The law firm of Laraia & Laraia, P.C. recently welcomed its newest member, attorney Kiley M. Whitty, who joined as principal and partner with James J. Laraia, forming the new partnership of Laraia & Whitty, P.C.
Joseph M. Laraia will be of counsel, a role in which he will contribute his vast knowledge and experience. The new legal team of Laraia & Whitty, P.C. looks forward to continuing to provide existing and new clients with excellent service.
Faegre Baker Daniels continues to bolster its product liability practice with the addition of five lateral hires across four offices.
FaegreBD’s product liability practice has now grown to over 125 professionals in nine offices. Through high-stakes trials and multidistrict litigation across the country, the practice has grown steadily over the last six years serving as national trial counsel for companies in the medical device, pharmaceutical, food, agricultural, consumer products, vehicular, and aquatics industries. The following lateral lawyer was added to its roster in the Chicago office:
ISBA Third Vice President Rory T. Weiler attended the Peoria County Bar Association’s 2019 Annual Business Meeting and New Members’ Reception on July 8 at the Janssen Law Center in Peoria. During the meeting, attendees welcomed the 2019-2020 board of directors and the newest members of the bar.
J.(James) Michael O’Byrne died June 30, 2019 in Urbana.
He was born August 26, 1925, at Mercy Hospital in Urbana, the fourth of six children of John Francis O’Byrne and Rachael Copeland O’Byrne. He went to grade school at St Mary’s in Urbana and graduated from Champaign High School in 1943. He enlisted in the United States Navy Air Corps and served two and a half years during World War II. After service, he returned to Champaign and enrolled in the University of Illinois College of Commerce, receiving a degree in 1948. He was a proud member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. In 1949 he received a Doctor of Law Degree from the University of Illinois Law School and he was admitted to the Illinois Bar in January 1950.
Wayne L. Bickes, 87, of Decatur, died Tuesday, July 2, 2019, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur.
Wayne was born June 18, 1932, in Decatur, the son of Brownie B. and Irma (Shutter) Bickes. He married Sandy Brumley on December 2, 1966, in Decatur.
Michael Best has announced that partner Marshall Schmitt has been elected as the 116th President of the Rotary Club of Chicago, also known as Rotary/One. An installation ceremony will take place on July 2 at the Union League Club.
Schmitt and Mark Maloney, President of Rotary International, the international body that oversees the over 34,000 Rotarians worldwide, will also host an open house on July 1 at the home of Rotary/One’s founder, Paul Harris, which the club is helping to restore.
Freeborn & Peters LLP is pleased to announce that the firm has elevated several attorneys to equity partner, effective June 25.
The firm’s new equity partners include Shelly A. DeRousse and Steven D. Pearson. The attorneys previously were partners.
Courtesy the American Bar Endowment
Lawyers have tremendous power to change people's lives through legal representation and systemic advocacy. At the Community Activism Law Alliance (CALA) in Chicago founded by Lam Ho in 2014, a group of lawyers and activists are changing how lawyers and communities work together. The CALA model of “community activism lawyering” shifts the practice of law from a transactional relationship focused on an individual client/case crisis to a transformative proactive partnership for systemic change. Lawyers serve individual clients; yet, with the promise of preventing future crisis, better systems are put in place to address critical community needs.
Evan Drew Coobs died June 24, 2019, in Champaign. He was 55 years old.
Evan was born on November 11, 1963, in Oelwein, Iowa, the son of Edward W. Coobs and Doris A. (Rodenberg) Coobs. He graduated from Central High School, the University of Iowa College of Business, and the University of Iowa College of Law.
ISBA Second Vice President Anna Krolikowksa was among those who attended the Alliance of Illinois Judges’ Installation of Officers and Annual Meeting on June 26 in Chicago. She is pictured with Alliance of Illinois Judges President Hon. Mary Cay Marubio.