Karen R. Mills focuses her practice on estate planning, probate administration, guardianships and probate litigation. Karen currently serves on the Northwestern Memorial Foundation Board of Directors. For over a decade now, she has been an active member of the DuPage County Adult Protective Services Abuse and Neglect Program Multidisciplinary Team. She frequently writes and speaks on estate planning, probate, guardianship and related topics.

An active member of the DuPage County Bar Association, Karen currently serves as President-Elect (2023-2024).

Karen is active in the community and was named in 2023 by the Public Interest Law Initiative to its Pro Bono Volunteer Honor Roll.

Karen is resident in the firm’s Wheaton office.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Karen joined Aronberg Goldgehn in 2021, and was in private practice for seven years before that. Before her legal career, Karen spent nearly 20 years at JPMorgan Chase and BMO Harris Private Bank with experience in trusts, estates, guardianships and wealth management.

Since 2021, Karen has been recognized as a Rising Star by Ilinois Super Lawyers.

SPEECHES AND PUBLICATIONS

  • Estate Planning Essential Skills, DuPage Estate Planning Council Half-Day Workshop, January 2024
  • “The Courage to Act: Overcoming Challenges, Imposter Syndrome and How to Advocate for Yourself,” Women In Business Expo, October 2023
  • Special Needs Planning Insights, William Blair, July 2023
  • “We Are Better Together: How Mentorship Can Shape a New Attorney’s Career,” DCBA Brief, July 2023
  • "Protection for Seniors," Naperville Carillon Club, May 2023
  • The Local Podcast, May 2023
  • Mental Health and Guardianships, April 2023
  • Legal Documents: The Item Missing from Your College Paking List, July 2022
  • "Trusts from A-Z: Understand all the Wealth Planning Options Available to Your Clients," February 2022 
  • "Is It Too Late to Create an Estate Plan for Your Client with Dementia?", January 2022
  • Guardianship and Estate Planning Issues for Veterans, November 2021
  • Wealth Management Roundtable, Crain's Chicago Business, July 2021
  • “Wait...I am not Dead Yet and I Need My Money!” DuPage County Bar Association, March 2021
  • “What is an Estate Plan and Why do You Need One?” Edward Jones, Illinois Financial Advisor, February 2021
  • Mental Health Issues...What is a Guardian to Do? DuPage County Health Department, January 2021
  • Moderator, “Judicial Webinar: Your Professional Reputation and Civility,” DuPage County Bar Association, July 2020
  • “Effective Leadership,” DuPage County Bar Association, July 2020
  • “Investments and Transfers: Legal and Prudent,” National Business Institute Illinois CLE, “Accounting & Tax Crash Course for Trusts and Estates,” June 2020

LEADERSHIP ROLES

Karen is active in the DuPage County Bar Association, serving as a mentor in the Lawyer-to-Lawyer Mentorship Program and in 2023, she was installed as the association's President-Elect after having previously served as Second Vice President for the 2022-2023 bar year. She previously served on the Board of Directors, as well as Chair of its Estate Planning & Probate Section and Chair of Continuing Legal Education. Also, during the 2022-2023 school year, Karen sered as a 1L Mentor at NIU Law School.

Karen is a faculty member of the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education where she is a frequent speaker on estate planning topics. 

In 2020, 2017 and 2016 Karen served as an Evaluator for the High School Mock Trial Invitational presented by the Illinois State Bar Association.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Karen serves on the Board of Directors (Executive Committee Member) of Northwestern Medicine and Co-Chair of the Philanthropic Advisory Council for NWM Central DuPage and Delnor Hospitals.

She also is a Multidisciplinary Team Member for the DuPage County Adult Protective Services Abuse and Neglect Program.

Karen actively seeks out and participates in pro bono opportunities in the community. She and other practitioners from the firm’s Wheaton office participated in a “Wills for Heroes” event organized by the Public Interest Law Initiative, the DuPage County Bar Association, Prairie State Legal Services, and the 18th Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee, providing estate planning services to veterans and seniors. Karen was honored by PILI in 2023 with inclusion on its Pro Bono Volunteer Honor Roll.

RELATED NEWS



Northern Illinois University, J.D., cum laude, 2012

Aurora University, BA., Business Administration, magna cum laude, 2007



BAR AND COURT ADMISSIONS

  • United States Supreme Court
  • State of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

MEMBERSHIPS

  • DuPage County Bar Association
    • Second Vice President, 2022
    • Third Vice President, 2021
    • Board of Directors, 2018-2022
    • Planning Committee, 2019-Present
    • Chair, Continuing Legal Education, 2019-2020
    • Vice-Chair, Continuing Legal Education, 2018-2019
    • Chair, Estate Planning & Probate Section, 2017-2018
    • Vice-Chair, Estate Planning & Probate Section, 2016-2017 
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  • Rising Star, Illinois Super Lawyers (2021-2022)

LEADERSHIP ROLES

  • Mentor Program, NIU COLLEGE OF LAW (2022-2023)