The least, or perhaps the most, an image program can accomplish is to develop a mindset that it is just as important to consult a doctor of jurisprudence for treatment of a legal ill as it is to see a doctor of medicine about a physical malady.
Cook County Judge Lisa R. Curcio and retired appellate justice Gino L. DiVito have been selected to receive Leonardo da Vinci Awards of Excellence from the Order Sons of Italy in America, Grand Lodge of Illinois.
The presentations will be made during a ceremony at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 1, at Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. Call (708) 352-9375 for reservations.
Curcio, a Traffic Court judge, practiced previously with her uncle, Joseph R. Curcio. DiVito, a former member of the ISBA Board of Governors, is a founding partner in Tabet DiVito & Rothstein, Chicago.
Appointed to bench
Swansea attorney Brian Babka has been appointed an associate judge of the 20th Circuit. A 1982 graduate of the St. Louis University Law School, he was a partner in Chatham & Babka until his March 1 induction.
Babka has served as St. Clair County public defender and guardian ad litem, and a part-time assistant Monroe County state's attorney.
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Rockford trial lawyer Fernando L. Engelsma of Pete Sullivan & Associates has been named an associate judge of the 17th Circuit. He is a 1979 graduate of the Chicago-Kent College of Law.
A native of Brazil, Engelsma reportedly is the first minority jurist in the circuit, which includes Winnebago and Boone Counties.
Recent appointments
Mick McAvoy of Urbana has left his position as lead prosecutor for the Champaign County state's attorney to begin handling drug cases in Coles County through a grant from the Office of Illinois Appellate Prosecutor.
Cases stem from arrests made by the East Central Illinois Task Force. The office has been vacant since former Moultrie County state's attorney Tim Willis took a similar position last year with the U.S. attorney's office in Cape Girardeau, Mo.
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Prof. Lorraine Schmall of the Northern Illinois University College of Law has been appointed professor-reporter for the Illinois Supreme Court Special Committee on Capital Cases, chaired by Cook County Judge Michael Toomin.
Schmall will do research and writing for a capital case bench book based on the committee's study of sentencing processes in Illinois. She has been on the NIU law faculty since 1989 and is a contributing editor for the Developing Labor Law hornbook of the American Bar Association Bureau of National Affairs.
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Meredith Addy, a shareholder in Brinks, Hofer, Gilson & Lione, Chicago, has been named to the advisory council of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit by Chief Judge Paul R. Michel.
Addy practices in intellectual property litigation and appeals, and she teaches patent law at The John Marshall Law School. She is active in the Federal Circuit's Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program.
ADR group adds trio
Three 19th Circuit jurists who retired last year have gone back to work as arbitrators and mediators for ADR Systems of America. They are John R. Goshgarian, Emilio B. Santi and Terrence J. Brady.
They join Bernard E. Drew Jr. and Charles F. Scott, former 19th Circuit colleagues, who previously joined ADR Systems.
Bar to get meeting place in DuPage courthouse
The grand opening and ribbon cutting for a dedicated space for lawyers in the 18th Circuit Judicial Center, Wheaton, is scheduled for 12 noon Wednesday, May 4.
The 3,600-square-foot facility on the third floor will be dedicated as the William E. Hooper Attorney Resource Center and maintained by the DuPage County Bar Association. It will be equipped with Internet access and printers, and may be used for committee meetings or small seminars.
The DCBA is leasing and furnishing the space, so lawyers can hang their coats, meet with colleagues over coffee, and work on legal matters between court appearances.
William Hooper, remembered as a mentor to many DuPage County Bar members, was president of the association in 1952-53. He was appointed in 1957 as a judge of the former 16th Circuit and served until the 18th Circuit was established a year later.
For more information, call DCBA executive director Glenda Berg Sharp at (630) 652-7779.
ISBA Assembly members lauded by law school
Two Cook County members of the ISBA Assembly Regina A. Scannicchio and Judge Jane L. Stuart will receive Distinguished Service Awards from The John Marshall Law School Alumni Association on Friday, May 13.
Celia G. Gamrath of Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck, a member of the Young Lawyers Division and past chair of the Committee on Women and the Law, also will be honored during the luncheon at the Palmer House Hilton, as will Cory Aronovitz of Casino Law Group.
The association will presents its 2005 Freedom Award to Appellate Justice Anne M. Burke of the 1st District. Among her recent volunteer efforts was service as interim chair of the National Review Board of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
ISBA Assembly member Letitia Spunar-Sheats is president of the JMLS alumni.
Chicago Legal Clinic
Prof. M. Cherif Bassiouni of the DePaul University College of Law will receive the Cardinal Bernardin Award from Chicago Legal Clinic during its annual benefit dinner Friday, May 6, in the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Hotel.
Also to be honored are the law firms of Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck, the Pro Bono Award for ongoing commitment to access to justice, and Lord, Bissell & Brook, the Charles J. O'Laughlin Memorial Award for services to the indigent and other charitable contributions.
Judge William J. Bauer of the U.S. Court of Appeals will be master of ceremonies, and the awards will be presented by Joy V. Cunningham, president of the Chicago Bar Association.
A reception and silent auction at 5:30 p.m. will be followed by the award ceremony at 6:20 p.m. and the dinner at 7 p.m. Call (773) 731-1762.
Wrongful Convictions
Illinois Senate President Emil Jones will receive the inaugural Jenner & Block Award on Sunday, May 15, from the Center on Wrongful Convictions at the Northwestern University School of Law. The event from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. will take place at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Jones will be honored for efforts to improve the fairness and accuracy of the criminal justice system. A new documentary film, "The Innocent," will be shown. Call (312) 503-2391.
CARPLS Golden Gavels
Former Illinois governor James R. Thompson and retired Illinois Senate president Philip J. Rock will receive Golden Gavel Awards on Monday, May 23, from the Coordinated Advice and Referral Program for Legal Services (CARPLS).
The McDonald's Corp. also will be honored during a reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Northern Trust Co. Lester Munson, associate editor of Sports Illustrated will be master of ceremonies. Call (312) 421-4014.
Lawyers are honored
Chicago attorney Peter N. Silvestri, Elmwood Park village president and member of the Cook County Board, will be honored Friday, April 29, during a dinner at Elmcrest Banquets, Elmwood Park. Call (708) 456-8683.
Joy M. Feinberg of Chicago, past chair of the ISBA Family Law Section Council and member of the Committee on New Parental Responsibilities Act, has received the Michael S. Cohen Award from the Illinois chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
Ken Paulson, editor of USA Today who graduated in 1978 from the University of Illinois College of Law, received a Distinguished Alumni Award during a luncheon April 1 in Champaign. He spoke on "The Land of the Free and the Home of the Easily Offended: The State of Free Expression in America."
Richard Hoffman and Stephen Landes, partners in Wildman Harrold, Chicago, received Torch of Learning Awards from American Friends of Hebrew University during a March 6 dinner in Chicago. They were honored for winning an Anti-Terrorism Act civil damage case against Islamic charities tied to Hamas.
Public defense bar has annual seminar in May
The Illinois Public Defender Association will hold its spring seminar Friday and Saturday, May 20-21, at the Radisson Hotel, Bloomington. Awards will be presented during a dinner on Friday. Call Daniel D. Yuhas at the Office of State Appellate Defender, (217) 782-3654.
The seminar will begin at 1 p.m. Friday with welcoming remarks by IDPA President Randall B. Rosenbaum, Champaign County public defender and member of the ISBA Criminal Justice Section Council, and McLean County public defender Amy Davis.
Afternoon session topics are: Case Law Update with David Bergschneider; Digital Evidence with Larry Meyer; Unfit Clients with Joel Abramovitz, and Expungements with Jennifer Walsh.
At 9:15 a.m. Saturday, assistant Cook County public defender Stephen W. Baker of the ISBA Criminal Justice Section Council will give a legislative update. A roundtable discussion will follow until 12 noon adjournment.
Attorneys' Title
Seminars for members only, "ATG from Start to Finish," will be conducted by Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund from 9 a.m. to 12 noon Tuesday, April 19, at the UBS Tower Conference Center, Chicago, and Thursday, May 12, at the Radisson Hotel, John Deere Commons, Moline. Call (800) 252-5206, ext. 2130.
ATG Trust Co., an ATG subsidiary, will conduct a free program on "Structured Transactions: Tax Deferral Techniques Every Lawyer Should Know," from 9 a.m. to 12 noon Wednesday, April 20, Holiday Inn, Collinsville.
ATG Trust also will present "Starker Exchanges: Learn How to Help Your Clients Increase Wealth Using Tax-deferred Dollars," with trust officer Hugh Pollard, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon Wednesday, May 24, at the Marriott Hotel, Oak Brook.
Family Violence
The 19th Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council will convene the symposium, "The Dynamics of Family Violence," from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, at the College of Lake County, Grayslake.
Survivors of family violence will share stories on the impact on their lives, and the FBI will give a presentation on stalking. Breakout sessions include cyber-stalking, evidence collection, helping child witnesses, and response by the faith community.
Chief Judge Christopher Starck chairs the council through a grant from the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority. For more information, call Carrie Flanigan at (847) 377-3000 or Sally Foster at (847) 543-2123.
Decalogue Society
The Decalogue Society next month concludes its series of seminars at 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Call (312) 263-6493. Future programs include:
April 20 - From the Technion to Mars (with a short trip to Hollywood), with McKnight University Prof. Guillermo Shapiro (at Much Shelist); May 11 - Forcible Entry and Detainer Practice: A Landlord's Perspective, with Cary G. Schiff.
Illinois CLE Institute
ISBA Assembly member Steven B. Bashaw of Oakbrook Terrace is moderator of the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education Mortgage Foreclosure 2005 Overview and Update program on Wednesday, April 20, at the UBS Tower Conference Center, Chicago.
Bashaw, a member of the Committee on the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission and a past chair of the Real Estate Law Section Council, also will participate in four sessions, along with Gregory J. Moody of Burr Ridge, a member of the Real Estate Law Section Council.
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The IICLE will conduct its fourth annual Family Law Conference on Thursday, April 21, at the Holiday Inn, Urbana. Call (800) 252-8062 to register.
Speakers include Tanya J. Stanish of Jenner & Block, Chicago, a member of the ISBA Family Law Section Council, and ISBA Assembly member Christopher S. Haaff of Gitlin, Haaff & Kasper, Woodstock, a member of the Young Lawyers Division Council and the Task Force on the Unauthorized Practice of Law.
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Two ISBA section council members will conduct breakout sessions on the second day of IICLE's 48th annual Estate Planning Short Course on April 28-29 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Chicago, and May 19-20 at the Holiday Inn, Urbana.
Thomas J. Pauloski of Winston & Strawn, Chicago, of the Federal Taxation Section Council, will discuss Disunification of GSTT and Gift Tax Exemptions. James M. Lestikow of Hinshaw & Culbertson, Springfield, will review Drafting and Funding Trusts with Liquid Assets.
Kane County Bar
A Kane County Bar Association seminar on Local Government Law will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 21, at the Kane County Judicial Center. The moderator is John Regan.
A KCBA Commercial Law and Lending Law seminar is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 27, at the judicial center. Call (630) 762-1915.
Lake County Bar
The Lake County Bar Association will conduct a brown-bag luncheon seminar, "Perfecting the Appellate Record and Opening Statements," at 12 noon Thursday, April 21, in room C-201 of the County Courthouse. Call (847) 244-3143.
An LCBA real estate law luncheon seminar will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, at the State Bank of the Lakes, Grayslake.