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  • November 17, 2011 | ISBA News
    Russell Scott to receive Illinois Bar Foundation's Distinguished Service to Law and Society Award

    The Illinois Bar Foundation will honor Belleville attorney ISBA Board member Russell K. Scott with the foundation’s prestigious 2011 Distinguished Service to Law and Society Award. The award will be presented at a meeting of the ISBA's Midyear Meeting in Chicago.  Past recipients of the award include U.S. Senators Alan Dixon and Paul Simon, Illinois Supreme Court justices, federal judges and noted attorneys. Scott is a senior litigation officer with Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. and co-manager of the firm’s Southern Illinois Practice Group, based in Belleville.

    The award honors Scott for significant contributions to law, society and the Illinois Bar Foundation and The Fellows program. Founded more than 50 years ago, the foundation ensures meaningful access to the justice system, especially for those of limited means, and assists lawyers who can no longer support themselves due to incapacity.  Find our more at www.illinoisbarfoundation.org.

    With Greensfelder, Scott’s practice includes the defense of legal and medical malpractice suits, product liability actions, industrial accident cases, premises liability, automobile, construction, insurance coverage, class action, toxic tort, general commercial and personal injury litigation. He is also a certified mediator.

    Scott was inducted into the Academy of Illinois Lawyers in 2009. He is a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America and fellow and board member of the International Academy of Dispute Resolution.

  • November 17, 2011 | Events | ISBA News
    Early bird deadline for YLD Holiday Party is Nov. 21

    Please join us in supporting the 14th Annual Holiday Party to benefit the Illinois Bar Foundation/ISBA Young Lawyers Division’s Children’s Assistance Fund. Over the past decade, we raised over $400,000 and collected countless toys and books that were donated to children’s waiting rooms throughout the State of Illinois. Please continue this worthy tradition by joining us this year in person or support our event with your generous contribution:

    WHEN: Friday, December 2, 2011, 6:00-10:00 p.m.

    WHERE: Cubby Bear Lounge, 1059 W. Addison, Chicago, IL (see map)

    WHAT: Open Bar, Warm Appetizers, Live Music by Rod Tuffcurls & The Bench Press, and FUN!

    COST:

    • $35.00 per person, for tickets purchased by November 21, 2011
    • $30.00 per law student, per tickets purchased by November 21, 2011
    • $40.00 per person, for tickets purchased after November 21, 2011

    Click here to register

    The YLD Children's Assistance Fund is a fund of the Illinois Bar Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable entity.

  • November 11, 2011 | Practice News
    DuPage County announces Veteran's Track

    Chief Judge Stephen J. Culliton, Chief Judge Elect John T. Elsner and MICAP Programs Judge Jane H. Mitton and State's Attorney Robert B. Berlin announced recently that a Veteran's Track is being initiated as a cooperative effort between the 18th Judicial Circuit of Illinois Drug Court and Mental Illiness Court Alternative Programs (MICAP) and the Veteran's Administration.

    The mission of the Veteran's Track is to reduce the number of incidence crimes committed by verteran with substance abuse, traumatic brain injury, post traumatic stress disorder and/or mental health issues as a results of their military service. This will be achieved by the operation of a highly structured judicial intervention process for these veterans that brings together Veteran Administraiton treatment services and intesnsive judicial monitoring through Drug Court or MICAP.

    Participants will consist of those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and who have received an honorable or general discharge from the military. For further information, please contact Jim Wojtas, Drug Court/MICAP Program Manager at (630) 407-8846 or james.wojtas@dupageco.org. The start date is Jan. 1, 2012.

  • November 4, 2011 | People
    Harold G. Field 1923-2011

    Harold G. Field died peacefully at his home in Naperville on Nov. 1, 2011. Harold was born in Chicago on February 27, 1923 and moved to Naperville when he was 12 years old.

    He attended Naperville High School and North Central College until he enlisted in the Army in 1942. He served in Europe and was awarded the Bronze Star. Following the war, he enrolled and graduated with distinction from Arizona State. He received his law degree from Chicago Kent College of Law in 1952. 

    2 comments (Most recent November 12, 2011)
  • November 3, 2011 | ISBA News | People
    Paula Holderman receives the 2011 “Women with Vision” Award

    ISBA 2nd Vice President and Winston & Strawn chief attorney development officer Paula H. Holderman will be honored by the Women's Bar Association of Illinois (WBAI) with the 2011 "Women with Vision" award. Ms. Holderman will be presented with the award at the WBAI's Joint Professional Dinner on Nov. 3, 2011 in Chicago.

    The "Women with Vision" Awards were first presented in 1997 by the WBAI to honor and recognize women who have demonstrated visionary approaches in their professional endeavors and who have made a contribution to the well-being and empowerment of women.

    Ms. Holderman will take office as ISBA president of the in 2013. Ms. Holderman is also a member of Winston & Strawn's diversity committee as well as a chair of the Women to Women (W2W) initiative.

  • November 3, 2011 | ISBA News | Events
    ISBA to recognize Class of 2011 Distinguished Counsellors

    The Illinois State Bar Association will be recognizing members who have been admitted to practice for 50 years at a luncheon on Wednesday, Dec. 7. We are pleased to invite you to join President John G. Locallo as the Association recognizes the 2011 Class of Distinguished Counsellors.

    The luncheon to recognized the 2011 Class of Distinguished Counsellors will be held at The Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago, 909 N. Michigan. There will be a reception at 11:15 a.m. and lunch at noon. Tickets are available at $65 per person and advanced registration is required. To purchase tickets, please complete and return the attached registration form.doc.

    If you have any questions, please contact Kim Weaver by e-mail at kweaver@isba.org or by telephone at (800) 252-8908.

    Here is the Bar Class of 1961 to be honored as Distinguished Counsellors:

    1 comment (Most recent November 4, 2011)
  • November 2, 2011 | People
    Leo J. Sullivan III 1934-2011

    Leo J. "Bear" Sullivan, a two-term member of the ISBA Assembly and past chair of the ISBA Mutual Insurance company, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011. Mr. Sullivan was born on Aug. 16, 1934 in St. Louis, Missouri.

    Reared in East St. Louis, he graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1952, and recently attended his graduating class's 50th reunion. While attending St. Louis University he clerked for two separate Police Magistrates in E. St. Louis. He graduated from St. Louis University Law School in 1958 with a J.D. degree and was admitted to the Illinois and Missouri Bars the same year.

    The same year he joined the United States Navy and was commissioned in 1959 after completing OCS in Newport, Rhode Island. His first assignment as a Legal Officer was to the USNS Kodiak, Alaska where he served as the legal officer to that command and others.

    In September of 1960 he was transferred to the Administrative Command at Great Lakes, where he was in charge of the Courts Martial Unit and later acted as the Appellate Review Officer. In late 1960 he worked part time, nights and weekends, for Snyder, Clarke, Dalziel, Holmquist and Johnson in Waukegan. When released from active duty in March of 1962 he became a member of the firm. In 1967 he was made a partner.

  • November 2, 2011 | ISBA News | Events
    Register now for ISBA, IJA Joint Meeting - hotel registration deadline is Nov. 12

    Please join us in Chicago Dec. 8-10 as lawyers and judges from around our great state gather to conduct the business of the bench and bar at the ISBA/IJA Joint Meeting. No matter what role you are seeking, we have a scene for you – from networking to business meetings to CLE programs and social events – there is a part for everyone to play.

    We begin Thursday with a show for the newest members of our profession designed to meet the Basic Skills requirement while learning from a faculty of judge and attorney stars. Following the program we invite everyone to join us for the Opening Reception where you can mix and mingle with colleagues and new acquaintances.

    Friday we’ll gather with the IBF to present awards to the leaders in our profession and find out which bands will be conducting the score for the Lawyers Rock Legends sequel in 2012.

    The rest of the day will be dedicated to outstanding educational programming including the double-feature Joint IJA/ISBA Programs – The Legacy of Myra Bradwell: In the Light of Experience and Revitalizing the Jury Trial, a luncheon presentation, and a Master Series ethics program by the nation’s favorite “Humorist at Law”, Sean Carter, on Divine Ethics: Avoiding the Chasm of Incivility.

    Later that evening we’ll throw an after-show party to remember as we salute and honor the Supreme Court of Illinois, featuring Mary Jane Theis, Justice, Supreme Court of Illinois.

  • October 31, 2011 | People
    Leading Park Ridge law firms to merge on Nov. 1

    On November 1, 2011, two highly-regarded Park Ridge law firms, Owens, Owens & Rinn, Ltd. and Di Monte & Lizak, LLC will combine and form a single firm known as Di Monte & Lizak, LLC, practicing from one office, at 216 Higgins Road, Park Ridge, IL 60068. The main telephone number for the firm will be (847) 698-9600, and the firm’s website will be www.dimontelaw.com.

    Owens, Owens and Rinn, Ltd. was founded by John E. Owens, Sr. in 1923.  John supported himself through law school selling plumbing supplies, and many of his former customers became clients of the newly founded firm.  John Sr. was joined in the practice by his brother, Thomas L. Owens, and his brother-in-law, Vincent G. Rinn. 

    Like many hard-working attorneys, John Sr. made time for service to the profession, serving on the Board of Managers of the Chicago Bar Association, and the Committee on Character and Fitness of the Illinois Bar.  In the latter capacity, he was one of the members who successfully opposed the admission of an admitted member of the Communist Party to the Illinois Bar.  That case ultimately reached the United States Supreme court, where John Sr.’s position was upheld.

    Thomas L. Owens entered public service by running for and being elected to the Congressional seat representing what was then the 7th Congressional District in Illinois (Park Ridge).  In Congress, having an interest in Labor Law, he served on the powerful House Labor Committee where he was a proponent of the Taft-Hartley Act.  While serving in Washington, Thomas was stricken with a fatal disease, and he died in the Bethesda Naval Hospital in 1948. 

  • October 26, 2011 | People
    Ray J. Koenig III named head of Clark Hill PLC Chicago

    Attorney Ray J. Koenig III has been named the Managing Member of Clark Hill PLC’s Chicago office, CEO John Hern announced today. Koenig is a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group, and is a well-known civic activist and leader in the Chicago community.  

    “We are pleased to announce that Ray has agreed to serve in this leadership role for our Chicago office,” Hern said. “Ray is an accomplished attorney, and has demonstrated impressive leadership skills during his time with Clark Hill. This is a time of tremendous growth in our firm, and we are fortunate to have someone like Ray as a part of our team.”

    In addition to his role as the Managing Member of Clark Hill Chicago, Koenig is also a member of the Litigation Practice Group and Chair of the Trusts & Estates Section Council of the Illinois State Bar Association and past Chair of the section Legislation Committee. The Trusts & Estates Section is the third largest section of the Illinois State Bar Association. Koenig is also a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, Member of the Task Force on Unauthorized Practice of Law, American Bar Association: past Committee Vice-Chair within the Section on Probate (RPPT), Chicago Bar Association, LAGBAC, Chicago Estate Planning Council and the Clark Hill PLC Diversity & Inclusion Committee.