People

Malecki, Tasch & Burns LLC of Oak Brook is pleased to announce that Dianne Zimmerman has joined the firm as a senior associate. Ms. Zimmerman's practice will focus on Employment Law and Human Resource counseling. Ms. Zimmerman  brings to the position a wealth of experience with issues pertaining to employment and labor issues, including performance management, discipline, terminations, discrimination charges, harassment  complaints, wage and unemployment compensation claims, staff downsizing, restructuring and compensation issues. Her experience includes conducting grievance hearings and mediations, negotiating union contracts, and preparing for arbitrations and union organizing campaigns.

Ms. Zimmerman began her career as a Labor and Employment Associate with Katten, Muchin, Rosenman LLP of Chicago. Most recently she worked in her own private practice advising clients on employment issues and Employment Law Compliance. She also served as Executive Director of Human Resources and Legal Counsel for Dominican University  in River Forest, Illinois. She was also Director of Human Services at Rush University Medical Center where she served as

Co-Director  of the Human Resources Management Course in the Masters  Degree program of the College of Health Systems Management. Ms. Zimmerman graduated from the Hastings College of Law of the University of California in San Francisco. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science, magna cum laude from Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

William Paul "Bill" Novick, 60, passed away at on Dec. 16 at his home.

He was born Wednesday, July 23, 1952, in Carbondale, the son of William J. and Clara Ruth (Paul) Novick.

Bill attended school in Marion and graduated from Marion High School in 1968. He continued his college education by attending at the University of Illinois in Champaign, and later at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where he received his Law degree.

Most of his working career was with his law practice in Marion. He was in partnership with his father under the law firm name of Novick Law Office, until his father retired in 2011. The only time he practiced law outside of Marion was when he was a corporate attorney in Texas for three years.

Bill was united in marriage to Paula Anne Cox on Friday, Nov. 16, 2001, in Marion, and together they have shared the last 11 years of mar-riage.

He was of Baptist faith.

In his spare time, he enjoyed barbequing and spending time with his many friends that meant a lot to him; playing the guitar and singing many of his own songs that he had written and he was an avid sports fan. He also will be remembered for the many donated hours of legal advice and work he did for those who had a need.

DiMonte & Lizak, LLC announced today that Julia Jensen Smolka has been elected to partner. As a Commercial and Bankruptcy Litigation Attorney, she defends preference actions, prepares consumer bankruptcy petitions, under Chapters 7 and 13, and business petitions under Chapters 11 and 7. Julia advocates Creditors Rights in Bankruptcies, as well as, prosecuting and defending breach of contract suits. She has extensive litigation and collection experience and considerable experience in perfecting, prosecuting and defending mechanic liens and construction litigation claims.

"Julia is an accomplished lawyer, capable of vigorously representing her clients without losing sight of their overall business objectives. We are delighted to welcome her to the partnership and look forward to her future," said David T. Arena, Member at DiMonte & Lizak, LLC.

Julia received her J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, and her B.A. from The University of Illinois at Chicago. Julia is also an active member of the Illinois State Bar Association. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Harwood-Heights Norridge Chamber of Commerce, the Senior Assistance Center and is active in the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce.

Chicago-based law firm Much Shelist recently announced the elevation of Martin J. O'Hara and Michael B. Shaw from principal to equity principal.

Martin J. O'Hara serves as vice chair of the firm's Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice group. He has over two decades of experience in commercial litigation and defense of professionals in malpractice actions. O'Hara received a J.D. from John Marshall Law School and a B.A. from Illinois State University.

Michael B. Shaw, co-chair of the firm's Business & Finance practice group and head of the Private Equity group, counsels clients ranging from large proprietorships and companies to start-ups and other smaller privately held companies. He received a J.D. (cum laude) from Northwestern University School of Law, an M.B.A. in Finance, Accounting and Entrepreneurship from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and a B.A. with honors in Economics from Northwestern University.