CDEL Appoints Mark Hellner Executive Director

The Center for Disability and Elder Law is pleased to announce that Mark Hellner has been appointed its Executive Director. Hellner has served as Director of CDEL's Senior Tax Opportunity Program since November of 2012.  He is an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Illinois College of Law and the former General Counsel of the Illinois Department of Revenue. Before joining CDEL, Hellner managed his own law practice for 17 years and was a partner at the law firm of Schwartz & Freeman.

“We are delighted to appoint Mark, whose legal and leadership experience is unparalleled, to lead this important organization,” stated Anthony O’Neill, CDEL’s President of the Board of Directors who is an attorney at Williams Montgomery & John Ltd.  

“It is a privilege and honor to continue serving the large community of senior citizens and people with disabilities. I am humbled by this opportunity and look forward to helping expand CDEL’s services,” Hellner said.

In the last 31 years, more than 30,000 people with disabilities and senior citizens have been provided free legal services from the Center for Disability & Elder Law, with its staff of four attorneys and hundreds of volunteer lawyers. The services provided include: adult guardianship, landlord/tenant disputes, financial elder abuse, protection against consumer and mortgage fraud, property tax education and assistance at the Pro Se Adult Guardianship Help Desk. Earlier this year, CDEL, in collaboration with the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, began providing weekly legal service to veterans. In addition, CDEL runs workshops and assists seniors with powers of attorney for property and healthcare documents and by drafting living will declarations. CDEL also provides counseling to senior citizens who are at risk of losing their homes due to delinquent property taxes, helping them take advantage of tax assistance programs and unclaimed exemptions.

Susan Keegan, who served as CDEL’s Executive Director for almost four years, will be continuing her service to CDEL by joining its Board of Directors.

About CDEL

The Center for Disability & Elder Law (CDEL) was founded to provide legal services to low-income residents of Cook County, Illinois who are either elderly or who have permanent disabilities. Dedicated volunteer attorneys and paralegals from some of the largest law firms and corporations throughout Cook County provide more than ninety percent of all legal services CDEL delivers, pro bono, to its clients. In its 30-year history, CDEL has provided services to more than 30,000 clients.

For more information contact Mark Hellner at 312.376.1883 or at mhellner@cdelaw.org or Helen Lucaitis at HHL@corboydemetrio.com.