KENNETH LORCH
Senior Counsel

Ken concentrates his practice in business and financial planning, charitable planning, estate administration, and estate litigation.

Prior to joining CROKE FAIRCHILD DUARTE & BERES, Ken was a partner in the firm of Hamilton Thies & Lorch LLP, a boutique law firm which focused on those same areas of practice.

Ken has counseled various philanthropic clients to establish private, supporting and operating foundations and donor advised funds to ensure they accomplish their charitable goals. Among other planning ideas, he has advised business owners prior to the sale of their businesses to gift minority interests to trusts for spouses and children at favorable discounted values before the businesses were marketed and ultimately sold so that the property could pass to those trusts without reduction from capital gains taxes. Instead, the tax burden was paid by the business owners, thereby further reducing their estates for tax purposes.

Ken’s notable experience includes the administration of the estate of the owner of a Chicago sports franchise through over 10 years of family litigation, defending attacks on the reorganization of the business. He also assisted in implementing a business structure tied to trusts that allowed new aspects of the business to appreciate in a way that passed it to younger generations thereby reducing the risk that estate taxes would cause the sale of the business.

Ken is a member of the Chicago Estate Planning Council and serves on the Trust Law, Cook County Rules and Forms, and the Legislative Committees of the Chicago Bar Association.  He also serves on the boards and planned giving committees of several local charities.  He was recognized in the Who’s Who in America with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017.