Honoraria

ISBA President Joseph G. Bisceglia and Anthony J. Fornelli, a Laureate of the ISBA Academy of Illinois Lawyers, will be honored during the formal installation banquet of the Justinian Society on Thursday, Sept. 20.

Bisceglia, a past president of the Justinians, will receive the Award of Excellence. The honor was bestowed on Attorney General Lisa Madigan last year, and in the past to ISBA past presidents Leonard F. Amari, Michel A. Coccia and Lawrence X. Pusateri.

Fornelli, also a Justinian past president, will receive the Moses W. Harrison Award of Recognition. He is a previous recipient of the Award of Excellence.

The award is named in honor of retired Illinois Supreme Court justice Harrison, who may attend the banquet. He is a past Award of Excellence honoree.

The reception, dinner and award presentations will take place in the Palmer House Hilton, Chicago, where incoming President Franco A. Coladipietro and other officers will be installed.

They are Vice Presidents Mauro Glorioso, Donald J. Storino Jr. and Cristina Mungai, Treasurer Katherine Amari, and Secretary Gregg A. Garofalo. Glorioso serves on the ISBA Board of Governors. Mungai, Amari and Garofalo are members of the Assembly.

The 6:30 p.m. dinner will be preceded by a 5 p.m. reception. For information about individual and table reservations, call executive director Nina Albano Vidmer at (708) 338-0760.

ISBA Assembly member Joseph M. Gagliardo, a past president of the Justinian Society, received a Peacemaker Award from the Joint Civic Committee of Italian-Americans during its recent Humanitarian of the Year dinner in Chicago.

Gagliardo chairs the litigation department at the Chicago firm of Laner, Muchin, Dombrow, Becker, Levin & Tominberg, where he has been a partner since 1988.

He also has been associate newsletter editor for the ISBA Federal Civil Practice Section Council, chair of the Labor and Employment Law Section Council and a member of the Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council. Prior to joining the law firm, Gagliardo served 10 years in the Chicago corporation counsel's office and was its first deputy under two mayors.

A 1977 graduate of The John Marshall Law School, he serves on its board of trustees.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan will receive a Bill of Rights in Action Award from Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago during a benefit reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 17, at the Union League Club of Chicago.

Madigan has been a supporter of and participant in the CRFC Illinois Youth Summit to help students understand issues and challenge policy makers.

The Huron Consulting Group, a benefactor, also will be honored. For reservations and funding opportunities, call (312) 663-9057.

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Chicago immigration and naturalization attorney Royal F. Berg will receive the Pax et Bonum Award from St. Peter's Church in the Loop, Chicago, on Monday, Oct. 1, during a luncheon in the Empire Room of the Palmer House Hilton.

The annual award (translated “peace and everything good”) recognizes individuals who exemplify Franciscan values that include care of the poor through work for justice and peace. Call (312) 853-2376 for reservations.

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Champaign attorney Jane A. Hays, managing director of the Downey Group, will received a Constituent Leadership Award from the University of Illinois College of Law on Friday, Oct. 26, during a Homecoming reception.

A past president of the College of Law Board of Visitors, Hays is a life member and former board member of the university alumni association.

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Cook County Judge Sheldon C. Garber received the Judge Abraham Lincoln Marovitz Mentoring Award on Aug. 7 during the Chicago Bar Foundation Lend-a-Hand My Hero Awards luncheon.

Erik D. Ojala was named Mentor of the Year, James J. Conlon received the My Hero Award, and Raven Moore and Karen C. Wallace were given Making a Difference Awards.

DLA Piper was honored as Law Firm Partner of the Year through the mentoring efforts of Portia Owen Morrison and Ken Schmetterer.

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The Chicago firm of Jenner & Block received the Midwest Light of Human Rights Corporate Award during a June 1 benefit dinner for the National Immigrant Justice Center and Marjorie Kovler Center for Treatment of Survivors of Torture.

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Trial lawyer Mark J. Smith, a partner in Lowis & Gellen, has received the inaugural Illinois Attorney of the Year Award from the American Physicians Assurance Corp. for his skills in representing medical professionals in malpractice matters.

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Former Illinois attorney Hervey P. Levin received the Andrew C. Hecker Memorial Award from the ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section on Aug. 11 during its annual meeting in San Francisco.

A 1969 graduate of the DePaul University College of Law, Levin is a solo practitioner in Dallas and chair of the section's Government Affairs Committee.

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Howard J. Swibel of Arnstein & Lehr, Chicago, was honored as a Harvard Law School Role Model during a reception on July 24 at Jenner & Block.

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Leslie D. Minier of Katten Muchin Rosenman, Chicago, has been named a Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow. The firm's chief diversity partner, she will participate in a 10-month study of regional challenges, opportunities and resources for diverse segments of the community.

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Allan J. Reich of Seyfarth Shaw, Chicago, will be installed Wednesday, Sept. 19, as president of the Chicago chapter of the American Jewish Committee. The 63rd annual dinner will take place at the Fairmont Hotel.

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Oak Brook attorney Leonard S. DeFranco, past chair of the ISBA Business and Financial Planning Section Council, has been elected president of Casa Italia, an Italian-American community organization.

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Chicago attorney Jack L. Block has been named deputy director for special projects at the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago.

Previously a partner in Sachnoff & Weaver, he has been honored by the American Civil Liberties Union for his pro bono contributions to social justice.

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Richard J. Rettberg of McKenna Storer, Chicago, has been named corporate counsel of the General Council on Finance and Administration of the United Methodist Church. He is a member of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference.