Michael LaCava
Attorney // LaCava Law Firm, LLC
Estate Planning Attorney in Naperville
Attorney Michael LaCava has a remarkable passion for helping people navigate the intricate realms of real estate and estate planning, and his journey is a testament to his unwavering dedication to both his professional pursuits and his role as a devoted family man.
Since 2013, Michael has honed his skills to become a trusted advisor for individuals seeking guidance in their property transactions and estate planning endeavors. His expertise extends beyond the technicalities of the law, as he is genuinely committed to understanding his clients’ unique needs and ensuring their financial and legal well-being.
Outside the professional realm, Michael finds comfort and joy in his role as a family man. He is a loving husband to his wife, Melanie, and a devoted father to three awesome kids. In his free time, you’ll find Michael and his family immersed in a variety of activities. From camping trips that bring them closer to nature, to fishing adventures that instill a love for the outdoors, to sporting events where Michael enthusiastically cheers on and coaches his kids in their various sports, Michael cherishes these moments as opportunities to connect and share his life’s journey with family and friends.
GoogleFacebookSchedule a Call
3
Number of Kids
9
Number of years licensed
2
Number of Bar Licenses (Florida & Illinois)
∞
Number of hours studying law
1-2
Number of daily coffees consumed
LaCava Law Firm, LLC is dedicated to providing affordable, responsive, and personal service to each client.
Our commitment to each client remains consistent, we treat each client with the professional attention and service they deserve, without cutting corners. The results of that dedication are evident in the reputation we have built. Our clients love us for good reason, we deliver and provide the level of service we promise.
All about Naperville
Naperville (/ˈneɪpərˌvɪl/ NAY-pər-vil) is a city in DuPage and Will counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is a suburb of Chicago, located 28 miles (45 km) west of the city.
Naperville was founded in 1831 by Joseph Naper. The city was established by the bands of the dupage river, and was originally known as Naper’s Settlement.[4] By 1832, over 100 residents lived in Naper’s Settlement.[5] In 1839, after Dupage County was split from Cook County, Naperville became the county seat, which would be held till 1868.[6] In 1887, the Kroehler Manufacturing Company was started in Naperville, and would grow to become the largest furniture maker in the world.[7] In 1911, the first swimming pool in Dupage county was open, at the Kroehler YMCA in Downtown Naperville.[8] In 1946, Naperville was subject to a train disaster that killed 45, and injured 147.[9] Beginning in the 1960’s, Naperville experienced a massive population increase as a result of Chicago’s urban sprawl.[5]
Naperville is home to many world renowned places. Most notably, Moser Tower and Millenium Carillon, being one of the four largest carillons in the world.[10] Naperville is also home to an extensive parks and forest preserve network, including places such as Centennial Beach.[11] Naperville has a train station that is served by Amtrak and Metra.[12]
As of the 2020 census, its population was 149,540,[13] making it the fourth most populous city in the state.[14]
History of Naperville
In July 1831, Joseph Naper arrived at the west bank of the DuPage River with his family and friends to found what would be known as Naper’s Settlement.[4] Among those original settlers were Naper’s wife Almeda Landon, his brother John with wife Betsy Goff, his sister Amy with husband John Murray, and his mother Sarah. Their arrival followed a nearly two-month voyage across three Great Lakes in the Naper brothers’ schooner, the Telegraph. Also on the journey were several families who remained in the settlement that would become Chicago, including that of Dexter Graves[5] who is memorialized in Graceland Cemetery by the well-known Lorado Taftstatue “Eternal Silence” (also known as “the Dexter Graves Monument”).
By 1832, over one hundred settlers had arrived at Naper’s Settlement. Following the news of the Indian Creek massacre during the Black Hawk War, these settlers were temporarily displaced to Fort Dearborn for protection from an anticipated attack by the Sauk tribe. Fort Payne was built at Naper’s Settlement, the settlers returned and the attack never materialized. The Pre-Emption House was constructed in 1834, as the Settlement became a stage-coach stop on the road from Chicago to Galena. Reconstructions of Fort Payne and the Pre-Emption House stand as part of Naper Settlement outdoor museum village, which was established by the Naperville Heritage Society and the Naperville Park District in 1969 to preserve some of the community’s oldest buildings.[5]
In 1855, Sybil Dunbar came to Naperville as its first recorded black female resident; she died in 1868 and was buried in Naperville Cemetery on Washington Street.[15] A commemorative marker honoring her was placed in the cemetery in 2015.[15]
After DuPage County was split from Cook County in 1839, Naper’s Settlement became the DuPage county seat, a distinction it held until 1868. Naper’s Settlement was incorporated as the Village of Naperville in 1857, at which time it had a population of 2,000. Reincorporation as a city occurred in 1890.[6]
More History of Naperville
In 1887, Peter Edward Kroehler established the Kroehler Manufacturing Company‘s factory in Naperville along the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy tracks. Kroehler Manufacturing became the world’s largest furniture manufacturer, and a major employer in Naperville.[16] The company closed the Naperville factory in 1978. In 1987, the site was redeveloped into upscale commercial and apartment properties, as Fifth Avenue Station.[17]
After the Chicago YMCA stated that Naperville was too small for its own YMCA building, Peter Kroehler led a campaign to build one, which kicked off June 22, 1909. Within 15 days, the town of 3,400 raised $26,260. The YMCA was opened on March 26, 1911, and it included the first ever swimming pool in Dupage County. In May 2020, it was announced that it would close after 109 years of being open, due to economic difficulties placed on them by the COVID-19 pandemic.[18][8]
On April 26, 1946, Naperville was the site of one of the worst train disasters in Chicago history. Two Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad trains, the Advance Flyerand the Exposition Flyer, collided ‘head to tail’ on a single track just west of the Loomis Street grade crossing. The accident killed 45 and injured approximately 127 passengers and/or crew members.[19] This event is commemorated in a metal inlay map of Naperville on the southeast corner of the Nichols Library’s sidewalk area.[20]In 2012, author Chuck Spinner published The Tragedy at the Loomis Street Crossing which details the tragedy and gives the stories of the 45 persons who perished.[9]On April 26, 2014, a memorial entitled Tragedy to Triumph was dedicated at the train station. The sculpture by Paul Kuhn is dedicated not only to the crash victims but also to the rescuers at the site.[21]
A predominantly rural community for most of its existence, Naperville experienced a population explosion beginning in the 1960s and continuing into the 1980s and 1990s, following the construction of the East-West Tollway (now known as the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway) and Interstate 355 (originally known as the North–South Tollway, now the Veterans Memorial Tollway). It has nearly quadrupled in size as the Chicago metropolitan area‘s urban sprawl brought corporations, jobs, and wealth to the area.[5]
The March 2006 issue of Chicago magazine cites a mid-1970s decision to make and keep all parking in downtown Naperville free to keep downtown Naperville “alive” in the face of competition with Fox Valley Mall in Aurora and the subsequent sprawl of strip shopping malls. Parking meters were taken down, parking in garages built in the 1980s and 1990s is free, and parking is still available on major thoroughfares during non-peak hours.[5]
On June 20, 2021, an EF3 tornado went through Naperville, uprooting trees, injuring eight people, and damaging 231 homes. Of the 231, 143 sustained “major damage”, 68 homes had “minor damage”, 19 homes were named un-inhabitable, and 1 was destroyed. The path of the tornado went through the southeast portion of Naperville, which included Chesnut Creek, Ranchview, The Glens, Meadow Glens, Evergreen Woods, and Maplebrook subdivisions.[22][23][24]
