Richard C. Spain

Richard C. Spain

Partner

200 West Madison Street
Suite 2700
Chicago, Illinois 60606

Primary Practices

Partner Richard C. Spain concentrates his practice in estate planning, trust matters, real estate, and corporate representation. A founder of the firm, Spain, Spain & Varnet P.C., which joined Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP in 2022, Rick has focused much of his career on servicing the needs of individuals with disabilities. He is especially adept at developing specialized estate plans for the elderly and for families with members who are disabled (injuries acquired at birth or by accident, illness, or hereditary factors). Given his expertise, Rick is a sought-after speaker for several consumer, parent, and professional groups, including presentations for the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois CPA Society, and the American Bar Association.

Rick initially began practicing law in Cleveland, Ohio after earning his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law. He also earned a LL.M. degree in taxation at John Marshall Law School and was an honors graduate of Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin.

In 1982, Rick relocated to and began practicing law in Chicago. Well-ingrained in the Greater Chicago community, Rick is an active volunteer for various not-for-profit organizations. He presently serves on the board of Chikaming Open Lands and is a member of the Committee on Painting and Sculpture of Europe at the Art Institute of Chicago. He has been a board member with a dozen different organizations.

He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, and the Academy of Special Needs Planners. He is the author of several articles on estate planning to benefit a beneficiary with disabilities, including one published in The Practical Lawyer. He was also co-author of a manual on Home Control through Estate and Financial Planning, which includes information about the interaction of government benefits, trusts, estate planning, and financing strategies for obtaining and keeping a home. The publication was funded by the Illinois and Missouri Planning Councils on Developmental Disabilities.

Credentials

Education
  • Case Western Reserve University School of Law, J.D.
  • John Marshall Law School, LL.M
  • Lawrence University, B.A.
Community Involvement

Chikaming Open Lands, Board Member, 2018-present; Board President, 2024-present

 

Art Institute of Chicago, Painting and Sculpture of Europe Committee member

 

Chikaming Country Club

 

The Arc of Illinois

 

The Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra

 

The Hanover Condominium Association

 

The Old Masters Society of the Art Institute of Chicago

 

The Singing Angels of Northeastern Ohio

 

Trustees of Reservations

 

Young Audiences of Chicago

 

Fairmount Theater of the Deaf

 

Young Audiences of Greater Cleveland

Bar Admissions

State of Ohio

 

State of Illinois

 

State of Massachusetts

Memberships & Affiliations

Chicago Bar Association

 

American Bar Association

 

Academy of Special Needs Planners