Education:

Ms. Berry graduated from the University of Iowa, receiving a Bachelor of Business Administration degree granted with highest distinction (summa cum laude). In her junior year at Iowa, Ms. Berry was elected to membership in Beta Gamma Sigma, the Phi Beta Kappa equivalent for business majors, the only junior so elected. She majored in accounting and was granted a certified public accountant certificate from the State of Illinois in 1973.  Attending DePaul University’s Law School while working full time, first for Sears Roebuck & Co. and then for United Air Lines, she was granted her Juris Doctorate in 1978 and admitted to practice in the State of Illinois in the same year.

Practice:

Ms. Berry has been admitted to practice in Illinois and Florida. She initially concentrated her practice in the area of taxation with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions. She practiced in the corporate world and had a distinguished business career, culminating with the position of Vice President - Taxes for a Fortune 100 $10 billion dollar holding company, UAL, Inc., which was then the parent company of United Airlines, Westin Hotels, Hertz Rental Cars, and Hilton International Hotels.

She and her husband moved to Florida in 1992. Desiring to enter private practice, Ms. Berry sat for and passed the Florida Bar and was admitted to practice in the state of Florida. She concentrates her practice in wills, estate, trusts, taxes and elder law, including incapacity planning, asset protection planning (Medicaid), special needs planning, probate, and trust and estate administration.

Memberships and Organizations:

Ms. Berry is a member of the American Bar Association, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Florida and Illinois Bar Associations, the Academy of Florida Elder Lawyers and the Clearwater Bar Association. She is a member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section and the Taxation Section of the American Bar Association. She is a member of the Florida Bar Association's Elder Law Section, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section and Tax Section and of the Illinois Bar Association's Elder Law Section, Federal Taxation Section, and Trusts and Estates Section.