Managing Partner
Colleen L. Sahlas
Colleen L. Sahlas
Attorney At Law
Attorney Colleen L. Sahlas is the managing partner of The Law Offices of Hoy & Sahlas, LLC. She joined her father’s firm in 2000, and became a partner in 2006.
For almost 24 years, she has focused her legal practice in estate planning, business, real estate, and decedents’ estates.
She is the primary author of the much-anticipated Illinois State Bar Association probate manual for lawyers, "Practical Probate: An Illinois Probate Manual for the 99%." This practice-ready, essential guide for Illinois lawyers is set for publication in mid-2024. In it, she guides new lawyers with her nearly 25 years of experience in handling numerous, complex probate and decedent’s estates.
For many, probate and decedent's estates administration can be confusing and daunting. Mrs. Sahlas aims to compassionately guide her clients through the legal maze during their time of grief and loss.
Mrs. Sahlas is the Incoming Chair of the Trusts and Estates Section Council of the Illinois State Bar Association, which is influential in proposing changes to State legislation, and educates Illinois attorneys through its newsletter and continuing legal education courses. She received a 5 Year Service Award in 2022 as the former Managing Editor of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Trusts and Estates Newsletter.
Mrs. Sahlas also served on a 6-member Legislative Committee with the Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association which successfully amended the Illinois Residential Real Property Disclosure Act and was signed into law in May, 2022.
From 2020-2022, she served on the Board of Directors of the DuPage County Estate Planning Council and has been a member since 2016.
An author and speaker, Mrs. Sahlas has presented webinars with the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) and with the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA). She has authored materials for the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) including Attorney Fee Service Agreements with IICLE's Formulaw Library. She has been published in the American Bar Association’s Probate & Property Magazine, and had numerous articles published in the Illinois State Bar Association’s Trusts and Estates Newsletter and the Illinois State Bar Association’s Real Property Newsletter.
The July, 2014 Illinois Bar Journal (IBJ) awarded her with the “Best of ISBA Newsletters,” for her article article entitled, “6 Strategies to Better Represent Sellers of Real Estate,” which was chosen from nearly 40 different newsletters that produce over 200 articles annually. The article advised all Illinois real estate attorneys to “see Sahlas’ article for more great seller’s-attorney tips.”
Mrs. Sahlas has a passion for practicing law and enjoys getting to know her clients. She strives to meet their legal needs. She serves a wide variety of clients, from young to elderly, and from singles to married couples with or without children, and blended families. Having a heart for serving single, widowed and divorced women, she knows that a woman attorney can best address a woman's unique estate planning needs. To learn more, read the "Spotlight" article of the Oct., 2020 issue of the Illinois State Bar Association's Trusts & Estates Newsletter.
Mrs. Sahlas grew up in Oak Park, IL. She received her Juris Doctor degree from the John Marshall Law School (n/k/a University of Illinois at Chicago Law School) in 2000, and passed the bar exam immediately thereafter. In 1993, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. During law school, she clerked for a private insurance defense firm in Chicago’s loop and interned for 1 1/2 years with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office prosecuting as a Section 711 student attorney in several trials, prevailing in all.
A classically trained Mezzo-Soprano, she is a former member/soloist of the professional Chicago Choral Artists and the historic Apollo Chorus of Chicago. Her husband, Nicko, is a former professional chef, and together they enjoy traveling and exploring cuisines. In her free time, Mrs. Sahlas enjoys learning German, Greek, and French; and walking with her Brittany Spaniel.
Education
May. 1993
Bachelor of Arts, May, 1993, from Bethel University, (f/k/a Bethel College) St. Paul, Minnesota
May, 2000
Juris Doctor, May, 2000, from The John Marshall Law School, (n/k/a University of Illinois at Chicago Law School, Chicago, Illinois
Leadership, Awards & Distinctions
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5-Year Service Award in 2022 for her services from 2016-2022 as Former Managing Editor, Illinois State Bar Association’s Trusts & Estates Section Newsletter
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IRELA Legislative Committee member having successfully amended the Residential Real Property Disclosure Act
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Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) presenter and author
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Member of the Board of Directors from 2020-2022 and member since 2016 of the DuPage County Estate Planning Council
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Featured in the "Spotlight" article of the Oct., 2020 issue of the Illinois State Bar Association's Trusts & Estates Newsletter.
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July, 2014: Awarded “Best of ISBA Newsletters” for her June, 2014 article, which was chosen from nearly 40 different ISBA newsletters that produce over 200 articles each year. She was featured in the July, 2014 Illinois Bar Journal article, “Best of ISBA Newsletters” which encouraged all Illinois attorneys to “see Sahlas’ article for more great seller’s-attorney tips.”
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Assisted in a Probate Matter which donated $3 million to Charity
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Awarded “Champion Poster” in 2004 for “sharing her skills, experience and legal knowledge” on the ISBA Listserv.
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Served on the John Marshall Law School student Moot Court Board
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Awarded 2nd place in the National Lawyers Association student legal writing competition
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Awarded 3rd Best Brief in the Dean Fred F. Herzog Moot Court Competition, the John Marshall Law School
Publications
- March, 2023, "Cash Deals: How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways," in the Illinois State Bar Association's Real Property Newsletter
- October, 2021, authored Residential Real Estate Attorney Fee Service Agreements for Sales and Purchases with the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education - Formulaw Library
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September, 2021, authored nearly 40 pages of materials for the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) Residential Real Estate 2021 webinar, including attorney engagement letters, contract review letters, checklists, and “The Multi-Board 7.0 Contract Highlights & Tips.”
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June, 2020, “Case Management Lessons from ’The Art of War,” - Part 3,” co-authored by Timothy S. Midura and Colleen L. Sahlas;
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April, 2020, “Case Management Lessons from ’The Art of War,” - Part 2,”co-authored by Timothy S. Midura and Colleen L. Sahlas;
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January, 2020: “Case Management Lessons from ’The Art of War’ - Part 1: Introduction,” co-authored by Timothy S. Midura and Colleen L. Sahlas;
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July/August 2019: “Avoiding Liabilities When Working Alongside Real Estate Agents,” in the American Bar Association’s Probate & Property Magazine;
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July, 2019: “Grantor Trust Administration in Illinois: a Primer, Part 3,” in the Illinois State Bar Association’s Trusts & Estates Newsletter
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June, 2019: “Grantor Trust Administration in Illinois: a Primer,, Part 2” in the Illinois State Bar Association’s Trusts & Estates Newsletter
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May, 2019: “Grantor Trust Administration in Illinois: a Primer,, Part 1” in the Illinois State Bar Association’s Trusts & Estates Newsletter
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May, 2019: “Drafting a FSBO residential real estate contract: Questionnaire for your Clients,” in the ISBA’s Real Property Newsletter
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August, 2018: “A Better Strategy: Reduce the Contract Purchase Price in Lieu of Credits to Buyers” in the ISBA’s Real Property Newsletter
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July, 2017: “Keep Litigious Proclivities Out of Real Estate Transactions,” in the ISBA’s Real Property Newsletter
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June, 2017: “Include Trustee’s Acceptance Language in an Instrument Conveying Real Property out of a Land Trust into a Living Trust,” in the ISBA’s Trusts & Estates Newsletter
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May, 2017: “Avoiding Liabilities When Working Alongside Real Estate Agents,” in the ISBA’s Real Property Newsletter
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Aug., 2016: “What NOT to include in Your Attorney Modification Letters,” in the ISBA’s Real Property Newsletter
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March, 2016 : “A Baker’s Dozen Considerations before Probating Small or Insolvent Decedents’ Estates,” in the ISBA’s Trusts & Estates Newsletter
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Sept. 2015: ”Become More Efficient by using a Probate Checklist,” in the ISBA’s Trusts & Estates Newsletter
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June, 2014: “6 Strategies to Better Represent Sellers of Real Estate,” in the ISBA’s Real Property Newsletter
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April, 2011: “Five Reasons to Collect a Retainer up Front in Lieu of Getting Paid at the Closing,” in the ISBA’s Real Property Newsletter
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June, 2011: Quoted in the Illinois Bar Journal’s cover story, “How to Be a Good Closer,” regarding her real estate expertise.
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Aug., 2006, Quoted in the Illinois Bar Journal article, “Beyond ’Deed and Green’: . . . ,” regarding the attorney’s role real estate deals.
Cases Resolved by Attorney Sahlas
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Elderly, Swedish Sisters Leave Millions to 33 Cousins
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Family Home Saved Just Days Before its Permanent Loss to a Property Tax Sale
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Hoarder's estate
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Estate Leaving a Trip to Scotland for Golf Buddies
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House Remodeler Owning Real Estate in Multiple States Dies Without a Will
Memberships
