
The Waukesha County Estate Planning Council is the premier networking resource and professional association for estate planning professionals in Waukesha County and south east Wisconsin. Meetings are held monthly during fall, winter and spring, including social and networking time, a delicious meal, and educational speakers.

Milwaukee Marriott West
Waukesha, WI 53186
United States
![]()
District Site
|
![]()
Venue Map
|

Mary Till, Program Director
Life Navigators
Mary has been with Life Navigators for over seventeen years and has worked in a variety of programs that support kids and adults with disabilities and their families. Mary currently manages the Trust Program and oversees numerous programs supporting kids and adults with disabilities and their families including Corporate Guardianship, Information & Assistance, Family Support and Self-Advocacy & Independence. Mary received her Bachelors in Social Work from Marquette University in 1993.

Prior to joining Prairie Trust, Nancy worked at Talmer Bank f/k/a First Banking Center in Burlington for thirteen years. While there, she supervised trust operations and administered trusts and employee benefits plans. Nancy also previously worked in the wealth management department at Norstates Bank in Waukegan, Illinois for seven years where she was involved in various aspects of the Trust business.
She received her bachelor’s of business administration in finance from UW-Whitewater in 1991. She also earned her Retirement Services Professional Certification and completed Trust I from Cannon Financial Institute in 2002.
Nancy believes in using her skills to help the community. She serves as a volunteer and committee member for the Life Navigator’s Trust Program. She is also a member of the Walworth Estate Planning Council and a board member of the Lyons for a Better Neighborhood, Inc. non-profit organization.
- State Bar of Wisconsin, Member
- Taxation Law Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin, Director (2020 - 2023 term)
- Ozaukee County Bar Association, Member
- Milwaukee County Bar Association, Member
- American Bar Association, Member
- Board Member and Vice President of the Friends of the Domes
- Member of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation Young Professional Advisor Council (2019 - 2020 term)
- Member of Milwaukee Public Museum 1882 Society
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (2021)
- Up and Coming Lawyers, Wisconsin Law Journal (2019)
MAUREEN L. O'LEARY (GUTH)
Attorney at Law
Maureen received her Juris Doctor degree with honors from Marquette University Law School in 2008. Prior to law school, Maureen began her career in the business world, as a shareholder and Operations Manager of Swimtastic Corporation, where she helped turn one location into a national franchise.
Maureen is a member of the Ozaukee County Bar Association, Washington County Bar Association and the Milwaukee Bar Association. Maureen frequently gives trust, estate and business related presentations to professional groups such as the National Business Institute and the State Bar of Wisconsin. She is a Director of the State Bar of Wisconsin's Business Law Section (2019 - 2022 term), an active member of the Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Club and a member of the Mequon/Thiensville Chamber of Commerce Masterminds group.
Publications:
"Tips for an Effective Business Succession Plan"
State Bar of Wisconsin Business Law Blog
August 19, 2020
Author of Wisconsin Exhibit to "Executing Estate Planning Documents During the Pandemic and the Slow Return to the “New Normal”" by Martin M. Shenkman, Esq., Jonathan Blattmachr, Esq., Andrew Wolfe, Esq., and Thomas A. Tietz, Esq
LISI Estate Planning Newsletter #2799 (June 11, 2020)
"SECURE Act: Ensuring Safety of Retirement Accounts"
Wisconsin Lawyer Magazine
May 2020
"Estate Tax Returns for Nontaxable Estates After the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017"
Wisconsin Institute of CPAs' On Balance Magazine
May/June 2020
"A Powerful Tool: Modification or Termination of a Noncharitable Irrevocable Trust by Consent Under Section 411(A) of the Uniform Trust Code"
The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
ACTEC Law Journal, Volume 45, Number 1, Fall 2019
Maureen has been ranked 10 out of 10 by Avvo:
Avvo is a national attorney rating service that uses a mathematical model to rate attorneys based on experience, professional achievements, industry recognition and professional conduct.


Phil, a partner at Husch Blackwell, counsels clients on estate planning, business succession planning, probate and trust administration, marital property and tax planning. He helps them achieve their objectives while minimizing taxes and expenses, and managing risk. Phil is proficient in matters involving unique assets, international considerations and beneficiaries with special needs. On countless occasions, he has provided fiduciary counseling to trustees when they needed guidance or intervention to help disgruntled beneficiaries understand trusts.
Speaking at this meeting is Chris McArdle. Chris has been helping individuals and small employers in the Milwaukee area find insurance solutions for almost 25 years. In addition to finding the right plan at the right price, he also ensures the consumer is educated and can be confident in their decisions. He presents on the topics of Medicare and the Affordable Care Act regularly, and is frequently quoted in the local media. Chris has served on various industry task forces and advisory groups for the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance, and for local insurance carriers.
The three primary areas of concentration for Chris and his firm are small group benefits (health, dental, vision, life, disability, etc.), Medicare plans, and individual policies for those without access to group medical coverage. By narrowing their scope of focus, Chris and his team are able to deliver market leading solutions, and world class service.
Chris is a graduate of Marquette University with a degree in Business Economics, and remains active with various alumni groups at his alma mater. He currently serves as the Board Chair at YMCA Camp Minikani and is on the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee Board of Directors. Chris has served as President of the Milwaukee Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Pi, and enjoys volunteering with groups such as Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee, St. John Vianney Parish and the American Heart Association. Chris and his wife Michelle live in Brookfield with their teenage daughter, Meghan.
Speaking at this meeting is David Patzer. David is the chair of Godfrey & Kahn's Estate Planning, Estate & Trust Administration Practice Group in the Milwaukee office. His areas of practice include fiduciary income taxation, estate and gift taxation, probate administration, and the preparation of marital agreements, wills, trusts, and other estate planning instruments. David's presentation will be the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning 2019 Update.