Mary Cascino

She serves as Senior Counsel in the Advanced Planning and Family Office Practice Group at Handler Thayer, LLP.  In this capacity, she performs a variety of tasks including drafting, implementation, estate administration, probate services, advanced planning and asset preservation planning.  She has assisted countless executors, trusts, trustees, and agents under powers of attorney and guardians within a range of minimal involvement to total oversight of the administration process.  She has prepared numerous federal and state estate tax returns and gift tax returns when required by state or federal law.

Mrs. Cascino earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science Degree from Loyola University Chicago, her Master of Arts Degree from the University of Chicago, and her Juris Doctorate Degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

She is Chair of the ISBA Trusts & Estates Section Council, and Co-Chair of its Continuing Legal Education and Ethics committees.  She is also a member of the Chicago Bar Association Trust Law Committee and Probate Committee.  In addition, she has worked on various ad hoc ISBA and CBA committees with regards to proposed legislation.

Mrs. Cascino frequently speaks to professional and community organizations to educate attorneys and others in various estate planning techniques and trust and estate administration.  Speaking topics include advance directives; estate planning for modest and complex estates; IRA beneficiary designations as part of estate planning; charitable trusts; revocable and irrevocable trusts; fiduciary responsibilities; and ethical considerations in estate planning, transition periods and trust and estate administration.

She is the author of the Chapter on Advance Directives in the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education publication, Estate Planning for Illinois Attorneys: The Basics and Beyond, as well as articles on a variety of subjects in the ISBA Trusts & Estates Section Council Newsletter.