The law firm of Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen announces that five attorneys have become partners with the firm: Renee Monfort, Jana Brady, Michael Denning, Heidi Ruckman, and Patrick Cloud.
Renee Monfort began practicing law in 1990. She joined Heyl Royster’s Urbana office in 2009. Her practice focuses on the defense of healthcare providers and other professionals in professional liability litigation. She provides general counsel to individual health care professionals, multi-specialty clinics and hospitals on administrative, policy and risk management matters. Her practice also includes representation of clients in administrative proceedings before the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Illinois Human Rights Commission.
Jana Brady joined the firm’s Rockford office following graduation from law school in 2003. She focuses her practice on the defense of civil litigation and federal practice, particularly in the context of employment law, civil rights, medical malpractice, correctional medicine, insurance coverage, school law, and nursing home cases, and further practices in the areas of health care law and creditors' rights in the context of lien adjudication.
Michael Denning was a summer associate for the firm’s Peoria office and served as Senior Law Clerk to Justice Tom Lytton of the Illinois Appellate Court, Third District prior to joining Heyl Royster’s Rockford office in 2004. He concentrates his practice in civil litigation, including defense medical malpractice and nursing home litigation; auto, premises and trucking litigation; and the defense of toxic tort and asbestos claims.
People
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February 1, 2012 |
People
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February 1, 2012 |
People
Robert J. Schmelzle, 96, passed away on Jan. 30, 2012, at his home with his family by his side.
Robert was born on April 23, 1915, in Freeport, son of George H. and Elizabeth Grace (Peck) Schmelzle. He grew up in Freeport, graduating from Freeport High School in 1932, where he and future fellow attorney Bert Snow were members of the FHS state championship debate team.
As a student at the University of Notre Dame, he also distinguished himself in debate, winning the prestigious Breen Medal in 1935. After graduating from Notre Dame College of Law in 1938, he returned to Freeport and set up a law practice with Robert P. Eckert.
On Nov. 21, 1940, he married Mary Regan at St. Mary Church in Sterling. Bob and Mary made their home in Freeport, raising six children and actively participating in the community.
Bob practiced law for over 60 years as a partner in the law firm of Eckert, Schmelzle, and Eckert, and later Schmelzle and Kroeger. During that time, he obtained many professional achievements. He was an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois, served as Referee in Bankruptcy in Illinois, and was Corporation Counsel for the City of Freeport during the mayoral terms of Joe Shelly. Together, they were instrumental in bringing Kelly Springfield Tire Co. to Freeport.
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January 30, 2012 |
People
J. Gordon Henry, age 95, passed away in Naples, Fla. on Dec. 6, 2011.
Before moving to Marco Island in 1981, Gordon worked as Senior Vice President and Trust Counsel at the Northern Trust Company in Chicago.
His principal avocation was teaching and he devoted significant time organizing and teaching courses in estate planning and business law in numerous states throughout the country. His most important legal advocacy was as a member of a five-member Federal Taxation Section Committee which succeeded in causing Congress to repeal a complex law that would have had a devastating effect on the administration of decedents' estates.
Gordon assumed multiple leadership positions throughout his lifetime in community, church, athletic, and school-based committees and Boards in Illinois and Florida. He served as Commander of the Marco Island Power Squadron, Commodore of both the Marco Cruise Club and the Marco Bay Yacht and Sailing Club, and Director of the Marco Island Yacht Club and YMCA. With his wife Coke Henry, he became cruise planner extraordinaire and a backwater specialist navigating through dense mangrove islands in the Everglades.
His family thanks all of Gordon's friends and acquaintances on Marco Island who helped provide him with a deeply satisfying and happy retirement. Gordon was predeceased by his first wife of 41 years, Aileen Wilson; and his second wife of 24 years, Carol Seaman Sudler.
Gordon is survived by a daughter Laura Henry of Zion, IL; and two stepchildren Carroll and Elizabeth Sudler of Los Angeles, CA and Sag Harbor, NY.
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January 30, 2012 |
People
John M. Fitzgerald and Brian C. Haussmann have been promoted to partner at Tabet DiVito & Rothstein LLC and Katherine M. O’Brien has joined the firm as an associate.
Mr. Fitzgerald began working at the firm in 2006 and Mr. Haussmann started in 2008. Their area of practice is in commercial litigation.
Ms. O’Brien joined Tabet DiVito & Rothstein in November, after a Cook County Circuit Court clerkship with Stuart E. Palmer, who has since been appointed to the appellate court. Ms. O’Brien will concentrate her practice on commercial litigation.
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January 26, 2012 |
People
Effective January 1, 2012, the State of Illinois’ Supreme Court appointed Johnson & Bell, Ltd. Shareholder Joseph R. Marconi as Advisor to the Judicial Conference Committee on Discovery Procedures. Mr. Marconi is the chair of the Business Litigation/Transactions group at the firm.
The Committee is comprised of circuit court judges from around the state and is chaired by Justice Maureen E. Connors of the First District Appellate Court. As directed by the Supreme Court, the Committee “shall investigate and make recommendations on innovative means of expediting pretrial discovery and ending any abuses of the discovery process so as to promote early settlement discussions and encourage civility among attorneys.” The Committee reappointed Advisors Eugene Pavalon of Pavalon & Gifford (Chicago), Paul E. Root (Chicago), and David Mueller of Cassiday & Mueller (Peoria). Professor Marc D. Ginsberg of The John Marshall Law School was also reappointed as “Professor-Reporter” to the Committee.
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January 24, 2012 |
People
John C. Hedrich, 80, of Las Vegas, Nev., formerly of Princeton, died Jan. 6, 2012, in Las Vegas.
Mr. Hedrich was born Feb. 23, 1931, in Tiskilwa to Arthur W. and Mabel (Steimle) Hedrich.
He graduated from Tiskilwa High School in 1949, the University of Illinois in 1953, and the University of Illinois School of Law in 1955. He served two years in the U.S. Navy before starting his law practice in Princeton in 1957.
He was a magistrate of the circuit court from 1961-1964, an assistant state’s attorney from 1964-1968 and the Bureau County Public Defender from 1992-1994. He served for years as attorney for St. Louis Catholic Church and the village of Tiskilwa. He was a member of Bureau County Bar Association, including a term as president, and was a member and officer of numerous civic and private organizations, including the Knights of Columbus, Jaycees, Elks Club, Rotary Club, and Bureau Valley Country Club.
He was the last owner of the historic American House Hotel. He retired from the practice of law in 1998.
Survivors include his wife, Chung; five children, Susan Wallace of River Forest, Richard of Henderson, Nev., James of Norcross, Ga., Mary Katherine (Stacy) Pomonis of Champaign and John (Jane Chadesh) of Oak Park; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; one brother, Richard of Atlantic Beach, Fla.; nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews; and his first wife, Ann Hanak.
He was preceded in death by one brother, Arthur W. Hedrich Jr.
Memorials may be directed to St. Louis Church.
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January 23, 2012 |
People
Donohue Brown Mathewson & Smyth LLC is pleased to announce that Michael Borree and Timothy Hogan have been elected to the partnership.
Michael Borree's practice is focused on professional malpractice defense, products liability defense, and commercial litigation. Mr.
Borree joined the firm after practicing at a Chicago litigation firm. He graduated from DePaul University College of Law, cum laude, in 2003. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1999.
Timothy L. Hogan's practice is concentrated on professional liability, products liability and commercial matters. Mr. Hogan joined the firm following a clerkship with Judge Lynn M. Egan in the Law Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County. He is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago School of Law (2002), where he was on the Dean's List, staff editor of the Loyola University Consumer
Law Journal, and a member of the London Advocacy Program. He received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University.
About DBMS
Donohue Brown Mathewson & Smyth LLC is one of Chicago's pre-eminent trial practice boutiques. Founded in 1995, the firm successfully tries difficult, high exposure cases in the country's most challenging jurisdictions. The firm is known as one of the "go to" firms in Chicago for particularly difficult or high stakes cases and, since its founding, no firm in Chicago has tried as many complex cases as successfully as DBMS. -
January 23, 2012 |
People
Adam J. Lagocki, 34, of Peoria passed away at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012, in Lacon.
He was born on Nov. 7, 1977, in Bloomington, the son of Dr. James and Janet Lagocki. He married Angie Speck on June 26, 2004, in Peoria.
Adam is survived by his wife; two children, Addison (4) and Andrew (1); his parents; a sister; and countless loving friends.
Adam graduated from St. Thomas Grade School, Peoria Notre Dame (1996), Indiana University (1996 to 2000) and the University of Illinois Law School (2000 to 2003).
Adam shared his enjoyment of life with everyone he met.
His interests included cheering for Indiana University Hoosiers, golf, fantasy football, being a lifelong Jimmy Buffett fan, movie or music trivia and weekend brunches with the kids.
Adam was a respected member of the legal community. His professionalism and dedication earned local and statewide recognition. He was active in the Peoria County Bar Association, Abraham Lincoln American Inn of Court and the Greater Peoria Claims Association. He also was a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and American Bar Association.
Adam was a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Please visit Adam's story at www.Woolsey-Wilton.com.
Memorial contribution checks should be made out to Edward Jones. Sent to Edward Jones, 8500 N. Knoxville, Suite F, Peoria, IL 61615-2079, in care of Addison and Drew.
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January 23, 2012 |
People
Judge Frank J. McGarr, the son of a Chicago plumber, sat on the federal bench for 18 years and presided over a number of significant cases that included Oakland A's owner Charles O. Finley's lawsuit against then-baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn.
Judge McGarr also was chairman of then-Gov. George Ryan's Commission on Capital Punishment in the early 2000s, which paved the way for the state's 2011 abolition of the death penalty.
"Frank was the perfect guy to chair this group, to lead the discourse on a topic that was and remains such a lightning rod issue," said U.S. District Court Judge Charles P. Kocoras. "Looking back on what took place back then, I can't imagine a better person to bring about a consensus from people with such discordant views."
The commission's report concluded that the system was deeply flawed and offered scores of proposals, a dozen of which Judge McGarr said at the time were essential to "meaningful reform," including the videotaping of interrogations.
Judge McGarr, 90, the chief judge for the U.S. District Court's Northern Illinois District from 1981 to 1986, died Friday, Jan. 6, at his Downers Grove home, after a long struggle with Parkinson's disease.
"As a judge, he never took himself too seriously," said his daughter Patricia DiMaria. "He would say, 'You don't have honor and intelligence, just by putting on a robe.' "
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January 23, 2012 |
People
Christ Troupis, 88, of Mendota, passed away on Dec. 19, 2011.
Mr. Troupis was born Jan. 28, 1923 in Mendota to Theodore and Efterpe Troupis. He married Marion Roberts on Jan. 2, 1947 in South Bend, Ind.
Mr. Troupis served in the Pacific Theater of Operations with the Army Air Force during World War II. He attended Northwestern University and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1949. Following law school, Mr. Troupis returned to Mendota where he practiced law for more than 50 years. Before his retirement, he was active in the La Salle County Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar. His practice focused most often on estate and probate matters although he was well known for his representation of school districts and other local units of government.
He was elected mayor of Mendota in 1953 and served until 1961. During his tenure the Mendota Community Pool was built. He was elected to the Illinois Valley Community College Board of Trustees in 1967 and served as board president during the acquisition and construction of the campus on the south bluff of the Illinois River. For nearly 20 years, Mr. Troupis also served on Mendota Community Hospital Board of Trustees and was president of that board for several years. He was a member of VFW Post 4079 and the American Legion and was a past member and former president of Mendota Lions Club and Mendota Jaycees. He served as chairman of the local chapter of the American Red Cross and was a past member of the Mendota Elks Lodge and Mendota Moose.