Thomas Arthur passed away on June 5, 2012. Tom lived most of his full life in Glencoe, Illinois. His parents, John W. Arthur and Hazel Welsh Arthur moved with him from Chicago to Glencoe in 1932.

Tom attended the Glencoe schools, New Trier High School, Hamilton College and Northwestern Law School. At Hamilton College he was a member of Sigma Phi, the tennis and squash teams. He majored in history and political science. His favorite professor and mentor was Edgar B. "Digger" Graves, Chairman of the history department. He attended most of the Hamilton College reunions until 2012.

He was drafted into the Army in 1952 immediately following graduating from Hamilton. After basic training and armored leadership school at Fort Knox he went to Officer Candidate School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He served with the 61st Field Artillery in Hokkaido, Japan for 18 months where he was a forward observer, directing fire for 105 howitzers. He was a recon and survey officer and battery exec.

Tom played tennis on the Corps tennis team, attended mountain climbing school and managed the ski team. Tom was class of '58 at Northwestern Law School. He was a member and magister of Phi Delta Phi and was a member of the Law School's Board of Governors.

The 2012 Midyear Meeting will be held at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers in Chicago from Dec. 13–15. Take advantage of this opportunity to make your reservations for lodging early by visiting www.starwoodmeeting.com/book/isba1212. Rates are $139 for single or double occupancy, plus applicable state and local tax. A deposit of first night’s lodging is required. Check-in after 4 p.m. and check-out before noon.

The deadline for making reservations for lodging is on or before Nov. 19, 2012. Reservations received after this date will be subject to availability. The deposit will be forfeited for all no-shows, early departures and cancellations less than 24 hours prior to arrival.

Watch for additional details, schedule of events and registration information on our website www.isba.org and Illinois Lawyer Now.

Foley & Lardner LLP has announced that Myles D. Berman has been named managing partner of its Chicago office, effective August 1. Berman succeeds Foley partner Mark L. Prager, who has served the firm in this role since 2004 and will now focus on his bankruptcy and business reorganizations practice.

As Chicago office managing partner, Berman will be responsible for the professional development and management of 300 attorneys and staff. In this role, he will help formulate and implement strategy and recruiting efforts while continuing to expand Foley’s presence in the market. Under Berman’s leadership, the Chicago office will continue to build its strong core practices in corporate transactional and securities work, private equity, bankruptcy and business reorganizations, energy, intellectual property and real estate, while growing in other areas as well.

“I’m excited to take on this new leadership role and build on the solid foundation that Mark, my partners and associates have laid to strengthen Foley’s national platform in Chicago,” said Berman.

In addition to serving as Foley’s Chicago office managing partner, Berman will co-chair the firm’s national Government Relations Practice, and will continue to be a member of the Government & Public Policy and Environmental Practice Groups and the Energy Industry Team. He also serves as a director of the firm’s federal Political Action Committee and is a member of Foley’s national Pro Bono Committee. Berman maintains an active practice representing clients in a broad range of matters including corporate, real estate and financial transactions.

Reverend Ruth E. Van Demark died on June 9, 2012 at Northwestern Memorial Medical Center in Chicago Illinois. She died from metastatic breast cancer.

Ruth was born on May 16, 1944 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her parents were Dr. Robert and Bertie Van Demark. She grew up in Sioux Falls and graduated from Washington Senior High School in 1962. Ruth graduated from Vassar College in 1966 and from Harvard Divinity School in 1969. She graduated from University of Connecticut Law School in 1976.

Ruth married Leland Wilkinson on June 23, 1967. They had two daughters, Amie and Caroline.

She joined the Chicago law firm of Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon—now Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP—as one of the firm's first female associates in 1976. She subsequently became an equity partner and headed the firm's appellate group. She served as president of the Appellate Lawyers Association of Illinois and sat on the Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee from 1996 to 2002. She argued numerous appeals to the Illinois Supreme Court.

Ruth left her accomplished legal career to become a Lutheran minister. After studying at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and interning at Augustana Lutheran Church of Hyde Park, Ruth became the pastor of Wicker Park Lutheran Church in Chicago in 2001. Under her leadership, the church launched successful efforts to build the congregation, raise funds for the church's physical rehabilitation, and connect the church to the community.