Chicago Area

Edward J. Vertovec, of Elmhurst, died on the 12th of January at the age of 91.

Ed was born in Elmhurst on March 13th, 1923, to Frank and Caroline Vertovec. He grew up in Elmhurst with his 5 siblings: Fran, Frank, Carl, Ray, and Jean.

He later graduated from Elmhurst College and received his law degree from DePaul University. During World War II, he served in the Air Force, specializing in radar navigation training.

Following his service, Ed married his beloved wife Betty J. Pace on June 21, 1947. According to Ed, Betty made their 67 years of marriage total happiness and bliss. Ed lived and maintained a local law practice in Elmhurst where he championed numerous public works projects, including the advancement of the Chamber of Commerce and the Elmhurst Park District, along with Co-Chairing the Underpass Committee. Ed was presented the Thousand Points of Light Volunteer Award by President George H.W. Bush in a ceremony in Salt Lake City.

In 1988 Ed and Betty retired to Skidaway Island in Savannah, Georgia. Ed devoted countless hours to his lifelong love of volunteer work, donating his time to multiple organizations including The Chatham County Victim Witness Assistance Program, The Chatham County Juvenile Court Panels (which assisted judges in caring for minors), The Village Library at Skidaway, and The Howard Young Medical Center in Minocqua, Wisconsin.

Husch Blackwell welcomes Associate Jennifer L. Dlugosz to its Chicago office. Dlugosz is a litigator joining the firm’s Technology, Manufacturing & Transportation industry team.

Dlugosz previously served as a litigation associate with Jenner & Block LLP in Chicago (2007-2015). While there, she worked on a variety of complex commercial litigation, including qui tam litigation, product liability, insurance and breach of contract matters, and has litigated in state and federal courts across the country. Initially upon receiving her J.D., Dlugosz served as an attorney for Chicago Metropolis 2020’s CLEAR Initiative (2006-2007), which reviewed and proposed reform of the Illinois Criminal Code.

Dlugosz received her J.D., with high honors, from the Chicago-Kent College of Law (2006), where she graduated Order of the Coif and received five CALI Excellence for the Future awards. Dlugosz received her B.A., magna cum laude, in Business and Politics, from Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, Ill. (2002).

Clients rely on Husch Blackwell’s Technology, Manufacturing & Transportationteam of multidisciplinary attorneys to handle industry-specific challenges head-on. From sourcing and transporting raw materials to distributing manufactured products globally, the firm is immersed in all aspects of the industrial production sector.

About Husch Blackwell

Seasoned trial attorney, Tammy L. Wade, brings her medical malpractice defense practice to Johnson & Bell.  Ms. Wade joins Johnson & Bell as a shareholder. Her addition to the firm further strengthens Johnson & Bell’s Health Care practice, which already represents many of the largest and most sophisticated hospital and nursing home providers in metropolitan Chicago and northwest Indiana.

“Demand for legal services continues to grow for our health care clients in Chicago and northwest Indiana,” stated Brian C. Fetzer, shareholder and co-chair of the firm’s Health Care group.  “Tammy’s addition not only deepens our group’s trial experience, but she is also adding some great clients to our firm.”

Ms. Wade concentrates her practice on the defense of hospitals, physicians, nurses and other health care professionals in all phases of medical malpractice litigation. She also represents clients in commercial litigation matters and has extensive experience in complex product liability litigation. She is recognized by the American Hospital Association as a Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management. Prior to joining Johnson & Bell, Ms. Wade was a Partner at Ruff, Weidenaar & Reidy, Ltd (nka Ruff, Freud, Breems & Nelson Ltd.).

Franczek Radelet is pleased to welcome Tejas Shah to the Firm as immigration counsel. Tejas, who will lead the Firm’s immigration practice, provides employers with comprehensive advice and counsel with respect to virtually all immigration issues affecting employers. Tejas assists employers in hiring and retaining talented foreign-national employees, sponsoring employees for permanent residency or temporary visas (H-1B, O-1, E-2, R-1, E-3, L-1), assisting with I-9 audits, and offering guidance to ensure compliance with the complex and evolving immigration rules, executive actions, and legislation.

“Tejas’ experience and practice are a perfect complement to our extensive labor, employment, employee benefits, and education practices,” commented David P. Radelet, co-chair of the Firm’s Labor & Employment Practice. “With the arrival of Tejas, we can offer employers an even more robust and comprehensive scope of services, advice and counsel on the wide range of issues they are facing each and every day,” add James C. Franczek, Jr., president of the Firm.

Tejas’ experience has led to several leadership appointments, including current co-chair of the South Asian Bar Association of North America’s immigration committee, 2014 president of the Indian American Bar Association of Chicago, and, starting in mid-2015, chair of the Illinois State Bar Association’s International and Immigration Law Section Council. Tejas earned his J.D. from George Washington National Law School in 2006 and his B.S. in economics from Duke University in 2002.