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[caption id="attachment_14344" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Andrew Mitchell"][/caption] The law firm of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. is pleased to announce Andrew M. Mitchell has joined the Firm’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group as an Associate. Mitchell represents clients in a broad range of estate planning matters. In particular, he assists clients with estate and trust planning, focusing on protecting family wealth and advising clients on prudently transferring wealth to younger generations or charities. He is also experienced in the administration of trusts and estates. A significant portion of his practice is devoted to addressing the income, estate, generation-skipping transfer and gift tax issues relative to the estate planning, probate and trust administration projects in which he is involved. Mitchell received his Juris Doctorate from University of Kentucky College of Law in 2006.  He received his Bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St.

The Illinois Finance Authority has appointed Brendan Cournane, 56, as General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Directors. Cournane replaces Christopher Meister, 45 (who was recently promoted to IFA Executive Director). Cournane had served as Senior Assistant General Counsel of the Chicago Board of Education, a position held since 2003. Cournane received his B.A. from Loyola University of Chicago in 1975 and his J.D. from Loyola in 1978.

Dykema, a leading national law firm, today announced the addition of Jeffrey A. Pine to its Intellectual Property Department as Of Counsel in the firm’s Chicago office. Prior to joining Dykema, Pine was a founding partner of IP boutique firm Valauskas & Pine. Pine focuses his practice on technology-related litigation and licensing matters, with a particular emphasis on patent, trade secret, trademark and copyright disputes. He has extensive experience in counseling and providing intellectual property protection for start-up and established Internet-based companies. He also has a wide technical background, having worked as an engineer at a major defense contractor designing and developing Automated Testing Equipment for complex electronic systems. Prior to founding Valauskas & Pine in 2007, Pine was a founding partner of Baniak, Pine & Gannon. Previously, Pine began his intellectual property career at Brinks, Hofer, Gilson & Lione. Pine is a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association, Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, American Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, and Illinois State Bar Association. He received a J.D. from Loyola University of Chicago and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois. Dykema’s attorneys counsel clients on all aspects of the procurement, management, and enforcement of intellectual property rights. The firm’s intellectual property attorneys, including numerous attorneys who are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, prepare, prosecute and enforce patents in a diverse range of industries including automotive, communications, computer, electronics biotechnology, chemical and consumer products.

Retired Judge Kenneth A. Abraham has joined the Oak Brook and Chicago law firm of DiTommaso-Lubin as Of Counsel to head the firm's arbitration and mediation practice group and to act as a litigation consultant to the firm on complex business cases and consumer class action lawsuits. Ken brings to DiTommaso-Lubin nearly 40 years of legal experience, including a decade and half on the bench as a trial judge.