Ray J. Koenig III, a Senior Associate, practices in the areas of probate litigation, trust litigation, fiduciary litigation, elder law, planning, and estate administration, with an emphasis on will, trust, guardianship, and advance directive contests. Ray represents individuals, families, financial institutions, medical institutions, and governmental organizations in all areas of his practice. He is frequently appointed Guardian Ad Litem and defense counsel by judges in guardianship cases. In addition, Ray has been appointed Special Assistant Attorney General in numerous matters.

Ray attended Michigan State University, earning a Bachelor's degree in political science. Before Ray attended law school, he served as a professional Legislative Aide in the Michigan House of Representatives. Ray then received his Juris Doctor from the DePaul University College of Law. While a student at DePaul, Ray was a member of the Moot Court Society and a Dean's Scholar.

Ray conducts seminars for the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, the City of Chicago Department on Aging, and numerous other community organizations. Ray currently serves as an appointed Member of the Council for the Trusts & Estates Section of the Illinois State Bar Association, for which he heads the proposed legislation committee. Ray also served as a committee Vice Chair in the Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the American Bar Association, and is a member of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago. Ray served on a task force formed by the Commissioner of the City of Chicago Department on Aging to develop and draft legislation to significantly revise the Illinois Elder Abuse and Neglect Act. Ray was named as the Illinois governor's alternate delegate to the White House Conference on Aging of 2005. In addition, Ray had the honor to speak about elder mistreatment at the 2005 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America in Orlando, Florida and at the 2007 American Medical Director's Annual Symposium in Hollywood, Florida.

Ray has authored numerous articles on topics within his areas of practice and co-authored a chapter on the legal and governmental responses to domestic elder abuse for the Clinics in Geriatric Medicine series of books. Two of his more recent articles provided detailed analyses of standing to contest wills and the removal of guardians.

Ray proudly serves as a member of Chicago Alderman Tom Tunney's Senior Advisory Council and as a member of the Lake View East Chamber of Commerce. Ray also serves as a member of the Illinois Coalition on Mental Health and Aging, Northern Region, as well as the Chicago Area Task Force on LGBT Aging.

Ray is actively involved with several charities, including Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights, for which he is the founding vice president and a past president of the Junior Board, as well as a current member of its Board of Directors. Ray is involved with the Lambda Legal Education and Defense Fund, serving several roles locally and nationally, including his position as a member of the national Planned Giving Council. Ray is also a volunteer member of the Center on Halsted's Legal Referral program and is a proud supporter of other local and national non-profit organizations.

E-mail: rkoenig@peckbloom.com