Pamela J. Apke
Pamela J. Apke (formerly Thoele) practices mainly in the areas of estate planning, real estate, tax planning, corporate law and planning, and estate administration.
Ms. Apke was sworn in as an attorney at law on November 4, 1999, after passing the Illinois Bar Exam. She attended and received her law degree from Southern Illinois University School of Law in May, 1999. Ms. Apke joined The Law Group as an associate upon her admittance to the bar. She is licensed to practice law by the Illinois Supreme Court.
While in law school, Ms. Apke qualified for the Dean’s List for high academic achievement during the Spring of 1998 and 1999. Ms. Apke received academic distinction for her study of agricultural law. She was chosen to participate on the school’s National Trial Competition Moot Court Team in both 1998 and 1999. Ms. Apke holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting, which was conferred upon her by Southern Illinois University in May, 1996.
As an estate planner, Ms. Apke provides advice to her clients on the transfer of property at death, ways to avoid probate, and methods of minimizing estate and other tax consequences. Pam has experience planning a wide range of estates, from those requiring simple wills and powers of attorney to those requiring sophisticated estate planning tools.
Ms. Apke is uniquely qualified in the process of exchanging real estate to minimize capital gains in accordance with §1031 of the Internal Revenue Code. Pam has extensive experience in handling reverse §1031 exchanges as well. §1031 of the Internal Revenue Code is a provision of the Internal Revenue Code that allows a taxpayer to avoid recognition on the the exchange of property held for productive use in trade or business or for investment if certain requirements are followed for the earliest stages of the process.
In 2010, Pam began to expand her practice into the title insurance area. She felt a need to provide quality title services for her clients so that she could control more aspects of real estate deals for the Law Group’s clients to keep costs down and to make the process more efficient. The Law Group has received annual recognition from their underwriter, Attorney’s Title Guaranty, as a top producer for Illinois.
Ms. Apke has participated in Estate Planning Seminars as a guest lecturer. Pamela concentrates on the basics of estate planning as well as postmortem matters, focusing on the transfer of family farming assets. Ms. Apke has lectured for the University of Illinois Extension Service, Illinois Farmer’s Union, and the Illinois State Retirement System. Apke is a frequent guest speaker for Farm Business Farm Management in estate planning, estate administration and transitioning the family farm from one generation to the next.
Most recently in January of 2017, Pam was the guest speaker for the annual Young Leader Conference held in Peoria, Illinois sponsored by the Illinois Farm Bureau. At this conference, her topic was “Who’s on Your Team”. Discussions were held about surrounding yourself with qualified professionals to be on “your team” to assist in making your farming business successful and to properly assist in the transition of the family farm from one generation to the next.
Pamela Apke is a member of the American Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Fayette County Bar Association and the Effingham County Bar Association.
Ms. Apke is a graduate of Teutopolis High School and currently resides in Dieterich with her husband, Larry, and their three children, Lane, Cecilia Jo and Lance.