Laurel H. Rabin, who is a staff writer at GAO and reads the ISBA Bar News, writes that she agrees with the reader who wants to eliminate the salutation "To Whom It May Concern." She has shortened the phrase to "To whom it concerns," which "sounds a bit less 18th century" and gets the point across."
Her comment reminded me of Snoopy in "Peanuts," who is shown writing the salutation "To Whom It May Concern" and then adding below, "Dear Whom"! And that in turn recalled an e-mail from a lawyer, in response to a question about whether lawyers should add "Esq." to their names. He warned that he had done so and then received mail addressed, "Dear Esq."
Gertrude Block is Lecturer Emerita at the University of Florida College of Law. Her book, "Effective Legal Writing" (Foundation Press), is now available in a 5th edition (1999), with an accompanying instructor's manual. Ms. Block is also co-author of the "Judicial Opinion Writing Manual" (published by the American Bar Association, 1991). Send questions to the ISBA Bar News -- Language Tips, Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois Bar Center, Springfield, IL 62701, or e-mail her at block@law.ufl.edu.
Gunnar Gitlin to expound on child support planning
Family law attorney Gunnar J. Gitlin of Woodstock will conduct a master teacher class for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at the UBS Conference Center, Chicago.
The seminar, titled "Child Support and Maintenance: Using the Law, the Facts and Savvy Planning to Get the Best Awards for Your Clients," will be repeated Thursday, Jan. 23.
Call (800) 252-8062 for a schedule of IICLE seminars. Among them are:
Practical Will Drafting: Case Studies in the Wills of the Rich and Famous, a master teacher course with Michael R. Friedberg and Howard M. Helsinger of Sugar, Friedberg & Felsenthal - Friday, Nov. 22, at the Holiday Inn, Urbana.
6th Annual Employment Law Update - Friday, Nov. 22, at the UBS Conference Center, Chicago.
Timely Tax Tips, the annual Fiduciary Income Tax Update - Wednesday, Dec. 4, at the Holiday Inn, Urbana, and Tuesday, Dec. 10, at the UBS Conference Center, Chicago.
John Marshall Law
The John Marshall Law School Center for Intellectual Property Law will conduct a program on "Some Problems Relating to Intellectual Property Trials: Who Judges the Facts?" at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19. Call Michele Bridges, (312) 427-2737, ext. 581.
Decalogue Society
The Decalogue Society series of twice-monthly seminars takes place at 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays in the third floor conference room at 39 S. LaSalle, Chicago. Call (312) 263-6493 for the complete schedule, which includes the following during the next two months.
Nov. 20 Practice Before the Illinois Department of Human Rights with chief legal counsel Jacqueline S. Lustig and Marian Honel.
Dec. 4 Representing Whistleblowers with Steven H. Cohen.
Dec. 18 Legal Ethics and Attorney Fees with Lawrence Templer of Jolivette & Templer.
Jan. 8 Land Trusts with Martin S. Edwards of the North Star Deferred Exchange Corp.
Cook County Bar
A monthly lecture series on ethics and professionalism is being conducted by the Cook County Bar Association in the sixth floor conference room at 188 W. Randolph St. Call Brenda at (312) 368-0213 for reservations.
The speaker at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, will be Donn F. Bailey, a commissioner of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. There will be no program in December.
Lake County Bar
The Lake County Bar Association Wills, Trusts and Probate Committee will present its annual seminar from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, at the State Bank of the Lakes, Grayslake. Call (847) 244-3143.
Among discussion topics are new developments in probate and trust, guardianship basics, drafting wills and trusts during repeal of estate tax, gifting methods and limits, IRS review, and a view from the bench.
DuPage County Bar
New members of the DuPage County Bar Association are invited to attend an informative seminar, "Practicing Law in DuPage: A Guide to the DuPage County Court System," on Saturday, Nov. 23.
A faculty of judges from eight major divisions of the 18th Circuit will speak between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in the bar center classroom in Wheaton. Each participant will receive a packet of circuit court forms. Call (630) 653-7779.
The DCBA committees on local government law and labor and employment law will conduct a seminar, "Top 10 Employment Law Mistakes," from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11. Speakers include ISBA Assembly members Glenn R. Gaffney and Colleen M. McLaughlin.
Illinois Trial Lawyers
A medical malpractice seminar is scheduled for presentation Saturday, Dec. 7, in the DoubleTree Guest Suites Hotel, Chicago, by the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Education Fund. Call (800) 252-8501 for details.
Employment Lawyers
The Illinois chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association continues its series of monthly 12 noon Tuesday brown-bag luncheon programs in room 618 at 188 W. Randolph St., Chicago. Call President L. Steven Platt at (312) 236-0415 for full details.
The next program will be on Dec. 10, a gripe session, moderated by David Lee, that is open only to NELA and affiliate members and their employees.
25 lawyers take training for med-mal mediation
By Stephen Anderson
A cross section of lawyers from both the plaintiff and defense bar participated in a recent all-day mediator training program for resolution of medical malpractice cases.
The program was conducted Oct. 14 in the ISBA Chicago Regional Office for the successful model malpractice mediation process at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center.
Established in 1995 in collaboration with the Institute of Health Law at the Loyola University School of Law, the voluntary program is conducted by retired Cook County judge Jerome Lerner and Max Douglas Brown, the medical center's vice president and general counsel.
The new class of 25 mediators last month was instructed by Indiana attorneys Thomas R. Lemon of Valentine, Miner & Lemon, Warsaw, and Joy L. Colwell, assistant professor of organizational leadership and supervision at Purdue University-Calumet, Hammond.
A 1966 graduate of the Indiana University Law School, Lemon has served on the faculty of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and is a primary trainer for the Indiana Supreme Court certification program and the Indiana Association of Mediators advanced training.
Colwell, a 1984 cum laude law graduate at Indiana, teaches dispute resolution and negotiation techniques at Purdue and has been an adjunct professor at The John Marshall Law School. She conducts civil and family mediation training seminars for the Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum.
Lemon and Colwell discussed models of communication in the mediation process and reviewed essentials of pre-suit mediation, co-mediation, opening statements, confidentiality, and the roles of the mediator and counsel.
They also covered strategies to avoid impasse and whether to suggest the value of a claim, then conducted and critiqued simulated medical malpractice mediations.
After seven years of experience in mediation, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's has found the process to be a viable alternative to litigation that meets the interests and emotional concerns of the parties.
From 1995 to 2000, Rush mediated about a third of its malpractice lawsuits and was successful in more than 80 percent of the cases. Settlements ranged from $21,500 to $5.8 million.
Most of the cases were resolved in three to four hours in an easily understood mediation process where parties can decide what constitutes a mutually acceptable settlement.
For more information, call Jerome Lerner in the Rush office of legal affairs, (312) 942-6886.
Maria Guadalupe Calderon Garcia has been appointed general counsel for the Chicago Park District. The first woman president of the Hispanic Lawyers Association, she was the district's director of intergovernmental and community affairs.
Replacing Garcia as director is Joseph P. Cini, former deputy commissioner for facilities management for the Department of General Services and contractor administrator for the City of Chicago.
New associates at Freeborn & Peters, Chicago, are Daniel E. Brown, Dan E. Garbis, Staci A. Burton, Marcia C. McCarthy, Marc H. Kallish, Janel Dohrn, Tyra Holt, Jenny Koger and Jamie Snyder.
Ericka Bree Pavey has joined Gitlin, Haaff & Kasper, Woodstock, as an associate. A former assistant Champaign County state's attorney, she also served in the offices of Illinois attorney general and state appellate defender.
Retired federal bankruptcy judge Ronald Barliant has returned to private practice as a principal in Goldberg, Kohn, Bell, Black, Rosenbloom & Moritz, Chicago, after more than 14 years on the bench. He has served on the board of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges and its Endowment for Education.
The legal and business staff of Dick & Harris recently joined Greenberg Traurig, Chicago. New shareholders are Richard D. Harris, Howard Silverman, John S. Pacocha, Douglas B. Teaney and Herbert H. Finn. Richard Eugene Dick is of counsel. New associates are James K. Cleland, Brad R. Bertoglio, Jeffrey P. Dunning and Cameron Nelson.
Also joining Greenberg Traurig's intellectual property practice is Maxine Retsky.
Dayna L. Johnson has joined the litigation practice group at Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, Belleville, as an associate.
Samuel A. Rubio has joined Guth, Reinke & Farnan, Chicago, as an associate.
New associates at Husch & Eppenberger, Peoria, are David A. Chambers in the intellectual practice group and Kimberly Anne Sutton in the general business litigation practice group.
The litigation practice at Katten Muchin Zavis Rosenman, Chicago, has added Martin Tully, formerly with Kirkland & Ellis, and Alexander S. Vesselinovitch, from Seyfarth Shaw. Both concentrate in complex commercial, civil and criminal litigation.
Julian D'Esposito Jr. has been named partner-in-charge of the Chicago office of Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw. He has more than 33 years of experience in government law, including service as counsel to former governor James R. Thompson. D'Esposito chaired the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority from 1995 to 1999.
Robert Rudnik has joined McGuire Woods, Chicago, as a partner in its corporate service department. He comes from The Prime Group, where he continues as general counsel, and Brookdale Living Communities. Robert Temple, formerly with Commonwealth Edison, joined the firm as an associate in environmental law.
Ryan L. Pierce has joined Michael J. Moran as an associate in the Arlington Heights firm now known as Michael J. Moran & Associates.
New partners at Much, Shelist, Freed, Denenberg, Ament & Rubenstein, Chicago, are: Steven K. Sims, former vice president and general counsel of U.S. Can Corp., in value-added securities, mergers and acquisitions; Hillard M. Sterling, formerly of Gordon & Glickson, in technology litigation; Anne E. Larson, formerly of Connelly, Sheehan & Moran, in labor litigation; Hal "Corky" Kessler of the Law and Entertainment Offices of Hal Ross Kessler, in entertainment business consulating.
Christopher Wittenauer, an ISBA member and certified public accountant, has joined Paule, Camazine, & Blumenthal, St. Louis, as an associate.
Marc I. Fenton has joined Piper Rudnick, Chicago, as of counsel to the bankruptcy and business reorganization group. He was first vice president and legal counsel for Bank One Corp.
Marion B. Adler has joined Michael Rachlis, Edwin Durham and Kevin Duff to form the Chicago firm of Rachlis, Durham, Duff & Adler. A partner in commercial litigation, she was shareholder at Jenkens & Gilchrist.
New associates at Ross & Hardies, Chicago, include Kristian A. Werling, Jodi Lynn Cordeiro and Pamela M. Miller.
Mark J. Levick, an ISBA member, has joined the New York office of Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal, concentrating in commercial retail and real estate development. He was a co-founder and partner of Kritzer & Levick.
Thomas M. Ewert, former presiding judge of the 12th Circuit Civil Division in Will County, has become counsel to the Joliet firm of Spesia, Ayers & Ardaugh. Jeffrey S. Taylor, formerly with Williams, Montgomery & John, and assistant state's attorney Martin J. Shanahan Jr. have joined as associates.
Patrick W. Carlson, a former assistant Illinois attorney general, and Michael M. Townsend, who was with Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen, have joined Stellato & Schwartz, Chicago, as associates.
Jennifer A. Johnson, formerly with Qualres & Brady in Milwaukee, and Donald I. Schwartz have become associated with Sugar, Friedberg & Felsenthal, Chicago.
Law firms open offices, relocate, change names
The law offices of Andrea M. Schleifer & Associates have relocated to suite 2200 at 20 M. Clark St., Chicago 60602, telephone (312) 673-7373. The firm is devoted to family law, adoptions, real estate and general civil practice.
A member of the ISBA Assembly and the Family Law Section Council, Schleifer serves on the Committee on Insurance Program and Services and the Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.