Archived News
2011 |2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004
2011 News
Robin Drey Maher – We are pleased to announce that Robin Drey Maher has become a Partner of the firm. Robin joined the firm as an associate in 2006. Robin focuses her practice on complex trust and estate controversies, as well as estate planning. She has been involved in major trust litigation, including two of the largest family trust controversy cases brought before a U.S. court in the past several years.
David Lieberman will serve as a faculty member in January 2012 at the University of Miami’s 46th Annual Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, presenting a program on “Expert Witnesses in Trust and Estate Litigation.”
David Lieberman will present a program on “Best Practices to Resolve Family-Business Conflict” at the April 2012 Annual Conference of the International Association of Attorneys for Family-Held Enterprises.
David Lieberman’s article, “Class Warfare in the Close Corporation? Shareholder Oppression and the Advent of Enhanced Fiduciary Duties,” is forthcoming in the Winter 2011 edition of the American Bar Association’s Business Torts Litigation Journal
David Lieberman was appointed in October 2011 to the American Bar Association’s Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate law, on the ABA’s task force considering proposed standards of conduct for experts retained by lawyers.
Scott Bieber’s article entitled “Trustee’s Duties Extend to Remainder Beneficiaries too” was published in Estate Planning. Click here to read the article.
David Lieberman presented a program on family business disputes at the American Bar Association’s Joint Fall CLE Meeting of the Sections on Real Property, Trust and Estate Law and Taxation, in Denver, Colorado, in October entitled “Next Generation Disputes in the Family Business: Navigating the Remedial, Ethical and Tax Quagmires – A Case Study.”
David Lieberman drafted comments in July 2011 to American Bar Association Section of Litigation Resolution 101B on behalf of the Litigation, Ethics and Malpractice Group of the ABA’s Section on Real Property, Trust and Estate Law. The proposed resolution contemplates ABA adoption of certain proposed “Standards of Conduct for Experts Retained By Lawyers”.
Carleen Schreder’s Comments on the SEC’s “Family Office” Exemption
The firm commented on the SEC’s proposed definition of “family office” issued pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. If a family office falls within the definition, it is exempt from registration with the SEC. To view the comments, Click here.
David Lieberman presented “I (Might) Get By With a Little Help From My Expert: Expert Witnesses in Trust and Estate Litigation” for the American Bar Association’s Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law 22nd Annual Spring Symposia, April, 2011 in Washington, D.C.
Robin Drey Maher co-presented “Trust & Estate Litigation Update,” at the Chicago Bar Association’s, Trust Law Committee meeting, January, 2011.
Robin Drey Maher presented “Starting Points: Will and Trust Contests,” for the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Estate and Trust Litigation Seminar in April 2011.
Carleen Schreder Featured in Crain’s Chicago Business
Carleen Schreder was profiled in a Business of Life feature story in Crain’s Chicago Business on November 15, 2010.
Levin Schreder & Carey featured in Family Wealth Report
The firm commented on the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s proposal on how to define a family office. Click here to read the article.
Jim Carey was featured on the cover of the May/June 2010 issue of Law PracticeMagazine, published by the American Bar Association. Jim and the firm are showcased in a feature story about niche practices and law firm business development strategies. Click here to read the article.
Jim Carey presented a program on “Planning to Avoid Trust and Estate Litigation” at the Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Committee on Estate Planning sponsored seminar on Trust and Estate Litigation in May 2010.
Carleen Schreder presented a program entitled “Illinois Law on Apportionment of Estate Taxes” for the Chicago Bar Association Trust Law Committee on May 10, 2010.
Jim Carey moderated a panel on “Mediating Family Business Disputes,” at the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) annual Estate Planning Short Course, in April and May 2010. The presentation featured family business counselor Mike O’Malley and mediator Brad Ginn.
Carleen Schreder’s article “Even More Uncertainty About Estate-Tax Apportionment,” which was published in the Illinois Bar Journal. Click here to read the article, which is reprinted with permission.
For further information about any of these topics, or to talk with one of our attorneys about a topic suitable for a program that you or your organization may be planning, please contact our office.
2010 News
Levin Schreder & Carey Welcomes Scott Bieber
Scott focuses his practice in the areas of family wealth preservation, federal transfer taxation, and family business planning. He counsels individuals with their personal estate planning and owners of closely-held businesses with business succession and related issues. Scott represents executors and trustees in the administration of estates and trusts, as well as taxpayers and their executors in gift and estate tax audits. He also advises public and private charitable organizations. Click here to read Scott’s bio.
2009 News
Carleen Schreder authored an article in the January 2009 issue of Estate Planning magazine on the recent IRS guidance on private trust companies. Click here to read the article, which is reprinted with permission. The firm provided comments to IRS Notice 2008-63 (see: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-08-63.pdf), which was issued in July requesting comments on a proposed revenue ruling on the income, estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax consequences of a private trust company. A “private trust company” is a trust company formed by a family or group of families to act as trustee of trusts for the benefit of the family members. Click here to review the firm’s comments.
Jim Carey authored Estate Planning in Illinois Guardianships for the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) in 2009. This is a significant update and replaces the 2006 Estate Planning in Disabled Adult Guardianships publication.
Levin Schreder & Carey Welcomes Mary Lee Turk
Mary Lee focuses her practice on the representation of high net worth individuals, particularly with respect to philanthropic endeavors. She also represents private foundations and public charities on a wide range of issues, including entity formation, tax exemption, grant making and scholarship programs. Click here to read Mary Lee’s bio.
Levin Schreder & Carey Welcomes David E. Lieberman
David represents corporate fiduciaries and individuals in complex trust and estate litigation. Before joining our firm, David litigated and tried significant trust and estate cases, as well as complex securities, fraud and commercial cases for 16 years at two of Chicago’s leading large firms. Click here to read David’s bio.
Jim Carey Becomes a Name Partner and We Celebrate Our 20th Year
As we celebrate our 20th Anniversary this year, we are pleased to announce that Jim Carey has become a name partner of the firm. Our firm name is now Levin Schreder & Carey Ltd. Jim joined the firm as a partner in 2001 and is the partner in charge of the firm’s Trust and Estate Controversy Resolution Group. “Changing our name seemed only natural as we celebrate our twentieth year, since Jim has contributed greatly to our success and growth,” commented firm co-founder, Carleen Schreder. Bob Levin, who co-founded the firm in 1988 with Carleen noted that “Jim is an outstanding lawyer, a leader in his field, and I am delighted to have him as my partner.” Click here to see photos from our anniversary event.
Jim Carey served as moderator for an Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) one-day course on “Contested Trusts and Estates” on November 13, 2009.
Robin Drey Maher presented a program for J.P. Morgan Chase on the topic of “Preparing for the Family Business Sale” on November 12, 2009.
Carleen Schreder was a guest speaker for a Celesq AttorneysEd Center webcast on the topic of “What Donors Should Know Before They Make the Charitable Gift” on September 10, 2009.
Jim Carey spoke at the ALI-ABA 12th Annual Advanced Course of Study: Representing Estate and Trust Beneficiaries on the topic of “Settlor Intent: Who Cares Anymore?” which was held in Chicago, July 16-17, 2009.
Mary Lee Turk spoke on the topic of “Planned Giving in the Current Tax Environment: Congress, Treasury and You” for a Chicago Council on Planned Giving Master Class on July 9, 2009.
Jim Carey was named Vice Chair of the Probate and Fiduciary Litigation Committee of the Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law of the American Bar Association on June 1, 2009.
Bob Levin was a guest speaker for an audio conference entitled “Estate Plan Syndrome: Why Smart People Fail to Plan” which was sponsored by The Family Business Consulting Group on May 6, 2009.
Jim Carey is one of four Illinois lawyers named an Illinois Super Lawyer in the area of Trust and Estate Litigation. The 2009 Super Lawyer list, published in the February 2009 issue of Chicago Magazine, features the names of prominent lawyers by legal practice concentration.
Jim Carey was a panel participant for a program entitled “Ethics in Estate Planning and Probate” sponsored by the Chicago Bar Association on March 12, 2009. He also spoke at a program for the Greater North Shore Estate and Financial Planning Council on conflicts in multi-generational representation on May 13, 2009.
Jim Carey testified on January 26, 2009 before the Illinois House of Representatives Committee on Family Law with respect to the relationship between the guardianship statute and the proposed update of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act.
2008 News
Jim Carey wrote three chapters for the new edition of the Contested Estates Manual published by the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE). He is the sole author of two chapters, “Accountings” and “Contested Admissions of Will to Probate,” and co-author of one chapter, “Will Contests,” in the Contested Estates Manual published by IICLE, 2001 edition, 2006 supplement/update and 2008 new version.
Jim Carey was interviewed for and quoted in an article that appeared in the June 2008 issue of the ABA Journal on the topic of probate. To read the article, visit:http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/plotting_against_probate/
Jim Carey was a panelist for an American Bar Association (ABA) teleconference entitled “Pre-Death Will Contests” on December 2, 2008.
Jim Carey served as a panel member for a Chicago Bar Association Mock Trial on September 23, 2008. The panel conducted direct and cross examination with Judge Maureen Connors of the Probate Division, Circuit Court of Cook County, who presided over the mock trials of both a contested guardianship case and a will contest case. The trials presented expert medical testimony of renowned University of Chicago Psychiatrist, Dr. Sandford Finkel, and distinguished the different levels of mental capacity for an adjudication of disability (i.e., guardianship) contrasted to the mental capacity necessary to execute an estate plan. After the mock trials, the participants discussed medical expert testimony in an estate trial.
Jim Carey was a panelist for an American Bar Association (ABA) teleconference entitled “Probate is Dead or Is It?” on May 21, 2008.
Jim Carey spoke at the 19th Annual Real Property & Estate Planning Symposium held in Washington, DC, May 1-2, 2008. He was a panel presenter for the program entitled “Heirs in Waiting? Pre-Mortem Probate Disputes.” Jim also spoke on this topic for attendees of the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) annual Estate Planning Short Course, which was held in Chicago on May 2, 2008 and in Champaign on May 14, 2008.
Jim Carey spoke on the topic of “Conflicts and Confidentiality for Fiduciaries and Their Advisors” at the Chicago Estate Planning Council meeting held April 17, 2008. More than 300 people attended the program.
2007 News
Carleen Schreder co-authored the chapter on “Planning for Exempt Assets” in the 2007 edition of Asset Protection Planning, published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE). Click here to read the chapter, which is reprinted with permission. To order a copy of the entire publication, visit the IICLE website at:
http://www.iicle.com/booksandproducts/product_description.asp?ID=1793
Carleen Schreder spoke on “Illinois Estate Tax Apportionment Issues” for members of the Probate Practice Committee of the Chicago Bar Association on November 15, 2007.
Jim Carey spoke on the topic of “Practical Representation Issues: Competing Client Interests” for participants of an Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) Estate Planning Update Teleconference on October 31, 2007.
Jim Carey co-presented a program on the topic of “Competing Client Interests: Identifying Your Client, Conflicts of Interest and Privilege for Lawyers in the Estate Planning and Fiduciary Context” for attendees of the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) 50th Estate Planning Short Course held April 19, 2007 in Chicago and May 3, 2007 in Springfield.
2006 News
Jim Carey spoke on the topic of “Identifying Your Client, Conflicts and Privilege in Estate Planning and Probate” for members of the Chicago Bar Association’s Probate Practice Committee on November 17, 2006.
Jim Carey spoke on the topic of “The Measures of Damages in Fiduciary Litigation” presented at the American Bar Association Joint Meeting of the Sections of Taxation and the Section of Real Property Probate and Trust Law held in Denver on October 21, 2006.
Jim Carey authored a supplement to two chapters, “Accountings” and “Contested Admissions of Wills,” for the book entitled Contested Trust, Estate and Guardianships published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) in January 2006.
2005 News
Jim Carey discussed initial client meeting issues at the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) Basic Estate Planning Seminar which was held in Peoria on August 12, 2005 and Chicago on August 19, 2005.
Jim Carey presented a program on the topic of “Risk Management for Fiduciaries” for attendees of the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) Annual Estate Planning Short Course held April 29, 2005 in Chicago and May 20, 2005 in Champaign.
Jim Carey authored an article on “Trustee Liability for Breach of Duty Upon Resignation in Trusts & Estates magazine in April 2005.
Jim Carey was a guest speaker at an “Illinois Probate: Beyond the
Basics” seminar organized by the National Business Institute, held in Oak
Brook, February 23, 2005. He discussed litigation and ethics issues
pertaining to probate practice.
2004 News
Bob Levin and Carleen Schreder presented a program on income tax planning in divorce for the American Matrimonial Lawyer Association on November 11, 2004.
Carleen Schreder presented a program on the topic of charitable giving sponsored by the Merit School of Music, held September 21, 2004.
Jim Carey presented a program on “Contested Admissions and Wills to Probate” at an estate, trust and guardianship program sponsored by the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE), held September 1, 2004 and September 8, 2004.
Jim Carey was a guest lecturer at a basic estate planning program sponsored by the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE), held August 13, 2004 and August 26, 2004.
Carleen Schreder presented a program entitled “Extreme Estate Plan Makeovers: How to Make the Most of Badly Drafted Documents” for attendees of the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) Annual Estate Planning Short Course held in Chicago on May 6, 2004 and Champaign on May 19, 2004.
