Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. congratulates Christina M. Mermigas, principal in the Estate Planning & Asset Protection and Corporate Transactions & Business Law practices groups, who has been honored as one of the “40 Under 40 Illinois Attorneys to Watch” by Law Bulletin Media. The award recognizes talented and successful attorneys from across the state.
Licensed in both Florida and Illinois, Christina represents businesses and individual clients in private wealth service, particularly estate planning, complex wealth and tax planning, and the administration of trusts and estates. She prepares individually crafted estate planning documents, including revocable and irrevocable trusts, wills, powers of attorney and other estate planning vehicles for clients of all net worth, including those with large, complex portfolios.
“Christina is a brilliant and creative practitioner with experience and wisdom far beyond her years.” said Lindsey Paige Markus, leader of the firm’s 25-attorney Estate Planning & Asset Protection practice. “We are delighted that Law Bulletin Media has recognized her for her extraordinary accomplishments and contribution to the field of law.”
An accomplished transactional attorney, Christina has extensive experience representing clients in all phases of a business’ life cycle, including entity formation, restructuring and reorganization, the sale of stock or assets and the transition of ownership and management. Most unique to her practice, she thrives in advising clients in the creation of a comprehensive and effective business succession plan ensuring that a client’s greatest source of income during life (i.e. their business) does not become the greatest source of debt and liability for their surviving family after passing.
“Christina has been an exceptional addition to our firm,” said Mitchell Weinstein, president of Chuhak & Tecson and a respected business, tax and estate planning attorney. “Her ability to relate and educate so effectively to a wide variety of our clients is a testament to her knowledge. Her skills and ability to solve the most complex of problems exceed her years of experience. In addition, she has incredible positive energy. We are thrilled that she is being recognized as the talented attorney that she is and we are fortunate to have her here at our firm.”
Christina has been named an Illinois Super Lawyer Rising Star for the years 2021-2023, an honor given to only 2.5% of attorneys in the state. She also has earned the honor of Emerging Lawyer from Leading Lawyers for the years 2020-2023, which is awarded to less than 2% of all lawyers in Illinois.
Law Bulletin Media conducts an annual survey to determine who Illinois attorneys believe are the “up and comers” of law in Illinois. This is the 24th year for the 40 Under 40 awards and more than 1,000 nominations were received.
Sometimes, for a child who is fighting a devastating disease, the best therapy in the world is the excitement and possibility of a superhero to assist in the battle. From action figures to thrilling books and art projects to comforting blankets, these kinds of toys are often the key to helping children express difficult emotions, be comforted and focus on staying as well as they can.
Yes, there are superheroes all around us, especially when more than 170 super women gathered for Chuhak & Tecson’s Women Helping Women’s Mix & Mingle networking event, delivering a big-hearted array of superhero-themed toys, books and accessories to support Anthony’s Avengers, an organization whose mission is to fight for research funding and to support children and their families battling DIPG, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, an overwhelming pediatric cancer.
It was a “Marvel-ous” event with women business leaders, entrepreneurs and strategic partners in attendance, enjoying the superhero-themed gathering as Women Helping Women (WHW) welcomed its 20th not for profit partner and wound up its 14th year of this festive event. Great food and great drink (the special Sensational She-Hulk C-Tini created for this occasion) helped set a fantastic tone for a very special evening; everyone was able to spend time with dear friends, make some new friends and most importantly, develop valuable and meaningful connections.
“I am unbelievably honored to have had our foundation chosen for this year’s event,” said Katie Gaskin, mother of Anthony Pappalas, who bravely battled DIPG for 19 months before passing away in 2017, and the founder of Anthony’s Avengers. “We are thrilled to be able to gift children with these wonderful donations so many have given. A toy brings smiles and comfort to children that are going through the absolute toughest times. Thank you for supporting our mission to not only find a cure for this terrible disease, but help these families during their struggles.”
The generosity of guests garnered more than $1400 in cash donations and more than six dozen superhero-themed books of all sorts, including journals, art and activity kits, coloring books and gifts ranging from Lego sets, Marvel action figures, Mr. Potato Heads, Marvel-themed kids watches, weighted blankets, bath towels, pillow covers, fun capes and masks — all to support and encourage children fighting this crushing cancer.
“Our Women Helping Women guests were privileged to hear my longtime friend and Anthony’s mom, Katie, speak from her heart about her unforgettable son, who was a brilliant boy, filled with positivity, compassion, smiles, laughter and love,” said Kim Boike, co-leader of the firm’s Corporate Law practice. “Chuhak & Tecson is most proud to support Anthony’s Avengers in raising awareness and funds for research to find a cure for DIPG, which currently has no cure and only a 1% survival rate.”
When the firm launched Women Helping Women in 2009, it was with three objectives in mind — to create a setting where professional women could meet and connect; to support a not for profit, as community service is a passion for women and for the firm’s women attorneys, paralegals and managers who comprise WHW; and to hold the event at a convenient time and place that would allow women to come, mix and mingle and then still have time to tend to their busy lives. As WHW embarks on its 15th year, it is most pleased to have supported its 20th not for profit partner, Anthony’s Avengers, and hold true to the WHW mission.
To learn more, visit Women Helping Women or anthonysavengers.org.
Chuhak & Tecson is pleased to announce that Markeya A. Fowler and Nicholas W. Zausch have joined the firm as associates.
Fowler focuses her practice on employment, labor defense and civil litigation defense. She counsels clients on employment law, including advice on terminations and disciplinary actions, drafting and revising handbook policies for legal compliance and responses to charges and representations before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and state agencies. She has experience presenting and defending cases before the Illinois Workers Compensation Commission (IWCC) and preparing proposed decision and appellate briefs to support case decisions for the IWCC and Illinois Appellate Court.
Fowler received her B.A. degree in social relations and policy, political theory and constitutional democracy from James Madison College at Michigan State University. She received her J.D. and a health law certificate from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. She is an executive board member on the auxiliary board for Lawyers Lend A Hand, which provides on-on-one tutoring for children in the Englewood and Grand Crossing neighborhoods of Chicago.
Zausch is an associate in the Estate Planning & Asset Protection practice and is involved in most aspects of estate and trusts, including estate planning, simple and complex estate and trust administration, estate litigation and guardianship. He brings well-rounded experience to the firm having worked on both sides of the bench where he was a staff attorney for the Probate Division of Cook County, writing more than 70 opinions on contested estate matters. After leaving the court, Zausch joined a boutique estate administration and litigation firm where he represented clients in routine and contested estate matters. He also worked at a multinational law firm where he advised high net worth clients on how to achieve their wealth transfer goals.
Prior to attending law school, Zausch was a member of AmeriCorps, a federal program for national service and volunteerism, working in a 6th grade classroom.
Zausch received his B. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in sociology and legal studies. After serving in AmeriCorps, he earned his J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Janet Wagner, principal in Chuhak & Tecson, P.C.’s Banking practice, will be a panelist in Byline Bank’s annual WEBB (Women Empowered By Byline) Women’s Leadership Panel on September 14. This is a virtual program presented to the women of Byline Bank.
The panel consists of Wagner, Rebekah L. Kohmescher, chief executive officer and chief compliance officer at Altair, and Shawna Ryan, director of marketing at Gatorade. Panel moderators are Lana Fortel, and Maria Alhasoon, both vice presidents at Byline Bank. The discussion will focus on the panelists’ insights, their backgrounds and how they achieved success to leadership.
Chuhak & Tecson is proud to announce that Anne Wolniakowski has been elevated to equity principal of the firm and Melissa “Missy” Turk Firmage and Margaret Salinas have been elevated to income principal. These dedicated and talented attorneys have earned the respect and admiration of their clients and colleagues through their exceptional and thorough legal work and conscientious commitment to the firm.
Anne joined the firm as an associate in 2004 and became an income principal in 2008. She was recently named co-practice group leader of the Corporate Transactions & Business Law group. Anne is a corporate attorney and concentrates on mergers and acquisition and transactions involving closely held entities, including acquisitions and sales of businesses ranging in size and in various industry. She is involved in all aspects of business planning, including business formation, ownership structure, succession planning and contract negotiation and preparation.
“Anne’s skills as a transactional attorney are exceptional and she continues to take the lead and handle complex and high-valued transactions for her clients,” said Mitch Weinstein, president of the firm and a respected business, tax and estate planning attorney. “Anne has been instrumental in pushing our firm forward as we become a significant and recognized leader in the private business services market, especially here in Chicago.”
Missy joined the firm as an associate. She is a member of the Estate & Trust Administration & Litigation and Estate Planning & Asset Protection practice groups. She focuses her practice on contested and routine guardianship matters, estate and trust litigation and administration, breach of fiduciary duty claims and fiduciary defense, elder law and trust and estate-related appellate work. Missy’s guardianship practice emphasizes that persons with disabilities have the right to live with utmost dignity. She routinely represents corporate and individuals throughout the phases of contested and non-contested guardianships for adults with disabilities and minors. She litigates sensitive matters involving competing guardianship petitions, financial exploitation and asset recovery. Missy currently serves as a Junior Board Member of Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CVLS). She also routinely accepts pro bono guardianship cases from CVLS serving both adults and minors.
Margaret began her career at the firm in 2015 as a law clerk, after which she was hired as an associate. She is a member of the firm’s Corporate Transactions & Business Law practice group and focuses her practice on corporate transactions, including stock and asset sales and acquisitions. She represents middle-market companies and business owners in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, transportation, financial, agricultural, medical and accounting. Margaret is involved in all aspects of business planning, including business formation, ownership structure, day-to-day business matters and contract preparation and negotiation. Beyond corporate transactions, she represents lenders and borrowers in the context of secured financing transactions. Margaret has advised clients in various finance transactions, including acquisition financing, asset-based lending, real estate secured loans, credit facilities and construction loans.
“Margaret and Missy have each shown exemplary qualities throughout their tenure with us,” continued Mitch Weinstein. “Becoming a principal in our firm is not just a mere promotion; it signifies a significant milestone in one’s professional career. Margaret and Missy have demonstrated legal acumen, analytical prowess, inspired leadership and unwavering commitment to their clients.”
Chuhak & Tecson is proud to acknowledge the well-deserved elevation of these three valued and appreciated attorneys.
Chuhak & Tecson is proud to again join this year’s Volunteers of America of Illinois (VOAIL) and Operation Backpack, an annual drive hosted by VOAIL to support children with their return to school. Firm members are donating backpacks and school supplies for underprivileged children served by VOAIL, which collects these needed and useful items for the youth they serve, including children in foster care, children in families experiencing homelessness and children of the veterans served by VOAIL.
In addition to providing backpacks to more than 450 youth, VOAIL also hosts a back-to-school event open to all community members and partners with local schools, community organizations and churches to distribute these to students in need.
There are two ways to donate. Firm members are currently selecting from a list of supplies needed by school grade, shopping for these items, packing up the backpacks and then dropping the completed backpacks to the office by August 2, 2023.
Or, they are making donations virtually by going to www.roonga.com/ctoperationbackpack2023 by July 14, 2023 and selected items will be delivered directly to VOAIL.
Since 1896, VOAIL has been supporting individuals, families and communities and is committed to bringing real life solutions and lasting changes to those they serve.
Joseph A. Tecson
Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. is proud to announce the establishment of the Joseph A. Tecson Scholarship Fund, was available beginning with the fall 2017 semester for first-year law students admitted to DePaul University College of Law.
The scholarship will be administered by DePaul and is open to law students both in good academic standing and with proven financial need, with a preference for those who have performed community service. It will provide support to one or two students each year with books and supplies and is renewable for those students who remain in good academic standing. Each year, a new law student will be awarded a scholarship. Deadlines for applications are on a rolling basis.
Joseph Tecson was a ground-breaking attorney in Chicago’s legal community and practiced for over 50 years. In 1987 he became a founding principal of Chuhak & Tecson, leading the firm’s governmental and healthcare practices. The 11-attorney firm he co-founded 36 years ago now boasts about 65 attorneys and about 65 staff members and paraprofessionals. Each day the firm continues to adhere to the decorum Tecson instilled in the firm three decades ago—integrity, hard work, quality, community service, civility toward one another and, equally important, a sense of humor.
Andy Tecson, president of Chuhak & Tecson said, “My father was able to attend college because of the G.I. Bill, and worked his way through law school as a bartender. He would have been delighted to know that the firm is supporting the education of similarly situated students today.”
Tecson was passionate about public and community service. He served as a delegate with the Constitutional Convention which drafted a new constitution for Illinois in 1970 that is still in effect. Beginning in 1976 he also served for five years as the first Asian-American commissioner on the Cook County Board and was on the committee that oversaw Cook County Hospital. Chuhak & Tecson continues Tecson’s commitment to diversity today with an environment where each person is included, listened to and supported as they strive to achieve their personal best.
Tecson’s zest for public service further extended to serving on the boards of MacNeal Hospital and Brookfield Zoo. He was one of the greatest proponents of the zoo’s continual upgrades and addition of new exhibits. Tecson was dedicated to expanding public transportation and was the initial chair of the board of the Regional Transportation Authority, then subsequently served on the Metra Board.
Further, he was frequently called upon to serve as special counsel to government agencies, including the Department of Public Aid, the Illinois Department of Insurance and the Medical Disciplinary Board. Tecson was also the municipal attorney for the Village of North Riverside.
Andy Tecson further stated, “This scholarship fund honors my father’s conviction that each member of the legal profession has a moral obligation to donate time and resources to make our community a better place.”
Each scholarship recipient will be invited to attend firm events and apply to the firm’s law clerk program. For more information or to learn how to apply for the Joseph A. Tecson Scholarship Fund, contact Alan Paberzs, executive director of development, DePaul University College of Law.
Chuhak & Tecson is pleased to support the Illinois Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorney’s (NAELA) Spring UnProgram 2023 and will host its cocktail hour at the conclusion of the day’s programming. The Spring UnProgram is set for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, June 16, at Casa Italia Festival Center, located at 1652 N. 37th Ave. at the corner of 37th and Soffel Ave. in Stone Park.
The UnProgram will include a presentation by Dr. Colin Brietzke on “Demystifying Neuropsychological Reports: A Primer for Elder Law Attorneys,” plus three breakout sessions led by teams of moderators. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided and a cocktail hour will be held at the end of the day.
Chuhak & Tecson’s Mallory Moreno, principal in the firm’s Trusts & Estates group, with a focus on Elder Law, and president of the Illinois Chapter of NAELA, will moderate a breakout session on “Litigation – Estates and Guardianships.” Moreno is a certified elder law attorney, one of only 17 in Illinois.
The UnProgram is approved for 3.5 hours of general Continuing Legal Education credits. The cocktail hour is included in registration for the UnProgram. For those unable to attend the UnProgram but want to attend the cocktail hour, please register using the ‘Cocktail Hour Only’ registration link.
To find out more about pricing and registration for the UnProgram, click here.
May is National Elder Law Month — an excellent opportunity for elder law attorneys to educate and advocate for older persons, persons with disabilities, and their families. Elder Law attorneys handle a wide range of legal matters affecting older persons and persons with disabilities, including issues related to healthcare, long-term care planning, guardianship, retirement, Social Security, Medicaid and so many other important matters that should be considered today to ensure better and enjoyable future years.
Elder law attorneys address issues facing our aging population and individuals with disabilities, many of whom are unable to speak for themselves. Elder law attorneys are trained and have the sensitivities needed to help their clients find a sense of peace during life-altering moments of crisis, such as losing a loved one, being faced with unforeseen health problems, experiencing family strife or planning for expensive long-term care.
Chuhak & Tecson is pleased to acknowledge its experienced team of elder law attorneys, including two Certified Elder Law Attorneys (CELA), Christine Barone and Mallory Moreno. According to the National Elder Law Foundation, there are only 17 CELAs in Illinois currently. All our elder law attorneys focus their practices in adult guardianships, both contested and non-contested, estate and trust administration and litigation, including financial exploitation, will and trust matters, fiduciary disputes, issues of capacity, powers of attorney, undue influence, financial exploitation and fraud. A large portion of their practices is also dedicated to long-term care planning, Medicaid, Medicaid appeals, veterans’ benefits, estate planning, special needs planning and disability law.
“We are living in an unprecedented time,” said Mallory Moreno, principal and CELA at Chuhak & Tecson. “For the first time in U.S. history, it is projected that by the year 2034 the number of individuals age 65 and older will outnumber individuals ages 18 and younger. This means that it is more important than ever to consider all that elder law provides to an ever-aging population, from estate planning, disability planning, long-term care needs, Medicare, retirement and Social Security to crisis and postmortem planning. Elder law helps to protect and meet the needs of countless individuals now as they plan for a successful retirement and quality future years.”
An elder law attorney can provide you with guidance and support on any of the above concerns. Please don’t hesitate to contact one of Chuhak & Tecson’s skilled and knowledgeable elder law attorneys.
Elder law attorneys at Chuhak & Tecson, Christine A. Barone (312 855 4348), principal; Bryan M. Montana (312 855 6105), principal; Mallory A. Moreno, (312 855 4317), principal.
Chuhak & Tecson’s Kevin Coyne, principal and leader of the firm’s Real Estate practice group and Aali Fidai, attorney in the Real Estate group, recently successfully negotiated the lease for Puttshack, the world’s first and only upscale tech-infused miniature golf experience in Dania Pointe, Florida.
Located at 1825 Way Pointe Place, the new 25,000+ square-foot location will feature four highly engaging and competitive nine-hole miniature golf courses. The space will also offer two bars serving handcrafted drinks and a main dining room serving a globally inspired menu. There is also a private event space with a capacity of more than 100 guests available for private parties of all kinds.
Founded by the creators of TopGolf, Flight Club and AceBounce, Puttshack combines its patented Trackaball™ technology with a first-class, immersive social environment to elevate the game of miniature golf. Puttshack’s ground-breaking technology is integrated throughout the game, resulting in cutting-edge, high-energy experience unlike anything currently on the market.
Dania Pointe is a premier lifestyle destination known for distinctive shopping, elegant dining options, luxury living and a flourishing business district just south of Fort Lauderdale.
Puttshack is also located in Oakbrook Center, IL, offering its trademarked high-tech mini golf, world-class dining and entertainment.
Chuhak & Tecson’s experienced and highly qualified attorneys handle all aspects of real estate issues, including purchases and sales of commercial and industrial properties and vacant land. The firm represents buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, developers, architects, space and land planners, real estate brokers, building contractors and condominium associations, including conversions, real estate syndications, owners of certified historic structures and homeowners’ associations.
For additional information, contact Kevin Coyne at kcoyne@chuhak.com or 312 855 5441 or Aali Fidai at afidai@chuhak.com 312 855 6106.