Dennis J McNicholas

Practice Areas

  • Asset Preservation Planning
  • Elder Law
  • Real Estate
  • Trust and Estate Administration
  • Wealth Transfer and Estate Planning

Contact

Biography

Dennis J. McNicholas, is a Director in the Trusts & Estates and the Real Estate Departments, focusing his practice principally in the areas of estate planning, probate proceedings, guardianship, real estate and mediation.

Dennis comes to Huck Bouma most recently from the law firm of Dennis J. McNicholas, Ltd. where he had devoted his legal career to Estate Planning, Decedent's Estates, Guardianship Estates, Elder Law, Elder Mediation, Real Estate, Mediation of Family Disputes and other related areas.

As for me personally, I am married to the love of my life, Karin, for 48 years this year. Karin is a licensed clinical social worker for over 40 years and has dedicated her life to counseling her clients. I do tease her when I say that she still has not been able to diagnose me.

We have three adult children and six grandchildren all of whom live within 40 minutes of our home.

After spending the first four years of my career from 1974-1978 working as a lawyer in downtown Chicago, I decided to start my own practice in the Lombard area so as to be more available to my wife and children. I wanted to be a much more integral part of our children's activities as they grew up. I have reaped untold benefits from that decision and the bonding with my children and grandchildren that has resulted. I say that young children and grandchildren are like wet cement in which we make impressions that last their entire lives. I dedicated myself to making those impressions the most positive and beneficial as they could be. I now number our three adult children among my best friends. 

Armed with the love and support of my nuclear family, extended family, friends and clients, I have tried over the course of my professional career to integrate my passion to serve others into my personal life as an attorney. In that regard, I have:

• Served as a member of The Board of Governors at Elmhurst Hospital for 17 years;
• Served as a Board Member and Director of International Services for The Rotary Club of Lombard which I have belonged to for approximately 35-years.
• Served as a past President of The Lombard Area Chamber of Commerce, and The Economic Community Development Committee for the Village of Lombard for over 30-years.
• Served as a member of The Montini Catholic High School Board for over 25 years.
• Been selected as Man of the Year (2001) and Senior Man of the Year (2017) for the Village of Lombard.
• Published a memoir entitled "God Called Collect from Cleveland", in addition to being the subject of an article in the December 6, 2017 DuPage County Daily Herald entitled "Lombard Man Aims to Make the Most of His Days".
• Been contacted by the Honorable Peter J. Roskam in early 2018 and was presented with a Declaration and Recognition of Service which was read into The Federal Congressional Record on February 5, 2018.

Education

  • Notre Dame Law School, Indiana
    • J.D. - 1974
  • St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
    • B.A. - 1969
    • Major: History

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois, 1974
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois, 1974
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 1974
  • U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois, 1974

Professional Associations

  • DuPage County Bar Association
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys

Honors

  • Declaration and Recognition of Service, entered in U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Record, February 5, 2018
  • Village of Lombard, Man of the Year (2001)
  • Village of Lombard, Senior Man of the Year (2017)

Published Works

  • “God Called Collect from Cleveland”, McNicholas (2017)
  • “Lombard Man Aims to Make the Most of His Days”, published in the DuPage County Daily Herald, December 3, 2017
  • “Could He Have a More Adventurous Life?”, published in Guideposts Magazine: Living Longer, Living Better; August 24, 2017
  • “Dennis McNicholas on the Benefits of Taking Chances Later in Life”, Guideposts Magazine: Living Longer, Living Better; September, 2017

Pro-Bono Activities

  • Rotary Club of Lombard, Board Member & Director of International Services
  • Montini Catholic High School, Member, Board of Directors
  • Economic Development Committee, Village of Lombard
  • Elmhurst Hospital, Board of Governors
  • Lombard Area Chamber of Commerce, Past President