The law firm Schiff Hardin LLP hosted "Civil Unions in Illinois: Love, Life, Death, Taxes and Philanthropy" Oct. 6. The early morning event walked lawyers through the nuances of Illinois's civil-union law.
Schiff Hardin partner Kim Kamin and counsel William Franzen detailed the history of civil unions in the United States leading up to June 2011, when Illinois' own law went into effect.
The state's civil-union statute affords couples most of the same basic state rights as a marriage, Kamin and Franzen said. However, civil unions do not grant access to federal rights such as bankruptcy protection, social security, immigration protection and survivor spousal benefits.
Franzen stressed the importance of drafting official legal documents for all health, family and inheritance matters.
"Even though [Illinois] state law might afford you rights for adoption," he said, "we still highly recommend that our clients go ahead and formalize an adoption legally. … [If] clients move to other states, other states may or may not recognize Illinois' recognition of that adoption."
According to data from Equality Illinois and the Chicago Tribune, Illinois issued 1,618 civil-union licenses in June 2011. Moreover, 83 of Illinois' 102 counties reported issuing at least one civil-union license during that time.
The McGaw YMCA co-sponsored the forum. Quarles & Brady partner and McGaw YMCA Board of Directors Chair Kirk Hoopingarner hosted.