Chief Circuit Judge Stephen J. Culliton has announced that the Court has appointed Jeffrey R. York to the position of Public Defender for DuPage County.
Mr. York has been serving as the Interim Public Defender for DuPage County since November of 2009. He began his career with the DuPage County Public Defender's Office as an Assistant Public Defender in 1997 and was promoted to Public Defender in 2000. He became a Supervising Assistant Public Defender in 2006 and Deputy Public Defender in 2007.
Mr. York is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law (1996) and was admitted to the practice of law in the same year. His professional memberships include the Illinois State Bar Association, the DuPage County Bar Association and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Chicago Area
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February 9, 2010 |
Practice News
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February 9, 2010
Chicago area
- Prosecutors: Peterson, Savio were fighting over $893,000, Chicago Tribune
- 60 days in jail for figure in Stroger patronage scandal, Chicago Tribune
Southern Illinois
- Local lawyer appointed federal bankruptcy judge, Belleville News-Democrat
- Joyce Meyer does not have to submit to a deposition in Coleman suit, Belleville News-Democrat
Nation
This post is updated with breaking news throughout the day. -
February 9, 2010 |
Practice News
The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts has announced that the 21st Judicial Circuit judges voted to select Ronald J. Gerts as an associate judge. Mr. Gerts received his undergraduate degree in 1968 from Brown University and his Juris Doctor in 1977 from John Marshall Law School. Mr. Gerts has been affiliated with the Kankakee County Public Defender's Office and his solo practice in Bourbonnais.
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February 8, 2010
Chicago area
- Rod Blagojevich scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday, Chicago Sun-Times
- Attorney: Savio said if she died, Drew did it, Chicago Tribune
Northern Illinois
- Foreclosure filings at new high in region, Rockford Register Star
Nation
- No Talking, No Texting, No Tweeting, The Blog of LegalTimes
- Panel OKs Total Attorneys web ads with "very little margin for error", ABA Journal
- ABA adopts host of Criminal Justice measures, ABA Journal
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February 8, 2010 |
People
[caption id="attachment_8201" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Frank Sommario"][/caption] Frank A. Sommario, an associate attorney at the Chicago law firm of Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, was elected and installed treasurer of the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association (WCLA), Ltd., at a dinner meeting held January 23 at the Drake Hotel. Sommario was first elected to the WCLA Board of Directors in 2008 and served in that capacity for fiscal years 2008-09. He became a member of the organization in 2001. The WCLA was established to promote fellowship among members of the bar engaged in the trial of workers’ compensation matters; promote, foster and sponsor legislation relating to workers’ compensation and its administration; aid, assist and cooperate with judicial tribunals and administrative bodies in matters relating to the administration of workers’ compensation laws; and improve quality of service to the general public for workers’ compensation legal services. Prior to joining Romanucci & Blandin, Sommario was a partner in a firm which represented petitioners in their workers’ compensation claims, and while in law school, was a law clerk for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. A certified public accountant, as well as a registered investment advisor, he received his J.D. degree from DePaul University College of Law in 2000 and his B.S.
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February 4, 2010 |
ISBA News
[caption id="attachment_8160" align="alignright" width="300" caption="John Bailen, Russell Hartigan, Ald. Fioretti, Ald. Burke and ISBA President John O'Brien"][/caption] ISBA President John G. O'Brien presented ISBA street banners to Aldermen Robert Fioretti and Ed Burke, both lawyers, in gratitude for their assistance in the bar association's commemoration of the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln. The banners were displayed at various locations in downtown Chicago and in Springfield during the year-long celebration. Also on hand for the presentation at Burke's City Hall office were ISBA Board Member Russell Hartigan and John Bailen, chair, ISBA Committee on Strategic Marketing.
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February 3, 2010 |
People
Edward J. Downs, a lawyer described as having a soft tough for those in need, passed away from pancreatic cancer last week. Mr. Downs spent five years with the Cook County Public Defender's Office before becoming McHenry County's first public defender. "I think he really semi-adopted his clients," said Chuck Murphy, a criminal defense attorney who met Mr. Downs 37 years ago. "He took an interest in that [client's] case, but also in what was going on in the person's life." Mr. Downs received his master's degree from Loyola University and his law degree from DePaul University. Click here to read the full obituary in the Chicago Tribune.
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February 3, 2010 |
People
Former Cook County prosecutor and legal consultant Mike Rogers of LaGrange recently passed away. Mr. Rogers was a 1981 graduate of Fenwick High School. He graduated from Regis University in Colorado and received his law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law. "Mike was the best at bringing new technology to the courtroom - in graphics, audiovisuals and re-enactments," said Chicago attorney John Lyke, who worked with Mr. Rogers in the Cook County state's attorney's office. "He was a hard-charging professional, and someone who was great at training other trial lawyers." Click here to read the full obituary in the Chicago Tribune.
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February 1, 2010 |
People
Tthe Members of the Women's Bar Foundation (WBF) recently elected/re-elected as Directors of the Foundation, for three -year terms ending January 2013, the following members of the Women's Bar Association of Illinois (WBAI): Sarah Breitlander, Anne McGovern Burkhart, Karina DeHayes, Dawn M. Gonzales, Bates McIntyre Larson, Susan Schwartz and Tracey Stokes. At the Annual Meeting of the Foundation's Board of Directors, held immediately after the Foundation's Members Meeting, the following individuals were elected as Officers for the year 2010:
- President - Bernadette Barron
- Vice President - Shelley DeRousse (Event Co-Chair)
- Bernadette Freeman (External Affairs)
- Carol A. Hogan (Fundraising)
- Bates McIntyre Larson (Scholarships)
- Catherine Basque Weiler (Event Co-Chair)
- Secretary - Rosa M. Silva
- Treasurer - Mary Melchor
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February 1, 2010
State
- Election officials: New Illinois laws could case big delays, Belleville News-Democrat
Central Illinois
- Ex-guard nets term in prison, Bloomington Pantagraph
Chicago area
- Aldermen fight subpoenas in Carothers-related case, Chicago Tribune
- Ald. Carothers pleads guilty, Chicago Tribune
- Still arguing his case, even after all these years (Judge Leighton), New York Times
Southern Illinois
- Madigan sues Williamson County contractor, The Southern
- Sweet sworn in as Madison County's newest associate judge, Madison/St. Clair Record
Nation
- Layoff notices spur worries in Wisconsin DA offices, ABA Journal