Justice Elizabeth M. Rochford and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Associate Judge Julia Ann Yetter as an At Large Circuit Judge in the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, Kane County. Judge Yetter is being appointed to fill the vacancy created by the impending retirement of Judge Kevin T. Busch on January 29, 2026. The appointment is effective February 2, 2026, and will conclude on December 4, 2028.

Local bar associations in Southern Illinois made a big impact in their small communities this holiday season, showing that rural practice isn’t just about providing legal services. At its December meeting, the Williamson County Bar Association announced that its members had raised a total of $1,235 for Gum Drops, NFP, a Carterville nonprofit organization that provides weekend food packages for at-risk children in Southern Illinois.

 Chief Judge Michael B. Brennan of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is pleased to announce the appointment of David H. DeCelles to a 14-year term as United States Bankruptcy Judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Mr. DeCelles succeeds Bankruptcy Judge Janet S. Baer who will retire in March 2026. Mr. DeCelles will take the oath of office and join the bankruptcy bench in Chicago on March 5, 2026.

 ALTON, Ill. – Simmons Hanly Conroy, a national leader in the legal representation of mesothelioma patients and their families, is pleased to announce that Luke Pfeifer has been elevated to partner, effective Jan. 1, 2026.