Attorneys

Mr. DuCanto represents individuals whose complex cases involve multi-million-dollar holdings and require sophisticated financial expertise in matters of personal tax consequences, business valuation, the discovery of assets, property settlement, support issues, and trust and estate planning, which are incident to the division of upper tax bracket marital estates. The Board of Regents of the Academy of Illinois Lawyers has elected Joseph N. DuCanto as a Laureate in the Academy. Such election is extended to several attorneys each year from State Bar members, including those recognized posthumously. The Academy was formed in 1993 to honor and recognize members who exemplify the best of the legal profession and Mr. DuCanto was selected as a true example of the high standards and integrity of that profession. Mr. DuCanto is recognized nationally as one of the foremost authorities on divorce taxation and finance, as well as trusts and estate planning as related to divorce. A practicing divorce attorney for over 50 years, Mr. DuCanto is a prolific author. He has contributed articles to numerous professional journals and published various practice aids used by lawyers and accountants. Town and Country magazine has cited Mr. DuCanto as one of the nation’s best matrimonial lawyers, and he has been named in Naifeh and Smith’s Best Lawyers in America.

Education

University of Chicago, J.D. (1955)

Antioch College, B.A. (1952)

Admissions

Illinois (1955)

U.S. Supreme Court (1960)

U.S. Tax Court (1958)

Memberships

Chairman, Family Law, Taxation Committee,  American Bar Association (1982-1984)

Board of Governors,  Illinois Bar Association (1983-1989)

Board of Managers,  Chicago Bar Association (1976-1978)

National President,  American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (1977-1979)

Board of Directors,  Chicago Crime Commission (1994-present)

American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (1970-present)

Awards and Honors

Listed in Best Lawyers in America, by Neifeh and Smith (1983-)

Ford Fellowship, Research Assistant, University of Chicago (1954-1955)

Visiting Lecturer in Family Law, Loyola University (1968-1992)

Visiting Professor, Loyola University (2002)

Semper Fidelis Award, USMC Scholarship Foundation (2004)

Commendation by Resolution of Mayor and City Counsel of Chicago (2007)

Military

Articles and Publications

Support
Support Obligations Have a Life of Their Own

Trial Practice and Procedure
Half a Century as a Divorce Lawyer

Authorships

Mr. DuCanto has published extensively over the past 50 years, primarily dealing with the tax, financial and estate planning aspects of matrimonial law, keeping pace with the rapid changes in tax law. A full listing of Mr. DuCanto’s publications is available upon request.

Author and Editor, Tax Financial and Estate Planning Developments in Connection With Divorce and Family Law (1970-1983).