In Memorium

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Cary Collins, who passed away on December 26, 2025. Cary was the devoted husband of Sue Collins, his partner of more than 48 years, who recently preceded him in death.

Cary held a deep and sincere affection for his clients, many of whom became lifelong friends. He possessed an unwavering respect for police officers and firefighters and dedicated his career to serving them. Cary was instrumental in advancing police and firefighter pension representation and education throughout Illinois. He founded the Illinois Public Pension Advisory Committee, an organization established to provide essential education and guidance to police and firefighter pension trustees.

Proud of his Irish heritage, Cary was known as a tough, determined advocate, a tenacious litigator, and a loyal friend. His passion for his work was matched only by his commitment to fairness, integrity, and the people he represented.

Cary’s legacy endures as that of a benchmark attorney in police and firefighter pension law. His influence on the field, and on those who had the privilege of working with him, will be felt for generations to come.

May he rest in peace, and may perpetual light shine upon him

42 years experience

Areas of Practice:

• General practice with concentration in the area of police & fire pension law
• Administrative and municipal law
• Legal advisor to more than 50 Police and Fire Pension Boards

Qualifications:

• Illinois Public Pension Advisory Committee (IPPAC) General Counsel
• Hoffman Estates Business Association
• Northern Illinois Police Crime Laboratory
• Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Biography

Cary J. Collins graduated law school in 1979 and joined the Law Firm of Hill, Van Santen, Steadman and Simpson in June 1979. He represented international clients in product liability litigation throughout the United States and was intricately involved in a major personal injury case, Holden vs. State Fair of Texas, a jury trial in the United States Northern District of Texas in 1982 which lasted over six weeks.

He became a shareholder in Hill, Van Santen, Steadman & Simpson in 1983 and left in January 1985 to begin my own practice.

Mr. Collins established a reputation in the area of Fire and Police Pension Law and has litigated several Appellate Court cases of first impression. A frequent speaker on topics of public pension issues, he has spoken before the Illinois Government Financial Officers Association, Illinois Treasurers Association, the National Fire and Police Pension Fund Association, Illinois State Fraternal Order of Police, the Illinois Associated Firefighters of Illinois, Illinois Police Association and for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Pension Division. Serves on the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Advisory Panel and the Judicial Inquiry Board.

LAW SCHOOL

• 1979 John Marshall Law School

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:

1974-1979 University of Illinois – Office of Business Affairs Supervisor
1979-1984 Shareholder Hill Van Santen, Steadman and Simpson, Sears Tower, Chicago, Illinois.
1985-Present Law Offices of Cary J. Collins, P.C.
AREA OF PRACTICE:
General practice with concentration in the area of Police and Fire Pension Law, Administrative Law and Municipal Law.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:

• 1995-Present Legal Counsel of the Illinois Public Pension Advisory Committee
• 2003-2010 Village of Hoffman Estates Trustee
• 2005-2006 Chairman Finance Committee Village of Hoffman Estates
• 1997-2001 Hoffman Estates Park District Commissioner –Past President
• 1985-1989 Chairman Hoffman Estates Police and Fire Commission
• 1989-Present General Counsel Hoffman Estates Business Association
• 1982 Former Vice Chairman, Product Liabilities Committee of American Bar Association
• 1986-1995 Deputy General Counsel Illinois Police Pension Fund Association
• Four-Year Term Chairman, Hoffman Estates Unit of American Cancer Society
• 1989-1991 Regional Representation of the Northwest Suburban Unit of the American Cancer Society
• Four-Year Term Host of “Within the Law” Cable Television
• 1984-1985 Director Chicago Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division
• 2001-Present Appointee of the Illinois Department of Insurance Pension Advisory Service Committee
• 1997-2003 Illinois Park & Recreation Association, Join Public Awareness & Conference Committee

OTHER OFFICES

• 2005-Present Trustee, Hoffman Estates Firefighters Pension Board2003-Present Trustee, Hoffman Estates Police Pension Board
• 2003-Present Trustee, Village of Hoffman Estates
• 1994-Present General Counsel, Northern Illinois Police Crime Laboratory
• 1999-2003 General Counsel, Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• 1994-2000 President, Hoffman Estates Fire Protection District

SPEAKER

• National Fire and Police Pension Fund Association, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
• 1997- Present Disability Hearing Procedures
• 1995- Present Illinois Public Pension Advisory Committee Annual Conferences
• 1986 Conference of the Illinois Police Pension Fund Association
• IGFOA Fiduciary Responsibilities of Pension Trustees
• Illinois Department of Insurance Pension Advisory Service Committee

AUTHOR/CONTRIBUTOR

• Published Appellate Court decision, Village of Oak Park vs. Weidler and Bassett vs. Pekin
• 2005 Buy-back of Creditable Service for Firefighters
• 1995-Present Illinois Public Pension Advisory Committee, Quarterly Newsletter 2001, 2003 Firefighters Pension and Police Pension Plan Description Booklets
• 1997 Portability of Police Pensions
• 1997 Establish Pension Disability Procedures
• 1996 Local Issues of Pension Funds
• 1994 Investigating and Adjudicating Disability Claims
• 1992 Develop Police & Fire Pension Forms & Procedures