Richard C. Spain
Phone: 312-220-9112 x208
Richard Spain concentrates his practice in estate planning, probate work, real estate, and corporate representation. A practicing attorney in Cleveland, Ohio for seven years, Mr. Spain returned to his hometown of Chicago in 1982. In addition to being an honors graduate of Lawrence University and a graduate of Case Western Reserve Unversity’s College of Law, Mr. Spain earned a LL.M. degree in taxation at John Marshall Law School in 1985. Due to the firm’s involvement in servicing the needs of persons with disabilities, he is experienced in developing specialized estate plans for the elderly and for families with members who are disabled and has spoken on those topics for many consumer, parent and professional groups, including presentations for the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois CPA Society and the American Bar Association.
Mr. Spain is also a licensed real estate broker in Illinois and is actively involved in the area of real estate law, both professionally and as a volunteer condominium board member.
Mr. Spain has long been an active volunteer for various not-for-profit organizations. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association and the Academy of Special Needs Planners. The author of several articles on estate planning to benefit a beneficiary with disabilities, including one published in The Practical Lawyer, he is also co-author, with Theresa Varnet, of a manual on Home Control Through Estate and Financial Planning, funded by the Illinois and Missouri Planning Councils on Developmental Disabilities. Married with two adult children, Mr. Spain resides in Chicago. originally admitted to practice law in Ohio, Mr. Spain is currently licensed in both Illinois and Massachusetts..
Theresa M. Varnet
Phone: 312-220-9112 x212
Theresa Varnet has been an advocate for persons with disabilities for over 40 years. In addition to being a certified teacher, a licensed social worker and a graduate of the DePaul University College of Law, she is the parent of a disabled adult daughter. She has served as Social Services Director in a residential school for profoundly retarded children, Coordinator for a Special Education Cooperative and as a Citizen Advocacy/Disability Rights Coordinator. While living in the Sultanate of Oman, she assisted the Omani Ministry of Social Affairs in developing the first preschool program for children with handicapping conditions
Mr. Spain is also a licensed real estate broker in Illinois and is actively involved in the area of real estate law, both professionally and as a volunteer condominium board member.
Ms. Varnet is an active volunteer in the National, State and local chapters of The Arc (formerly known as the Association for Retarded Citizens), Alliance for the Mentally Ill, The Austism Society. She serves on the Board of Directors for Life Stream, Inc. in New Bedford, MA, and is a past member of the Developmental Disabilities Council in MA and KY and of the Governor’s Advisory Panel on Special Education in KY. She received her Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Connecticut. Her experience includes extensive work in the area of in-service training with families, special educators, social workers and other professionals. She is a frequent speaker for volunteer and professional groups and has presented nationally at the National Conferences of TASH, AAIDD, The Arc, NAELA and NADS, among others. She is also the co-author, with Richard Spain, of Home Control Through Estate and Financial Planning, funded by the Illinois and Missouri Planning Councils on Developmental Disabilities. Ms. Varnet has been quoted on numerous occasions in national journals and publications, including Newsweek, The Chicago Tribune, Kiplinger Retirement Report, The New York Times, and the AARP Bulletin and Exceptional Parent magazine.
She is a member of the American Bar Association, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (chairperson of Special Needs Law Section of NAELA) and the Academy of Special Needs Planners. Ms. Varnet is licensed in both Massachusettes and Illinois and divides her time between the Chicago law firm of Spain, Spain & Varnet P.C. and the Massachusetts office of Fletcher, Tilton & Whipple, P.C.
Nancy M. Spain
Phone: 312-220-9112 x209
Richard Spain concentrates his practice in estate planning, probate work, real estate, and corporate representation. A practicing attorney in Cleveland, Ohio for seven years, Mr. Spain returned to his hometown of Chicago in 1982. In addition to being an honors graduate of Lawrence University and a graduate of Case Western Reserve Unversity’s College of Law, Mr. Spain earned a LL.M. degree in taxation at John Marshall Law School in 1985. Due to the firm’s involvement in servicing the needs of persons with disabilities, he is experienced in developing specialized estate plans for the elderly and for families with members who are disabled and has spoken on those topics for many consumer, parent and professional groups, including presentations for the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois CPA Society and the American Bar Association.
Mr. Spain is also a licensed real estate broker in Illinois and is actively involved in the area of real estate law, both professionally and as a volunteer condominium board member.
Mr. Spain has long been an active volunteer for various not-for-profit organizations. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association and the Academy of Special Needs Planners. The author of several articles on estate planning to benefit a beneficiary with disabilities, including one published in The Practical Lawyer, he is also co-author, with Theresa Varnet, of a manual on Home Control Through Estate and Financial Planning, funded by the Illinois and Missouri Planning Councils on Developmental Disabilities. Married with two adult children, Mr. Spain resides in Chicago. originally admitted to practice law in Ohio, Mr. Spain is currently licensed in both Illinois and Massachusetts..
Sheri L. Willard
Phone: 312-220-9112 ext. 211
Sheri Willard joined the firm as an associate in August of 1991 after having clerked for the firm while studying and sitting for the Illinois bar exam. A native of Montana, Ms. Willard moved to Chicago in 1987 to attend law school, graduating from Depaul University School of Law in 1990. She received her BA in History from the University of Montana and served in the Peace Corps as a volunteer in the French-speaking region of Cameroon, Africa.
Concentrating in estate planning, general probate, and guardianship matters, Ms. Willard is single and lives in Chicago.
Jeffrey M. Waller
Phone: 312-220-9112 ext. 248
Jeff joined the firm as an associate in January 2007 after completing his studies at the DePaul University College of Law. At DePaul, he was a member of the Journal of Sports Law and Contemporary Problems. Originally from Oak Harbor, Washington, on Whidbey Island, Jeff moved to the Midwest to attend Washington University in St. Louis where he was an honors graduate with degrees in History and American Culture Studies.
Jeff concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning, general probate and guardianship. He is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, as well as the Association of Special Needs Planners. Jeff currently serves as the Vice Chair of the CBA Probate Practice Committee. In his free time, Jeff plays baseball in the Midwest Suburban League and is an avid sports fan.
Andrew David Bell
Phone: Phone Number, Photo and Info to Come
Kevin P. Mitrick
Phone: 312-220-9112 ext. 212
Kevin Mitrick joined the firm as an associate in 2012 after having clerked for the firm while attending law school. Kevin earned his J.D. from John Marshall Law School and B.A. from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He formerly served as coordinator of the Pro Se Help Desk for Adult Guardianship at the Daley Cetner, law clerk at the Center for Disability and Elder Law and as legal editor and analyst for a multi-national legal technology company.
Kevin concentrates his practice in the areas of real estate, estate planning, general probate and guardianship. Kevin is a life-long resident of the Chicagoland area and is committed to improving the lives of Illinoisans with disabilities. He currently serves as the Legislative Liaison for the CBA Probate Practice Committee and actively volunteers with community and legal organizations that advocate on behalf of individuals with disabilities.
Priscilla Singer
Phone: Phone Number & Photo to Come
Priscilla Singer joined the firm as an associate in June 2014. Priscilla earned her bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in History with a minor in Spanish at Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts. A native of Miami Beach, Florida, Priscilla moved to Chicago to attend Chicago-Kent College of Law, graduating in May 2011. At Chicago-Kent, Priscilla was a CALI Award recipient, member of the Dean’s List from 2009 through 2011, a member of the Chicago-Kent Moot Court Honor Society, a member of the Hispanic-Latino Law Student Association and an associate editor of the Chicago-Kent Journal of International and Comparative Law. Priscilla’s assessment of cultural heritage protection in post-war Iraq was published in the Chicago-Kent Journal of International and Comparative Law in December 2010.
Priscilla concentrates her practice in the areas of real estate, estate planning, general probate and guardianship. A fluent Spanish-speaker, Priscilla uses her language and legal skills to assist Spanish-speaking clients in her practice areas. Priscilla is a member of the Chicago Bar Association where she serves as a Co-Chair of the Diversity Committee and is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association where she is a member of the Young Lawyers Division Council. Priscilla also publishes articles in the ISBA Young Lawyers Newsletter regularly focusing on assisting young attorneys with the beginning stages of their legal career.