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  • February 14, 2013 | Practice News
    Volunteer judges needed for ABA Moot Court Competition in St. Louis

    The ABA Law Student Division desperately needs 77 more lawyers and judges to serve as oral argument judges for the 2012-13 St. Louis Regional National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC). This moot court competition will be held at the Thomas F. Eagleton Courthouse (111 South 10th Street, St. Louis, MO 63102).

    The rounds take place in the late afternoon on Thursday and Friday, February 21-22  and all day on Saturday, February 23. Judges may serve multiple rounds if they desire.

    • Round 1 – Thursday, February 21 (3:30 pm - 7:45 pm) 14 judges needed
    • Round 2 – Friday, February 22 (3:30 pm - 7:45 pm) 27 judges needed
    • Round 3 – Saturday, February 23 (8:30 am - 12:45 pm) 23 judges needed
    • Round 4 – Saturday, February 23 (1:00 pm - 3:30 pm) 7 judges needed
    • Round 5 – Saturday, February 23 (3:30 pm - 6:00 pm) 6 judges needed

    SIGN UP HERE

    Lawyers and judges are asked to visit https://abanet.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_enhnuayY4bWNU5T and enter their contact information and round selection on that form.

  • January 22, 2013 | People
    Gene Kwas 1922-2012

    Eugene Stanley Kwasniewski “Gene Kwas” died Nov. 16, 2012, in his home in Austin, Texas.

    Gene Kwas, to all who knew and loved him, was born Eugene Stanley Kwasniewski on Oct. 14, 1922, the middle of seven boys, to Joseph and Josephine Kwasniewski.

    Though he couldn’t speak English until second grade, athletic ability earned him many sports letters in Evanston Township High School. His strength was speed, breaking the 100-yard dash time in high school in under 10 seconds, bettering Jim Thorpe’s record. He attended a state dinner with the governor, unheard of for an immigrant’s son, and received a football scholarship to the University of Illinois. He did not become an opera singer, as encouraged by the choir mistress of Evanston HS Elite Concert Choir.

    World War II interrupted his sophomore year in college, sending him to the Air Force, a “90 day wonder,” drafted and “instantly” made an officer. A bombardier at age 19, he was taught how to fly a B-17 bomber, and was off to Bari, Italy.

    The War over, the decorated war veteran resumed his career as a football halfback hero, with a win against UCLA in the Rose Bowl of 1947. Playing poker nights, he was able to fund his law degree in 1950, then practiced law in Peru to be close to his college sweetheart. Gene married Lillian Marie Forcht in 1950, a happy 63-year union.

    Gene joined the FBI, assigned to San Mateo, Calif., where daughter Anne was born. He was a special agent for five years during the McCarthy era.

  • January 14, 2013 | People
    Hoeppner Wagner & Evans adds Shelbie Byers as associate

    Hoeppner Wagner & Evans LLP is pleased to announce that Shelbie J. Byers has joined the firm as an associate. 

    Ms. Byers, who is located in the firm’s Merrillville office, focuses her practice on Labor & Employment Law and Litigation. Prior to joining Hoeppner Wagner & Evans, Ms. Byers was an associate at the Chicago office of Proskauer Rose LLP where she represented clients before the state and federal courts and administrative agencies in a variety of labor and employment matters. Previous to her employment with Proskauer, she was employed as an Associate attorney in the Employment and Labor Group of Sidley Austin LLP. 

    Ms. Byers received her law degree summa cum laude from Valparaiso University School of Law in May 2008 where she was a member of the Hispanic Law Students Association, a member of Phi Delta Phi International Legal Fraternity and an Indiana Conference for Legal Education Opportunity Fellow (one of thirty in the State.) Shelbie was the Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Valparaiso University Law Review.

    Ms. Byers is licensed to practice in the States of Indiana and Illinois. 

    “We are excited that Shelbie has chosen to join our firm,” noted William F. Satterlee, III, Managing Partner of Hoeppner Wagner & Evans. “Shelbie has a solid educational background and experience in the legal field that will lead her into a successful career as a member of our team.” 

  • December 20, 2012 | People
    John Cobb Williams 1930-2012

    John Cobb Williams, 82, of Wilmette, IL and Naples, FL, died Friday, November 30, 2012 at Avow Hospice of Naples.

    He was born in Wilmette, the son of Ralph M. and Mary (Cobb) Williams.

    He graduated from New Trier High School, Wesleyan College and Yale Law School. In college he was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and particularly enjoyed singing in the school's choir.

    He married Helen Grace Gilbert, of Kenilworth, IL, in 1955 at Kenilworth Union Church. Three daughters were born soon thereafter - Holly Montague (Larry Gniadek) of Mount Prospect, IL, Nancy Williams (Sandy Morrison) of Portland, OR and Sarah Mason Williams (Gabriel Ramirez) of Los Angeles, CA.

    John spent his entire legal career as a partner at the Chicago office of Sidley & Austin, specializing in trusts and estates. He served many years on the Village Board of Northbrook, IL, including a four year term as Village President. He contributed extensive work to the Illinois Bar Association. John particularly enjoyed his community of friends, traveling, tennis, reading, writing, and singing in the Glencoe Union Church choir.

  • December 20, 2012 | People
    Lyn Cima 1936-2012

    Lyn (Carter) Cima, 75, formerly of Gurnee, died in Greenville, Maine on Oct.20.

    After her husband was killed in a car accident in 1971, she obtained a law degree at John Marshall Law School and raised their six children as a single mom. She was an active member of the Lake Forest Friends (Quakers) Meeting.

    Lyn, the daughter of John and Mary Jane Carter was born in Camden, New Jersey and attended the University of Chicago at age 16, where she met her husband, Augustin Cima. They married in 1955.

    She vehemently opposed the war in Vietnam War. She marched, refused to pay war taxes, boycotted Hostess and edited the newsletter for the North Shore branch of the WILPF. She was a Draft Counselor during those turbulent years, and was arrested drawing attention to the Army's illegal surveillance of anti-war citizens. (Charges were dropped.)

    She joined the Lake Forest Friends Meeting and convened its Peace and Social Concerns Committee. Lyn was among the early organizers of PADS, Lake County's still-active community effort to feed and shelter the homeless. Until recently, she taught literacy to adult students and was honored when her student won Illinois' Spotlight Award for Literacy achievement.

  • October 26, 2012 | People
    Hodge joins Williams Venker & Sanders LLC

    Williams Venker & Sanders LLC is pleased to announce the addition of Matthew J. Hodge (mhodge@wvslaw.com) as the newest associate to join the growing law firm.

    Matt’s background has included working with nursing homes and other healthcare providers, as well as defending clients in a range of personal injury cases.  At Williams Venker & Sanders, he will work primarily within the firm’s asbestos group.

    About Williams Venker & Sanders LLC: 

    Located in St. Louis, Missouri, Williams Venker & Sanders LLC is one of the Midwest’s leading trial law firms. The firm is committed to timely service and the aggressive defense of clients, both inside and outside the courtroom. Providing focused, comprehensive strategies designed to achieve the best possible result, the firm’s lawyers represent clients in legal matters ranging from commercial litigation, employment law and health care law to personal injury, product liability and toxic tort litigation. For more information, visit www.wvslaw.com.

  • October 1, 2012 | ISBA News | Events
    Sign up now to be admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States!

    Join ISBA members for a group admission on June 3, 2013

    Only 50 spots are available so sign up now for the ISBA's biennial trip to the U.S. Supreme Court! For an application for admission and the event and hotel reservation form, contact Janet Sosin, jsosin@isba.org, or 800-678-4009 or 312-726-8775. Applicants will be placed on the list on a first-come basis. A special group hotel room rate is available at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel for the admittee, family and guests.

    Planned Events:

    • Reception Sunday, June 2, 2013:  5:30 p.m.–7 p.m. at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel for admittees and guests
    • Group Admission to the U. S. Supreme Court: Monday, June 3, 2013
    • Continental Breakfast at the U. S. Supreme Court for admittees and guests

    To be eligible, you must be an active lawyer member of the ISBA, admitted to practice more than 3 years, and did not have any adverse disciplinary action pronounced or in effect during that 3-year period.

    Click here to view photos from the ISBA trip in 2011.

    (This event is sponsored by the Standing Committee on Bar Services and Activities)

  • September 19, 2012 | People
    John Elmer Peterson 1941-2012

    John Elmer Peterson, 71, of Lake Geneva, WI and long time resident of Plainfield, IL, passed away on August 26, 2012 from heart failure.

    Born to the late John Peterson and Catherine (Kehoe) Peterson in New Britain, CT, John grew up in Newington, CT. He graduated from St. Francis College (now University of New-England) in Biddeford, Maine and DePaul Law School in Chicago. John and Mary settled in Plainfield, IL, where they raised their children and John practiced law for 35 years.

    They discovered Lake Geneva and purchased a house in 1972. John and Mary retired to this wonderful community in 2009. John was an active member in the Plainfield community as a long time baseball coach, Lions Club member, Rotary Club member, Plainfield Park Board member and the Mayor of the Village of Plainfield from 1993 to 1997. John participated in many legal associations. He was a member of the Illinois and Wisconsin Bar Association and founding member and past president of the Walworth County Estate Planning Council.

  • September 19, 2012 | People
    Arthur J. Martin 1947-2012

    Art Martin, who died Saturday (Aug. 11, 2012) at age 64, was a nationally known labor lawyer, who often represented low-paid employees working in health care. He lived in University City, Mo.

    As a young man, he was a union factory worker. He became a union organizer before deciding he could win more fights as a lawyer.

    Last year, he was the only witness to testify for unions before a Republican-dominated U.S. House committee investigating whether labor laws are unfair to business.

    Arthur Joseph Martin died Saturday after a morning bicycle trip near Fredericktown, Mo., with his wife, Janine Martin, also a labor attorney. Doctors later found that he had suffered a heart attack, she said Wednesday.

    Mr. Martin was one of the relatively few labor lawyers here or elsewhere who represent workers.

    "Unions simply cannot pay that kind of hourly rate," said Mike Wolff, a professor at St. Louis University School of Law.

    Read the full obituary in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

  • September 19, 2012 | People
    Raymond Roffi 1927-2012

    Raymond "Ray" Roffi, age 84, of Tempe, AZ, formerly of Western Springs, IL passed away on August 23, 2012. Ray, beloved father and grandfather of a wonderfully close family will be loved and missed by all. He was born in Chicago on November 25, 1927.

    After graduating from Morton High School in 1945, he enlisted in the US Navy at 17 years old and was honorably discharged on August 22, 1946. He married his high school sweetheart, Elaine Fiscella on August 27, 1950. They were married almost 58 years before her passing in May, 2008. Ray received his JD Law degree from DePaul University in 1953. He was a prominent Chicago attorney for over 40 years. Ray retired in 2002 and moved to AZ with his wife, Elaine, in 2005.