Dan Ebner

Dan Ebner is a partner at Prather Ebner LLP where he focuses his practice on representing trustees, beneficiaries, not-for-profit entities, and shareholders in closely-held businesses in litigation involving wills, trusts, and breach of fiduciary duty. He also represents fiduciaries in uncontested trust administrations, probate proceedings, and guardianships.

Dan represents clients in sensitive disputes, often involving family members and trusted advisors. When possible, his advice is focused on helping clients resolve their problems while preserving important relationships. When necessary, he represents clients in contentious litigation. Dan’s experience reflects his dual roles helping clients amicably settle disputes or stand up for their rights in court.

Dan’s approach to helping clients is informed by a broad set of in-depth experiences. During law school, Dan became a licensed mediator in Massachusetts helping litigants amicably settle disputes. As a research assistant to then Professor Elizabeth Warren, he gained in-depth knowledge of the role the legal system plays in creating and resolving financial challenges facing families. Similarly, following law school, Dan worked as a Federal District Court law clerk for the Honorable Samuel Hardy Mays in the Western District of Tennessee where he saw firsthand how lawyers impact the way judges approach a wide array of cases.

Following his clerkship, Dan practiced in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis from 2005 to 2010 where he worked on all aspects of hard fought multi-million dollar commercial lawsuits. Dan’s time at Kirkland gave him extensive experience in using documentary evidence, lay witnesses, expert witnesses, discovery requests, and written motions to prepare a compelling case for trial.

In addition, Dan has taught at Chicago-Kent College of Law and DePaul University College of Law; serves as vice-chair for the Probate and Fiduciary Litigation Committee of the ABA’s Section of Real Property Trusts and Estates; and is chair of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Committee on Professional Conduct. Dan has been quoted in the media about trust and estate issues and was recognized by Super Lawyers magazine as an Illinois Trust & Estate Litigation Rising Star in 2014, 2015, and 2017 and a Super Lawyer in 2019-2021. Dan is an elected Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).

Dan is active in the community and serves on Lambda Legal’s National Leadership Council and is past President of the Harvard Law Society of Illinois.

Dan graduated summa cum laude from Case Western Reserve University with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering in 2000. He received his M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 2002. Dan received his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2004.