Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas L. Kilbride has announced an application process for appointment to an upcoming Circuit Court vacancy in the Ninth Judicial Circuit.
The vacancy will be created by Circuit Judge Steven R. Bordner's retirement, which takes effect August 20, 2015. Judge Bordner has been a judge since 1995 and has served in each of the six counties of the Ninth Circuit. He is currently assigned to the Fulton County Courthouse in Lewistown.
The United States Attorney for the Central District of Illinois is currently seeking qualified applicants for a position as Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in the Criminal/Appellate Division for our Peoria, IL location, which is one of four branch offices in the district. AUSAs in the Criminal Division supervise the investigation of and prosecute federal offenses involving among other things, financial fraud, hate crimes, identity theft, economic crimes, firearms trafficking, counterfeiting, program fraud, immigration violations, drug trafficking, violent crimes, domestic terrorism, bank robbery, human trafficking, child exploitation, transportation of stolen goods, prisoner litigation and public corruption.
This position will also have a focus on appellate work. The duties of this position will also include handling all aspects of appeals before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, including writing appellate briefs and, arguing cases.
The University of Illinois has named Vikram David Amar as the next dean of the College of Law, pending approval from the University’s Board of Trustees at their July 15 meeting. Amar will assume the deanship, and also become the Iwan Foundation Professor of Law, on August 16. For the last several years, Amar has been the senior associate dean for academic affairs and a professor of law at the University of California, Davis School of Law.
“Professor Vik Amar stood out to all of us involved in this national search as the clear choice to lead the College of Law here at Illinois,” said Ilesanmi Adesida, the vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost of the Urbana campus. “His vision of a college recognized for its cutting-edge scholarship and for close connections to the profession and society in which its graduates will serve is one that aligns perfectly with the land-grant values of this university. He understands the challenges of providing world-class legal educational and professional experiences to our students while ensuring that those experiences remain affordable and accessible. I look forward to working with Dean Amar as he leads one of our oldest and proudest colleges to national and international pre-eminence.”
Amar said he has been “deeply impressed by the College’s highly productive and influential faculty in law and related disciplines, its dedicated staff, its talented student body, its loyal and accomplished alumni base, and its place in a premier research university located two hours from downtown Chicago, a city where the College is developing exciting programs for upper-division law students.”
William "Bill" Curtis, 67, passed away Friday, June 12, 2015, at St. John's Hospice.
He was born Oct. 19, 1947, to William and Dora Curtis of Galva, IL. He married Carol Nieman Egbert in Elmhurst on April 20, 1980.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife, Carol; two daughters, Elizabeth Harlan (husband Rick) of Cincinnati, OH, and Megan Curtis of Elk Ridge MD; one stepson, Brent Egbert (wife, Jennifer) of Summerville, SC; three grandchildren: Josephine and Caroline Harlan, and James Egbert; two sisters, Gladys (Don) Hopper and Mary Libby; and several nieces and nephews.
Bill graduated from Galva High School. He received a bachelor's degree from Augustana College and was a member of the Augustana Choir; a master's degree from Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago. He received a law degree from Chicago-Kent School of Law. Bill was a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and the Sangamon County Bar Association.
Bill was a member and past president of the congregation of Trinity Lutheran Church. He worked for the State of Illinois and served as Chief Legal Counsel for the Department of Mental Health and for Children and Family Services. He also was in private practice.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Trinity Lutheran Church, 220 S. 2nd St., Springfield, IL 62702 or St. John's Hospice, 800 E. Carpenter, Springfield, IL 62702.
Carl O. Hoffee, 80, of Springfield, beloved husband, father and grandfather, cherished friend, and long-time attorney, passed away on June 5, 2015.
Carl, the son of Emmitt and Ethel Hoffee of Fairfield, Ill., was born July 7, 1934. Raised in Wayne County, Ill., Carl married Dian Johnson on Dec. 27, 1959, in Fairfield.
Carl received his law degree in 1958 from the University of Illinois School of Law, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and served on the law review. He was admitted to practice in Illinois in 1958.
Carl served as law clerk to Illinois Supreme Court Justice Harry B. Hershey from 1961-1962. Carl also worked for Albert Harno, former Dean of the University of Illinois Law School, when he became Illinois' first Supreme Court Administrator. Carl began his private practice at Hoffman and Hoffman in Springfield, later joining Barber and Barber in 1968.
At his death, Carl was the senior partner of Barber, Segatto, Hoffee, Wilke & Cate, having been with the firm for nearly 50 years. Carl was noted for his expertise in real estate matters. Carl was a member of the American, Illinois and Sangamon County Bar Associations, and a member of the Federalist Society.
The McLean County Bar Association at the June 16, 2015 annual meeting of its members announced that Nathan Hinch has been selected as the recipient of its annual “Young Lawyer of the Year” award. The Young Lawyer of the Year is awarded to the MCBA member attorney, age 40 or younger or with 10 or less years practicing law, who exhibits the highest achievements in the areas of 1) employment history, 2) individual achievements in the practice of law, 3) service to the MCBA, and 4) community service and pro bono work.
Hinch is a partner at the law firm Mueller, Reece & Hinch, LLC, where he assists clients in the general practice of law, particularly business counseling, estate planning and probate, and real estate law. Under Hinch’s guidance the firm was recently the first law firm in the State designated a “Green Business” by the Illinois Green Business Association. He is a 2007 graduate of Chicago-Kent College of Law and a 2000 graduate of Wheaton College. Hinch was named a “40 Under 40” honoree in 2014 by the McLean County Chamber of Commerce and the Pantagraph, and a 2010 “30 Under 30” honoree by the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves as chairperson of the Underwood Professionalism Committee of the MCBA, the continuing legal education chair of the ISBA’s construction law section, and as a member of the American Bar Association and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. He is an ISBA President’s Club member and a fellow of the Illinois Bar Foundation.
Elizabeth Jeane Dibble (Elsey), age 56, of Freeburg, IL passed away on March 2, 2015 at her home, surrounded by family and friends after successfully surviving colon cancer for several years. Jeane was married to John Taylor Dibble on June 7, 1980 in Kewanee, IL. He survives as do their children, James Taylor (Anna Beasley) Dibble of St. Louis, MO and Katherine Elizabeth
Dibble of Austin, TX.
Jeane was born on May 26, 1958 in Hammond, Indiana to Janet D. Lane Elsey and Harold Elsey and older brother James. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Kewanee, IL and was joined by second brother, Kenneth.
After graduating from Kewanee High School in 1976, Jeane enrolled at MacMurray College, Jacksonville, Illinois, earning a special education degree in three years. After a brief time teaching she enrolled at Southern Ilinois University School of Law, Carbondale, IL, graduating in 1983. Jeane welcomed her son, James, in 1983 and daughter, Katherine, in 1985. She was a devoted mother and confidant, spending much of her free time at her children's sporting events, relaxing at the family cabin and traveling with her family.
Charles Armstrong "Chick" Chapin, 94, lawyer, scholar, decorated WWII Marine officer, civic servant, husband, father, horseman died Sunday, May 31 at his Chatham home, Windridge. He lived most of his life in Springfield. He attended and graduated from Carleton College, served in World War II as a Marine Artillery officer and studied law at the University of Michigan. He joined his father Roger E. and brother John R. in the family law firm of Chapin & Chapin. For the past decade he was Of Counsel at the law firm of Brown, Hay, & Stephens.
Sangamon County First Assistant State’s attorney Karen Tharp has been appointed as Associate Judge in the Seventh Judicial Circuit in Sangamon County. Tharp has been the First Assistant State Attorney of Sangamon County since 2014. Tharp, who will take office in early July, replaces Judge April Troemper who was recently appointed to be a Circuit Judge in the Seventh Judicial Circuit.
Tharp brings to the bench over 26 years of legal experience, Presiding Judge John Belz, who has presided over many jury trials in which Tharp was an attorney, said "Karen Tharp has a long and distinguished record as a trial lawyer in Sangamon County that will serve her well on the bench. She is generally recognized as one of the hardest working and most dedicated attorneys in Sangamon County.”
Tharp is a 1980 graduate of Springfield High School and attended then Sangamon State University where she obtained her undergraduate degree in legal studies. She obtained her law degree in 1988 from the University of Illinois law school where she graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors.
Tharp, 53, has been a lifelong resident of Springfield, Tharp is a member of the Sangamon County Drug Court Treatment Team, participates in the Sangamon County Juvenile Justice Council and a Board member of Calvary Academy.
The Abraham Lincoln Association (ALA) awarded Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Rita B. Garman with its first-ever “Spirit of Lincoln Award”. The award was established to recognize individuals who have displayed the spirit of Abraham Lincoln in their professional careers for the betterment of humanity. The award was presented by Robert A. Stuart, Jr., President of the ALA, at the Sangamon County Bar Association Law Day luncheon. The award itself is a bust of Abraham Lincoln by Illinois sculptor John McClarey specifically created for this award.
President Stuart stated that in President Lincoln’s legal career he represented integrity, professional ability, reverence for the law, fair mindedness, professional neutrality, goodwill and collegiality. The ALA believes that Judge Garman has upheld these principles as the longest-serving female judge and the second-longest serving judge in Illinois. She also has received a lifetime achievement award from the Illinois Judges Association and she was named Person of the Year by Chicago Lawyer magazine in 2013.
President Lincoln and his administration were the force behind many laws that Americans still feel the effects of today. The fact that he worked to improve the lives of Americans through legislation while serving as commander-in-chief during the Civil War inspired a committee of the ALA board members to create this annual award.