Attorney Profiles

Karen received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Western Illinois University in 1975 and her Juris Doctor from University of Illinois in 1979. She is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois. She is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois and United States Tax Court.

After law school, Karen worked for the St. Louis, Missouri office of Ernst & Whitney. She joined Kavanagh, Scully, Sudow, White & Frederick, P.C. as an Associate in 1980 and became a Member of the Firm in 1985. She has focused her practice on the transactional needs of individuals and their families - estate and retirement planning, business planning and succession, trust and estate administration. Additionally, in her role as Senior Tax Attorney, she provides the firm and its clients with up-to-the-minute Federal and State Tax Research and prepares estate and income tax returns for many of the Firm's clients. She also is a frequent lecturer on estate and business legal issues.

A native of Alton, Illinois, Karen resides in Peoria with her husband, Scott Bell, and their two daughters. She is active in community organizations and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Methodist Medical Center Foundation and the Hult Health Education Center. She is a member of the Peoria County and Illinois State Bar Associations, and the Peoria Area Estate Planning Council.