counsel at SAFECO Insurance Companies, has joined the Crystal Lake office as an associate.
Bradley R. Ginn has joined JAMS, The Resolution Experts, in Chicago as a full-time neutral. Former executive director of the Center for Conflict Resolution, he is an adjunct professor at the Chicago-Kent College of Law, where he teaches alternative dispute resolution.
Benjamin Capraro, former staff attorney for the Cook County Circuit Court Criminal Division, and Tanja Samardzija, from Michael J. Koenigsknecht & Associates, have joined Kane, Carbonara & Mendoza, Chicago, as associates.
Elected partners at Lord, Bissell & Brook, Chicago, include Andrew R. Gifford, complex commercial litigation; Daniel S. Lambert, complex claims; Jill A. O'Donovan, insurance defense; Ryan M. Opria, contractual disputes; Denean K. Sturino, product liability, and Steven T. Whitmer, commercial litigation.
Scott Michel has returned to Lord, Bissell & Brook as of counsel to the bankruptcy and restructuring group. Formerly with the firm from 1979 to 1987, he was a U.S. trustee and an assistant vice president of a business consulting and financial management firm.
Arnold E. Grant has joined McGuireWoods, Chicago, as a partner in taxation and employee benefits. He was a partner in Piper Rudnick and Ross & Hardies. New associates include Ronald Banerji, from a New York law firm; David A. Berek and Sofia Foltushansky from Kirkland & Ellis; Melissa M. Bien, from Greenberg Traurig; Jaime L. Hockhausen, from Chapman & Spingola; Angelo M. Russo, from Howrey, Simon, Arnold & White, and Erin Ziaja, from Metropolitan Family Services Legal Aid Bureau.
Arthur Muir has joined Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, Chicago, as a partner in commercial transactions. Vivian Morris has joined as an associate. Both were with Jenkens & Gilchrist.
Thomas C. Iskalis has been named a senior vice president at The Northern Trust Co., Chicago, after six years as a vice president. He is a trust administrator and division manager of personal fiduciary client services.
James E. Roselle, formerly with Bank One, has joined Northern Trust's Chicago legal department as associate general counsel. Linda S. MacAyeal, formerly with Stein Roe, is senior attorney and adviser to Northern Trust Global Investments.
Patrick F. Moran has joined Peters & Lyons, Chicago, as an associate. He was with the Law Office of Joseph V. Roddy.
Theresa D. Cropper has been appointed director of diversity at Piper Rudnick, Chicago. She was dean of students at the Northwestern University School of Law and former minority affairs director.
James P. Healy Jr. has joined Pircher, Nichols & Meeks, Chicago, as an associate. He was with Winston & Strawn.
Meridith Grashoff Cannon has joined Quarles & Brady, Chicago, as an associate.
Demetris A. Kare is the new director of real estate and building litigation at Reda & Des Jardins, Chicago. He was senior counsel in the city Department of Law, Building and Land Use Litigation.
Stephanie K. Nathanson and Kenneth R. Fiedler have joined Romanucci & Blandin, Chicago, as associates in civil tort litigation.
Anna Eisner Seder has joined Schopf & Weiss, Chicago, as an associate. She was with Sidley, Austin, Brown & Wood.
Leonard R. Kofkin, Donald J. Vogel and Sara L. Pettinger have moved their labor and employment law practices to Scopelitis, Garvin, Light & Hanson, Chicago. All were partners in Michael, Best & Friedrich. Kofkin and Vogel have received Distinguished Service Awards from the Transportation Lawyers Association.
Michael D. Thompson has joined Sugar, Friedberg & Felsenthal, Chicago, as an associate. He comes from Jenner & Block.
Fred M. Ackerson has joined Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon, Chicago, as a partner in corporate, securities and tax practice. He serves on the Illinois Department of Revenue director's advisory committee. Nicholas C. Kefalos is special counsel for commercial litigation and intellectual property. New associates include John A. Luburic, Gregory M. Smith, Bryan P. Sugar, Jason M. Toon and Wayne Yao.
Young Kim is now of counsel to Williams, Bax & Ellis, Chicago. He was a partner in Seyfarth Shaw.
Q:I often wonder about statements like "A person that ... ." It seems to me that the correct form would be, "A person who ... ." Am I right, wrong, or is this a matter of preference?
A:Although many persons ignore the distinction between that and who, St. Louis, Missouri reader James Gallen, who sent the question, is correct. There is a difference. Choose who for persons (and perhaps pet animals), and that for objects. A similar distinction between persons and objects is in the choice of who/whom and which. "John Smith, who is a member of our firm," but "My computer, which crashed this morning."
Traditionally it was also incorrect to use the possessive case of the relative pronoun who with an inanimate noun. Thus, one could say, "The person whose wallet was stolen," but not "the table whose leg was broken." Instead, one had to use the circumlocution, "the table, the leg of which was broken." That rule no longer exists, and the unwieldiness of the construction is probably the reason.
Attorney Gallen also mentioned that the locution, talking to rather than talking with bothers him. The phrase talking to is grammatical, but it gives the wrong impression, unless the speaker is speaking to a group. The give-and-take of normal conversation is better expressed by talking with instead of talking to.
Q:I hear a lot of speakers who, when they answer a question from the audience begin by saying, "I would guess"? Why would? If "I guess" is what they mean, why not say it?
A: The reason for that unnecessary would may be to place some distance between the speakers and their answers. They want to have it both ways: to seem to be forthcoming while being evasive. The phrase is often a response to a question like "What is your opinion on ... subject?" The person asked would rather not give an opinion, but the question is hanging in the air so the only recourse is to give a half-hearted response by inserting that meaningless word would.
Another such rhetorical device is that not ... un answer, as in, "The present situation is not unlike the situation in ...." With this construction, the speaker hopes the listener will interpret two negatives as a half-hearted affirmative. Does "I am not unhappy with ...." mean "I am happy with"? Not exactly. Does the statement, "This result is not unusual" mean the result is "usual." Not exactly. And, "My point of view is that this is a not un-justifiable conclusion," is a roundabout way of saying, "This conclusion might be justifiable."
George Orwell, in his book, Politics and the English Language (p. 90), pokes fun at the not ...un construction with the sentence, "A not un-black dog chased a small rabbit across a not un-green field."
But the double negative response is sometimes politically useful. Then-President Reagan, on being questioned about a former government official who was under indictment answered, "Mr. ...is not a dishonest man." And Alan Greenspan tried to turn bad news into good news by announcing, "I can say that what data we have does not suggest that the July rise will not be repeated in the month of August."
But even Supreme Court Justices sometimes blunder when they use double negatives. Justice Benjamin Cardozo wrote, "On September 11, 1931, the insured according to the declaration 'lost the total and irrecoverable use' of one hand and one foot." (What his double negative actually says is that the insured gained the use of one hand and foot.)
Q:Is it proper to use neither/nor with more than two references? For example, "Neither Word nor Word Perfect nor AOL"?
A: Yes. Consider, for example, the inscription above the entrance to the New York City Post Office, "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." Though some people may take issue with the word swift, these poetic lines were adopted from "The Histories of Herodotus (c.485-c.425 B.C.): "Not snow, no, nor rain, nor heat, nor night keeps them from accomplishing their appointed courses with all speed." (Note that both verbsstays and keepsare singular because their referent nouns are singular.)
ERRATUM:
In my September column, I responded to a question sent by a reader who wrote that the construction "Neither John nor I is able to ...." sounded terrible. I should first have pointed out that the statement was ungrammatical ("am" instead of "is"). Instead, I merely suggested alternatives to improve and clarify the statement. My thanks to Illinois attorney Theodore H. Nebel, who kindly pointed out my omission. (He was the only person to write!)
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.
The Advocates Society will hold its annual Judge's Night reception and dinner on Thursday, Oct. 28, at the Polish Museum of America in Chicago. Call President Steven Kozicki at (847) 686-3111.
The Advocates are planning a scholarship benefit dinner on Friday, Nov. 19, at the Chicago Athletic Association. Call Maureen Pikarski at (312) 456-0377.
Appellate Lawyers
Chief Judge Mary Ann G. McMorrow of the Illinois Supreme Court will be guest speaker for a luncheon meeting of the Appellate Lawyers Association on Wednesday, Oct. 20, at the Chicago Athletic Association. Call President William A. Morgan at (773) 553-1654.
Black Women Lawyers
The Black Women Lawyers Association of Greater Chicago will hold a reception for new admittees from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, at 212 On The River, 212 N. Canal St., Chicago.
Bohemian Lawyers
The Bohemian Lawyers Association of Chicago will hold its monthly dinner meeting on Thursday, Oct. 28, at a different location: Alpine Banquet Haus, 11141 W. Roosevelt, Westchester.
Guest speaker is Gail Naughton, president of the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Call President R. Terence Kalina at (630) 668-8500.
City Club of Chicago
Attorney General Lisa M. Madigan will speak to the City Club of Chicago during a public policy luncheon forum Tuesday, Nov. 16, at Maggiano's Banquets in Chicago. Call (312) 565-6500.
Corporate Counsel
The Chicago chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel has been selected to present its Best of Chapter program, "Issues in Mediation and Arbitration for Neutrals and Corporate Counsel," during the national organization's annual meeting this month.
Corporate counsel from around the country will gather from Monday through Wednesday, Oct. 25-27, at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel. Call Susan Hallsby at (630) 692-2302 for details.
Criminal Defense Lawyers
Michael E. Tigar is scheduled to be honored by the Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers during a dinner Friday, Nov. 5, in Chicago. Call Julie Darr, (312) 362-5837 for more information.
A past chair of the American Bar Association Section of Litigation, Tigar is a research professor of law at American University's Washington College of Law.
DuPage County Bar
Members of the DuPage County Bar Association will participate in a Lawyers Lending a Hand painting and fix-up project at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28, at the Cupertina CILA Home in Warrenville. Call Eddie Wollenberg at (630) 668-2415.
ECI Women Attorneys
The East Central Illinois Women Attorneys Association will meet Tuesday, Oct. 21, for lunch and program on building a small firm or solo practice at Biaggi's Restaurant, Champaign. Call Carolyn Casady-Trimble, (217) 344-0711.
Effingham County Bar
Scott R. Ealy, the new president of the Effingham County Bar Association, is seeking program ideas and speakers for future meetings. Contact him at (217) 347-4900 or attorney@effingham.net.
Hellenic Bar
Administrative Law Judge Paul C. Lillios will be installed Saturday, Oct. 16, as president of the Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois. Chris P. Tomaras will be honored as Hellene of the Year during the black-tie-optional dinner at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare Hotel, Rosemont.
Other incoming officers are President-elect Tina Diamantopoulos-Burgis, Vice Presidents George P. Berbas and Theodore G. Karavidas, Treasurer Mark G. Poulakidas, Secretaries Diamond Mendonides and Harry J. Fournier, and Historian Nicholas C. Syregelas.
Jewish Judges
Cook County Judge Sheldon Gardner will discuss "The Converso Heritage" during a luncheon meeting of the Jewish Judges Association on Tuesday, Nov. 9, at the ISBA Chicago Regional Office. Call Judge Gardner at (312) 603-4866.
Kane County Bar
The Kane County Bar Association will hold a fall social event from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, at the Prairie Rock Brewing Co., Elgin. Call (630) 762-1915.
Lake County Bar
Retired appellate justice Lawrence D. Inglis will receive a Professionalism and Ethics Award from the Lake County Bar Association during its annual President's Dinner on Thursday, Nov. 4, at Independence Grove in Libertyville. Lake Forest attorney Murray R. Conzelman will be honored as a senior counselor.
Chicago Tribune sportswriter Don Pierson will speak during an LCBA luncheon on Tuesday, Oct. 26, at the Ramada Inn, Waukegan. Call (847) 244-3143.
Lake County Women
A program on identity theft and computer crimes will be presented during a luncheon meeting of the Association of Women Attorneys of Lake County on Wednesday, Nov. 3, at Potesta's Restaurant, Waukegan. The speaker is state's attorney's investigator Lou Archbold. Call President Marjorie Sher at (847) 249-2830.