Darcy J. Chamberlin, Attorney at Law

Ms. Chamberlin has been a licensed attorney for over 30 years. She is admitted to practice in the State of Illinois and the federal bar. Ms. Chamberlin is a graduate of Indiana University, where she received a B.A. in 1976 and a J.D. in 1979. She lives in the Western Suburbs with her husband and two children.

Ms. Chamberlin has been given the highest rating possible, AV Preeminent, 5.0 out of 5.0 from the respected Martindale-Hubble peer review guide, in recognition of her highly regarded legal skills and professional ethics.

Ms. Chamberlin is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).  ACTEC is a nonprofit association of more than 2,600 trust and estate lawyers who practice throughout the United States, Canada, and the world.  Membership in ACTEC is by election of the Regents of the College.  Candidates for election as an ACTEC Fellow must meet rigorous eligibility critera in the active practice of probate, trust law and estate planning.

She has been named a “Leading Illinois Attorney” by the Leading Attorney Network, an organization that asks Illinois attorneys to name experts in their area of practice.

Ms. Chamberlin is a member of the Special Needs Alliance and a current member and former Treasurer of the Illinois Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). She recently completed seven years as a member on the Board of Directors of Community Support Services, Inc., a non-profit organization located in the Western Suburbs serving people with developmental disabilities and their families.

Ms. Chamberlin has made many presentations in the firm’s areas of practice. She also has published articles that serve as authoritative references.

Presentations, Publications, and Interviews

Ms. Chamberlin has made many presentations to attorneys, bar associations, and other groups. Selected presentations are listed below.

• “Personal Injury Settlements: Qualified Settlement Funds and Medicare Set Asides”
  IICLE Special Needs Trust Seminar
  Springfield, IL — August 26, 2011
• “Personal Injury Settlements: Qualified Settlement Funds and Medicare Set Asides”
  IICLE Special Needs Trust Seminar
  Chicago, IL — August 4, 2011
• “Irrevocable Trusts and Long Term Care Planning”
  IICLE Elements of Elder Law Conference
  Springfield, IL — June 24, 2011
• “Irrevocable Trusts and Long Term Care Planning”
  IICLE Elements of Elder Law Conference
  Chicago, IL — June 10, 2011
• “The Role of  the Special Needs Attorney in Personal Injury Cases”
  IICLE Special Needs Trust Seminar
  Springfield, IL — June 11, 2010
• “The Role of the Special Needs Attorney in Personal Injury Cases”
  IICLE Special Needs Trust Seminar
  Chicago, IL — June 3, 2010
• “Special Needs Trust Planning for the Future”
  Jewish Child & Family Services
  Skokie, IL – May 11, 2010
• “Special Needs Trust Planning and Divorcing Parents”
  Collaborative Law Institute
  Arlington Heights, IL — March 23, 2010
• “Legal Issues When Your Special Needs Child Turns 18″
  Owen Ellementary School District 204
  Naperville, IL — January 27, 2010
• “Special Needs Legal Issues Panelist”
  Linkages Resource Fair
  Chicago, IL — October 21, 2009
• “Legal Issues When Caring for an Older Adult”
  Kraft Foods, Inc.
  Northfield, Il — October 1, 2009
• “Drafting Third party and OBRA Special Needs Trusts”
  IICLE Special Needs Trust Seminar
  Springfield, IL — June 19, 2009
• “Drafting Third Party and OBRA Special Needs Trusts”
  IICLE Special Needs Trust Seminar
  Chicago, IL — June 5, 2009
• “Special Needs Trust Planning”
  SEASPAR
  Downers Grove, IL — May 2009
• “Special Needs Trust Planning and Divorcing Parents”
  Collaborative Law Institute
  Oak Brook, IL — May 21, 2009
• “Basics of Special Needs Trusts”
  Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Elder Law Conference
  Northbook, Illinois — December 9, 2008
• “Client Perspectives on Charitable Giving”
  Chicago Plan Giving Council
  Chicago, Illinois — September 14, 2008
• “Asset Protection and Medical Expenses”
  Have a Heart Foundation Support Meeting
  Oak Brook Terrace, Illinois — August 19, 2008
• “Drafting Special Needs Trusts”
  Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Special Needs Trust Conference
  Springfield, Illinois — March 6, 2008
  Chicago, Illinois — March 13, 2008
• “Types of Special Needs Trusts”Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Special Needs Trust Conference
  Chicago, Illinois — March 13, 2008
• “Medicaid Planning Two Years after the Deficit Reduction Act”Du Page County Estate Planning Council
  Oak Brook, Illinois — February 12, 2008
• “Spousal Renunciations”Chicago Bar Association, Trust Law
  Chicago, Illinois — January 14, 2008
• “Elder Law Short Course”Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education
  Naperville, Illinois — November 29 and 30, 2007
• “Types of Special Needs Trusts and How They Differ”Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education
  Chicago, Illinois — April 5, 2007
  Springfield, Illinois — April 11, 2007
• “Drafting Special Needs Trusts”Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education
  Chicago, Illinois — April 5, 2007
  Springfield, Illinois — April 11, 2007
• “Beneficiary Designations on Non-Qualified Annuities”Chicago Bar Association Trust Law Committee
  Chicago, Illinois — February 12, 2007
• “Estate Planning Options for Persons with Disabilities and their Families”Trinity Services, Inc.
  Joliet, Illinois — September 14, 2006
• “Deficit Reduction Act and Medicaid”Illinois CPA Society
  Chicago, Illinois — July 25, 2006
  Skokie, Illinois — June 14, 2006
• “Elder Law Update “Deficit Reduction Act and OBRA SNTs”Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education
  Chicago, Illinois — June 7, 2006Springfield, Illinois — June 2, 2006
• “Special Needs Trusts”Du Page Home Ownership Center
  Affordable Housing Breakfast
  Wheaton, Illinois — May 11, 2006
• “Starting Points: Drafting Basic Wills and Trusts, Moderator”Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education
  Chicago, Illinois — February 24, 2006

Publications

Ms. Chamberlin is a recognized expert in the estate planning field. Several publications are listed below.

• Chapter, “Tax Issues for Special Needs Trusts”Special Needs Trust Handbook
  Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education
  2008
• “Checklist 10-18. Estate Planning for Parents of a Disabled Child”Legal Checklists
  Thompson West Publications
  2004
• “Estate Planning for Families with Disabled Children”Illinois Bar Journal
  1987
• “Guardianships of Disabled Adults”Illinois Bar Journal
  1985

Interviews

• “Safe Storage of Will, Other Documents Vital”Special Section: Planning Ahead. An Estate and Funeral Guide.
  Chicago Tribune
  April 14, 2004
• “Preserving Nursing Home Residents’ Assets is Harder Than Ever”Illinois Bar Journal
  March 2004
• “Elder Law: Will is Just One of Several Necessary Documents”Chicago Tribune
  March 20, 2002