Sarah M. Barnes is an attorney and member of the Trusts & Estates group at Harrison LLP. Sarah concentrates her practice in the areas of estate and trust administration, estate planning, and probate, including decedent and guardianship estates.
Sarah represents numerous individual and corporate fiduciaries charged with trust and estate administration and guides them through the probate process when required. Sarah also handles controversies that arise during the administration process and frequently appears in court to handle both routine and contested matters. She often advises fiduciaries and beneficiaries on cost-effective solutions under the Illinois Trust Code when dealing with obsolete estate planning documents, or ambiguous terms within those documents.
Sarah also regularly handles trust and estate litigation matters in probate and chancery court. Sarah uses her litigation experience in her estate planning and administration practice to foresee potential challenges and to take steps to mitigate issues that may arise during the administration phase.
Sarah received her law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law where she was regularly named to the Dean’s List and received the CALI award for excellence in Legal Writing IV, Civil Litigation. Prior to law school, Sarah graduated from Michigan State University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science.
Co-author: Reflecting on Mental Health Awareness Month: A Refresher on Power of Attorney for Healthcare, Advanced Directives and Guardianships, and What Happens When There Is Disagreement, IICLE Estate Planning & Probate Law Flashpoints, June 2021
Co-author: SECURE Act Impacts Non-Spouse Beneficiaries of Retirement Plans, IICLE Estate Planning & Probate Law Flashpoints, May 2021
Co-author: Estate Planning During COVID-19: Current Law and Restrictions and Some Proposed Solutions, IICLE Estate Planning & Probate Law Flashpoints, April 2020
Co-author: Considerations in Advising the Fiduciary After Death, IICLE Estate Administration, 2019
Contributor: Opening the Probate Estate and Alternatives to Probate, IICLE Estate Administration, 2019
Co-presenter: A Refresher on Claims and the Intersection of Personal Injury & Probate: Practical Tips from Probate Practitioners and a View from the Bench, 2019 CBA Probate Practice Committee Annual Seminar, November 6, 2019
Illinois Supreme Court
Northern District of Illinois
Southern District of Illinois
Chicago-Kent College of Law, J.D., 2015
CALI Award for highest grade in Legal Writing IV: Civil Litigation
Michigan State University, B.A., 2010
Completed Study Abroad Program at University of New South Wales, Australia
American Bar Association
Illinois Bar Association
Chicago Bar Association, Member of Probate Practice Committee
Lake County Bar Association
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America 2024
Harrison LLP Partner Natalie Perry presented at at breakfast meeting for the Northwest Suburban Estate Planning Council on September 19, 2023. The session, “Pay Me
Chicago, August 21, 2023 — Harrison, LLP is thrilled to announce that the firm and 17 of its lawyers have been recognized by Best Lawyers in America.
Harrison, LLP is proud to announce that it has again been ranked among the best law practices in the Chambers High Net Worth Guide for 2023. In
