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Board of Governors

  • July 28, 2017 | ISBA News
    ISBA Board to High Court: Consider Impact of E-Filing on Pro Se Litigants

    The ISBA Board of Governors voted at its July 21 meeting to ask the Illinois Supreme Court not to require self-represented litigants to use the e-filing system that launches in January until the impact of mandatory e-filing on nonlawyers can be studied and addressed. Speaking on behalf of the proposal, Board member Angelica Wawrzynek of Mattoon noted that no other mandatory e-filing state requires pro se litigants to file cases electronically and that two-thirds of civil cases filed outside Cook County in 2015 included at least one self-represented litigant.

    In other action, the Board

    ● agreed to join the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in filing an amicus brief in In re the Marriage of Goesel, 2017 IL App (3d) 150101. The ISBA/AAML brief will support the court’s ruling that earned and paid legal fees are not available for disgorgement as part of an interim fee award under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act;

    ● approved an ethics opinion stating that an in-house lawyer may provide legal services to multiple subsidiaries of the same corporate parent as long as doing so doesn’t otherwise violate the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct;

    ● voted to support an ABA resolution that urges states and units of local government to adopt a policy of trapping, neutering, vaccinating, and returning stray cats to the community;

    2 comments (Most recent August 3, 2017)
  • July 26, 2017 | ISBA News
    Board, Assembly Vacancies Filled at Board of Governors Meeting

    The ISBA Board of Governors met on Friday, July 21. At the meeting, the Board filled one vacancy on the Board of Governors in Area VIII and two vacant Assembly seats in Cook County. The results of the elections to fill these leadership positions are below.

    Board of Governors

    • Area VIII (Circuits 3 & 20): Perry Browder, Alton

    Assembly

    • 18th Circuit: Richard Veenstra, Wheaton
    • Cook County (Two-Year Term): Jill O'Brien, Chicago
    • Cook County (One-Year Term): Evan Schanerberger, Chicago
    1 comment (Most recent July 27, 2017)
  • June 29, 2017 | ISBA News
    ISBA Board Seeks Candidates: Board of Governors, Area VIII - 3rd and 20th Circuits

    The ISBA Board of Governors will fill at its July 21, 2017 meeting a vacant Board of Governors position in Area VIII. This vacancy was created by the election of Dennis Orsey to the position of third vice president.

    Any member who wishes to be considered as a candidate for this position should communicate via email to kweaver@isba.org by Thursday, July 13, 2017. A brief biographical statement should be submitted with the communication. If there are questions, please contact the Executive Department at 800.252.8908 or kweaver@isba.org.

    All candidates will be informed of the Board of Governors action following the July 21st meeting.

  • June 6, 2017 | ISBA News
    ISBA Seeks Candidates for Board Vacancy

    The election of Dennis Orsey as ISBA third vice president created a vacancy on the Board of Governors in Area VIII (the 3d and 20th judicial circuits). The Board will fill the vacant position at its July 21, 2017 meeting. The term will be for one year and begins immediately. Any member who wishes to be considered as a candidate should email the Executive Director by July 7, 2017 at kweaver@isba.org. A brief biographical statement should be submitted with the communication.

    If you have questions, please contact Kim Weaver, Assistant to the Executive Director, at 800.252.8908 or kweaver@isba.org.

  • June 24, 2016 | ISBA News
    Board, Assembly, ABA vacancies filled at Annual Meeting

    The following vacancies were filled at the Board of Governors meeting on June 18, 2016 at the Westin O'Hare in Rosemont during the 140th Annual Meeting.

    ELECTION RESULTS

    ABA “UNDER 35” ISBA DELEGATE TO THE ABA HOUSE OF DELEGATES

    • Cook County: Cory White, Chicago

    ASSEMBLY

    • 2nd Circuit: James Ruppert, Mount Vernon
    • 13th Circuit: James Reilly, Streator
    • 17th Circuit: Marishonta Wilkerson, Rockford
    • Cook County: Edward Burt, Chicago

    BOARD OF GOVERNORS – UNDER 37

    • Outside Cook County: Chantelle Porter, Lombard
  • June 23, 2016 | ISBA News
    New ISBA treasurer, secretary elected

    The Illinois State Bar Association's Board of Governors elected a new secretary and treasurer at its meeting June 18 in Rosemont. President Vincent F. Cornelius held the Board's organizational meeting in conjunction with the Annual Meeting.

    Angelica W. Wawrzynek, of Mattoon, will serve as treasurer. She is an associate at Tapella & Eberspacher LLC. She focuses primarily on civil litigation and especially personal injury cases. In 2012, Wawrzynek received the ECIWAA Award for Service to the Community and the following year she was honored with the ISBA Young Lawyer of the Year Award. She graduated cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law.

    Albert E. Durkin, of Chicago, was elected secretary. Durkin is the managing partner and founding member of Miroballi Durkin & Rudin, LLC in Chicago, Illinois. He has over 35 years of experience as an active personal injury litigator. He is a 1977 graduate of the DePaul University College of Law.

  • June 2, 2016 | ISBA News
    ISBA Board seeks candidates – Assembly, Under 37 Board, and Under 35 ABA Delegate

    The ISBA Board of Governors will fill vacant leadership positions at a June 18, 2016 meeting. Members who are qualified and interested in being candidates for the positions are encouraged to submit their names for consideration.

    • ISBA Assembly – There is one vacant seat in each of the following circuits – 2nd, 13th, and 17th. The terms are for three years and commence immediately. There is one vacant seat in Cook County (First District) with a term of two years, and the term begins immediately. Candidates must reside in the applicable circuit or district.
    • Board of Governors – There is a vacancy in one of the Under 37 seats from outside Cook County. The term will be for one year and begins immediately. Candidates must reside outside Cook County and be under age 37 as of June 16, 2016.
    • ABA Delegate – There is a vacancy in the Cook County Under 35 delegate seat in the ABA House of Delegates. The term begins at the close of the upcoming ABA Annual Meeting in August and is for two years. Candidates must be under age 35 by August 10, 2016 and reside in  Cook County.

    Any member who wishes to be considered as a candidate for a vacant position should communicate interest by email communication with the Executive Director by Friday, June 10, 2016 at kweaver@isba.org. A brief biographical statement should be submitted with the communication. If there are questions, please contact Kim Weaver, Assistant to the Executive Director, at 800.252.8908 or kweaver@isba.org.

  • June 29, 2015 | ISBA News
    New ISBA secretary, treasurer elected

    The Illinois State Bar Association's Board of Governors elected a new secretary and treasurer at its meeting June 20 in Lake Geneva. For the first time in many years, President Umberto S. Davi held the Board's organizational meeting in conjunction with the Annual Meeting.

    David Sosin, of Orland Park, was named treasurer. He is the founding partner in the Orland Park firm of Sosin & Arnold, Ltd. He has served on the Board of Governors since 2013 and is a past president of the Illinois Bar Foundation. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the ISBA Mutual Insurance Company. Sosin has been honored as a 2011 Laureate of the ISBA Academy of Illinois Lawyers and has received an ISBA Board of Governors Award.

    Sonni Choi Williams, of Peoria, will serve as secretary. She is Deputy Corporation Counsel for the City of Peoria. Williams has served on the Board of Governors since 2012 and the Assembly since 2004. She received the ISBA Diversity Leadership Award in 2015.

    The Board welcomed new members Dennis J. Orsey of Granite City, Daniel R. Saeddi of Chicago, Kent A. Gaertner of Wheaton and Rory T. Weiler of St. Charles.

    President Davi appointed Williams and Chantelle Porter to the Board of the Illinois Bar Foundation.

  • July 21, 2014 | ISBA News
    New ISBA secretary, treasurer elected

    The Illinois State Bar Association's Board of Governors elected a new secretary and treasurer at its meeting Friday in Chicago.

    Lisa Nyuli (left), of South Elgin, was named treasurer. She is a partner with Ariano Hardy Ritt Nyuli Richmond Lytle & Goettel P.C. She has been on the Board of Governors since 2009. She served as Chair of the Solo and Small Firm Conference Committee in 2011 and 2012 and is a past president of the Kane County and Elgin bar associations.

    Karen Enright (right), of Chicago, will serve as secretary. Enright is a partner at McNabola Law Group where she practices personal injury cases. She has been a member of the Board of Governors since 2010 and served as treasurer from 2011-2012. She received the ISBA Board of Governors Award in 2009 and is a past president of the Women's Bar Association.

    The Board welcomed new members Hon. Russell Hartigan of Western Springs, Mark Karno of Chicago, Anna Krolikowska of Northbrook and Chantelle Porter of Lombard.

  • July 23, 2013 | ISBA News
    New ISBA secretary, treasurer elected

    The Illinois State Bar Association's Board of Governors elected a new secretary and treasurer at its meeting Friday in Chicago.

    James F. McCluskey (left) will serve as secretary. McCluskey is a founding member of Momkus McCluskey, LLC in Lisle. He is in his fifth year on the Board. He has served as Chair of the ISBA Assembly Agenda & Program Committee and is a past member of the ISBA Civil Practice & Procedure Council.

    Judge Celia G. Gamrath (right) of Chicago was named treasurer. She is serving her second stint on the Board after being the Under 37 representative for Cook County from 2005-2008. She was a partner at Schiller, DuCanto and Fleck before becoming a judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Domestic Relations Division. She has served on the Assembly and was a member of the ISBA Young Lawyers Division from 1998-2006.

    The Board welcomed new members Bridget Duignan, Al Durkin, Gamrath and Kenya Jenkins-Wright of Chicago, Carey Gill of Carbondale, Hon. Elizabeth Rochford of Lake Forest, David Sosin of Orland Park and Angel Wawrzynek of Mattoon.