James R. Grebe
James R. Grebe is one of the preeminent agricultural law attorneys in the State of Illinois. He serves as General Counsel to the Grain & Feed Association of Illinois and has represented a multitude of grain elevators, agri-business entities and farmers for over 35 years. Jim is also a prominent estate planning lawyer who has extensive experience in estate and trust administration, working with individuals as well as corporate executors and trustees. In addition, Jim handles complex transactions involving corporations, partnerships, LLCs and other business entities. He also has extensive experience in personal and fiduciary income tax matters, as well as preparation of Federal and Illinois Estate Tax Returns.
Jim is a frequent speaker on estate planning, tax matters and agricultural law topics, and is active in professional and charitable organizations. He has served on the Board of Regents of Concordia University of Chicago for 9 years and also served as an officer and member of Concordia’s executive committee. He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, Agricultural Law Section Council, where he has twice served as Chairman of the ISBA Agricultural Law Section Council.
Areas of Practice
- Administrative Law
- Agricultural Law
- Banking & Finance
- Bankruptcy Law
- Business & Commercial Law
- Construction Law
- Elder Law
- Employment Law-Employer
- Environmental Law
- Estate Planning
- Government Agencies & Programs
- Labor Law
- Litigation & Appeals
- Real Estate Law
- State, Local & Municipal Law
- Taxation Law
- Business Organizations
- Probate & Estate Administration
- Government Contracts
- Trust Administration
Litigation Percentage
- 5% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions
- Illinois, 1980
- U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois, 1980
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1982
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1989
- U.S. Tax Court, 1993
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 1996
Education
- University of Illinois College of Law, Champaign, Illinois
- J.D. – 1980
- Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, IL
- B.A. – 1977
Published Works
- TODI Act Applications in Agricultural Law, ISBA – Agricultural Law Section, June, 2012
- Bankruptcy Ruling Impacts Agriculture, ISBA – Agricultural Law Section, February, 2009
- Landlord’s Lien Upon Crops: Back To The Future – UCC1 Filing Requirement Abandoned Effective August 21, 2002, ISBA Agricultural Law Section, January, 2003
- Landlord’s Lien Issues: A Trap For The Uninformed And Unmotivated, ISBA Commercial Banking, Collections, & Bankruptcy Section, May, 2002
- Landlord’s Lien Issues: A Trap For The Uninformed And Unmotivated, ISBA Agricultural Law Section, January , 2002
Representative Clients
- Grain and Feed Association of Illinois
- Rumbold & Kuhn, Inc.
- Archer-Daniels-Midland
- GROWMARK, Inc.
- The Commerce Trust Co.
- Don’s Music Land, Inc.
- Ludlow Cooperative Elevator Co
- Graymont Cooperative Assn.
- Bunge North America, Inc
References
- Jeff Adkisson, Executive Vice President (GFA)
- M. Scott Hedden, former CEO Heritage Bank of Central Illinois
- Mike Rumbold, President-Rumbold & Kuhn, Inc
- Cynthia Ervin, Assistant General Counsel, ADM
- Joe Kapraun, GROWMARK, Inc.
- Lori Kutilek, Counsel Bunge North America, Inc.
- Don Middleton, President, Don’s Music Land, Inc.
- Matt Jacobs, General Manager, Graymont Cooperative Assn.
- Terry Bline, Manager-Roanoke Farmers Assn. and secretary Grain and Feed Association of Illinois
Classes/Seminars
- Tax, Estate and Estate Planning, Peoria County Bar Association, 2006
- Probate, Elder Law & Estate Planning , Peoria County Bar Association, 2011
- Understanding Contracts – Creation and Enforcement , Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association of Illinois, 2009 and 2015
- Estate Planning , Christ Lutheran Church, 2004
- Planned Giving , Christ Lutheran Church, 2007
Honors and Awards
-
- Leading Lawyer in the State of Illinois, 2009 – 2020
- Named by Leading Lawyers as one of the Top 10 Lawyers in the State of Illinois in Agricultural Law and also in downstate Real Estate related law.
- Illinois Bar Foundation, Fellow
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Peoria County Bar Association, Member
- Peoria County Bar Association, Real Property Committee, Chairman, 2001 – 2002
- Peoria County Bar Association, Board of Directors, Member, 2001 – 2002
- Peoria County Bar Association, Courts and Procedures Committee, Probate Division, Vice Chairman, 2005 – 2006
- Illinois State Bar Association, Member
- Estate Planning Council of Central Illinois, Member
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Member
- American Agricultural Law Association, Member
- Illinois State Bar Association, Agricultural Law Section Council, Chairman, 2004 – 2005 and 2012 – 2013
- Illinois Bar Foundation, Fellow
- Concordia University Chicago, Board of Regents, 2007 – 2016
- Christian Legal Society , 1977 – Present
Past Employment Positions
- University of Illinois , Lighting Crew and Stage Hand, 1977 – 1980
Pro Bono Activities
- Christian Legal Society, Member
- Arthritis Foundation of Greater Illinois Division, Past Member Board of Directors and Past Vice Chairman
- Arthritis Foundation of Greater Illinois Division, Past Member Executive Committee, Member
- Lutheran Home of Greater Peoria, Past Member, Board of Directors and Past Vice President
- American Cancer Society, Peoria Chapter, Past Member, Board of Directors
- CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO, Board of Regents 2007 – 2016
- CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH (past President and Board Member- multiple times), 1980 – 2016
Ancillary Businesses
- Registered Lobbyist in State of Illinois
Fraternities/Sororities
- Phi Alpha Theta
