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Managing Partner
Colleen L. Sahlas

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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 25 years, she has focused her legal practice in estate planning, decedents’ estates, business, and real estate. Mrs. Sahlas has a passion for practicing law and enjoys getting to know her clients. ​​​Probate and trust administration can be confusing and daunting.  Mrs. Sahlas aims to compassionately guide her clients during their grief and loss. 

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Mrs. Sahlas is the winner of the 2025 IICLE Outstanding Achievement in Estate Planning Award. This annual award  celebrates and acknowledges the exceptional contributions and distinguished accomplishments of Illinois attorneys who exemplify professionalism, innovation, and dedication in the field of estate planning and serves as a symbol of the profound impact the recipient has had on safeguarding and preserving the legacies of individuals, families, and communities.

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She is the General Editor and primary author of, "Practical Probate: 2025 Edition," which is a manual for lawyers handling Illinois decedents’ estates. It was recently published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education.  It features 14 co-authors and a Foreword by Cook County Presiding Probate Judge Daniel B. Malone.

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​​​From 2024-25, Mrs. Sahlas was the Chair of the Trusts and Estates Section Council of the Illinois State Bar Association.  She was recognized in the June, 2025 Illinois Bar Journal article, "Probate Pitfalls," which praised her achievements as Chair and as a co-presenter of a highly attended ISBA webinar on Probate Pitfalls. As Chair, she commissioned her council to amend the Illinois small estate affidavit. She assisted in the legislative drafting and was influential in its passage into law.  Public Act 104-0346 became law on August 15, 2025. For a decedent dying on or after that date, the amendment raised the threshold for use of a small estate affidavit (in lieu of probate) for an estate's total personal property from $100,000 to $150,000 (decoupling automobiles from the calculation), and in addition, allows all motor vehicles to avoid probate.​​

Mrs. Sahlas served on the ISBA Standing Committee on Legislation from 2024-2025, and 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.

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In 2022, Mrs. Sahlas received a 5 Year Service Award for her services as the former Managing Editor of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Trusts and Estates Newsletter.

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From 2020-2022, she served on the Board of Directors of the DuPage County Estate Planning Council and has been a member since 2016. 

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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.

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​​​​​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.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota.

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A classically trained Mezzo-Soprano, she is a former member/soloist of Chicago Choral Artists and the historic Apollo Chorus of Chicago.  Mrs. Sahlas has completed Berlitz language courses and is at an intermediate language level in German, Greek, and French. She and her husband, Nicko, a former professional chef, celebrated 25 years of marriage in 2025.

Education

May, 1993

Bethel University

Bachelor of Arts, May, 1993, from Bethel University, (f/k/a Bethel College) St. Paul, Minnesota

May, 2000

The John Marshall Law School

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

  • Winner of the 2025 IICLE Outstanding Achievement in Estate Planning Award. This annual award  celebrates and acknowledges the exceptional contributions and distinguished accomplishments of Illinois attorneys who exemplify professionalism, innovation, and dedication in the field of estate planning and serves as a symbol of the profound impact the recipient has had on safeguarding and preserving the legacies of individuals, families, and communities.

  • Spotlight Author in the October, 2025 Edition of "Flashpoints" by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education 

  • Former Chair of the Illinois State Bar Association Trusts & Estates Section Council, 2024-25

  • In June, 2025, the Illinois Bar Journal cover article, "Probate Pitfalls," featured and quoted Mrs. Sahlas, recognizing her efforts and achievements as Chair, from starting the Lawyers New to Trusts & Estates Subcommittee which implemented a mentoring Q & A monthly Zoom, to "back to basics" programs and articles to attract new and younger members. It also featured an in-depth look at her co-presentation of an ISBA webinar, "Probate Pitfalls" which had 168 attendees.

  • 5 Year Service Award as the Managing Editor of the ISBA Trusts & Estates Section Newsletter, 2022

  • Initiated the effort to amend, and was influential in drafting the amendment to the Small Estate Affdavit which was signed into law on August 15, 2025 as Public Act 104-0346

  • Founder of "Lawyers New to Trusts & Estates Subcommittee" of the ISBA Trusts & Estates Section Council

  • Served on the ISBA Standing Committee on Legislation from 2024-2025

  • Influential in drafting, along with a committee of the Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association, the amendment to the Illinois Residential Real Property Disclosure Act signed into law in May, 2022. 

  • Founder of a women's professional networking group, EPIC Women (Estate Planners of Illinois Connecting Women), 2022

  • Board of Directors, 2020-2022 of the DuPage County Estate Planning Council 

  • The July, 2014 Illinois Bar Journal (IBJ) awarded her with the “Best of ISBA Newsletters,” for her article, “6 Strategies to Better Represent Sellers of Real Estate,” which was chosen from nearly 40 different newsletters that produce over 200 articles annually.  

  • Co-Chair of the Cook County Probate Subcommittee of the ISBA Trusts & Estates Section Council, 2023-present

  • Awarded “Champion Poster” in 2004 for “sharing her skills, experience and legal knowledge” on the ISBA Listserv.

  • Served on the John Marshall Law School student Moot Court Board

  • Awarded 2nd place in the National Lawyers Association student legal writing competition

  • Awarded 3rd Best Brief in the Dean Fred F. Herzog Moot Court Competition, the John Marshall Law School 

Publications

Speaking Engagements

Upcoming:

  • January, 2026 - Chicago Title - The Intersection of Probate & Real Estate - Handling Real Estate in Decedent's Estates 

  • January, 2026 - Probate Pitfalls 2.0 - Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA)

  • February, 2026 - IICLE half day webinar: BEFORE OPENING PROBATE: CRITICAL STEPS; What you do Before Opening Probate is as Important as After -  Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education 

  • March, 2026 - IICLE half day webinar - STEPS IN OPENING PROBATE, DEALING WITH CREDITORS, AND CLOSING PROBATE

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Past:

  • Regular Panelist for Illinois State Bar Association's monthly Zoom Meetings for Lawyers New to Trusts & Estates

  • November, 2025, The Intersection of Probate & Real Estate - Handling Real Estate in Decedent's Estates - Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association - 372 attorneys in attendance

  • May, 2025 - Probate Myths & Mishaps - Kane County Bar Association

  • March, 2025 - Probate Pitfalls, ISBA

  • February, 2024 - Real Estate Titles from the Estate Planning Perspective: Best Practices and Avoiding Pitfalls - IICLE 

  • June 22, 2022, Navigating the Estate Planning Client Through Common Myths and Competing Voices - DuPage County Bar Association

  • April, 2022, Wills 101- ISBA Elder Law Bootcamp

  • September, 2021 Panelist for the IICLE Fall Residential Real Estate Program

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