Mary Dory Cascino

We, at Strauss & Malk, LLP, strive to be a premier multi-disciplinary law firm. I am part of the Estate Planning and Wealth Preservation group, but we also have a business and corporation group, a litigation group and a real estate group.

As Counsel in the Estate Planning and Wealth Preservation group, I perform a variety of tasks including:

·         Advising clients and drafting and implementing estate plans,

·         Estate and trust administration, including probate if necessary,

·         Planning for Incapacity

·         Basic and Advanced Estate Planning, 

·         Asset preservation planning,

·         Charitable planning, and

·         Tax planning.

Our team strives to provide exceptional estate, tax and financial planning services suitable to our clients' needs, whether it is a simple core estate plan involving a basic will, living trust and powers of attorney or the plan requires advanced planning ranging from irrevocable insurance trusts to dynasty trusts to family offices.

We assist our clients in customizing and optimizing the transfer of wealth to future generations, protecting assets, as well as minimizing taxes and satisfying charitable ends.

In the administration arena, we strive to facilitate the probate process, if probate is necessary, and expedite the administration of estates and trusts to substantial completion within a year. With proper estate planning, this goal is certainly attainable.

I am a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and past chair of the Illinois Bar Association Trusts and Estates Section Council. As chair, I spearheaded the recently enacted Directed Trusts and Decanting statutes in Illinois. In service to the legal community, I have been active in Chicago and Illinois Bar Associations and Estate and Financial Planning organizations as a frequent speaker and author.