In Brief: Essential Programming for Estate Planning Attorneys

The Estate Planning Short Course is May 5th and 6th in Champaign and via live webcast and May 19th and 20th in Chicago. The course includes two full days of practice guidance and networking opportunities for estate planning attorneys. With so many new developments in estate planning to be covered during this program, we're fortunate to hear from Lorraine Cavataio of Sandberg Phoenix & von Gontard P.C. and Stacy Singer of The Northern Trust who are co-chairs of the planning committee for this year's program to learn more about what attendees can expect.

IICLE® is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit based in Springfield, Illinois. We produce a wide range of practice guidance for Illinois attorneys and other legal professionals in all areas of law with the generous contributions of time and expertise from volunteer attorneys, judges, and other legal professionals.

Chapters

• 0:28 Episode Introduction - Estate Planning Short Course 2025
• 1:37 Tell us about your involvement with IICLE.
• 4:59 What have you appreciated about the process of co-chairing this program's planning committee?
• 7:12 What are some features of the EPSC 2025 that stand out for you?
• 10:42 Why do you think estate planning attorneys should make time for the 2025 Estate Planning Short Course?
• 12:21 Wrapping Up - Register Now

Transcript

00:00:00

In IICLE's podcast Cornered Out of Court, we ask attorneys about the questions they get and the responses they give. When non lawyers bring questions on them. These monthly episodes include guest attorneys from different areas of law who help you escape being cornered as you know, staying on top of recent developments is essential to your practice.

00:00:22

That's why sometimes we break the monthly mold and instead present in brief.

00:00:28

The Estate Planning Short Course is May 5th and 6th in Champaign and via live webcast and May 19th and 20th in Chicago. The course includes 2 full days of practice guidance and networking opportunities for estate planning. Attorneys with so many new developments in estate planning to be covered.

00:00:47

During this program, we're fortunate to hear from Lorraine Cavataio of Sandberg, Phoenix and von Gontard and Stacey Singer of the Northern Trust, who are Co-chairs of the planning committee for this year's.

00:01:00

Ram.

00:01:01

I'm Lorraine Cavataio. I am an equity shareholder with Sandberg, Phoenix and von Gontard. I practiced mainly in the O'Fallon Illinois area or southern Illinois, and I run that office for us. Sandberg Phoenix has offices in four states, and I mainly do estate planning.

00:01:21

Western State Administration of Litigation, which is why I have been involved with this particular program for many years.

00:01:29

And I'm Stacey singer. I look at the Northern Trust Company, where I lead our National Trust.

00:01:37

You have both been involved with icle in many different ways over the years. In addition to Co chairing the Estate Planning Short Course planning committee tell us a bit about your history with IICLE and what benefits you've enjoyed from contributing to its mission.

00:01:53

Well, I have been involved with Michael for probably close to 25 or more years.

00:02:00

I don't really want to count more than that, if you don't mind, so I have been a speaker and a author for IICLE over that time frame. As somebody in my fire law firm suggested I get involved, it's a great way to learn the materials and get to know people and meet people that are also in the industry.

00:02:20

So with that, that's how I started and I started going to the estate planning short course, probably my first year out of law school. So that would have been back in 1995 slash 96.

00:02:33

That I started going to the estate planning short course. It was a great way to get more practical experience about how to actually use all these things you learned in law school to do in a state for someone and handle these types of matters.

00:02:47

And it's personal benefits from back in the day sitting there. One it not only helped me professionally to learn the various types of areas.

00:02:56

Of work to become a professional in this, but also I have made friends with a numerous amount of individuals that I have done speeches with, including Stacy who is also on this program with me. We met at lunch.

00:03:13

We both looked at each other and said, would you like dessert? And we've been friends ever since. After that lunch, she's covered different things for me at times when I couldn't make it up to Chicago. And we have been great friends ever since then as well as many other individuals on ICLE.

00:03:31

The key, though, for anybody attending it, from my perspective on the personal level, you also get to see some of the lawyers that you have dealt with over the phone or over e-mail, you actually get to meet them face to face and have a conversation. And sometimes in the world that we're in, it does sometimes bring it all down.

00:03:51

A little bit of a.

00:03:52

Level sometimes when you know someone personally.

00:03:55

You can have more of a conversation and not an argument.

00:03:59

Like Lorraine, I have been attending and speaking at IICLE courses for more years than I'm going to share, but we'll just round to say over 25 I have made so many friends from speaking at IICLE presentations, I've met some people who were those that I looked up to for many years when I was a young associate in private practice.

00:04:21

I've developed wonderful friendships like Lorraine, who has, as she said.

00:04:25

Has been a friend for many many.

00:04:27

It was. It has really been wonderful. I also am honored to sit on the Board of Directors for IICLE right now as the Vice President and that has been a real honor for me. But I will say I I really cut my teeth on speaking at IICLE conferences from smaller ones and I felt like I had arrived.

00:04:48

And I finally was asked to speak at the short course. That was a a big accomplishment for me, so I highly recommend getting involved to anyone who might be interested.

00:04:59

The Planning Committee for the estate Planning Short Course has an important role in guiding the programs focus and delivering an excellent experience to attendees. What have you appreciated about the process of Co chairing this program's planning committee?

00:05:14

Specifically, with the short course I have been as Stacy's already indicated, felt honored when I first got to present at it. And so I've presented through various times in the past.

00:05:27

Now am Co chairing that event along with Stacy, which is an absolute pleasure, not just because it's with Stacy, but it's always a pleasure to also work with ICLE on these programs. So within that, we helped to coordinate what the agenda is, take input from prior attendees.

00:05:47

Also other speakers and put all that information together along with the committee to come up with a particular particular program to offer each year for attendees.

00:05:59

So that's been our role in trying, I think our role now not to maybe steal Stacey Thunder is really trying to get some of the younger individuals to start to step up so they can have that same feeling like Stacy and I did of, Oh my God, I've arrived. I I actually know enough that I can speak to everybody else about it.

00:06:19

This is our second year Co chairing and we've really worked hard to make some changes to freshen up the program and try and make it a little bit different than maybe it was in the.

00:06:28

Past. So we've changed up the 1st morning and it's now a discussion rather than three separate individual speakers. We've added more of a early practice track for people who are just starting to learn the estate planning field and really have tried to.

00:06:49

Session it up to have speakers who've spoken for more years and they can help, like me to maybe step aside so that we can get some new blood. Cause I'm pretty sure everyone's sick to death of hearing my voice at the state planning short course.

00:07:03

So I think that, you know, bringing some new energy and we've also worked on some new locations and things which all of which I think.

00:07:10

Has been great.

00:07:12

The 2025 Estate Planning Short Course has some exciting new features and many great topics on the agenda. What are some features that stand out for you?

00:07:21

A couple of things I would point out. One is that this year we have dual tracks for almost the entire forest. Normally we only had that on Day 2. So we were more restricted.

00:07:30

But now we have 2 tracks for almost the entire course other than the current developments.

00:07:35

And the keynote.

00:07:37

What that means for you is you have a lot of choices, which is fantastic in Chicago, where at a new location is super cool space. That I think is really exciting. And then I'll just add, there's a couple of panels that.

00:07:50

For presentations I.

00:07:52

Personally, really excited about there is one on discovery issues for state planners. That is an ethics credit that I think is.

00:08:02

Going to be.

00:08:02

Fantastic. Because while Lorraine is a pro at litigation, I am a total scaredy cat when it comes to litigation. So this will be super helpful for me.

00:08:12

And the other one that I think sounds really interesting is understanding the psychological dynamics and probate litigation, which is an ethics and a substance abuse credit. So double bonus points there for Illinois lawyers. But also I think is just so interesting for anybody who's been in the.

00:08:29

Practice for a while. You.

00:08:30

Know that psychology has such a huge impact on the litigation, and when people can settle and why they settle and whether they'll settle and all those kinds of things. So I'm I'm super interested to hear.

00:08:40

That one as well.

00:08:42

I think Stacy summed up a lot of it. I would just touch on a few of the things I'm always excited for. The panel of current developments and I like the new format that we have because it's always a way for if you haven't been able to keep up with all the new things come.

00:08:56

Amount or even if you have to get a new spin on the developments that have happened under the law to make sure that you're current with everything that you're doing in your practice, she kind of stole my Thunder because I am big on that one of them. The ethics on the discovery for state planners. Because since I do litigation.

00:09:17

And Stacy said as well, I see often estate planners stubbed their toe on what they provide and they provide things without making sure they're protected.

00:09:28

And that they, perhaps hired council etcetera. So I won't steal the Thunder of whoever's doing that presentation, but I am optimistic that will help all estate planners in general so that we can all continue to practice and develop that professionalism. Unfortunately it's opposite of AI in estate planning.

00:09:49

And that is a bummer, because I'd also be curious to see the AI proceedings as well. But the good news is it's also recorded, so I can always go back and check out the AI after I see the other portion of the ethics.

00:10:03

And I definitely have to say if there was anyone out there of our potential attendees thinking, why would I want to sit through the psychology one that Stacey already mentioned?

00:10:14

I want to tell you I highly suggest you go to it because you will find in many cases you'll be sitting there, particularly when you do the litigation going. Why? Why are we here etcetera. And sometimes hearing some of that stuff about the psychology of prior things helps you to understand and help the clients to.

00:10:34

Work their way through a process to.

00:10:36

Get to the end.

00:10:38

We know it can be difficult to set aside the time for a.

00:10:41

2 day program.

00:10:42

Why do you think estate planning attorney should make time for the 2025 Estate Planning Short Course?

00:10:50

Again, it's the personal connections. When you meet someone, even if you don't already have a case with them, maybe you've heard of them. Maybe you haven't, but just.

00:11:00

Saying hello, et cetera and beating them, you opened doors for other opportunities for me. I'm in southern Illinois. So a lot of my cohorts that are in Chicago, if they have a case down here in Southern Illinois, they may refer it to me or call me about it, something of that nature. But being involved and being there and meeting people.

00:11:23

And particularly if you ever have an opportunity to speak, it helps you to just gain that understanding about the practice and about other people and its marketing. You can get a lot of.

00:11:34

Girls from other individuals, not to mention the friendships. There are many people. Every year I steam the audience just to see if they're there because I got to go over and say hi because I haven't seen them in a year.

00:11:46

I'll be honest, we all pay more attention when we're in the room than we do when we're at our desk and it's at one of our screens and we're not really listening. I'm sure nobody listening to this has ever done that, but I'll just say maybe I have done.

00:11:59

That once or.

00:11:59

Twice you know.

00:12:00

The truth is, there's a lot of great presentations.

00:12:03

Things.

00:12:04

And you owe it.

00:12:04

To yourself, and you need the CLE. We all need the CLE.

00:12:08

So you really.

00:12:09

Owe it to yourself to learn while you're getting it, and to really get the best thinking from some of the best attorneys in Illinois who will be presenting. So I think it's an absolute not to miss program this year.

00:12:21

Thank you, Lorraine and Stacy. Lorraine Cavataio of Sandberg, Phoenix and von Gontard and Stacy singer of the Northern Trust are Co chairs of the Planning committee for the 2025 Estate Planning Short Course.

00:12:34

May 5th and 6th in Champaign and online via live webcast and May 19th and 20th in Chicago. Please visit IICLE.com/EPSC25 to register now.

00:12:50

It's going to be a great.

00:12:51

Program so don't miss.

00:12:52

It.

00:12:54

If you have an idea for a topic you would like to hear.

00:12:56

Discussed on the Ircle podcast. We welcome your suggestions by e-mail. Our address is info@ircle.com.

00:13:07

IICLE is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit based in Springfield, IL. We produce a wide range of practice guidance for Illinois attorneys and other legal professionals in all areas of the law with the generous contributions of time and expertise from attorneys, judges, and other legal professionals. If you are interested in our many authorship and speaking opportunities, please give us a call.

00:13:27

At 217-787-2080 or visit the Contributor Resource Center at IICLE.com/contributors.