ISBA Past President Timothy Bertschy has been appointed as a member of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. He fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Stuart R. Lefstein for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2015, and until a successor is appointed. Bertschy is the managing partner of Heyl Royster in Peoria.
People
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March 18, 2015 |
People | Practice News
1 comment (Most recent March 19, 2015)
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March 18, 2015 |
People
Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP welcomes Mandi K. Ferguson to its Edwardsville office. Ferguson focuses her practice on the defense of product manufacturers and premises owners in Asbestos Litigation, Product Liability and Toxic Tort Litigation. She is admitted to practice in both Illinois and Missouri.
Ms. Ferguson serves as Vice Chair of the Tort Law Committee for the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel and Young Lawyers Liaison to the DRI Law Practice Management Committee. She received her J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law in 2007 and her B.A. from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 2001.
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March 17, 2015 |
People
Presiding Judge Henry A. Budzinski (Retired), age 91, passed away in his sleep on February 24, 2015. He is survived by his children; Henry, an Engineer with the Department of Defense at the Pentagon and Wife Lisa; Elizabeth, who is an Illinois Circuit Court Judge; beloved grandchildren Julia and Ladd. Fond brother of Jenny, Louis, Olga and Eddie; including nieces and nephews.
He served honorably in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. Judge Budzinski was one of the longest serving judges in Illinois, retiring after 34 years on the bench, including 18 years as Presiding Judge of the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County. He also served as Interim Acting Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Notable cases he presided over included the estates involving Helen Vorhees Brach, a candy heiress, George Halas Sr. and George Halas Jr. who both had ownership interests in the Chicago Bears and the distribution of the assets of Elijah Muhammad, founder of the Nation of Islam. While he served as a high-ranking judge for years and handled significant cases, he preferred to remain in the background, explaining it was just his nature. Judge Budzinski was known for his intelligence, contributions to the law, leadership, wit, humility and compassion.
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March 13, 2015 |
People
Judge Richard C. Ripple, 80, of Carthage, passed away at Memorial Hospital in Carthage on Saturday, January 24, 2015, at 1:53 A.M.
Richard was born September 9, 1934, the son of Harold and Eathel (Romer) Ripple in Maquoketa, Iowa. After graduation from high school he went on to attend Cornell College and received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Iowa in 1955 and his law degree in 1958 also from the University of Iowa. On May 14, 1960, he was united in marriage to Janet Manternach. She preceded him in death. He practiced law in Carthage at the Capps & Ripple Law Firm until 1976 when he became an associate judge. In 1984 he was united in marriage to Saundra Farmer. She preceded him in death. In 1988 he became circuit judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit. In 1991, he became the Chief Judge of the circuit until his retirement in 1997. Richard was a member of the Hancock County and Illinois State Bar Association. He was a member of the Carthage Kiwanis Club, Chamber of Commerce, and served on the boards of the Hancock County Red Cross and Hancock County Cancer Society. He loved following Carthage and Illini West athletics and spending time with his grandchildren.
Richard is survived by two children, Brett (Roanna) Ripple of Jacksonville, IL and Jenny (Thor Bendickson) Ripple of Tempe, FL; one step-son, Scott (Debbie) Becker of Staunton, IL; and eight grandchildren, Hailey, Olivia, and Brock Ripple, Jett Midulla, Scout Bendickson, and Jennifer, Stephanie, and Steven Becker.
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March 13, 2015 |
People
Davi Law Group, LLC is pleased to announce the opening of the firm’s newest office at 58 N. Chicago Street, 7th Floor, Joliet, Illinois 60432. The Joliet law office marks the fourth location for Davi Law Group, LLC, which already has established law offices in Warrenville, Wheaton and Downtown Chicago.
“We are excited about moving into Joliet and the continued growth of the firm. We hope this new office will help meet the legal needs of individuals and families in the Will County area,” says Principal and Founding Attorney of Davi Law Group, LLC, Dion U. Davi.
Will County divorce attorneys Dion U. Davi, Adam C. Gynac and Lana K. Eliopulos will serve clients from the Joliet office. The experienced legal team will assist clients with family law matters including divorce, child support, child custody, parentage and guardianship. The Joliet attorneys also have experience handling estate planning matters and real estate transactions.
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March 12, 2015 |
People
Former Chief judge Ann Callis today announced she will be joining the Goldenberg, Heller, Antognoli and Rowland law firm in Edwardsville.
Callis brings over 20 years of experience to the firm with her start in the community in 1990 when she served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in both Madison and St. Clair Counties. Callis was elected Circuit Judge in 2000, and became the first female Circuit Judge and the first female Chief Judge in Madison County. In 2009, Callis created the first Veterans’ Court in Illinois, which sought to reintegrate veterans into society. Years later, the Madison County Veterans' Treatment Court has become a model for similar programs around the nation.
With deep ties to the community and a commitment to the future of Madison County, Callis will concentrate on the firm’s Commercial Law Division to further develop business growth in the area.
Founding partner, Mark Goldenberg stated, “We are pleased to announce that Ann Callis will be joining our firm. Ann’s impressive legal career and dedication to improving the lives of individuals in Illinois closely aligns with our firm’s core values. Ann’s professional commitment and passion will be a valuable asset to our team as we continue serving local and regional clients.”
"I’m thrilled to join the prestigious law firm of Goldenberg, Heller, Antognoli and Rowland here in Edwardsville,” said Callis. “This opportunity will allow me the chance to focus on a division within the firm to grow business and provide the best possible representation to create powerful and lasting additions in our community.”
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March 11, 2015 |
People
In his early 20s, Calvin Campbell saw college as a nearly impossible dream for an African-American in the segregated South during the Depression, his family said.
He had returned from combat in World War II permanently scarred — losing a finger and part of his left hand — and it took a wily Army guidance counselor to convince this battle-scarred veteran to try college for a semester, said Mr. Campbell's daughter, Cathy.
"She told him, 'You can always quit.' But she must have seen something in my father that made her believe in him."
Mr. Campbell went on to graduate with a bachelor's degree from Howard University in Washington in 1948, and then earned a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1951.
In November 1978, he became the fourth African-American elected to the Illinois Appellate Court.
"He was a mentor of mine," said First District Appellate Court Judge Shelvin Louise Marie Hall. "He was a very courtly, gentlemanly and kind person, who taught me a lot."
Mr. Campbell, 90, died of respiratory failure on Thursday, Feb. 12, at The Carlton at the Lake, a nursing facility in Chicago, his family said.
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March 9, 2015 |
People
Bruce E. Friedman, a principal with the Clayton-based law firm of Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal, P.C., has been elected as Chair of the Family & Juvenile Law Section of The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis for the 2015-16 term. The section strives to improve the practice of family law and juvenile law, including domestic relations and related areas, and provides programs to discourage child abuse.
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March 6, 2015 |
People
Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, a leading personal injury and civil trial practice law firm in Chicago, proudly appoints Rebecca Neubauer to associate attorney. Prior to this recent appointment, Neubauer served as law clerk for the firm and contributed to cases concerning police misconduct, excessive force and school bullying and hazing.
“We welcome the addition of Rebecca on our team as an associate attorney,” said Stephan Blandin, Principal and Partner at Romanucci & Blandin. “Rebecca has proven herself a dedicated legal advocate of those who have been wrongly abused or neglected, and we look forward to her support on behalf of our clients.”
Rebecca Neubauer began her tenure at Romanucci & Blandin as a law clerk in late 2013 following law clerk appointments since 2012 at other Chicago-based law firms. At these firms, her work focused on plaintiffs’ personal injury, medical malpractice, and sexual abuse matters. Rebecca also clerked for the Honorable Elizabeth M. Budzinski, Cook County Circuit Court, where she prepared judicial opinions on civil cases. Rebecca’s passion for helping those who have suffered injustices inspired her to become a personal injury attorney. -
March 4, 2015 |
People
Pro Bono Attorneys Serve Legal Prep Families and Neighbors in Garfield Park
The Alumni Network Leadership Council of the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) has partnered with Legal Prep Charter Academy and Chicago Volunteer Legal Service (CVLS) to launch the Legal Prep Community Law Clinic, a community-based clinic for the student families and neighbors of Legal Prep in Chicago’s Garfield Park neighborhood.
Through the Community Law Clinic, Alumni of PILI’s Law Student Internship and Graduate Fellowship Programs volunteer to help families and neighbors of Legal Prep students address critical legal needs. With the support of CVLS staff, these volunteers provide pro bono services on all civil, non-fee generating, non-class action cases. Types of cases might include family law, eviction, consumer debt, foreclosure, adult/child guardianship, and more.
The Community Law Clinic is held on the second Tuesday of every month from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Legal Prep. The first clinic took place in January 2015. In addition to organizing the Clinic and recruiting Alumni to volunteer, PILI has invited law firms that offer PILI’s Graduate Fellowship Program to “adopt” a Clinic session. The firm would be responsible for recruiting four to six PILI Alumni from among its attorneys (PILI currently has over 3,600 Alumni, many of whom work in Chicago) to volunteer with the Clinic for that month. Kirkland & Ellis LLP, which has sponsored the largest number of PILI Fellows of any firm, has been the first to sign on and adopt the month of November 2015.