The 14 Best Estate Planning and Probate Attorneys in Chicago

Correa Law suits Spanish-speaking families who want a living trust explained in their own language. The firm works in English and Spanish and brings more than 25 years of experience to wills, trusts, elder law, guardianships and probate. Its site carries a long library of plain-language guides on Illinois probate, trust types, estate tax and executor duties. The office on West Peterson Avenue serves the Northwest Side. Readers can learn the basics before the first meeting and arrive with sharper questions.

Carrier Law Group suits couples who want a complete plan delivered as a single package. A basic package typically bundles a revocable living trust, wills, powers of attorney and medical directives, with advanced options such as irrevocable and asset protection trusts. Owner Patrick Carrier has more than 15 years of estate planning experience and also plans for blended families and special needs dependents. The office on North Riverside Plaza sits between Union Station and Ogilvie. Suburban commuters can fit a meeting around the train.

Illinois Estate Law fits clients who want to know the price before they commit. The firm works on flat fees for standard matters, including uncontested probate and guardianship, and contested cases start from a defined flat fee. Wills, revocable living trusts, powers of attorney, trust administration and deeds such as transfer on death instruments are all on offer. Meetings can be virtual or in person at the Ravenswood office, often within the same week. Some services can even be started online without a consultation.

DDV Law suits families who need guardianship or Medicaid help in the city and the suburbs. Founded in 1999 as Delaney Law Offices, the elder law firm handles guardianship, Medicaid assistance, special needs planning, probate, estate planning and nursing home contracts. It also pursues cases of elder abuse and financial exploitation. Besides its office on North Wabash Avenue, it has locations in Arlington Heights and Orland Park. A family split between the city and the suburbs can choose the office closest to the parent.

Parents who want guardians named for their children have a natural starting point at Kaplan Estate Law. Based in Lincoln Square, the firm builds relationship-based plans for married couples, life partners, blended families, single parents and people without children. Its services include Kids Protection Planning, wills, trusts, asset protection and estate tax planning, plus probate and trust administration. A free 15-minute consultation is available, and the firm runs estate planning events. Parents of young children can settle guardianship decisions early and revisit them as the family grows.

Families planning for long-term care will find a focused team at Dutton Casey & Mesoloras. Several of its attorneys hold the Certified Elder Law Attorney designation, and the firm combines Medicaid planning and applications with elder care navigation, special needs planning, guardianship and probate. It also examines senior housing contracts, admission agreements and discharges. Besides its State Street office, it meets clients in Arlington Heights, Libertyville, Naperville and Skokie. Adult children coordinating a parent's care can handle legal and practical questions with one team.

Leon J. Teichner suits heirs and executors caught in a contested will or an inheritance dispute. He has practiced since 1974, handling probate litigation, executor disputes and will contests along with estate planning and real estate. From an office on West Madison Street he serves the city and suburbs from Northbrook and Evanston to Oak Brook and Calumet City. The practice is personal, with the attorney directly involved in each case. Someone named in a disputed will can get an experienced view of the probate process.

WhiteheadFink Elder Law appeals to North Side families who want a small firm devoted to aging and estate matters. Its attorneys have spent their careers on probate and small estates, trust administration, wills, powers of attorney, Medicaid and long-term care planning, special needs trusts and guardianships. The office on North Pulaski Road is easy to reach from the Edens and the Kennedy, with free off-street parking in an elevator building. A free 15-minute phone consultation helps families check whether the firm fits before booking.

Mazek Law Group suits property owners who want their real estate and estate plan handled by the same lawyer. Michael Mazek founded the boutique firm in 2009 and works across real estate closings, property tax appeals, estate planning and probate from an office on North Lincoln Avenue. Estate work covers wills, trusts and other planning documents for individuals, families and business owners. A landlord with several buildings can coordinate deeds, trusts and tax appeals in one place.

Polish-speaking families on the Northwest Side are a natural fit for Otte & Czajkowska, whose site and team work in Polish. The firm concentrates on estate planning and elder law, with Medicaid and VA Aid and Attendance pension planning, appeals of long-term care Medicaid denials, probate and adult guardianships. Its office on North Northwest Highway stays open until 9 p.m. on Tuesdays and sees clients on Saturdays by appointment. Working adults can plan for a parent's care without missing a workday.

When siblings or heirs disagree over an inheritance, Sexauer Law offers both mediation and litigation. Alongside estate planning, the firm handles trust and probate administration, trust and probate litigation, and mediation of family disputes. It also takes on financial elder abuse and adult guardianship cases, and it updates estate plans for people with older documents. Planning is offered for different stages of life, from young couples with children to seniors. Families who would rather settle than litigate can try mediation before going to court.

Families fighting over an estate, a trust or a guardianship will find Peck Ritchey built for that kind of dispute. The firm concentrates on probate, trust and guardianship litigation, including citations to recover assets, removing executors or trustees, and contests over wills and trusts. It also handles elder abuse and financial exploitation, Alzheimer's disease planning and special needs planning. Managing partner Kerry Peck speaks regularly on WGN Radio about older adults' finances. Relatives who suspect an agent misused a parent's money can start with a free confidential consultation.

LGBTQ+ couples whose estate plan must reflect a nontraditional household will find Metz + Jones at home with those questions. The Edgewater firm combines estate planning, probate and real estate with LGBTQ+ family law, including second-parent adoption, donor agreements and civil unions. Its estate work covers wills, revocable living trusts, powers of attorney, title to property and probate administration. The firm has served Chicago for more than 40 years. A couple can secure parentage and inheritance with the same lawyers.

South Side homeowners who want estate planning close to home will find it at Theodore London & Associates. Ted London has concentrated on estate planning and probate for the African American community since 1998, with land trusts, powers of attorney and probate avoidance among his services. The main office is on East 87th Street, and further locations serve the West Side and the south and southwest suburbs. The firm also handles accident and injury cases. Families in nearby neighborhoods can plan without traveling downtown.