Funeral Details

Peter David Kasdin (1942–2026)

Peter Kasdin was formidable in the courtroom and fun on the golf course. A lawyer for 58 years, he left a successful corporate law career to open his own firm representing victims, taking pride in standing up for the little guy. That was the soul of the man.

Recognized by his peers as one of the top litigation lawyers in the state, Peter was qualified to practice before courts beyond Illinois, including the United States Supreme Court. His legal knowledge was admired even by opponents. A perfectionist, he mastered the details of every case and knew when to go to trial and when to secure the best settlement. Even during his illness, he continued advising fellow lawyers.

Peter grew up in Newark, New Jersey, and put himself through Vanderbilt University, Rutgers University, where he was a proud member of the Phi Epsilon Pi fraternity, and the University of Tennessee, earning his JD and honors including Law Review and the Order of the Coif. Early in his career, he became a professor at the University of Illinois and later one of the youngest managing partners at Arnstein, Gluck, Weitzenfeld & Minow. His reputation was built on preparation, tenacity, and uncompromising ethical standards.

Born Peter Cohen, he later restored his family’s original name, Kasdin, honoring his Russian family’s history. He maintained lifelong friendships and cherished time with family, especially at his Longboat Key home. He shared his later years with his wife, Noelle.

Peter was unmistakable in his cowboy boots and hats, even in court, and loyal to a battered briefcase and decades-old Timex watch. He also had a deep affection for old Porsches, especially six-speed manuals, which he admired for their precision and refusal to do the work for the driver. On the golf course, where he achieved Twin Orchard Country Club championships in his younger years, he remained confident to the end, even teaching his nurse how to putt from his bed.

He is survived by his wife, Noelle Kasdin; his children Chadwel, Michael, and Erin; his grandchildren Louis, Cooper, Kaia, Gabriel, Jacob, and Jude; and his sister, Carol. His legacy lives on in the clients he fought for, the lawyers he mentored, and the family and wife he deeply loved.

Memorial Service Sunday 2PM at Chicago Jewish Funerals, 195 North Buffalo Grove Road (1 Block North of Lake Cook Road), Buffalo Grove. Interment Private. To attend the funeral livestream, please visit our website. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of the following causes that were close to Peter's heart: The Center for Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, cwc.law.northwestern.edu/ or Chicagoland Rescue Intervention & Support Program, helping Chicago pet owners in financial need keep their pets rather than surrendering them to the city shelter www.crispchicago.com/ Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Buffalo Grove Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com