Practice Areas:

• Estate Planning
• Business Law
• Employment Law
  

Mr. Sawdey is a member of the firm’s estate planning and business practice groups.  He represents individuals and families in the planning and implementing of estate plans utilizing wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and powers of attorney for property and health care.  He also assists clients with beneficiary designations for IRAs and other retirement assets, and life insurance.

Mr. Sawdey’s business practice includes representing business owners and entrepreneurs in the organization of new business enterprises, including limited liability companies, corporations, and general and limited partnerships.  His services also include advising on the choice of business entity and implementing the client’s objectives by comparing articles of organization or incorporation, operating agreements, by-laws, shareholder buy-sell agreements and related documentation.  His business practice also includes review or preparation of employment agreements, severance agreements, stock option agreements, non-disclosure agreements, non-solicitation agreements, and non-circumvention agreements, as well as a wide variety of agreements and contracts for business transactions.  

His practice also includes tax-exempt organizations, including the formation and structuring of not-for-profit corporations and the related preparation and filing of applications for recognition of tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service.

Prior to joining the firm, he was Vice President and Corporate Secretary of R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company and a Director of Lakeside Bank.

Education:

• University of Michigan (JD, cum laude)
• Michigan State University (BS, cum laude)

Admissions:

• Illinois

Professional Activities:

• Member, Chicago Bar Association (Trust Law and Corporate Law Committees)
• Member, Illinois State Bar Association
• Member, American Bar Association (Section of Business Law)
• Member, Chicago Estate Planning Counsel
• Member, Greater North Shore Estate & Financial Planning Council

Civic Activities:

• Board of Directors, Protestants for the Common Good, Chicago, Illinois
• Board of Directors and Secretary, Ministry Mentors, Glenview, Illinois
• Former member of Board of Directors and Corporate Secretary of The Arlington Institute, Arlington, Virginia
• Former member of Board of Directors and President of Samaritan Counseling Center, Winnetka, Illinois
• Volunteer, Cabrini Green Legal Aid Clinic, Chicago, Illinois

Presentations:

• Use of Entities in Estate Planning, Charitable Planning Workshop for Estate Planning Professionals, Chicago Botanic Garden, November 8, 2006
  
• Frequent lecturer on estate planning in the continuing education program of Triton College