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Chicago Area

  • March 8, 2012 | People
    Harold T. Berc 1914-2012

    Harold T. Berc, a Chicago attorney for more than 60 years, served in the South Pacific during World War II and, as national commander of AMVETS, helped secure funding to complete the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor.

    Mr. Berc, 97, died Sunday, Feb. 26, at The Grove at Lincoln Park senior community, said his stepson, Jamey Fadim. His health had declined after he fractured his hip, Fadim said.

    Mr. Berc was born in Chicago and was a lifelong resident. He got his law degree from DePaul University in 1937. For much of the 1930s, he worked in the news business, including in the editorial department of the International News Service.

    After getting his law degree he opened a practice, handling business litigation, wills and trusts, and real estate.

    Shortly after Pearl Harbor was attacked, he joined the Navy, serving in the reserves until 1953. During the war he served aboard the USS Washington battleship and the USS Reno, an anti-aircraft cruiser.

    He received a Bronze Star for being fighter director officer aboard the USS Reno when the USS Princeton was bombed and set afire by Japanese forces in the Philippines on Oct. 24, 1944.

    He also received 10 battle stars for participating in 10 major naval engagements. From Feb. 1, 1945 to the end of World War II he taught at an officers tactical radar school in Hollywood, Fla.

    Mr. Berc returned to his law practice after the war and worked until he retired in 2003.

  • March 8, 2012 | People
    Technology licensing partner Marcelo Halpern joins Perkins Coie in Chicago

    Perkins Coie has announced that Marcelo Halpern has joined the firm as Partner in the Licensing & Technology practice in Chicago. He joins the firm from Latham & Watkins.

    Halpern, the co-founder and former chair of Latham & Watkins’ Technology Transactions practice, focuses his practice on transactional, strategic and corporate representation of software, consulting, internet, e-commerce and technology companies, as well as non-technology companies on technology and intellectual property related matters. 

    “Marcelo is an experienced technology licensing lawyer who will strengthen our technology licensing capability in the Chicago office, the East Coast and nationally,” said Chris Wilson, Chicago Office Managing Partner.

    Halpern has extensive experience structuring and negotiating technology and intellectual property-oriented strategic alliances and joint ventures, IT and business process outsourcing, and counseling on digital strategy concerns including open source licensing, data security, data use and privacy issues, including HIPAA, GLB and cross-border data privacy issues. He also works on Internet advertising and sponsorship agreements and intellectual property and technology issues arising in the context of mergers and acquisitions, financing and bankruptcy transactions.

  • March 8, 2012 | People
    Amanda Blaising joins Quarles & Brady

    The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP announced that Amanda K. Blaising has joined the Firm’s Chicago office as an associate in the Tax-Exempt Organizations and Trusts & Estates Practice Groups.

    Ms. Blaising represents and advises not-for-profit organizations and individuals on a variety of legal and tax matters. During law school, she served as a Judicial Extern for the Hon. Judge Ronald Guzman, Northern District of Illinois. Ms. Blaising is a volunteer for the Wills for Heroes program and Ladder Up.

    She received her law degree, magna cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Indiana University.

    About Quarles & Brady LLP

  • March 8, 2012 | People
    Andrew Glubisz joins Chuhak & Tecson, P.C.

    Chuhak & Tecson, P.C., is pleased to welcome Andrew Glubisz to the firm.

    Glubisz, a banking attorney, focuses his practice on the representation of middle market lenders. He has extensive knowledge around transactional matters, including contract negotiations and drafting of purchase agreements.

    Glubisz is actively involved with Chicago’s Ukrainian-American community and serves as director of community affairs for the American Ukrainian Youth Association. He is a graduate of The John Marshall Law School.

  • March 8, 2012 | Events
    IBF to honor Bahr, Reichardt at DuPage event

    The Illinois Bar Foundation will honor ISBA Past President Irene Bahr and Jim Reichardt at the DuPage County Chapter Fellows Reception.

    This event will be held on Thursday, March 22 at Maggiano’s Little Italy in Naperville. For further information, please call the IBF at 312.726.6072, or visit www.illinoisbarfoundation.org.

  • March 1, 2012 | Events
    Women's Bar Association of Illinois to honor Walker, Pallmeyer at 98th Annual Judicial Reception

    On Thursday, March 1, 2012, the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois will host its 98th Annual Judicial Reception. The Judicial Reception, which will be held at the Hotel Allegro from 5:00pm to 7:30 p.m., brings together members of the bench and bar to  celebrate the achievements of the Illinois judiciary.

    This year, the WBAI is pleased to honor two eminent jurists with the presentation of the WBAI’s Mary Heftel Hooton Award: The Honorable Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer, of the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, and The Honorable Judge Debra B. Walker, of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Domestic Relations Division. Each year, the WBAI recognizes a select number of distinguished jurists who share in the WBAI’s determined commitment to promoting the success of women attorneys and advocacy for women’s interests by presenting them with this award. The award’s namesake, Judge Mary Heftel Hooton, was a First Municipal District Judge and served as President of the WBAI in 1976. In 1993, she kindly bequeathed her estate to the WBAI, enabling the WBAI to acquire and maintain its current offices in the Chicago Bar Association Building. The WBAI imparts the Mary Heftel Hooton Award in her honor.

  • March 1, 2012 | People
    Raysa & Zimmermann LLC Announces Merger with Chicago‐Based Tressler LLP

    Raysa & Zimmermann LLC, a premier Local Government Law Firm in Illinois, has announced that it will merge effective March 31, 2012, with Tressler LLP, a Chicago‐based firm with offices in California, New York and New Jersey. The combined firm name will be Tressler LLP.

    Through this merger, Tressler gains seven lawyers and an office in Park Ridge, Ill., from which the firm will continue to support its governmental practice in the Chicago suburbs. The Raysa & Zimmermann attorneys join Tressler’s existing local government law practice comprised of 13 attorneys based in the firm’s Chicago and Bolingbrook, Ill., offices.

    Joining from Raysa & Zimmermann are: Michael F. Zimmermann, Marshall Seeder and Erik R. Peck as partners; John J. Zimmermann and William G. Raysa as senior counsel; and Jeffrey Stein and Eric Yehl as associates.

  • February 27, 2012 | People
    Chicago attorney Adam Whiteman pens musical drama celebrating local folk hero Francis O’Neill

    Chicago lawyer, Adam Whiteman, has written and is now producing a musical drama celebrating the life and times of Francis O’Neill, the Chicago Chief of Police who is widely revered for his efforts to preserve and revive traditional Irish music.

    Whiteman, who lives in Highland Park and maintains a Loop office, concentrates on general business law, litigation and real estate. He is an active member of the Illinois State Bar Association and is the editor of the Real Property Newsletter for the Real Estate Section Counsel. He is also a chair certified arbitrator for the Lake and Cook County mandatory arbitration program and serves as an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association with regard to commercial disputes.

    In addition to his full-time law practice, Whiteman is a composer, record producer and playwright. Whiteman is the founder of Big Chicago Records (www.bigchicago.com), a label dedicated to Chicago’s diverse music scene. The label has sold well over 100,000 albums from record stores, museums, airports and gift shops all over the greater Chicago area. Albums produced by Whiteman include “A Chicago Blues Tour”, “A Chicago Jazz Tour”, “The Chicago Music Scene” and “Musica Latina Chicago.”  Whiteman was a music major at the University of Wisconsin Madison where he studied French Horn performance and composition. His compositions appear on his albums and have been used in commercial settings.

  • February 23, 2012 | People
    Arnstein & Lehr promotes 2 ISBA members to partner

    Arnstein & Lehr LLP is pleased to announce that two attorneys elevated to partner in the firm’s Chicago office.

    W. Matthew Bryant is a member of the firm’s Construction and Litigation Practice Groups in Chicago. He focuses his practice on construction and commercial litigation and dispute resolution. Bryant received his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago and his law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

    Mary Ann Sullivan is a member of the firm’s Property Tax Appeals, Real Estate and Tax Practice Groups in Chicago. Her practice focuses on property assessment law, ad valorem taxation and real estate law. Sullivan received her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and her law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

  • February 22, 2012 | People
    Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund appoints Arden Miner to run process service subsidiary

    Arden Miner, who joined the legal department of Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, Inc. (ATG) in 2001, has been promoted to executive vice president and CEO at ATG LegalServe, Inc., a subsidiary of ATG.

    ATG LegalServe, formed during the fall of 2009, is a process service company that has grown from two employees to 12 in less than three years. LegalServe is also a full-service litigation support provider. Miner and Operations Manager Robert Rusch have a combined 32 years of serving the legal profession.

    “LegalServe is a logical service for ATG to provide because we already have a broad reach through our extensive network of lawyers,” says ATG CEO Peter Birnbaum.  “We’ve come a long way in just two years. Arden’s deep and varied experience with ATG and her wide range of skills make her the perfect fit for the top position at this subsidiary. We are confident she will provide the kind of leadership that will continue to grow this business and make it the premier process server in the Midwest.” 

    Starting in 2001, Miner worked as an attorney in the ATG legal and underwriting departments;  in 2004 she was promoted to senior manager of the demanding underwriting and escrow departments. She is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Association, a past chairperson for the CBA Real Property Law Committee, and current Vice Chair of the UPL and Multi-Disciplinary Law Committees. Miner served on the board of the Illinois Land Title Association until her switch to ATG LegalServe and has been a frequent speaker for IICLE and ATG Legal Education seminars.