Ray Prather, Writer of the Illinois Electronic Wills and Remote Witnesses Act (EWRWA), Breaks It Down for the CPA!

Did you know that at the beginning of 2022, Illinois passed a new law regarding estate planning that changes the requirements for signing and witnessing electronic wills with remote witnesses? Fear not: Ray Prather, J.D. ,CPA, CFF, & attorney at Prather Ebner (Wilson) LLP, and the writer of this new law, is here to help break it down for the CPA! The Illinois Electronic Wills and Remotes Witnesses Act (EWRWA) has new requirements and procedures for notary publics and remote witnesses. Please join the CPA to learn the details of EWRWA straight from the source: Ray Prather, the attorney who wrote it!

To access Prather Ebner LLP's website, click here

Date: Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Time: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. CT

Location: Webinar - at your desk!

Cost: Free for members, $10.00 for non-members***

About Ray Prather

Ray Prather, J.D., CPA, CFF, is a trusts and estates lawyer at Prather Ebner LLP (soon to be Prather Ebner Wilson LLP), a Chicago based law firm. Ray represents individual and professional trustees both inside and outside of court when tailored solutions are required to meet fiduciary duties because there are contentious family dynamics, conflicts in family businesses, or complexity in taxable estates. Because of Ray’s unique blend of knowledge in both accounting and tax law, he has helped trustees clearly explain complicated estate planning and financial issues to beneficiaries and judges to ensure efficient administration of trusts and estates. Ray’s cases have involved probate estates, guardianship estates, marital and family trusts, multi-generational dynasty trusts, charitable remainder trusts, electing small business trusts, qualified sub-chapter S trusts, life insurance policies, retirement plans and accounts, total return trusts, Illinois land trusts, cancellation of debt, and estate and gift tax returns. He has an extensive understanding of the numerous tools in estate planning and of the motivations attorneys and their clients have for including each of them in estate planning documents.

Ray also advises donors, board members, and tax-exempt and non-profit organizations in disputes over charitable gift agreements and the management of institutional funds. In addition, he has helped charitable organizations obtain trust agreements and accountings of trusts to allow them to track planned gifts outside of their control when they are named as a beneficiary.

Ray speaks and writes frequently and has been recognized for his knowledge and dedication to the practice. Ray is an elected Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). He has served as an Adjunct Professor at the Chicago-Kent College of Law teaching Federal Transfer Taxes and Estate Planning.

Ray has also been appointed to several positions in the American Bar Association’s Section on Real Property, Trust & Estate Law. He is the Trusts and Estates Editor for its eReport publication and past Chair of the Section’s Charitable Planning & Organizations Group. He currently serves as Chair for the Illinois State Bar Association’s Trusts & Estates Section Council. And he has been quoted on estate, trust, and tax issues in Crain’s, the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, and the Chicago Tribune.

Ray also is active in the community. He is a member of Lambda Legal’s National Legacy and Planned Giving Council and Advocate Charitable Foundation’s Planned Giving Council. He is former chair of Lambda Legal’s Chicago Leadership Council where he helped organize Lambda Legal’s volunteer presence in Chicago. He is a former chair of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. And, in 2008, Windy City Times named Ray as one of the recipients of its 30 Under 30 Awards. Ray graduated from Augustana College with a degree in accounting in 2003 and received his J.D. from the DePaul University College of Law in 2005.  

When Ray isn’t practicing or drafting the law, he enjoys traveling, exploring new cuisine through Chicago’s many restaurants, and indulging in foodie adventures himself through cooking & hosting decadent dinner parties for family and friends.

If you have any questions, please contact events@chicagoparalegals.org for more information.

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***Non-members will receive a discount code for $10.00 off CPA's annual membership fee if activated within thirty (30) days after the event has concluded.