3 July 05 Bar News

Paula Hudson Holderman of Chicago was re-elected to a one-year term as secretary of the Illinois Bar Foundation during the annual meeting in June. James M. Lestikow of Springfield succeeded Meredith E. Ritchie as treasurer.

President Russell K. Scott of Belleville entered the second year of his tenure, along with Vice President David B. Sosin of Palos Heights, who will become president next year.

In other business, the IBF board added the University of Notre Dame Law School as the 13th institution to receive a law student scholarship each year.

Past president Warren Lupel of Chicago topped the list of Fellows of the Illinois Bar Foundation who increased their levels of support during the meeting. He is now a Diamond Fellow. Naomi H. Schuster of Palos Heights, chair of the Fellows, upgraded to Gold Fellow.

Upgrading to Silver Fellow were ISBA Second Vice President Joseph G. Bisceglia of Chicago, Supreme Court Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier of Nashville, Debra B. Walker, Russell W. Hartigan, Samuel H. Levine and William J. Anaya of Chicago, and James F. Dunneback of Orland Park.

Rory T. Weiler of Geneva, who received a John C. McAndrews Pro Bono Service Award during the ISBA Annual Meeting, signed up as a new Gold Fellow. Cameron B. Clark of Chicago and Jack B. Davenport of Hickory Hills became new Silver Fellows.

Becoming members of the Fellows were Donald L. Uchtman of Urbana, Barbara J. Smiles of Naperville, Janice L. Boback of Chicago, and Donald R. Jackson and Susan Dawson-Tibbits of Peoria.

For information about joining the Fellows of the Illinois Bar Foundation, contact executive director Susan M. Lewers at (312) 726-6072 or smpierson @isba.org, or access the Web site, www.isba.org/ibf.

Bar Foundation Gala offers many support opportunities

Several levels of tax-deductible financial support for the annual Illinois Bar Foundation Gala are available. The black-tie benefit will take place Friday, Oct. 14, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago.

Chicago attorney William R. Quinlan, a Laureate of the ISBA Academy of Illinois Lawyers and retired appellate justice, will receive the foundation's Distinguished Award for Excellence in recognition of his career efforts to improve the integrity of the judicial system.

Martin J. Healy Jr. and Lee I. Miller are co-chairs of the Foundation Gala, along with IBF board member and past president Warren Lupel.

James Carroll and ISBA past president Cheryl I. Niro are co-chairs of the Circle of Friends Committee, which offers the following opportunities:

* Partner, $10,000: Includes one table of 10 with VIP seating, listings in all promotional materials, and a full page advertisement in the gala program book.

* Benefactor, $5,000: Includes one table of 10 with preferred seating, listings in all promotional materials, and a full page advertisement in the gala program book.

* Patron, $3,000: Includes one table of 10, and listings in all promotional materials.

Individuals and firms wishing to be listed as Partners, Benefactors or Patrons should respond by Wednesday, Aug. 31. Circle of Friends forms may be obtained by contacting the Bar Foundation office at (312) 726-6072.

Payments may be made by check to the Illinois Bar Foundation no later than Friday, Sept. 30, or by telephone or facsimile with credit card information.

Charitable contributions in excess of the fair market value of $150 per ticket for dinner and entertainment are tax deductible.

Learn how to practice profitably, from womb to tomb

California attorney Jay Foonberg, a founder of the American Bar Association Section on Law Practice Management, will set the tone for the ISBA Solo and Small Firm Conference in October with the timely discourse, "How to Practice Law Profitably and Successfully from Womb to Tomb."

Scheduled Friday through Sunday, Oct. 7 to 9, at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, the conference is titled "Don't Just Survive Thrive!" It is sponsored by the ISBA General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section.

Registration will begin at 1 p.m. Friday on Bourbon Street, while exhibitors of practice-related products and services open their informational booths in the New Orleans Ballroom.

Foonberg's presentation will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Broadway Ballroom. He is the author of the popular American Bar Association guidebooks, "How to Start and Build a Law Practice" and "How to Get and Keep Good Clients."

Next on the conference agenda are concurrent sessions in the Gem and Augusta Rooms from 5 to 6 p.m. Can You Hear Me Now? Using VOIP and Blogs to Communicate; Practical Strategies for Billing, Fees, Fee Agreements and Collections; Probate Law and Estate Planning Update.

A reception for participants and families will follow from 6 to 9 p.m. in the New Orleans Ballroom exhibit area.

Foonberg will return to the lectern at 8 a.m. Saturday with a one-hour program on "Putting Happiness Back into a Successful Law Practice." Concurrent morning sessions in the Gem and Augusta Rooms will follow.

9 a.m. - Computer Boot Camp for Lawyers: MS Word Tips and Tricks; Strategic Planning: Something Your Practice Cannot Thrive Without: Family Law Update.

10:30 a.m. - Computer Boot Camp continues; The Lawyer's Guide to Getting and Keeping Clients; Sorting Through the Thorny Maze of Search, Seizure and Suppression Cases.

11:30 a.m. - Electronic Discovery: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly; Business Organization and Employment-Partner Issues; Hot to Effectively and Efficiently Practice Real Estate Law.

During the 12:30 p.m. luncheon period in the Broadway Ballroom, Arizona business management strategist Dustin Cole will speak on "Nine Marketing Keys to Your Best Year Ever." Concurrent afternoon sessions will follow.

2 p.m. - Surviving the Malpractice Jungle: Using Case Management to Find Your Way; Setting Benchmarks: No Business Plan Succeeds Without Measuring Success; Everything You Want and Need to Know About the New Bankruptcy Law.

3:30 p.m. - It's All About the $$: Time and Billing for the Small Office; Strategic Planning Workshop: Practical Application for Your Practice; Civil Practice or Employment Law Update.

4:30 p.m. - Taming the Paper Tiger: Scanning, Imaging and Document Management for the Small office; Strategic Planning Workshop continues; Collection and Enforcement of Judgments.

Saturday evening is open for individual exploration of St. Charles area dining opportunities, and a dinner-theater option will be available.

The Sunday conference program will begin at 8 a.m. in the New Orleans Ballroom with Gizmos, Gadgets and Widgets, a review of new and interesting technology products.

From 9 a.m. to adjournment at 12 noon, Cole will discuss "How to Maximize Revenues from Your Time, Talents and Team."

Advance registration fees for ISBA members are $195 through Sept. 1 for the first person from a law firm and $175 for each additional registrant. After Sept. 1, the fees are $225 in advance and $250 on site. The non-member fee is $450 per person.

Facilities at Pheasant Run include a golf course, tennis courts, indoor swimming pool, a spa, multiple restaurants, a theater and entertaining nightlife. A free Kids Klub program is planned.

Additional details may be accessed on the ISBA Web site, www.isba.org.

National, local women lawyers' groups join in special events

Several events of interest to women lawyers will take place during the American Bar Association's annual meeting next month in Chicago.

The National Conference of Women's Bar Associations (NCWBA) and the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) will hold a joint meeting and award luncheon on Friday, Aug. 5, at the Inter-Continental Hotel.

Judge Ann Claire Williams of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit will receive the Arabella Babb Mansfield Award for public service during a luncheon from 12:15 to 1:45 p.m.

Co-sponsors are the Women's Bar Association of Illinois, the Black Women Lawyers Association of Chicago, the CBA Alliance for Women, the Chicago chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, and the National Association of Women Judges.

The NCWBA will conduct a day-long women's bar leadership summit, "Making Your Women's Bar Association Relevant to Your Members," from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 5 at the hotel. Program topics include mentoring, developing leaders, getting more women on the bench, and balancing work and life.

A registration form for NCWBA attendance may be accessed at www.ncwba.org/PDFs/Summit_2005_Flyer.pdf. The NAWL General Assembly will meet from 4 to 5 p.m. Aug. 5. Register at www.nawl.org.

The ABA Commission on Women will hold its 15th anniversary Margaret Brent Award luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 7, in the Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Chief Justice Mary Ann G. McMorrow of the Illinois Supreme Court will receive one of five Brent Awards, and U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will be keynote speaker. An ISBA co-sponsored reception will follow (see ABA highlights story on page 1).

Call Julia Gillespie at (312) 988-5668 for Brent luncheon reservations. The Women's Bar Association plans to reserve tables at both award luncheons. Call (312) 341-8530 for table seating at $75 for the Aug. 5 event and $150 for the Aug. 7 event.

Big firm attorney begins leadership of small town

By Jeff Cappel

David M. Heilmann, a partner in Clausen Miller, Chicago, believes that every homeowner has a responsibility to make his or her community better.

Practicing what he preaches, Heilmann recently took the ultimate step in civic participation. At age 42, he is the first new president of the Village of Oak Lawn in nearly 30 years.

A graduate of the DePaul University College of Law who also has a journalism degree, he practices in business and commercial litigation, municipal and liability defense. He is co-chair of the law firm's recruitment and retention committee.

While presiding in his spacious municipal office, Heilmann displays the energy and idealism that come with youth. He organizes his desk and office while he speaks, and then settles down to discuss his views on the legal profession and his new job as village president.

"My original intention was to use the law degree to advance in journalism," he explained. But after he joined Clausen Miller in 1987, he never looked back.

"I love to go into court and litigate; that's what I enjoy." Heilmann said. "But from a true reward standpoint, knowing at day's end that I may have exceeded clients' expectations or delivered something to them that they can be proud of, nothing beats that."

He downplayed the notion that the law has changed in recent years. "There are still 12 jurors, and we lawyers have to persuade the best we can." Heilmann believes instead that lawyers' expectations change, along with their desires, goals, needs and wants.

"You'll always have people who practice law for the money," he observed, "and there are those who practice it for sheer love. And then there is something in-between."

Although Heilmann is aware that people are leaving the practice of law, "I don't see it at my firm," he said. "But I think many lawyers get burned out after 15 or 20 years."

His work on the recruitment and retention committee has shown him that recruiting quality lawyers is one thing, while keeping them is something else.

In an era where firm-hopping among lawyers is commonplace and placement firms are always on the lookout for new talent, Heilmann stresses the imperative that associates must understand all of the benefits that are offered.

"We have to listen to what the associates are telling us so we can make the firm better, and not just give lip service," he said. "I think we've been successful in doing that."

Lawyers must "work hard, be open-minded and understand it's a job. Try not to focus on dollar signs, but rather try to become the best lawyer possible."

Now Heilmann has to focus not only on being the best lawyer he can be, but also the best village president he can be.

He succeeds the late Ernest F. Kolb, Oak Lawn's longest serving president, who was 83 when he died in office in 2003. Following Kolb's death, it became clear that the winds of change might blow through the village at the next election.

That's what happened. Heilmann took 55 percent of the vote, more than his two challengers combined, and his slate took the village clerk seat and two of the three trustee seats.

"I thought it was time (to run for village president)," Heilmann explained. "I believe the next generation should step up and accept responsibility to make the community the best it can be. It's not someone else's job, it's all of ours."

Heilmann has Kolb's big shoes to fill and a sizable village to oversee. After the first 45 days in office, he felt he had hit the ground running.

He's not exactly a political newbie. He is a past president of the Oak Lawn Park Board and a former Worth Township Highway and Oak Lawn Park District commissioner. He also was a co-founder of the Oak Lawn Community Theater and award-winning children's theater.

Heilmann plans "to make the community where I was born and raised the finest anywhere to raise a family." To that end, his tenure will be service-based - go in, do the job and then go home. "I try not to look at it all from the political side," he said.

Part of his agenda will be improvement in communications between residents and their government via the Internet and meetings. Village board meetings now include open forums for people to present their concerns.

"Residents don't have a problem with not getting their way all of the time, as long as you let them know in advance," Heilmann said. "People just want to know what's going on."

Additionally, he expects to bolster the police and fire departments, and improvements in the downtown business area are being examined. His administration is also studying village expenses to determine what's necessary and what's not.

Heilmann expects his legal training to aid him as village president the way it did in his other community offices. "Every contract, ordinance and document that comes through will be analyzed, questioned and probed for what's underneath."

How does he balance his dual jobs? "First, I cut out TV," he said. "Second, I like to keep busy." Indeed, he will.

Some ISBA members succeed in municipal elections, others lose

In an out-of-courtroom experience earlier this year, two attorneys vied for election as mayor of Rockford. The incumbent, former state representative Douglas Scott, lost to Lawrence J. Morrissey of the Morrissey Law Offices.

A month after his defeat, Scott was named by the governor to succeed Renee Cipriano as director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

Morrissey, a 35-year-old independent, lost to Scott four years ago in a four-way race. Since then, he has served a second term as president of the