working Adults Learning Lifelong Skills), a life skills center for adults with disabilities. At Chuhak & Tecson, Mallory currently serves as an ombudsperson for the firm, is a member of the Business Development & Marketing Committee and was formerly a member of the Recruitment Committee. She is also an ambassador for Chuhak & Tecson’s Women Helping Women program.

Credentials

Education
DePaul University College of Law, J.D., Family Law Certificate, 2013
Miami University, B.A., Magna Cum Laude, 2010

Bar Admissions
Illinois

Memberships & Associations
  • Chicago Bar Association, Co-Chair of YLS Serving our Seniors Committee
  • Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, member of the Board of Directors; immediate past president of the Illinois Chapter
  • National Elder Law Foundation
Noteworthy
  • Distinguished Lawyer Designation from the Expert Network
  • Emerging Lawyer, selected by Leading Lawyers (2017 – 2025)
  • Illinois Rising Star, selected by Super Lawyers (2021 – 2024)
  • 40 Under 40: 40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch (2022)
Community Involvement
  • Chuhak & Tecson’s Women Helping Women program, ambassador
  • Medicaid Appeals, IICLE Elder Law Short Course Seminar, (2020)
  • Special Olympics
  • Working Adults Learning Lifelong Skills (W.A.L.L.S.), vice chair
Lectures/Speaking Engagements
  • Special Needs Trusts – Do You Have One? Is It Right? How to Know If It Needs to Be Changed. Legal Peace of Mind (2025)
  • What is Elder Law? (2023)
  • The 5 Ws of Special Needs Planning (2023)
  • A Guardian’s Duty to Pursue Benefits: Medicaid Planning in Guardianship CVLS (2022)
  • Medicaid Planning Tools, ILCLE Guardianship Institute (2021)
  • Mock Medicaid Appeals, ILCLE Elder Law Short Course Seminar (2020)
  • Medicaid Appeals, ILCLE Elder Law Short Course Seminar (2020 and 2019)
  • Analyzing Long-Term Care Admissions Contracts, Chicago Bar Association (2019)
  • Key Estate Transfer Laws, NBI Revocable Living Trusts from Start to Finish (2014)
  • Qualified Terminable Interest Property Trusts in Detail, NBI Revocable Living Trusts from Start to Finish (2014)