[caption id="attachment_15472" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Justice Mary Jane Theis"][/caption]
Former ISBA Board member Mary Jane Theis will take the oath today as the newest member of the Illinois Supreme Court, the fourth woman to sit on the state’s highest tribunal.
Justice Theis, an Appellate Court judge in Illinois for the past 17 years, will be sworn in by Retired Chief Justice Thomas R. Fitzgerald. Justice Fitzgerald announced his retirement last month and the Supreme Court appointed Justice Theis to fill his vacancy.
Justice Thomas L. Kilbride was elected by his colleagues to become Chief Justice, an appointment which also becomes effective on Tuesday.
Justice Theis’ ceremony is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. October 26 in the ceremonial courtroom on the lower level of the James R. Thompson Center.
Among those who will be speaking at the ceremony will be Attorney General Lisa Madigan; Retired U.S. District Court of Appeals Judge Abner J. Mikva; Illinois Appellate Court Justice Joy V. Cunningham; and Illinois Senate President John Cullerton.
Justice Theis will join Justices Rita B. Garman from the Fourth Judicial District and Anne M. Burke from the First Judicial District to mark the first time in history three women will sit on the Illinois Supreme Court at the same time.
Chicago Area
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October 26, 2010 |
Events | ISBA News
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October 25, 2010 |
People
[caption id="attachment_15455" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Donald J. Ramsell"][/caption] Ramsell & Associates, LLC is proud to announce that Donald J. Ramsell, the managing director, was recently named as a Regent of the prestigious 1,000 member National College for DUI Defense. Donald Ramsell is a practicing attorney in Wheaton, and he has been defending DUI cases since 1986. Ramsell is also the author of Thomson-West Illinois DUI Law and Practice Guidebook. Ramsell is a Past President of the DuPage County Bar Association and a past Chair of the ISBA Traffic Law Section Council. Since 1986, Ramsell & Associates, LLC has handled over 13,000 DUI, Traffic and criminal cases throughout northern Illinois.
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October 25, 2010 |
People
John Theodore Karnezis, partner in the Chicago law firm Pullano & Karnezis, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday morning at LaGrange Memorial Hospital in LaGrange. "John was a highly skilled lawyer, but what made him an outstanding attorney was his compassion and empathy for his clients. He always put his clients first and would do whatever was necessary to make sure they received the best result," said Richard Pullano, partner, Pullano & Karnezis. "John loved his work, but the one thing he loved most in life was going home at the end of the day to his wife, Dena, and his twin boys, Michael and John. We will miss him greatly." John was born July 23, 1966 and grew up in the Beverly neighborhood where he attended Christ the King Grammar School (1980), Marist High School (1984), University of Illinois (1988) and Loyola University Law School where he earned his J.D. in 1991. John had attended a 30th class reunion at Christ the King the night before he died. John was the beloved husband of Dena Angela (nee Turnquist); the loving and proud father to precious twin sons, John Themis and Michael Timothy and late twin sons, Theodore and Marshall; and devoted son to the Honorable Themis (Illinois Appellate Court, First District) and Melodie Karnezis and the late Charlotte (nee Dolan). Prior to forming Pullano & Karnezis in 2009, Mr. Karnezis was a litigator at Clifford Law Offices, where he started as an associate in 2000 and advanced to partner in 2005.
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October 25, 2010 |
People
[caption id="attachment_15443" align="alignright" width="125" caption="Thomas Demetrio"][/caption] Thomas Demetrio, nationally renowned Chicago personal injury trial lawyer, was named yesterday “Chicago Best Lawyers Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year” for 2011, by the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. After more than a quarter of a century in publication, Best Lawyers is designating “Lawyers of the Year” in high-profile legal specialties in large legal communities. Only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is being honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.” Best Lawyers compiles its lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The current, 17th edition of The Best Lawyers in America (2011), is based on more than 3.1 million detailed evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers. Tom has been listed in the publication since its inception in 1987. Tom received particularly high ratings in The Best Lawyers in America surveys by earning a high level of respect among his peers for his abilities, professionalism and integrity. Steven Naifeh, President of Best Lawyers, says, “We continue to believe – as we have believed for more than 25 years – that recognition by one’s peers is the most meaningful form of praise in the legal profession.
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October 23, 2010 |
Member Services
Dear Illinois State Bar Association Member, The 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks begin their title defense this week and a limited number of high demand seats are available for several exciting games! Take advantage of the Illinois State Bar Association exclusive ticket offer below, enter the special offer code of law, and then log in or create an account. Once you complete your order, you will receive an email confirmation to print your tickets. If you have any questions or if you're looking to purchase a group of 15 or more tickets, please contact TR Johnson at 312.455.7095, or email at tjohnson@chicagoblackhawks.com Click here for the special offer
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October 20, 2010 |
People
Wheaton attorney Gerald M. Sheridan, 79, passed away last month after a long illness. Mr. Sheridan grew up in the western suburbs and attended DePaul University for both his undergraduate and juris doctor degrees. He practiced in Aurora and Chicago before opening his own office in Wheaton. Click here to read the full obituary in the Chicago Tribune.
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October 20, 2010 |
People
Patent attorney Robert L. Harmon, 72, passed away recently at Northwestern Memorial Hospital due to complications from lung cancer. Mr. Harmon retired in 1997 from the Chicago law firm now known as Brinks, Hofer, Gilson & Lione. He then wrote a book titled "Patents and the Federal Circuit." Mr. Harmon received his juris doctor from the University of Michigan Law School in 1963, He was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1965 and joined the Brinks, Hofer firm as an associate. A memorial reception for family and friends is set for Saturday. Call the Cremation Society of Illinois for details (773) 281-5058. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Harmon's name to the American Cancer Society, (800) 227-2345 or at www.cancer.org.
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October 20, 2010 |
People
[caption id="attachment_15295" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Teresa Frisbie"][/caption] Loyola University Chicago is pleased to announce that Teresa Frisbie, an experienced mediator and former adjunct law professor at Loyola, has joined the School of Law as director of its new Dispute Resolution Program, which will be a part of the Dan K. Webb Center for Advocacy. Loyola recently launched the program in order to broaden its curricular offerings in the advocacy and dispute resolution skills law students will need in this growing field. “As one of the most respected advocacy programs in the country, we are constantly seeking ways to improve upon what we have built,” said David N. Yellen, dean of the School of Law. “Given the growing need for advocates to apply their skills in alternative dispute resolution settings such as mediation, we are thrilled to have someone as experienced as Teresa Frisbie at Loyola to help expand Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) learning opportunities for our students.” Frisbie joins the law school after more than 20 years of private law practice, the last 12 of which she has spent serving as a mediator and arbitrator in addition to litigating cases. She is a former member of Loyola’s adjunct law faculty, where she taught courses in mediation and international arbitration, and has coached several student competitions.
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October 20, 2010 |
Practice News
Chief Judge Stephen J. Culliton has announced that applications for the Office of Associate Judge of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois, DuPage County, have been received from those on the attached list. The vacancy is the result of the retirement of Associate Judge Joseph S. Bongiorno. Chief Judge Culliton invites public comment by letter before Nov. 4, 2010 to:
- Chief Judge Stephen J. Cullition
- 18th Judicial Circuit Court
- 505 N. County Farm Road, Room 2015
- Wheaton, IL 60187
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October 19, 2010 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Mary S. Trew, Erica L. Reddick and James L. Kaplan to the office of Cook County Circuit Judge. Trew is replacing the retiring Hon. James R. Epstein. Reddick is replacing the Hon. Dorothy Kirie Kinnaird, who is retiring on Dec. 5, 2010. Kaplan is taking the position of the Hon. Melvin J. Cole, who is also retiring on Dec. 5. All three appointments are effecting through Dec. 3, 2012.
