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Chicago Area

  • May 10, 2012 | People
    Frederick C. Leydig 1925-2012

    Frederick C. Leydig, 87, passed away April 17, 2012, at his home in Barrington with his wife of 62 years, Patricia, by his side.

    Fred was born in Denver, Colo., and grew up in Detroit, Mich. He attended and was a proud alum of the Jesuit University of Detroit High School. In the midst of World War II, Fred earned his B.S. in chemical engineering (1945) from the Illinois Institute of Technology through the Navy's V-12 officer training program, was commissioned an ensign and served aboard the battleship USS New Jersey. While attending IIT, he earned varsity letters in tennis and basketball. As IIT's "giant" center, Fred played against such future basketball greats as George Mikan and Otto Graham.

    Attending night school, Fred received his J.D. from DePaul Law School in 1950. He was employed in the patent department of Standard Oil Company and, in 1954, joined the intellectual property firm of Carlson, Pitzner, Hubbard & Wolf, which later came to bear his name: Leydig, Voit & Mayer Ltd. He became one of the nation's preeminent intellectual property attorneys. Testament to his leadership in the firm and renown as a lawyer, the firm continues to bear his name more than 20 years after his retirement.

    Along the way, Fred was chairman of Young Republicans of Illinois (1953 - 55), president of the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago (1980), president of the United Way of Arlington Heights (1965 - 66), and board member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association and the Law Club of Chicago. He was a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

  • May 10, 2012 | People
    Robert E. Jones 1949-2012

    DuPage County lost one of its most prominent attorneys Wednesday night as Robert E. Jones of Wheaton, 63, died after an 18-month battle with lung cancer, despite being a non-smoker.

    A trial lawyer, Mr. Jones led the litigation department of DuPage County’s largest law firm, Huck Bouma PC. Mr. Jones did his undergraduate work at Wheaton College, where he received a bachelor of arts degree in history in 1971. He later received his law degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville in 1974.

    Mr. Jones was a member of the Federal Trial Bar, the American Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association and the American Trial Lawyers Association.

    Read the full obituary in the Naperville Sun

  • May 10, 2012 | People
    John J. "Jack" Schaller 1948-2012

    John J. "Jack" Schaller, age 63, entered eternal rest April 23, 2012 at Joliet Area Community Hospice Home as the result of complications from liver failure.

    A lifelong Sox and Bears fan, Jack was raised on the Southside of Chicago. He graduated from St. Ignatius College Prep, and he later enlisted in the Army and was a soldier in Vietnam. Upon returning from the war, Jack graduated from Illinois State University and began a brief career as a junior high teacher and football coach. While working at Gompers Junior High, Jack met and later married Melissa Stanclik. With his wife's support, he attended Lewis University and pursued his dream of becoming a lawyer, a career he held most of his adult life. Notably, Jack became a prosecutor for the Grundy County States Attorney's office in 1994 and remained until his retirement in June of 2010.

    An avid golfer, Jack played the area courses regularly making many friends along the way. Throughout all of these stages of life, Jack could not go anywhere without seeing a familiar face and sharing one of his funny stories. A member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, American Legion Post 1080, and the Will County Irish American Society, Jack will be remembered for his humor and larger than life personality; his pride in his family and his father's bar, Schaller's Pump; and, his devotion to his first grandson, Scotty. Jack will be missed by many and forgotten by none.

  • May 9, 2012 | CLE
    CLE: Development and Execution of a Successful Antitrust Compliance Program

    Antitrust laws apply to all businesses, regardless of size, public/private standing, or profit/non-profit status. The civil and criminal penalties for failure to comply with U.S. and State (including Illinois) antitrust laws can be quite severe, and any attorney advising businesses needs to be generally aware of the laws. Join us on May 23rd in Chicago or via live webcast for a program that enhances your knowledge of the antitrust laws and gives you the tools you need to insure compliance with those laws. Corporate attorneys, in-house counsel, commercial practitioners, and those practicing in the trade regulation arena will benefit from the following seminar information:

    • Understanding why the antitrust compliance program was established, as well as the program’s basic components and goals;
    • Learning how antitrust compliance issues have been affected by technology;
    • Properly administering the program;
    • Understanding how a successful antitrust compliance program factors into sentencing and leniency; and
    • Recognizing pitfalls and fulfilling requirements.

    The program, which qualifies for 3.75 hours MCLE credit, is presented by the ISBA Antitrust and Unfair Competition Law Section and co-sponsored by the ISBA Corporate Law Department Section, ISBA Young Lawyers Division, and the Chicago Bar Association Antitrust Section.

    Click here for more information and to register for the live, on-site seminar in CHICAGO.

  • May 4, 2012 | CLE
    CLE: Real Estate Tax Protests and Bankruptcy Essentials

    Get the tools you need to effectively handle real estate tax protests and resolve bankruptcy issues in real estate transactions with this informative program in Lombard on May 11th! Topics include: understanding the real estate tax bill; learning to deal with the tax assessor; how to file a real estate tax appeal; bankruptcy filing requirements and procedures; executory real estate contracts; the Bankruptcy Code’s Automatic Stay; and recent case law in bankruptcy cases involving real estate.

    The program is presented by the ISBA Real Estate Law Section and co-sponsored by the ISBA Commercial Banking, Collections, and Bankruptcy Section. The program qualifies for 6.0 hours of MCLE credit.

    Click here for more information and to register.

    Can’t attend the live program in Lombard?Visit http://isba.fastcle.com for access to the online recorded version of this program approximately 6 weeks after the program.

  • May 4, 2012 | People
    Mary Clare Bonaccorsi joins Polsinelli Shughart's Chicago office

    Polsinelli Shughart in Chicago continues its growth with the addition of Mary Clare Bonaccorsi, who led the health care and life sciences practice at her prior firm.

    Bonaccorsi, who will practice in Chicago, has a national practice and advises clients on litigation, regulatory, compliance, and risk management matters. Her clients include home medical equipment suppliers, manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and health care providers, including hospitals, health systems, surgery centers, and long term care facilities. She is excited about building the Chicago office and joining the sixth largest health practice in the nation.

    “The firm’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to emerging industries, including health care and life sciences, was attractive to our group,” said Bonaccorsi. “I look forward to collaborating with transactional and health care lawyers who have a deep and practical understanding of our clients’ business operations and legal needs, and am proud to be associated with such high quality practitioners.”

    About Polsinelli Shughart
    With more than 600 attorneys, Polsinelli Shughart (www.polsinelli.com) is a national law firm that is a recognized leader in the areas of health care, business law, financial services, real estate, and business litigation.

  • May 3, 2012 | People
    Alexis Backs Joins Quarles & Brady's Labor & Employment Group

    The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP announced that Alexis Renee Backs has joined the Firm's Chicago office as an associate in the Labor & Employment Group.

    Backs' practice focuses on employee benefits and executive compensation. She advises employers and plan sponsors on the design and administration of qualified and nonqualified retirement plans and welfare benefit plans. She routinely counsels clients on regulatory compliance with ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code and represents clients before the Internal Revenue Service in connection with determination letter applications and voluntary compliance program submissions under the Employee Plan Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS). Backs is also actively involved in assisting clients sponsoring group health plans prepare for, and comply with, regulatory changes under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) as well as maintain compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA).

    Backs also advises employers on the design and implementation of various non-qualified compensation programs (including Section 409A compliance issues) and has experience negotiating and drafting employment agreements, change-in-control agreements, severance agreements and separation and release agreements.

    She received her law degree from the University of Chicago Law School and her undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Southern California.

    Quarles & Brady LLP

  • May 2, 2012 | Events
    IBF invites you to Lincoln Legacy Society reception

    The Illinois Bar Foundation cordially invites you to a reception hosted by the Lincoln Legacy Society on May 23 at 5:30 p.m. at the law offices of Tabet DiVito & Rothstein LLC, 209 S. La Salle, 7th floor. Guests will enjoy a tasting of fine wine, whiskey, hors d'oeuvres and cocktails at this event. Admission is free.

    Please respond by Friday, May 18, to Karen Kossart at kkossart@isba.org or by phone at (312) 726-6072.

  • May 2, 2012 | CLE
    CLE: Are we insane? The plight of the mentally ill in the criminal justice system

    Join us in Chicago on May 9th for this enlightening, but sobering seminar on a topic that has only recently begun to receive the attention it deserves!

    Recent studies show that nearly 1 in 5 inmates housed in our jails and prisons suffers from a serious mental illness, and representing them requires specialized skills and knowledge. Learn about the special issues involved in representing persons with mental illness in the criminal justice system, the rights of this population, and how to make the criminal justice system more responsive to their needs. Hear the philosophical and legal insights of our experienced lawyers and trained professionals as they discuss a myriad of relevant topics, including: advances in neuropsychology and the impact on culpability and sentencing; the attorneys’ role in the client’s mental health issues; the insanity defense and the guilty-but-mentally-ill disposition; a client’s fitness to stand trial and waive rights; and much more!

    The program is sponsored by the ISBA Mental Health Section and co-sponsored by the ISBA Criminal Justice Section. It qualifies for 6.5 hours MCLE credit.

    Click here for more information and to register.

  • April 27, 2012 | ISBA News
    Kane County Sheriff receives ISBA Law Enforcement Award

    ISBA President John G. Locallo (right) presents Kane County Sheriff Patrick Perez, of Aurora, with the ISBA’s annual Law Enforcement Award. The award we presented at the Kane County Bar Association’s annual Judges Night on Tuesday, April 24, at Fox Valley Country Club in North Aurora.