Mr. Lewis began his career with a heavy emphasis on litigation. Over the years, he has transferred the experience and knowledge he gained in the courtroom to a more transactional practice. The largest segment of his practice includes estate planning, probate, guardianship, and special needs planning. He particularly enjoys the challenge presented by nontraditional matters such as estate planning for complex family structures (e.g., blended families, special needs beneficiaries, multi-generational businesses, etc.); contested guardianships and mental health law; and, ownership, sale, or management of property among related owners. Mr. Lewis continues to litigate, primarily in the probate courts, and for ten years he was an adjunct professor at NIU College of Law, teaching on probate and estate law.
The DeKalb / Sycamore communities have been home to the Lewis family since 1987, and Mr. Lewis has served these communities in a variety of personal and professional areas during that time. He is a past president, and current member, of the DeKalb County Bar Association and the DeKalb County Estate Planning Council. His community participation includes the advisory boards of the We Care Pregnancy Clinic and the Salvation Army of DeKalb County. For nearly thirty years he served a lay leader of Kishwaukee Bible Church in Sycamore.
Jeffrey and Melissa Lewis have five children. While that does not make them the largest family in the firm (see, Gary W. Cordes), they chose to homeschool all their children. Together, they serve on the Board of Directors of Illinois Christian Home Educators. This has given Mr. Lewis a unique opportunity to serve families across the state of Illinois. He frequently speaks at seminars, conferences, and support groups on matters of homeschooling, estate planning, guardianship, and advance planning directives.