Judith A. Schening

Judith A. Schening is an Illinois estate planning lawyer and attorney at Schening & Dopke Law, LLC in South Elgin. She assists clients with estate planning, wills, trusts, probate and estate administration, special needs planning, pet trusts, and residential real estate matters. She brings decades of legal experience to matters involving personal planning, property, and the transfer or administration of assets. She approaches each matter with careful preparation and a practical understanding of the legal decisions that individuals and families may face.

Ms. Schening completed her undergraduate education cum laude at the University of Houston in 1984. She earned her J.D. magna cum laude from Northern Illinois University College of Law in 1987. She served as a member of the Northern Illinois Law Review and authored a published comment addressing federal products liability legislation and workers’ compensation. Her academic work strengthened her legal research, writing, and analytical skills before she entered practice.

Ms. Schening began her legal career in Dallas as a briefing attorney for Judge Robert Maloney of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. She later joined Fulbright & Jaworski LLP, now known as Norton Rose Fulbright, where she practiced for more than 20 years and spent 13 years as a partner. She returned to Illinois and opened her South Elgin practice in early 2012. She was admitted to practice in Texas in 1987 and Illinois in 1988, although her Texas license is currently inactive.

Judith A. Schening received the Northern Illinois University College of Law Young Alumna of the Year Award in 1995. She maintains memberships with WealthCounsel, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Kane County Bar Association, the Kane County Bar Association’s Probate and Estate Committee/Collegium, Elgin Township TRIAD, and the State Bar of Texas. She combines extensive legal experience, strong professional involvement, and focused planning knowledge to help clients address estate, probate, and real estate concerns with clarity.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Schening & Dopke Law, LLC
• Member, Illinois State Bar Association
• Member, Kane County Bar Association
• Member, Texas State Bar Association
• Member, WealthCounsel
• Former Member, American Bar Association
• Former Member, South Elgin Economic Development (SEED)
• Former Member, Fox Valley Estate Planning Council
• Former Member, South Elgin Parks & Recreation FUNdation

Licensed State

• Texas (Inactive)
• Illinois

Education

• Northern Illinois University College of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Houston
  BS with Cum Laude

Awards & Badges