David McLaughlin Lynch, 71, of Dunlap, died on Friday, Aug. 27, 2019.
David was born on Oct. 31, 1947, in Dunlap, to William and Patricia Lynch. A graduate of Richwoods High School, David went on to graduate from Monmouth College. David was a U.S. Army veteran and served during the Vietnam War. David then obtained his Juris Doctorate at the University of Illinois. He began his own law firm, Lynch & Bloom, and was a practicing attorney for over 40 years.
Royal Oak-based law firm Howard & Howard has announced that attorney Michael D. Gifford has been elected president of the Peoria County Bar Association. After previously serving as chair of several committees, board member, treasurer, and president-elect, he will hold this position from July 1, 2019 through July 1, 2020.
The Champaign law firm Thomas, Mamer & Haughey, LLP has announced the firm will now be known as Thomas Mamer, LLP.
Founded in 1946 by attorneys James G. Thomas and Wallace Mulliken, the law firm of Thomas Mamer has been a pillar of the Champaign-Urbana community for 73 years. Thomas Mamer has continued to maintain a level of continuity that is second to none. Firm attorneys have spent three quarters of a century as active, practicing partners helping to build an unshakeable foundation.
Howard & Howard has donated $12,500 to the Heart of Illinois United Way as part of its 150th anniversary “12 Months of Giving” philanthropic initiative.
The gift was announced at the Heart of Illinois United Way’s annual “Power of the Purse” fundraising event on May 9.
L. Milton McClure, 77, of Springfield, formerly of Beardstown, died Friday, July 12, 2019, at his home.
He was born Aug. 23, 1941, in Chicago, to Lloyd Milton McClure and Margaret Steadman McClure.
George Jacob Lewis, 88, of Quincy, died Sunday, July 14, 2019, at Good Samaritan Home in Quincy.
George was born Aug. 17, 1930, in Rushville, to parents Dana Mendel Lewis and Gladys Elizabeth Hersman Lewis. He was raised working on his family's farm in Hersman. He graduated from Brown County High School in Mount Sterling in 1948.
Gregory Michael Tobin, 58, died Tuesday, July 2, 2019, following a battle with gastric cancer.
Born Sept. 19, 1960 in Jacksonville, he was the son of William "Bill" Tobin of Grape Vine, Texas, and Patricia "Pat" (Henry) Pinkerton of Jacksonville.
He was an attorney and owner of Pratt and Tobin, PC in Bethalto for 34 years.
Attorney James Bock, Jr., of Glen Carbon, is the new director of the Office for Legal Services and Policy Development for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.
Most recently, Bock was a litigation associate with Greensfelder, Hemker and Gale, P.C. in their Belleville office from 2015 to 2019, where he practiced in Madison and St. Clair counties. Prior to that firm, Bock was an assistant public defender with the Madison County Public Defender’s Office from 2013 to 2015.
ISBA Third Vice President Rory T. Weiler attended the Peoria County Bar Association’s 2019 Annual Business Meeting and New Members’ Reception on July 8 at the Janssen Law Center in Peoria. During the meeting, attendees welcomed the 2019-2020 board of directors and the newest members of the bar.
J.(James) Michael O’Byrne died June 30, 2019 in Urbana.
He was born August 26, 1925, at Mercy Hospital in Urbana, the fourth of six children of John Francis O’Byrne and Rachael Copeland O’Byrne. He went to grade school at St Mary’s in Urbana and graduated from Champaign High School in 1943. He enlisted in the United States Navy Air Corps and served two and a half years during World War II. After service, he returned to Champaign and enrolled in the University of Illinois College of Commerce, receiving a degree in 1948. He was a proud member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. In 1949 he received a Doctor of Law Degree from the University of Illinois Law School and he was admitted to the Illinois Bar in January 1950.