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Attorney Michelle Bugajsky focuses her practice on probate, estate planning, and guardianship. Michelle concentrates on these practice areas because they allow her to serve people and families by helping them attain their best outcomes during times of stress and transition. Whether assisting clients in planning for their futures or helping clients through problems in the here and now, Michelle provides caring and thoughtful legal services. Michelle recognizes the benefit of sound and pragmatic legal guidance in times of transition or strife.
Without skilled counsel, clients may struggle with the difficulties involved in making educated fiduciary decisions, or in personal matters, making the legal decisions that further their own family-focused or individual-centered goals. Michelle helps understand the client’s needs and goals, working together with her client to craft results tailored to what is most important to each individual client or family.
Michelle attended the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree, double majoring in Political Science and Criminal Justice. Thereafter, Michelle accepted an academic scholarship to attend the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent School of Law, where she attained her Juris Doctorate. While attending Kent, Michelle focused her studies on family law, taxation, and estate planning.
Her training included serving as a research assistant in taxation, a judicial externship in the post-decree domestic relations division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, and an independent study of estate planning techniques. Michelle has also practiced for two years as a 711 student attorney in Chicago-Kent’s family law and low-income taxpayer clinics. In doing so, Michelle found herself drawn to helping families undergoing or planning for transitions such as marriage, estate planning, and inheritance matters.
Michelle’s goal is to continue to bring her clients personal, creative, and attentive legal services in the areas of decedents’ estates, estate administration, trust administration, guardianships, estate planning, mediation, and nuptial agreements. Michelle is also uniquely qualified to handle matters concerning the intersection of death or disability and divorce law, having counselled on estate matters pursuant to marital settlement agreements, guardianship, and divorce, and more. Michelle’s vision for SBK is to offer clients a welcoming environment, high-quality legal services, good value, and personalized care. SBK Law Group offers representation in all areas of probate, guardianship, and comprehensive estate planning.
Michelle grew up in Arlington Heights in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago. She has a history of charitable work for organizations supporting young mothers, at-risk youth, and animal shelters. Today, Michelle, her husband, and their two children call West Suburban Naperville their home, enjoying all that the area has to offer.
Michelle is licensed to practice in Illinois. She is a member of the DuPage County Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, the Will County Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Michelle is a 2018 recipient of the American Institute of Legal Counsel’s 10 Best Law Firm client satisfaction award in the area of Estate Planning Law and was selected as an Elite Lawyer in 2021. She has chaired and vice-chaired sections of the DuPage Bar Association, including the Probate and Estate Planning Section and the Practice Management and Technology Section. Michelle is an approved Guardian ad litem in DuPage County.
