A legislator since 1993, Saviano chairs the Registration and Regulation Committee and serves on the Executive Committee. He also is a member of the committees on Aging, Appropriations-Public Safety, Housing and Urban Development, and Public Utilities.
Lisa A. Marino, a former member of the ISBA Assembly who serves on the Committee on Judicial Evaluation, will be installed as president. She succeeds Assembly member John C. Sciaccotta.
Other officers are First Vice President Celia G. Gamrath, a member of the ISBA Board of Governors and past chair of the Committee on Women and the Law; Second Vice President Frano A. Coladipietro; Third Vice President Mauro Glorioso, an Assembly member; Treasurer Donald J. Storino Jr., and Secretary Cristina Mungai, an Assembly member.
ABOTA's national president to address Illinois chapter
Los Angeles attorney Donna D. Melby, the first woman president of the American Board of Trial Advocates, will be honored by the Illinois chapter during a dinner meeting Wednesday, Oct. 19, at Club International in the Drake Hotel, Chicago.
She will be in Chicago to make a speech to the Defense Research Institute on Oct. 20, said chapter President Wendell W. Clancy of St. Charles.
A partner in Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal, Melby is a member of the litigation practice group and chair of the national labor and employment practice. She received the firm's inaugural Rothshild Pro Bono Award last year for her disability law work with the Landmine Survivors Network.
Also a past president of ABOTA's Los Angeles chapter, Melby became national vice president in 2003 and was installed as president in January. She has served on the board since 1994 and has been a trustee of the ABOTA Foundation since 2001.
A 1979 graduate of California Western School of Law, she practiced with Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold until she joined Sonnenschein in 2002.
Melby was appointed by the governor to serve on the California Judicial Selection Advisory Panel. She is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Society of Barristers.
For information about the Illinois chapter dinner and other ABOTA activities, call Clancy at (630) 584-7666.
Bar members join with Habitat for Humanity to house needy families
By Jeff Cappel
"We wanted to give back to the community and do something significant, so we decided that maybe we should build a house." So said Jan Wade, executive director of the Kane County Bar Association.
The house Wade refers to, which is being built in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity International, resulted from a long-range planning retreat the association held in September.
"In 2008, the Kane County Bar will celebrate its 150th anniversary," she added, "and we thought it would be nice to do this."
KCBA President Michael C. Doyen said the officers were "looking for ways to channel some of the service hours our members give to the community through the bar association, and to highlight the fact attorneys are doing their part to help.
"I suspect the general public is not aware of how much attorneys give back to the community in terms of time and talent, not to mention money," he said.
After the decision to team with Habitat was given a green light, association members soon learned what involvement in a big project would be like, but on a smaller scale.
"Habitat requires that an organization raise $2,000 a day to support the amount of time that you're going to work," Wade explained. "Plus you also need 10 to 15 volunteers a day."
The Kane County Bar signed-on for two dates, Aug. 13 and Sept. 24, requiring 20 to 30 volunteers and $4,000 in contributions. Doyen thought that if 10 firms contributed $400 each, it would be a go.
"A bidding process was used to determine who would support this," Wade said, "and firms jumped on the bandwagon so quickly that we couldn't write them all down. We wound up with 18 firms."
The membership has been enthusiastic about the project, Wade added, and they'll have enough volunteers to work on project days. Wade also likes the way this project enables participation by bar members who don't always participate.
"A lot of lawyers sit on various school boards and church boards, and they sometimes become the unofficial legal counsel," she explained. "That's fine, but sometimes it's nice for them to have a volunteer outlet that doesn't necessarily involve their work."
Habitat has the process down to a science. "We have to be there from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.," Wade said. "Habitat gives you an instruction sheet on what to wear, what not to wear and what to bring. Trained, skilled workers oversee the project, so the volunteers will be the grunt labor."
Wade may not have a specific task, but she expects to do some gophering. "I'll get lunch for everyone," she said, "provide support as needed, take pictures and generally document the event."
Other bar associations have teamed with Habitat for Humanity on similar projects. The Peoria County Bar Association completed one during the past year, and the Northwest Suburban Bar Association will participate in a project on Aug. 20.
Jay Andrew, chair of the NWSBA Young Lawyers, said his committee is sponsoring the project because it wants to "better the association and our commitment to it."
Andrew said many members were either familiar with Habitat or had donated time to it in college. "I thought we could have begun the project last year," he said, "but there weren't any builds happening until this summer."
Ten volunteers have signed up, and Andrew expects at least 20. A pool tournament was held in May to raise the needed funds. The volunteers will "roll up their sleeves and work; that's what we're there to do," he said.
Echoing Jan Wade, Andrew believes these projects offer a way to give something back. "Being young lawyers, many of us have student loan debts," he said. "We can't write a $5,000 check, but we can give eight hours of our time on a Saturday."
NWSBA executive director Nairee Hagopian said this is thje first time the association has done this type of charitable work. "We work with the Village of Arlington Heights Holiday Assistance Program, where we sponsor about 10 families and pick up everything they need for the holidays," she noted.
Andrew stressed that it's important for young lawyers to become involved in community work, even though many did while in college. "When you start your own life and get in the profession, you still need that connection of giving back to the community," he said.
* * *
Habitat for Humanity International "is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action." The organization was building homes in Southeast Asia for more than a decade before the recent tsunami disaster.
Asian Bar convenes in Chicago
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) will hold its 17th annual convention Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 20-23, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Chicago.
William Yu of Hinshaw & Culbertson, Chicago, is NAPABA Midwest Region governor and a member of the planning committee for the convention. He is a past president of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area.
The event is titled "Forging Ahead: Shaping Our Future." A Bar Leadership Institute and welcoming reception are scheduled on Thursday.
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama will be keynote speaker for the Friday luncheon. Other Friday highlights include an Expo and Job Fair, legal education seminars, and the Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition. Volunteers are needed to serve as moot court judges.
A Women's Leadership Forum Award program will take place Saturday, followed later by the Tang Moot Court Awards reception, the NAPABA installation banquet and a president's party.
ISBA is sponsor of Southern Illinois bankruptcy panels
A day-long seminar on issues stemming from the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act will take place Friday, Sept. 9, at Four Points by Sheraton in Fairview Heights.
The program, "How to Cope with the New Amendments to the Bankruptcy Code," is sponsored Bankruptcy Association of Southern Illinois (BASIL), the Illinois State Bar Association, the Bar Association of the Central and Southern Federal Districts of Illinois, and the Southern Illinois Bankruptcy Institute.
Seminar fees are $150 for ISBA and BASIL members, $125 for their staff members, and $200 for non-members. Payments should be mailed by Aug. 29 to Marilyn J. Washburn, Riezman Berger PC, 7th floor, 7700 Bonhomme, St. Louis, Mo. 63105.
The program will open at 8:30 a.m. with introductory remarks by BASIL President William A. Mueller of Belleville. Morning panels will discuss Prefiling Issues at 8:45 a.m. and Chapter 7 Issues at 10:30 a.m.
Dean Peter Alexander of the Southern Illinois University School of Law, the keynote luncheon speaker, will discuss the impact of the amendments on domestic support issues.
The program will resume at 1 p.m. with a panel on Creditor's Issues, followed at 2 p.m. by a panel of bankruptcy judges. Among them are Chief Judge Kenneth Meyers of the Southern District of Illinois and Judge William Altenberger of the Central District.
Concluding panels are Chapter 13 Issues at 3:15 p.m. and Chapter 11 and 12 Issues at 4:15 p.m. The seminar will adjourn at 5 p.m.
Written materials will be provided. Continuing legal education credit has been approved by the Missouri Bar.
John Marshall
The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center will hold a two-day Fair Housing Conference on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 9-10. Call (312) 987-2397 by Aug. 22 to register.
Titled "Predatory Home Lending: Moving Toward Legal and Policy Solutions," the conference is co-sponsored by the Woodstock Institute and the School of Public Policy and Public Administration and Department of Sociology at George Washington University.
Speakers will update current information about predatory lending and discuss the latest research on the relationship between foreclosures and crime. The keynote speaker is James H. Carr, senior vice president of the Fannie Mae Foundation.
Lake County Bar
A brown-bag luncheon seminar on "Intellectual Property Basics: From the Client to the Court" will be conducted by the Lake County Bar Association at 12 noon Thursday, Aug. 25.
The presentation by Lawrence Steingold of Querrey & Harrow will take place in courtroom C-201 of the Lake County Courthouse, Waukegan. Box lunches may be purchased in advance. Call (847) 244-2143.
Illinois CLE Institute
Two ISBA section council officials will speak during the fifth annual Illinois Institute for Continuing Education Advising Farmers and Agribusinesses Conference on Thursday, Sept. 8, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Springfield. Call (800) 252-8062 to register or obtain information about other programs.
At 11 a.m., Michael R. Lied of Howard & Howard, Peoria, will discuss Employment Issues with Labor, Immigration and the Migrant Labor Force in the Agriculture Industry. He is newsletter editor for the Labor and Employment Section Council.
At 1:10 p.m., University of Illinois Prof. Donald L. Uchtmann, vice chair of the Agricultural Law Section Council, will review Hot Topics for Farmers and Agribusiness.
Central Illinois Paralegal
The 16th annual continuing legal education seminar of the Central Illinois Paralegal Association will take place from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16, at the Eastland Suites Hotel Conference Center in Bloomington.
After welcoming remarks by CIPA President Ann G. Hill, the keynote address on professional development will be given by Kathryn L. Myers, associate professor and coordinator of paralegal studies at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College in Indiana.
Other speakers include attorneys J. Steven Beckett of Urbana, Kevin S. Brown of State Farm Insurance Companies and Jonathan A. Blackman of Bloomington, and McLean County Coroner Beth C. Kimmerling.
Topics include legal research, constitutional law, crime scene investigations, autopsy and death investigations, legal issues in modern communications, and bankruptcy.
CIPA is an affiliate of the National Association of Legal Assistants, which has approved the conference for seven hours of CLE credit. Call Lisa Craghead, (309) 766-1936, or acces the Web site, www.ciparalegal.com.
Illinois Trial Lawyers
The Illinois Trial Lawyers Association will conduct a seminar on Friday, Sept. 16, at the Marriott Downtown Hotel, St. Louis. The Southern Illinois judicial and legislative dinner will follow. Call (800) 252-8501.
Future ITLA seminars are scheduled Monday, Oct. 10, in Chicago; Saturday, Oct. 29, in Oak Brook (workers' compensation), and Saturday, Dec. 3, in Chicago (medical malpractice).
Chicago-Kent College
The 21st annual Illinois Public Sector Labor Relations Law Program of the Chicago-Kent College of Law will be conducted Thursday, Sept. 22. Call (312) 906-5090 for details.
Global Real Estate
The Chicago office of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary will conduct its sixth annual Global Real Estate Summit on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at the Four Seasons Hotel, Chicago. Call Carey Uxa at (312) 252-4112 for details
Former senator George Mitchell, chair of the firm's Global Board, and Sam Zell, chair of Equity Group Investments, are among speakers who will discuss national and international market trends.
Other topics include public real estate companies, landlords and tenants in national office markets, homeland security and the international economy, entrepreneurial developers and investors in global markets, and opportunities and challenges in debt markets.
Defense Trial Counsel
The Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel will conduct its annual fall seminar from 12:50 to 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, and 8:15 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday, Sept. 24, at Eagle Ridge Inn, Galena. A wine presentation and tasting is scheduled Friday evening at Galena Winery.
Among featured speakers are Supreme Court Justice Thomas L. Kilbride, State Sen. Kirk Dillard and Cook County Judge Susan F. Zwick. The seminar committee chair is Aleen R. Tiffany of Crystal Lake. Call (800) 232-0169 for complete details.
Employment Law Institute
The National Employment Law Institute will present its 10th annual Americans with Disabilities Act Workshop on Monday, Sept. 26, at the Four Seasons Hotel, Chicago. Call (303) 861-5600 or access www.neli.org.
Speakers will focus on new approaches articulated by the courts and EEOC, some of which has created troubling conflicts. Workshop registrants will receive copies of the 19th edition of "Resolving ADA Workplace Questions" by David K. Fram of NELI.