A recent Illinois appellate court decision, Mandalis v. David Wentzel, et al., 2019 WL 3227106 (Ill. App. June 12, 2019), demonstrates how mediation can help family members in the estate planning and family business contexts by helping them efficiently resolve disputes and, thus, reduce incidents of litigation. Therefore, mediation can add value in estate planning and family business situations. The case of Mandalis v. David Wentzel, et al., involves “the saga of a sprawling family business founded by Daniel and Mary O’Brien consisting of interests in hotels, a golf course, nursing homes, fast food franchises, gas stations, and warehouses valued at $125 million (as of March 1, 2013).”
Fruchter, How Mediation Can Spare Families from Costly Litigation Over Estates
