Alfini takes Texas deanship
James J. Alfini, former dean of the Northern Illinois University College of Law, has been named dean of the South Texas College of Law in Houston.
Alfini was law dean at NIU from 1991 to 1997 and has remained on the faculty since then. Previously, he had been a professor at the Florida State University College of Law since for five years.
A 1972 graduate of the Northwestern University School of law, Alfini was an adjunct professor at the Chicago-Kent College of Law from 1978 to 1985 while serving as the American Judicature Society's director of research from 1977 to 1980 and assistant executive director for programs from 1980 to 1985.
He was a member of the ISBA Special Committee on Professional Fulfillment and the Task Force on Minorities in the Justice System.
Alfini chaired the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution in 1999-2000 after serving as chair of the Dispute Resolution Section of the Association of American Law Schools in 1997-98. He also was a regional vice president of the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution.
"Professor Alfini has established the highest national reputation in the areas of alternative dispute resolution and professional responsibility," said NIU Law Dean LeRoy Pernell.
A former board member of the AJS, the Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation and the Chicago Council of Lawyers, Alfini chaired the Coordinating Council of National Court Organizations in 1982-83.
Supreme Court Justice Philip J. Rarick will address members of the Appellate Lawyers Association and justices of the 5th District during a luncheon Friday, April 25, at the Collinsville Holiday Inn. Call (312) 554-2090.
The Appellate Lawyers also plan to conduct a mini-seminar Thursday, April 24, in Chicago, featuring Supreme Court Justice Thomas Fitzgerald and Appellate Justices Mary Jane Theis and James Knecht.
Bohemian Lawyers
New officers and directors of the Bohemian Lawyers Association of Chicago will be elected during a dinner meeting Thursday, April 24, at the Klas Restaurant in Cicero.
Champaign County Bar
The Champaign County Bar Association will conduct a memorial service Thursday, April 24, for Sam Erwin, who died Nov. 2. The service is tentatively scheduled to start at 4 p.m. in courtroom K of the County Courthouse.
Chicago Bar
The Chicago Bar Association will be host for a panel discussion, "The Door to Open Housing: Hansberry v. Lee," at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, in the Harold Washington Library. The event supports the city's One Book, One Chicago program that focuses on Lorraine Hansberry's play, "A Raisin in the Sun."
Panelists are Leon DesPres, Truman K. Gibson Jr., George Leighton and Seymour Simon, with CBA past president Chester L. Blair as moderator.
Christian Legal Society
The Christian Legal Society will hold a brown-bag luncheon meeting Wednesday, April 15, at the Chicago Bar Association. Guest speaker is Dr. David Horner, president of North Park University.
For information about the luncheon or future programs of the society, call Michael Avramovich at (312) 541-8500.
DuPage County Bar
Chief Judge Robert K. Kilander of the 18th Circuit will give his annual State of the Courthouse speech during a DuPage County Bar Association luncheon Tuesday, April 22, at the Wilton Manor, Wheaton. Call (630) 653-7779.
Co-sponsors of the program are the DuPage Association of Women Lawyers, the DuPage County chapter of the Justinian Society, the DuPage County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and the Celtic Legal Society of DuPage County.
ECI Women Attorneys
The mock trial of "Village of Sheepfold v. Josey Wolfcryer" will highlight the fifth annual Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day program of the East Central Illinois Women Attorneys Association on Thursday, April 24.
The event in the U.S. District Courthouse in Urbana will begin at 3:50 p.m. with a dramatic reading, "The Little Girl Who Cried Wolf," followed at 4 p.m. by the trial. Judge Heidi Ladd will preside, and a jury of youngsters will determine the verdict.
The ECIWAA monthly luncheon Tuesday, April 15, at Biaggi's Restaurant in Champaign will recognize the volunteer program of mentors for Women's Law Society students at the College of Law.
Federal Bar
Chief Judge Charles P. Kocoras of U.S. District Court for the Northern District will give the annual State of the Court address to the Chicago chapter of the Federal Bar Association at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at the Chicago Bar Association. Call (815) 464-9068.
Illinois Trial Lawyers
The annual Southern Illinois judicial and legislative dinner of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association will take place Friday, April 11, at the Marriott Pavilion Hotel, St. Louis, following a Point-Counterpoint seminar. Call (800) 252-8501.
The ITLA legislative reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 29, at the headquarters building in Springfield.
Jewish Judges
The Jewish Judges Association and the Decalogue Society will present a luncheon program, "Early American Movies and the Jewish Influence," on Tuesday, April 15, at the ISBA Chicago Regional Office. Call Judge Sheldon Gardner, (312) 603-6048.
Justinian Society
Nominations will be accepted for election officers of the Justinian Society during a dinner meeting Thursday, April 17, at Harry Caray's Restaurant, Chicago. Call President Antonio M. Romanucci, an ISBA Assembly member, at (312) 458-1000.
Kane County Bar
The annual Kane County Bar Association Judge's Night buffet reception will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 24, at Nick and Tony's Restaurant in Geneva Commons on Randall Road. Call (630) 762-1915.
Native American Bar
The Illinois Native American Bar Association will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, at The John Marshall Law School. Call (847) 622-4192.
Phi Alpha Delta
District XI chapters (Blackstone, Lincoln and Webster) of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity will sponsor a Chicago River cruise from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 11.
Boarding will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Wendella dock south of the Wrigley Building. Call Ann Carrera, (773) 791-1511, or Mandy Stein, (773) 529-9020.
Sangamon County Bar
The annual Sangamon County Bar Association Gridiron performance will take place Saturday, April 12, at the Hilton Hotel in Springfield. A 6 p.m. reception will precede the 7 p.m. dinner and show. Call Shirley Vinson, (217) 753-6365.
Winnebago County Bar
The annual Winnebago County Bar Association/17th Circuit Court memorial service will be conducted at 12:45 p.m. Thursday, April 3, in courtroom 311 of the County Courthouse.
The law careers of Eugene E. Brassfield, David Connolly, Samuel L. Dean Jr., Richard J. Hahn, Donald E. Lindroth and Lisle W. Menzimer will be memorialized.
Rowland Schlegel was Navy legal officer for 30 years
Retired Navy captain and attorney Rowland F. Schlegel died Feb. 26 at age 91 in his Libertyville home. A graduate of the Northwestern University School of Law, he was commissioned shortly after the invasion of Pearl Harbor.
During World War II, Mr. Schlegel was an operations specialist in both the Pacific and Atlantic Theaters, assisting in the invasion and occupation of Japan after atomic bombs were dropped.
After the war, Mr. Schlegel transferred to the Judge Advocate General legal staff as an admiralty officer, representing the Navy in negotiations and litigation involving ship collisions and other maritime matters.
From 1959 to 1963 and again from 1967 to 1971, Mr. Schlegel was 9th Naval District legal officer at the U.S. Naval Training Center, Great Lakes. He also was legal officer in the 5th District (Norfolk, Va.) and 10th District (San Juan, Puerto Rico).
Retiring from the Navy in 1971, Mr. Schlegel became the first executive director of the Council of Governments of Cook County and a business law professor at the College of Lake County in Grayslake. He retired from teaching in 1981.
Leo Altmix
Retired Quincy attorney Leo J. Altmix died Feb. 18 at age 85 in Blessing Hospital. A former meatcutter and city alderman who had military service during World War II, he was elected a justice of the peace and later became an associate judge.
Richard Collins
Retired Elgin attorney Richard B. Collins died Feb. 28 at age 65 in his home. A 1962 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, he was a partner in Kirkland, Brady, McQueen & Martin until 1990.
Mr. Collins was a founding board member of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra in 1981 and an honorary life director. He was president of Oakcrest Residence twice during his 20 years of board service. He also served on the boards of the Ecker Center for Mental Health and the Heart Association of Northern Illinois.
John Felzahn
Additional information has been received about John Michael Felzahn, whose death Feb. 7 at age 54 of cancer in his Lake Forest home was reported in the March 3 issue of the ISBA Bar News.
A member of Phi Beta Kappa and a 1977 graduate of the University of Chicago Law School, Mr. Felzahn first practiced with Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago and was senior counsel for United Airlines in foreign and domestic joint ventures with other corporations and airlines.
Before completing his college education, he was an airborne voice intercept specialist with the Air Force. He received an Air Medal and commendation for service on missions in the eastern Mediterranean and Baltic seas from 1968 to 1972.
For the past 10 years, Mr. Felzahn was vice president, secretary and general counsel of Tetra Pak Inc. He was responsible for the design and construction of its corporate headquarters in Vernon Hills.
Marybelle Glennon
Retired Lombard attorney Marybelle Kimmel Glennon died Feb. 22 at age 82 in the Beacon Hill Health Center. A 1943 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, she had been inactive since 1989.
John Gorman
Retired Rockford attorney John William Gorman died Feb. 21 at age 73. After a career as a corporate information systems executive, he received a law degree in 1990 from the Northern Illinois College of Law and practiced until 2000 in trusts and estate planning.
Mr. Gorman served in the Army from 1951 to 1953 with the 44th Finance Disbursing Office in Stuttgart, Germany. After working briefly for the IBM Corp., he joined the Micro Switch Division of Minneapolis Honeywell.
Taking early retirement at age 57, Mr. Gorman became a Court-Appointed Special Advocate in the 17th Circuit and enrolled in law school. He graduated cum laude and received two American Jurisprudence Awards.
Roger Hayes
DeKalb attorney Roger W. Hayes, a former McDonough County prosecutor, died Feb. 14 at age 86 in his home. A graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, he enlisted in the Navy in 1941 before his studies were completed.
Mr. Hayes served until late 1945 as aircraft carrier fighter pilot in the Pacific Theater. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with two gold stars, and four other awards and citations. He remained in the active Naval Reserve for 16 more years.
Admitted to the Illinois bar in 1946, Mr. Hayes established a general practice in Macomb and was McDonough County state's attorney from 1948 to 1956. He relocated to DeKalb in 1962.
Edward Massura
Retired Chicago attorney Edward A. Massura died recently. A resident of Westmont and Marco Island, Fla., he was a 1963 graduate of the DePaul University College of Law.
Mr. Massura was a tax partner for 36 years with Arthur Andersen in Chicago and Detroit. He retired in 1999 but continued to consult on taxation and business issues. He was a member of the board of trustees of St. Joseph College.
Byron Miller
Retired Chicago civil rights attorney Byron S. Miller, formerly of Glencoe, died March 3 at age 88 of heart failure in his home at La Jolla, Calif.