Practice Areas: Elder law, Estate planning & probate, Estate & trust litigation; view more
Licensed in Illinois since: 1999
Education: Lewis & Clark Law School
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2014 - 2023 Details
When Amy J. Delaney founded DDV Law, Ltd. she did so on the principle of putting her clients first. She has worked hard to improve the quality of life for the elderly and people with disabilities in the Chicago Metro area. To accomplish this, she primarily handles cases in Medicaid, contested probates. elder law, guardianship and nursing homes, with a keen eye to protecting the most vulnerable.
Ms. Delaney completed both her B.A. and M.A. at the University of Illinois. During this time, she developed a strong interest in law and completed her J.D. at the Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. To add to this, the National Elder Law Foundation certified her as an elder law attorney. She has been licensed to practice in Illinois since 1999. She has been also admitted to practice in Indiana, Oregon, Washington, the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. District Court.
When it comes to protecting the rights of society's most vulnerable, Ms. Delaney pursues every path imaginable to achieve her goal. She works closely with seniors and their adult children to plan ahead. Her work also includes taking on cases of abuse and doing everything she can to hold the right people accountable.
For Ms. Delaney, the work doesn't end when she leaves the office. As a professor of law, she teaches classes on elder law and special needs planning at John Marshall Law School. She has also assisted in drafting laws to protect the rights of seniors and people living with disabilities. Her husband, Michael Delaney, is a partner at the firm, and she is also the mother of two adult children, Madi and Drew.
Practice areas
Elder law, Estate planning & probate, Estate & trust litigationFocus areas
Estate planning, Guardianships & conservatorships, Probate & estate administration, Will contests
First Admitted: 1998, Oregon
Professional Webpage: https://ddvlawyers.com/team/amy-delaney/
- Outstanding Chapter Member, Illinois Chapter, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, 2010
- AV Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
- Highest Rating, Avvo
- Recipient, Super Lawyer
- Appeared, PBS to comment on the Constitutionality of the use cameras in nursing homes to monitor care
- Quoted, Daily Southtown
- Council of Advanced Practitioners, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, 2017
- Leading Lawyer, Leading Lawyers Network, 2013
- Quoted, Chicago Tribune
- 2010: NAELA, Illinois - Outstanding Chapter Member
- In Illinois, there were several recent attempts to adopt the Uniform Trust Code (“UTC”). In 2015, the legislature introduced House Bill 6312, but the bill became stuck in committee. During the last session, legislators again filed House Bill 2526; however, the bill did not ever leave the committee. The adoption of the UTC has occurred in thirty-two (32) jurisdictions to date. Some of the greatest opposition to the adoption of the UTC has been from special needs advocates. Many attorneys who practice in the area of governments benefits planning are very concerned with how the adoption of the UTC will influence special needs trusts. The two greatest issues include: (1) Will the government be able to attach the beneficial interest of a special needs trust? (2) Will the trust be considered an available resource? The analyses of these two concerns surround three components of a trust: distribution standards, control, and spendthrift provisions. The author served as the NAELA (National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys) liaison to the Uniform Law Commission’s discussions held in Chicago concerning the initial drafting of the UTC, and has provided comments on behalf of the Illinois Chapter of NAELA with respect to pending legislation in the most recent legislative sessions. Illinois General Assembly, Bill Status of HB6312, Illinois Trust Code, http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=6312&GAID=13&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=95864&SessionID=88&GA=99 (last visited August 7, 2018). Illinois General Assembly, Bill Status of HB2526, Illinois Trust Code, http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=2526&GAID=13&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=87948&SessionID=88&GA=99 (last visited August 7, 2018). Thirty-one (31) states and the District of Columbia have enacted a version of the UTC. The states that have enacted a version of the UTC are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. For the purposes of this article, “special needs trusts” include supplemental needs trusts and special needs trusts, Harmonizing Hodgepodge or Eliminating Individualism - A brief analysis of the UTC and its Impact on Special Needs Trusts in Illinois (2018)
- University of Illinois at Springfield, M.A.
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.A.
- U.S. District Court
- Chicago Bar Association, Elder Law Committee, Member
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys in Illinois, Legislative Committee
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys in Illinois, Board Member
- U.S. Tax Court
- Illinois
- Oregon
- Washington
- AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- South Suburban Estate Planning Council, Member
- Illinois Bar Association, Member
- Member of the NAELA Executive Committee on DRA Adoption in Illinois
- Veterans Administration
- Member, Chicago Bar Association
- U.S. Tax Court
- Past President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Illinois Chapter
- U.S. District Court
- Board Member, Illinois Chapter of NAELA
- Veterans’ Legal Aid Society
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Law Journal, Editorial Board
- University of Illinois College of Nursing, Advisory Board
- National Elder Law Foundation
- Has served on Charitable Boards including Alvernia Manor Retirement Community, Veterans Legal Aid Society, University of Illinois at Chicago Nursing School Advisory Board.
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Editor of the NAELA Journal, law review
- Lecturer, Elder Law, advising and educating other attorneys and community organizations through her service at the faculty of the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, the National Business Institute , and Illinois State Bar Association
- John Marshall Law School, Professor
- Maneuvering the Labyrinth of Nursing Home Admissions and Evictions, NAELA Journal (2009) Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Faculty Member and Frequent Lecturer (2005-present)
- Law Ed, Faculty Member and Frequent Lecturer (2009-present) NAELA VA Seminar, Practical Advice on Application Preparation (2011)
- Removal of Rogue Agents presented at national NAELA Conference in Las Vegas, NV (2011)
- Nursing Home Residents Rights - Recognizing Red Flags presented at national NAELA Conference in Seattle, WA, (2012)
- Contributing Author to Elder Law, published by Lexis-Nexus, Contributing Author to Advising Elderly Clients and their Families, published by IICLE
- Navigating the Labyrinth of Nursing Home Contracts, NAELA Law Journal
- Certified Elder Law Attorney (only one of twelve in the State of Illinois), as certified by the National Elder Law Foundation ABA Certified Program. **This certification is not required to practice law in the State of Illinois nor is it recognized by the Supreme Court in Illinois, 2005
- Consumers
- Health Care
- Hospitals
- Nursing Homes
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2014 - 2023
