Perry S. Smith concentrates his practice in estate planning and litigation and brings over 3 decades of experience in social security disability, personal injury, probate, guardianships, family law, construction litigation, eminent domain for property owners, and contract litigation. Perry is currently the Treasurer of the Lake County Bar Foundation (the charitable wing of the Bar Association). He has also served as a past President and Treasurer of the Lake County Bar Association and a past Delegate to the Illinois Bar Association Assembly.
Perry is not just active in his professional life: an avid golfer and bowler he is also a certified distance running coach through the Road Runners Club of America and is both a member and the coach of the Grayslake Running Club. Perry is also a member of the Lake County Whiskey Society and the Adventures Club Bourbon Society.
Education
Institute of Technology – Chicago/Kent College of Law
J.D. | 1985Loyola University of Chicago
B.S. | 1977
Awards
Illinois Super Lawyer Honoree | 2023
Volunteers Lawyer’s Program Award Recipient for Pro Bono Service
Lake County Bar Association | 2006
Professional Associations + Memberships
Illinois State Bar Association | Member
Illinois Bar Foundation | Member
Lake County Bar Association | Past President
Lake County Bar Foundation | Trustee & Treasurer
National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives | Member
National Bar President’s Association | Member
Published Works
Lake County Bar Association Docket Magazine, Vol. I, No. 6 Social Security Disability | 1998
Lake County Bar Association Docket Magazine, Vocational Experts | 2004
Lake County Bar Association Docket Magazine, Social Security Disability Practice; Procedural Changes and Electronic Practice | 2013
Speaking Engagements
Northern Illinois Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
Lecture on Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Lecturer | 1986Hawthorne Center Merchants Association
Lecture on Retail Theft
Lecturer | 1987Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers National Conference
Lecture on Negligence, Medical Negligence and Liability
Lecturer | 1990, 1994Piedmont Virginia Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
Lecture on Negligence, Medical Negligence and Liability
Lecturer | 1995Circuit Court of 19th Judicial Circuit, Lake County, Illinois
New Arbitrator Training Program
Lecturer | 1997Radiological Society of North America Annual Conference
Lecture on Liability Issues in the New Era of Managed Healthcare
Lecturer | 1998Lake County Bar Association, Family Law Committee Seminar
Social Security Law and its Applications for the Family Law Practitioner
Lecturer | 1998Radiological Society of North America Annual Conference
Refresher Course – Lecture on Liability Issues for Healthcare Practitioners
Lecturer | 1998Stateline Ultrasound Society, Schaumburg, Illinois
Lecture on Negligence, Medical Negligence and Avoidance of Liability
Lecturer | 1998Lake County Bar Association Civil Trial & Appeal Committee Seminar
Social Security Disability and its Application for the Personal Injury or Worker’s Compensation Practitioner
Lecturer | 1999Downey Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center (now Captain James Lovell Federal Health Care Center) Family Association
Lecture on Powers of Attorney, Guardianship, DNR’s and Advanced Directives
Lecturer | 2003Lake County Bar Association, Civil Trial & Appeal Committee Seminar
Lecture on Vocational Experts
Lecturer | 2004Lake County Bar Association, “Brown Bag” Seminar
Lecture as a Primer on Practice before the Social Security Administration
Lecturer | 2004Wysocki & Smith, Seminar in conjunction with Ressler Financial Services, and, Evoy, Kamshulte & Jacobs
Lecture on Guardianships and Powers of Attorney
Lecturer | 2004Community High School District 128, Community Education Program
Wills, Trusts, Guardianship and Power of Attorney
Lecturer | 2007-2010Lake County Bar Association, Wills, Trusts & Estates Committee Seminar
What Estate & Trust Lawyers Need to Know About Title II and Title XVI of the Social Security Act
Lecturer | 2010Community High School District 128, Community Education Program
Wills, Trusts, Guardianship and Power of Attorney
Lecturer | 2011-2012Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, Probate Guardian Ad Litem Training Seminar
Panel Member | 2017Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, Probate Guardian Ad Litem Training Seminar
The Role of the Guardian Ad Litem in Decedent’s Estates
Lecturer | 2019Lake County Bar Association, Family Law Committee
RSDI< SSI and Special Needs Trusts
Lecturer | 2021Lake County Bar Association/19th Judicial Circuit
Probate Guardian Ad Litem Training Seminar, Duties of the GAL in Disabled Person’s Estates
Lecturer | 2021Lake County Bar Association, Trusts & Estates Committee
Changes in the Illinois Transfer on Death Instrument Act
Lecturer | 2021