Hamilton Thies Lorch & Hagnell, LLP

People

Our four partners and four associates have more than 100 years of combined experience in estate planning, business succession planning, estate and trust administration and related services. We have worked together in various combinations for over 18 years, and we enhanced our ability to provide responsive, expert and individualized service by establishing Hamilton Thies Lorch & Hagnell LLP in 2005. Our attorneys are supported by well-trained and experienced paralegals and administrative personnel. We take pride in building long-lasting relationships with our clients, based on integrity and trust.

Robert E. Hamilton, Partner
312.650.8625 • REHamilton@htlhlaw.com

Robert E. Hamilton concentrates his practice in estate planning, business succession planning and wealth preservation. His practice also involves matters pertaining to real estate and corporate transactions, including planning for the closely held business enterprise in the context of the larger estate, and trust and estate litigation. He was a partner in the estate planning group of Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon, LLP, a Chicago firm where he worked for more than 25 years.

In 2006 Bob was named one of the top 100 Illinois "Super Lawyers" by Law & Politics and the publishers of Chicago Magazine. He also was named one of the "Leading Illinois Attorneys" by the American Research Corporation in 1997. Bob received his J.D. in 1975 from the Georgetown University Law Center and his bachelor's degree, cum laude, in 1972 from the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Bob is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and past chair of the estate and gift tax division of the Federal Tax Committee for the Chicago Bar Association. He taught estate and gift tax planning at the DePaul University School of Law from 1992 to 1997. He has lectured frequently for the Chicago Bar Association, the National Business Institute, the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education ("IICLE") and the Chicago Estate Planning Council, and he has written extensively about estate and tax planning. Bob was a director of IICLE for many years and served as Chairman of the Board of Directors in 2003-2004.

Richard B. Thies, Partner
312.650.8620 • RBThies@htlhlaw.com

Richard B. Thies concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning, business succession planning, probate and trust administration. He has represented many Chicago financial institutions with respect to complex estate and trust administration issues, and he has worked extensively with individuals and closely held businesses. Formerly he served as chairman of the estate planning, probate and family law practice of Chicago law firm Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon, LLP and previously as head of that practice at Isham, Lincoln & Beale, a Chicago law firm. Rick is a member of the Chicago Estate Planning Council and the real property, probate and trust law section of the American Bar Association. He frequently lectures about professional and educational matters to attorneys and other groups in the financial planning profession. He received his J.D., cum laude, from Loyola University in Chicago in 1974 and his bachelor's degree from Miami University of Ohio.

Kenneth F. Lorch, Partner
312.650.8640 / 312.953.2927 cell • KFLorch@htlhlaw.com

Kenneth F. Lorch concentrates his practice in business and financial planning, estate administration and estate litigation. He previously was a partner in the estate planning group of Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon, LLP.

Ken speaks frequently about topics relative to business succession planning and received the Chicago Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division's David C. Hilliard Award for outstanding service to the legal profession and community. He has served on the boards of the Anti-Defamation League, the American Society of the Technion, the Council for Jewish Elderly and the Chicago Council on Planned Giving. In 2005 and 2006, Law & Politics and Chicago Magazine named Ken one of Illinois' "Super Lawyers" in the area of Trusts and Estates. He is a member of the professional advisory committees of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Ken is an active member of the Chicago Bar Association, serving on the Probate Practice Committee Rules and Forms Committee and its Trust Law Committee. He also belongs to the Chicago Estate Planning Council.

Ken received his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School in 1976 and his bachelor's degree from Washington University in 1973. He was admitted as an Illinois Certified Public Accountant in 1978.

Karen A. Hagnell, Partner
312.650.8660 • KAHagnell@htlhlaw.com

Karen A. Hagnell represents individuals, families, family-owned businesses, not-for-profit organizations and banks with respect to various aspects of estate planning, estate and gift taxes, business succession planning, post-mortem planning, probate, trust administration, premarital agreements, guardianships, and trust and estate litigation. She formerly was a partner with Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon, LLP and practiced previously with Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, LLP and with Winter & Melbinger. Karen is a member of the Chicago Estate Planning Council, the Illinois Bar Association and the Probate Practice and Trust Law Committees of the Chicago Bar Association.

Karen received her J.D., magna cum laude, in 1992 from the Notre Dame Law School, where she served as Executive Editor of the Notre Dame Law Review. She received her bachelor's degree, cum laude in 1987 from the University of Notre Dame. She became licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in Illinois and Pennsylvania in 1992, and was an auditor for Price Waterhouse before going to law school.

Karen is a trustee of Northlight Theatre in Skokie, Illinois.

Afton L. Gauron, Associate
312.650.8668 • ALGauron@htlhlaw.com

Afton L. Gauron concentrates her practice in estate planning, probate and family law. She advises clients in many areas of estate, probate and family law, including wealth management, tax panning, charitable planning, trust administration, probate, guardianship, contested estate and trust litigation, educational savings techniques, transactional and real estate matters, premarital agreements and family law matters.

Afton is a member of the American Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association and the Chicago Estate Planning Council. She received her J.D., cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2002 and her bachelor's degree from Gonzaga University in 1994.

Mathew S. Miller, Associate
312.650.8634 • MSMiller@htlhlaw.com

Matthew S. Miller advises individuals and closely held business owners about estate planning, tax planning and business succession issues. He works closely with fiduciaries, beneficiaries and heirs regarding probate, trust and estate administration matters. In addition, Matt counsels individuals concerning planning for Medicaid qualification and caring for family members with special needs.

Matt received his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law in 2003 and his bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2000. He is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Lori A. Morlock, Associate
312.650.8636 • LAMorlock@htlhlaw.com

Lori A. Morlock focuses her practice on estate planning, probate, estate administration, and guardianship matters. She also works closely with clients to ensure that their charitable giving and educational savings objectives are realized.

Lori worked at Wildman, Harrold, Allen and Dixon until she joined our firm shortly after we began our practice. Lori received her J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 2004 and her bachelor's degree, summa cum laude, from Dartmouth College in 2000.

Ryan Walsh, Associate
312.650.8635 • R-Walsh@htlhlaw.com

Ryan Walsh has recently joined the firm after graduation from law school in May, 2006. During law school, Ryan took every available course relating to estate planning and now advises our clients regarding estate and business planning issues.

Ryan received his J.D., magna cum laude from Loyola University in Chicago and his bachelor degree from Notre Dame in 1997. Prior to enrolling in law school, Ryan was involved in business and his experience is helpful to our firm's clients.

Joyce Raz, Paralegal
312.650.8633 • JARaz@htlhlaw.com

Joyce Raz has focused her professional career in all facets of trust and estate administration. Joyce began her career as an accountant and became an estate planning and probate paralegal with Holleb & Coff in 1994. She joined Wildman Harrold Allen & Dixon when Ken Lorch joined the estate planning group at that firm. Joyce joined Hamilton Thies Lorch & Hagnell when the firm began its practice in 2005.

Joyce has had extensive experience in matters relating to the administration of estates, including the preparation of Federal Estate and gift tax returns and fiduciary income tax returns, preparation of court documents related to estate and trust administration, including accountings for court and client presentation. Joyce has studied extensively through Continuing Legal Education courses and her background in accounting is extremely valuable to the firm's clients.

Melissa Patti, Paralegal
312.650.8632 • MDPatti@htlhlaw.com

Melissa Patti focuses her professional career in corporate and real estate law. She has worked at Winston & Strawn, LLP and First Health Group Corporation. In 1999, Melissa joined Wildman Harrold Allen & Dixon, LLP as its primary corporate paralegal. Melissa's extensive experience in corporate transactions includes assistance with mergers and acquisitions, secured lending and maintenance of corporations, limited liability companies and limited partnerships.

Melissa graduated from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale with a Bachelor's Degree in paralegal studies. Melissa's expertise in corporate transactions adds substantially to the firm's ability to provide high quality service to those clients for whom closely held entities are an integral part of this estate planning and business planning.