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Central Illinois

  • September 14, 2011 | People
    Samuel C. Patton 1923-2011

    Samuel C. Patton, 88, of Springfield, passed away on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at Capitol Care Center in Springfield.

    He was born on March 20, 1923 in Springfield, the son of the late Stanley M. and Marie Patton. He married Betty G. DeFraties on Oct. 19, 1947 in Springfield and she survives.

    Mr. Patton was a self-employed attorney. He was a member of the Elks Club in Springfield. Prior to that he had been a member of the Springfield Jaycees. He also was a former member of Illini Country Club and was an avid golfer. He attended Lincoln College of Law in Springfield and was admitted to the Bar in 1952. He also served as corporation counsel for the city of Springfield for 2 terms.

    Besides his wife, Betty, he is survived by 2 sons, Todd C. (wife Kimora) Patton of Yonkers, NY, and Craig Dow Patton of Springfield. Several nieces and nephews also survive.

    Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by 3 sisters, Eleanor Powers, Betty Fahs, and Norma Daily.

    Arrangements are under the direction of Bisch and Son Funeral Home, 505 E. Allen, Springfield. Private burial will take place at Camp Butler National Cemetery, Springfield. Memorial services will be held on October 1, 2011 at 1 pm at Central Baptist Church in Springfield.

  • September 14, 2011 | People
    William L. Niemann 1920-2011

    William (Bill) Lovekamp Niemann, 91, passed away peacefully in Tucson, Arizona, on July 30, 2011. A resident of Evanston and Winnetka for many years, he will be greatly missed as a father, grandfather and friend.

    Mr. Niemann was born on July 20, 1920, in Jacksonville, Illinois. He grew up as the middle of three children in Arenzeville, Illinois. He earned a B.A. from Carthage College (1941) and a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law (1947, Cum Lauda, Order of the Coif). His law school education was interrupted by World War II, during which he proudly served in the medical and transportation corps of the U.S. Army, eventually achieving the rank of First Lieutenant. His military service included tours of duty in Europe, Africa and Italy.

    Mr. Niemann began his law career in 1947 as an attorney with Snyder, Chadwell & Fagerburg in Chicago, and later served as regional attorney for Montgomery Ward & Company in Oakland, California. There he met and married (1956) Doris Elizabeth Greenstreet (1926-2008), his devoted wife of 52 years. They relocated to the Chicago area where Bill began a 25-year association with Brunswick Corporation in Chicago and Skokie, eventually serving as Vice President-Law, Secretary and General Counsel.

    During this time he and Doris lived in Evanston and Winnetka, where they raised two sons and attended Trinity Lutheran Church in Evanston. Bill also served on the Board of Trustees of Carthage College, as a member of the Law Club of Chicago, as an officer of the American Society of Corporate Secretaries, and as Director of the Oakton Community College Foundation. Doris and Bill retired to Tucson in 1990.

  • September 8, 2011 | People
    Uvaldo Herrera 1955-2011

    Uvaldo Herrera, 56, Bloomington, died Sunday (Aug. 21, 2011) at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington.

    Uvaldo was born July 19, 1955, in Los Pinos, Durango, Mexico, son of David and Rosalina Lopez Herrera. He came to the United States with his family when he was 11 years old, speaking only Spanish. With no official assistance in place, he mastered the English language and went on to complete high school. He obtained his bachelor of science degree in economics from the University of Illinois in 1981, and obtained his juris doctor degree from DePaul University College of Law in 1988.

    He began working at State Farm Insurance Cos. in March 1981 in a number of positions, working in auto claims, corporate law, and most recently, the Multicultural Business Development Group.

  • August 16, 2011 | Events
    Retrials of Mary Surratt to be held in Chicago and Springfield

    The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and the Illinois Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission will hold two retrials of Mary Surratt. Surratt was the first woman executed by the United States after she was convited of conspiracy in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. 

    The first retrial will be held in Chicago on Sept. 23 at the Pritzker Auditorium, Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State. The cast will include Judge James B. Zagel as Judge; Karen Conti and Ed Genson for the Defense; Jim Montgomery and Dan Webb for the Prosecution and Bill Kurtis as Reporter. Tickets are $25 and are still available by calling (312) 554-2057.

    The second retrial will be held on Oct. 3 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield. The case will include Justice Thomas Appleton as Judge; Aasne Vigessa as Mary Surratt; Steven Beckett and Greg Harris for the Defense; Bill Davis and Carol Posegate for the Prosecution and Rich Bradley as Reporter. Tickets are sold out for the Springfield show.

    Audiences will render a verdict on the fate of Surratt.

  • August 15, 2011 | ISBA News
    JAG Officers, Elder Law Attorney to provide legal information at the Illinois State Fair

    Two JAG officers will be on hand to answer general legal questions of service members and their families at the Illinois State Fair on Sunday, August 14, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., courtesy of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA).

    Timed to coincide with the fair’s Veterans Day celebration, the officers will be available at the ISBA tent on the fairgrounds located on Central Avenue across from the Dairy Building.

    On Monday, August 15, during Senior Citizens Day, an elder law attorney will be available at the tent to answer general questions about the law related to seniors.

    Throughout the 12-day event, the ISBA tent will distribute free legal pamphlets on a wide variety of legal issues.  Other freebies include gavel-like pencils, notepads, Abe Lincoln coloring books and temporary tattoos.

    Fair-goers who want to assume a Lincoln identity can have their photo taken not WITH but AS the “Great Emancipator.”  The ISBA’s tent will have a life-size figure of Lincoln with a hole where his face should have been (sorry Abe) so visitors can have a free keepsake photo of themselves portrayed as the man considered Illinois’ most famous lawyer and one of the nation’s greatest U.S. Presidents.

    The Illinois State Bar Association incorporates an image of Lincoln in their advertising and promotional materials with the tag line: “Our state has a history of some pretty good lawyers; we’re out to keep it that way.”

  • August 11, 2011 | ISBA News | Events
    Be sure to visit ISBA tent at Illinois State Fair!

    The Illinois State Bar Association will once again have a tent at the Illinois State Fair, starting today and continuing through August 21. The tent will look to help the public through the promotion of the ISBA's new Illinois Lawyer Finder public website.

    The tent offers legal brochures for the public and an Abraham Lincoln photo opportunity for state fair patrons who want to put their face in Lincoln's image. There is also a laptop connected to the Illinois Lawyer Finder site that visitors can try out and visit the ISBA's new consumer website. Visitors can also receive giveaways including: the infamous gavel pencils, small notepads and ISBA temporary tattoos.

    More information on the state fair is available at www.agr.state.il.us/isf/

    1 comment (Most recent August 11, 2011)
  • August 8, 2011 | Events
    Don't miss the all new “Hanging Out Your Shingle” sessions at Solo & Small Firm 2011

    You asked for more programming on how to start and run a law office and we’re giving it to you! Attend all 11 “Hanging Out Your Shingle” programs or mix and match them with the other programs available to choose from at the ISBA's Solo and Small Firm Conference Oct. 27-29 at the Springfield Hilton. You choose the topics that best fit your needs. “Hanging Out Your Shingle” sessions include:

    • The Secure Firm: Best Practices, Policies and Strategies
    • It’s Your Law License – How to Protect It in Your Office
    • New Office Technology Shopping List: What Do I Really Need to Get Started?
    • How to Get Orders of Protection to Stick
    • Backup and Disaster Recovery: Oh No, My Hard Drive Crashed and It Can’t Get Up
    • How to Create a Website in 60 Minutes – Ethical and Practical Tips
    • The Biggest Mistakes Lawyers Make and How to Avoid Them
    • DUI and Traffic Fundamentals for the New Solo
    • Social Media: Ethical Issues
    • Fighting City Hall: Administrative Actions at the Local Level
    • Using Technology to Avoid Malpractice

    For more information about the 11 “Hanging Out Your Shingle” sessions and the other 26 sessions held throughout the Conference – including program descriptions and speaker listings -- visit our Conference Schedule.

    Register at www.isba.org/soloconference

  • August 4, 2011 | People
    Geri Lynn Arrindell elected President of Central Illinois Women's Bar Association

    Geri Lynn Arrindell, an attorney in the Springfield, Illinois office of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, has been elected President of Central Illinois Women's Bar Association (CIWBA). The appointment became effective on July 1, 2011. Ms. Arrindell also serves on the Illinois State Bar Association's Judicial Evaluations Committee and the ISBA Labor and Employment Law Section Council.

    The CIWBA was founded in 1982 and promotes the full participation of women in the practice of law and the judiciary, to facilitate interaction between the practicing bar and women attorneys in alternative careers and public service, and to promote and foster interests of women attorneys, including but not limited to community outreach service.

    Ms. Arrindell has been a member of CIWBA for several years and most recently served as the Vice President for the bar association. As President, Ms. Arrindell seeks to increase the involvement of governmental attorneys in CIWBA and to honor the contributions of women in Central Illinois to the field of law during the organizations 30th Anniversary.

    Ms. Arrindell focuses her practice in commercial litigation matters, including labor and employment law, governmental affairs and regulation. She is a former Assistant Attorney General in the General Law Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General’s office. Ms. Arrindell earned her J.D. in 2006 from the University of Illinois College of Law, an M.S.W. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1996, and a B.S.W. in 1995 from Clark Atlanta University, where she graduated magna cum laude.

    1 comment (Most recent August 12, 2011)
  • August 4, 2011 | People
    James Sherrick 1918-2011

    Judge James N. Sherrick of Villa Grove passed away on June 20, 2011, at Meadowbrook Health Center in Urbana.

    He was born on April 13, 1918, the sixth child of Noah and Josephine (Gabel) Sherrick, in South Greenup Township, Ill.

    He married Phyllis Vines on Dec. 21, 1947. She died in August 1966. He then married Frances Linafelter on Nov. 28, 1981.

    He is survived by his loving wife, Frances; his three children, Elizabeth (Robert) Roman of Pinehurst, N.C., John (Mindy) Sherrick of Mansfield and Richard (Susan) Sherrick of Albion; one stepson, Steve (Shirley) Bradbury of Tuscola; six grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; three great-grandchildren; five step-great-grandchildren; and one sister, Edna Bradley of Carbondale.

    He was preceded in death by three brothers, Connie, Ralph and William, and three sisters, Lena, Mary and Betty.

    Mr. Sherrick was a captain in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a POW and received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Purple Heart and the Silver Star.

    He was a teacher and a lawyer before serving as Douglas County judge from 1954 to 1958. He served as circuit judge in the Sixth Judicial District from 1968 to 1984.

    He was a member of the Villa Grove United Methodist Church, where he served in many capacities, as well as the Tuscola and Villa Grove Rotary Clubs, the Villa Grove Lions Club, Walter Jones VFW Post 2876, the Moose Lodge, Tuscola American Legion, the Tri-City Country Club, the Douglas County Bar Association and other service clubs and organizations.

    Memorials may be made to the Villa Grove United Methodist Church, the ALS Association or to the American Diabetes Association.

  • August 2, 2011 | People
    Oral C. Kost 1929-2011

    Oral C. Kost, 82, of Lewistown and Sheldons Grove, Ill., died June 30, 2011, at the Mason District Hospital emergency room in Havana, Ill.

    He was born May 24, 1929, in Rushville, Ill., the son of Troy and Eva (Curless) Kost. After graduating from Monmouth College in 1950, he received his doctor of jurisprudence from the University of Illinois in 1953.

    He had the privilege of practicing law for over 58 years. He held the offices of Fulton County Public Defender, Fulton County State's Attorney and State of Illinois assistant attorney general.

    He was a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, American Bar Association and National District Attorney's Association. He was the Fulton County Republican Party chairman for many years and was a 32nd-degree Mason.

    He served as a reservist in the U.S. Army from 1953 through 1956.

    He was very proud of his family and loved the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

    He is survived by his wife of 24 years, Shirley (Briney) Kost; five children, Karl (Pam) Kost, Keith (Beth) Kost, Karen (Chris) Baker, Kelly (Holly) Kost and Kim Kost; six stepsons, Mike (Rochelle) Briney, Marty (Joanie) Briney, Mark (Jenny) Briney, Matt (Rhonda) Briney, Milt (Ginger) Briney and Melvin (Jennifer) Briney; 28 grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

    He was preceded in death by his first wife of 24 years, Edna Mae (Wilner) Kost, and his parents.

    He will be fondly remembered as a gentleman, a man of great integrity and loyalty.