Clark Hill Attorney Ray J. Koenig – with Assistance from Attorney MacKenzie Hyde – to Teach “Elder Law: Preserving Independence and Dignity” at John Marshall Law School for the Fall 2010 Semester

CHICAGO, IL

– Attorney Ray J. Koenig III, a Member in Clark Hill’s Chicago office, will be teaching a course at John Marshall Law School this fall as an Adjunct Professor. The course, entitled “Elder Law: Preserving Independence and Dignity,” will highlight legal remedies available to attorneys practicing in elder law when the rights of their elderly clients are violated. Topics include discrimination actions, ethical issues in determining the elderly client’s competence and cognitivity, guardianship and conservatorship issues, elder abuse (financial, physical, and psychological), end of life issues, and rights for the aging population in prison and other non-traditional individuals. MacKenzie Hyde, an Associate at Clark Hill, will assist teaching this course.

This course is both relevant and opportune. “Elder law is a fast-growing area of practice, which will only grow larger in the future,” said Koenig. “Savvy students with a passion for service and in pursuit of job satisfaction must give it a close look.”

This topic is of particular interest to Koenig and Hyde, who concentrate their practices in the areas of guardianship, estate and trust litigation, fiduciary litigation, guardianship, estate and trust administration, and estate planning as part of Clark Hill’s Litigation practice group.

Ray J. Koenig III

is a member in Clark Hill’s Litigation Practice Group in its Chicago office. He practices in the areas of probate litigation, trust litigation, fiduciary litigation, elder law, estate planning, and estate administration, with an emphasis on will, trust, guardianship, and advance directive contests and other fiduciary litigation. Koenig has represented individuals, families, financial institutions, medical institutions, and governmental organizations in all areas of his practice. Koenig has extensive trial, appellate and mediation experience in state and federal courts.

Koenig is frequently appointed Guardian Ad Litem and defense counsel by judges in guardianship cases, and has been appointed Special Administrator in probate matters. Koenig has also been appointed Special Assistant Attorney General in numerous matters. While a student at DePaul University College of Law, Koenig was a member of Moot Court and took first place in the all-school Negotiations Competition. More recently, Koenig served on a task force formed by the Commissioner of the City of Chicago Department on Aging to develop and draft legislation to significantly revise the Illinois Elder Abuse and Neglect Act.

MacKenzie Hyde

is an associate attorney in the Litigation Practice Group of Clark Hill’s Chicago office. Hyde concentrates in contested guardianships and estates, as well as fiduciary litigation and estate administration. She represent individuals, medical institutions and financial institutions in all areas of her practice.