The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Elder Law and its co-sponsors welcomed Justice Mariusz Załucki of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Poland to Chicago today for a lecture on the Challenges of Present Will Formalities. Justice Zalucki offered insight on the handling of probate matters in the EU and observations on cases handled in the U.S., with an emphasis on Illinois. The lecture, titled “The Challenges of Present Will Formalities,” was followed by a panel discussion.
Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Anne M. Burke provided the official welcome and Dr. Justyna H. Regan, Esq., Principal at Miller Canfield, offered the introduction.
“We were thrilled to welcome Justice Zalucki to Chicago and thank him for the wonderful presentation,” Chief Justice Burke said. “Chicago and Poland have very close ties and it was great to further that relationship.”
The panel participants were Kerry Peck, Esq., the Chair of the Supreme Court Commission on Elder Law, Cook County Circuit Presiding Judge E. Kenneth Wright of the First Municipal District, Cook County Circuit Presiding Judge Daniel B. Malone of the Probate Division, and Agnes Ptasznik, Esq., of Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. 22nd Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Michael J. Chmiel served as the panel’s Moderator.
Justice Załucki, who is also Head of the Institute of Private Law at Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University Poland, has published and lectured about probate in the EU, with the premise that individuals should be able to transfer property without overbearing formal requirements, so as to provide all with greater access to justice.
The Commission on Elder Law was created earlier this year as a result of the Supreme Court’s interest in studying ways in which state courts can better serve the needs of those in advancing years. The Commission is tasked with evaluating the risks older adults face and propose solutions to the Supreme Court.
The co-sponsors for the event were: Advocates Society, International Network of Boutique and Independent Law Firms, Illinois Judges Association, Illinois State Bar Association, and Chicago Bar Association.
Photo, left to right: 22nd Circuit Judge Michael Chmiel, Cook County Probate Court Presiding Judge Daniel Malone, Dr. Justyna H. Regan, Esq., Principal, Miller Canfield, Polish Supreme Court Justice Mariusz Zalucki, Elder Law Commission Chair Kerry Peck, Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Anne M. Burke, Cook County 1st Municipal District Presiding Judge E. Kenneth Wright, Jr. and Ms. Agnes Ptasznik, Esq., Chuhak & Tecson, P.C.