Douglas A. Hanson began his real estate, estate planning, and general corporate practice nearly 35 years ago. Doug expanded his areas of service early in his career to meet the needs of small businesses, entrepreneurs, private individuals, and condominium and homeowner associations for general corporate representation, transactional work, real estate transactions and financing, estate tax planning, probate and trust administration, ground leasing, leasing, development and construction, like-kind exchanges and condominium law.

Doug earned invaluable experience prior to law school as a Certified Public Accountant and as a staff auditor and tax assistant for Coopers & Lybrand, now Price Waterhouse Coopers. This background benefits him today in complex real estate matters and in estate planning and administration.

Doug graduated from the University of Illinois-Urbana in 1983 with a B.S. in Accountancy (Highest Honors). He received his law degree from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1987 where Doug was both the Valedictorian and the Editor-in-Chief of the Chicago-Kent Law Review. In September 1989, Doug was the first Chicago-Kent graduate to be inducted into the Order of the Coif.

Education

• Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology
  J.D. (Valedictorian) | 1987

• University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana
  B.S. (Highest Honors) | 1983
  Major: Accountancy

Awards

• Leading Lawyers | 2023
  Real Estate Law: Associations & Condominiums
  Real Estate Law: Commercial
  Real Estate Law: Residential

• Illinois Super Lawyers Honoree | 2005-2006

• Illinois Leading Lawyers

• Martindale-Hubbel, “AV peer review rated for ethical standards and legal ability” | 2004

• Bureau of National Affairs Law Student Award | 1987

• West Publishing Hombook Award | 1986

• American Jurisprudence Award for Civil Procedure, Corporations, Corporate Income Tax and Personal Income Tax | 1985, 1986, 1987

Certifications

• Certified Public Accountant | 1983

Professional Associations + Memberships

• Chicago Bar Association | Member

• Illinois State Bar Association | Member

• American Bar Association | Member

Pro Bono Activities

• St. Andrews Lutheran Church of Park Ridge, Financial Stewardship Committee
  Member | 1987-1993
  Elder | 1989
  Controller | 1990-1996, 2004-2009
  Chairman | 1996-1998
  Treasurer | 1998-2000
  General Counsel | 2001-Present

Published Works

• “What is the State of Your Real Estate Title?”
  Schuyler, Roche & Crisham Views, Volume 1, Issue 1 | 2006

• “Taxation: Substance v. Form and Other Esoterica”
  63 Chicago-Kent Law Review 657 | 1986