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  • April 13, 2015 | People
    Adams, Gingrich and Doi join Daley Mohan Groble

    Daley Mohan Groble is pleased to announce that Heather Adams, Sean Gingrich and Kathryn Doi have joined the firm.

    Heather Adams specializes in employment and civil litigation, representing clients from diverse industries.  She also works with employers to develop strategies and training for their Compliance and Personnel Divisions as well as leads internal investigations into complaints of workplace harassment, retaliation and discrimination. She was formerly with a Chicago-based law firm specializing in management-side labor and employment litigation and tort defense. Heather graduated from DePaul University College of Law, and holds a B.S. from West Virginia State University.

    Sean Gingrich represents large corporate clients defending personal injury cases under FELA and worker’s compensation, with significant experience in understanding complex medical issues and deep knowledge of disability law. He was previously with a disability law firm where he tried cased in front of Administrative Law Judges. Sean earned his J. D. at Seattle University School of Law, and holds a B.A. from Marquette University.

  • April 6, 2015 | People
    Elinor Swiger 1927-2015

    Elinor Swiger nee Porter, 87, of Glenview, passed away peacefully at home March 7, 2015.

    Mrs. Swiger received her Bachelor and Law Degrees from The Ohio State University. At Ohio State she was involved with the YWCA, Student Court and Mortar Board. After graduating from law school she was a tax attorney in the Chief Council’s Office of the IRS where she met her future husband, Quentin. During her parenting years she was a member of a writer’s workshop which led to her writing and publishing six books. She wrote two books on travel to Mexico and Europe that were family based, three law books for high school and law students and a biography on famous women lawyers including Ruth Bader Ginsburg, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. After raising her three boys, she was a lawyer for 25 years with the Chicago law firm, Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor Ltd. where she practiced until she retired. Elinor was also very active in her community, serving two terms on the Glenbrook District 225 School Board, two terms on the Glenview Police/Fire Commission and 10 years as the chairman of the Glenview Zoning Board. She was passionately involved with the Bar Association, Character Counts, the Northfield Chapter of the Lyric Opera and the Glenview Community Church. She greatly enjoyed the game of golf, gardening and travel.

    Beloved wife for 59 years of the late Quentin G. Swiger; loving mother of Andrew (Sherry), Calvin (Kathy), and Charles (Patty) Swiger; cherished grandmother of Matthew Swiger; dear sister of Marilyn (Ed) Eschliman; fond aunt of many nieces and nephews.

    Interment will be private. Memorials may be made to The New Foundation Center, 444 W. Frontage Road, Northfield, IL 60093.

  • April 6, 2015 | People
    Troemper sworn-in as Circuit Judge in 7th Circuit

    Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Rita B. Garman swore in Judge April G. Troemper as Circuit Judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit in Carlinville on April 2. Following an in-depth selection process, Judge Troemper was appointed by Chief Justice Garman to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Circuit Judge Patrick Londrigan.

  • April 2, 2015 | People
    Robert W. McCarthy 1924-2015

    Robert W. McCarthy, 90, of Decatur, IL passed away on Thursday, March 19, 2015 in his residence.

    Robert was born in Lincoln, IL on May 28, 1924 to James and Anna McCarthy. Robert served proudly in the U.S. Army. Following his service in WWII, Mr. McCarthy graduated from Lincoln College and the University of Illinois, College of Law 1947, where he was affiliated with Phi Delta Theta Social Fraternity.

    He commenced his practice of law in Lincoln, IL the same year and moved his practice to Decatur in 1965. He was the senior named partner prior to his retirement in 2008 in the Decatur Law Firm of McCarthy, Rowden and Baker, and he was an acknowledged authority on worker’s compensation law.

    As a state legislator in 1957 he overrode Governor Stratton’s veto of the public administration bill. This was the first override in 22 years. He was active in labor legislation and the chief sponsor of the revised worker’s compensation law of 1975. In 1959 he was the organizer of a campaign event in Decatur for John F. Kennedy, then a United States senator in Massachusetts and later President of the United States. McCarthy was active in Democratic politics and served in the Illinois General Assembly as a representative from 1954-1960 and senator from 1961-1977.

    He was a member of the Decatur Athletic Club, Decatur Symphony Guild, Club at Pelican Bay at Naples, FL, Decatur Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association and Ss. James and Patrick Catholic Church in Decatur, IL. Robert married Mary Fielding on September 6, 1952 in St. Joseph’s Church, Springfield, IL.

  • April 2, 2015 | People
    Shirl B. Laughlin 1929-2015

    Shirl B. Laughlin, 86, of Freeport, died March 3, 2015 at FHN Memorial Hospital. Born on February 23, 1929 in Freeport, he was the son of Edward E. and Edna M. (Heeren) Laughlin. Shirl graduated from Freeport High School in 1946 and from Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, Iowa, in 1950 with a BA degree. He graduated from the University of Illinois Law School in 1953.

    He spent January of 1954 until January 1956 in the U.S. Army. On February 4, 1956 Shirl and Hope Dupee were married in Freeport. They had three daughters, Laura, Lisa, and Ellen. Shirl was a lifelong resident of Freeport. Hope and Shirl met while playing in the Freeport Concert Band in Krape Park. Shirl played the 1st chair cornet in the band for 40 years. He and Hope were joined in the band by all three of their daughters at one time or another.

    On return from his Army duties, he joined in law practice with his brother, Everett E. Laughlin, in the firm of Laughlin & Laughlin which was founded by their father, Edward E. Laughlin. He practiced law in the area for over 50 years until his retirement in 2003. Shirl was an avid fisherman and hunter and enjoyed hunting pheasants in this area with his German Shorthaired Pointer dogs. He was a devoted and loving husband, father and grandfather. Always a man of his word, many will remember his sparkling wit and dry humor which kept us smiling even as his health was failing.

  • March 31, 2015 | People
    Steven Hunter appointed pro bono general counsel of NEIC - Boy Scouts of America, Inc.

    The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP today announced that Chicago partner Steven Hunter has been appointed as the pro bono general counsel of the Northeast Illinois Council (NEIC) of the Boy Scouts of America, Inc.

    The NEIC - Boy Scouts of America has been building a strong foundation of leadership, service, and community for thousands of America's youth since 1929. The council serves to help prepare young people to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. The Northeast Illinois Council (NEIC) serves 12,000 scouts, operates 3 off-site camping facilities and has over 100 people on staff. "I'm honored to serve as the pro bono general counsel of the Northeast Illinois Council of the Boy Scouts of America," stated Hunter. "I am also honored that my firm would commit the time and resources necessary to provide first-rate pro bono counsel to an organization with such diverse and challenging legal needs."

    Hunter is a trial lawyer with first-chair experience representing companies in all phases of litigation and alternative dispute resolution, including discovery, "e-discovery," motions practice, arbitration, mediation, jury trials, bench trials, and appeals. He also represents pro bono clients in criminal, family law, and political asylum proceedings.

    He received his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and his bachelor's degree from Brown University.

    About Quarles & Brady LLP

  • March 31, 2015 | People
    Blandin reappointed to ARDC hearing board

    The State of Illinois Supreme Court recently appointed personal injury attorney, Stephan D. Blandin, to a one year-commitment on the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) hearing board , effective March 1, 2015. Founding partner and principal at Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, Blandin has served on the ARDC’s hearing board for four years. He is one of more than 75 hearing board members who will make recommendations in disciplinary matters of lawyers in Illinois. The mission of the ARDC is to promote and protect the integrity of the legal profession, at the direction of the Illinois Supreme Court, through attorney registration, education, investigation, prosecution and remedial action.  
     
    “I look forward to hearing grievances of my fellow attorneys and assisting in disciplinary matters,” said Mr. Blandin. “It’s an honor to provide ethical guidance to lawyers, balancing their rights with those of the public to ultimately preserve the integrity of the profession and ensure that the Illinois public can trust in the legal system.”
     
    Mr. Blandin’s hearing board activities guarantees confidentiality during all grievance investigations, while disciplinary actions are adjudicated publicly. All ARDC board members are comprised of volunteer lawyers and non-lawyers who work under the direct supervision of the Chair of the Commission, Joan M. Eagle. The ARDC operates under the authority of the Supreme Court, which regulates the admission and discipline of lawyers in Illinois.
     

  • March 27, 2015 | People
    Lake Forest law firms merge

    The well-regarded Lake Forest law firms of Pasquesi Associates and Lesser, Lutrey, McGlynn & Howe LLP will be merging as of March 30, 2015. Offices will be at 191 East Deerpath Road, Lake Forest.

    With this merger, the eleven-lawyer firm will become among the largest law firms in Lake County that focuses on all things trusts and estates, including trust, estate and guardianship litigation, with licenses to practice in Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, Massachusetts and by year-end, North Carolina.

    LLMH was formed in 1996, and Pasquesi Associates’ roots date back to 1953.

    “We are thrilled to join with Tom Pasquesi, Amy Goldsmith and Tom Concannon in the practice of trust, estate and guardianship issues and litigation,” said Managing Partner David M. Lutrey. “These well-respected attorneys share in our commitment to excellence and building long-term relationships without our client families and professional associates.”

     “We will continue to provide our clients with high quality trust and estate planning and administration services,” said Pasquesi. “By joining with Lesser Lutrey McGlynn & Howe, we expect to expand our ability to provide related corporate and business transactional services, employment matters and real estate and corporate related litigation.”
    The firm can be reached at 847.295.8800, and at www.llmhlegal.com.

  • March 26, 2015 | People
    Chester Blair 1928-2015

    It was during a visit to a hometown library in the segregated South that a young Chester Blair had one of his earliest encounters with racism.

    Pulled aside by a disapproving librarian after going through the checkout line, the Texas native was told not to return to that library — one serving mostly whites — and to bring his book back to the library closer to where he lived in a black section of town.

    "He was just a boy, but he knew that wasn't right," said his wife of 46 years, Judith. "He knew you don't treat people like that."

    Years later, after moving to Chicago and attending college, Mr. Blair taught in Chicago Public Schools before earning a law degree and building a law practice.

    "He was the kind of person that kept pushing his life forward, and by doing so, he advanced the lives of so many others," his wife said.

    Mr. Blair, 86, the first elected African-American president of the Chicago Bar Association, died Monday, March 16, at a special care facility in Cincinnati, of complications related to Alzheimer's disease. Formerly a longtime resident of Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood, he and his wife had moved to Cincinnati two years ago to be closer to family members.

    Read the full obituary in the Chicago Tribune.

  • March 24, 2015 | People
    Faegre Baker Daniels welcomes 9 partners in Chicago

    Faegre Baker Daniels is pleased to announce that nine partners from four firms have joined our Chicago office: Jeffrey Blumberg, Kurt Lebakken, James Martignon and David Porteous from Ulmer & Berne; Matthew Garrett, Douglas Prochnow and John Roberts from Locke Lord Edwards, LLP; George Stohner from Morgan Lewis & Bockius; and Daniel Schwartz from Seyfarth Shaw.

    “We are committed to long-term, strategic growth in the Chicago market, and these additions significantly propel our momentum on that front. Since 2014, our Chicago attorney and consultant workforce has grown by more than 40 percent to more than 60 professionals,” said Rick Michaels, partner and Chicago office leader. “The skillsets of these nine partners in business litigation, intellectual property litigation, health care, product liability, labor and employment, transactional and regulatory legal practices are ideally suited for our clients’ needs.”

    “These partners reinforce our strength in financial services and life sciences, two of the firm’s industry focus areas,” said Andrew Humphrey, managing partner. “We’re thrilled to expand and enhance our Chicago capabilities, and look forward to continued growth in the market and within our industry teams.”

    Investment Management