Professor Mark E. Wojcik of The John Marshall Law School will receive the 2014 Community Leadership Award from the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) at the organization’s 138th Annual Meeting on Friday, June 20, at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, Wis.
The award recognizes individuals for their efforts to foster understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and their issues of concern.
A former member of the ISBA Board of Governors, Wojcik has been a longtime force in the fight to achieve understanding of and equity for those in the LGBT community through his participation in local, state and national organizations. He founded the first gay rights organization at The John Marshall Law School and the first gay rights committee of the Chicago Bar Association. He served on the ISBA Standing Committee on Sexual Orientation Law, he was a Commissioner of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, he chaired the Association of American Law Schools Section on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues, and he is a Past President of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago. He was also inducted into the City of Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.
People
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June 10, 2014 |
ISBA News | People
1 comment (Most recent June 11, 2014)
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June 6, 2014 |
People
Albert K. Semmler, Esq., 72, of Bloomington, died on May 25, 2014, at Heritage Health, Normal, after battling prostate cancer.
His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Bloomington, where visitation will be two hours prior to service at the church. The Rev. Carl LoPresti will officiate, and the Rev. Ric Schneider will celebrate. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Normal. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Fellowship of Christian Athletes, St. Jude Midwest Affiliate or a charity of the donor’s choice.
He was born March 2, 1942, in Cincinnati, Ohio, son of Albert and Hedwig Werle Semmler. He married Carole M. Levo on June 13, 1964, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Surviving are his wife, Carole, Bloomington; three daughters, Heidi (Herb) Todd, Towanda; Tracy (John) Schuler, Chenoa; and Jacquie (David) Crutchley, Bloomington; one son, Alexander (Neysa) Semmler, Panama City Beach, Fla.; eight grandchildren; one sister, Hedwig (Tom) Goetz, Columbus, Ohio; and three brothers, Erich Semmler, Cincinnati, Ohio; Karl Semmler, Virginia Beach, Va.; and Edward (Deb) Semmler, South Bend, Ind.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
In 2006, Al retired after 36 years from Country Companies, where he worked as the director of financial planning.
He was an avid tennis player. Al also enjoyed running marathons, and was very proud to have completed the 100th running of the Boston Marathon.
To express condolences online, please visit www.carmodyflynn.com.
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June 6, 2014 |
ISBA News | People
108 PILI Interns & Fellows Serve at Legal Aid Organizations Across Illinois This Summer
The Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) has announced its Law Student Internship & Graduate Fellowship Class of 2014. PILI is funding 43 Law Student Interns representing 34 law schools from across the country to work at 23 legal aid organizations across Illinois. These PILI Interns have been selected out of over 350 law student applicants from over 70 law schools. Each PILI Intern will serve 400 hours over the summer, together contributing 17,200 hours of legal services on behalf of thousands of low-income individuals and families. PILI provides supplemental educational, networking and mentoring opportunities. See a full list of our 2014 Law Student Interns on our website at www.pili.org/internships/current-pili-interns.
Of these Interns, 13 hold Named or Honorary Internship positions, created by special funding commitments from individuals and groups dedicated to promoting public interest law. Many Named Internships support a specific cause. For example, the ISBA Young Lawyers Division has for years sponsored one PILI Intern through its Children’s Assistance Fund to address the legal welfare of children. Other PILI Interns are named in honor or memory of champions for service and philanthropy to our legal aid community, including Kimball & Karen Anderson of Winston & Strawn LLP and Jerome Gilson of Brinks Gilson & Lione.
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June 5, 2014 |
People
Simmons Browder Gianaris Angelides & Barnerd LLC and Hanly Conroy Bierstein Sheridan Fisher & Hayes LLP, national leaders in mass tort and complex litigation, announced today the two law firms will merge effective July 1 of this year. The firm will be called Simmons Hanly Conroy and have offices in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, St. Louis and Alton, Ill. The new firm will continue to represent victims of corporate wrongdoing.
“The merger gives us a New York office, expands our attorney depth and creates a streamlined practice with centuries of litigation experience,” said Chairman John Simmons. “Together, we are positioned as a dominant national leader in asbestos, mass tort and complex litigation matters, and we are especially pleased that Jayne Conroy will continue her leadership role as a named shareholder in the merged firm.”
Simmons and Hanly Conroy have been co-counsel partners for over a decade, successfully resolving products liability litigations including Oxycontin, Chantix, Yaz and Toyota unintended acceleration cases. The merger is a natural progression of the firms’ existing relationship, said Simmons.
The Simmons Firm employs more than 60 attorneys and 150 professional support staff spread among five offices in St. Louis, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Alton, Ill. Founded in 1999 by Simmons, the firm quickly developed a national reputation in asbestos litigation by securing a $250 million verdict against U.S. Steel on behalf of a factory worker diagnosed with mesothelioma.
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June 4, 2014 |
People
By Dion Davi
It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of Ashley M. Haws, a beautiful and brilliant rising star in the legal community. Ashley brought a warm smile and very positive outlook to every situation. She was loved by all that met her. The law profession and the world have lost someone that was destined to do great things. Ashley was a driving force in the initial and continued growth of our law firm. She will be greatly missed by me, our staff, and everyone that she came in contact with. Our sincerest heartfelt thoughts go out to her mother Sharon, father Gary, brother Matt, family and friends.
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June 3, 2014 |
People
DMG is pleased to announce that Matthew Layman and Patrick Carrier have joined the firm as Associate Attorneys.
Matthew Layman handles commercial and tort litigation for railroad and other transportation sector clients. Prior to joining DMG, he spent 6 years with The Moran Law Group where he focused his practice on plaintiff’s side employment litigation and criminal defense. Matt graduated with honors from Michigan State University, received the DePaul University College of Law Dean’s Merit Scholarship, and was named an Illinois 2014 Rising Star by Thompson Reuters’ Super Lawyers. The Rising Stars list recognizes up and coming attorneys who are 40 years old or younger and no more than 2.5% of Illinois attorneys are selected.
Patrick Carrier represents railroad and industrial clients in tort, casualty litigation, FELA and personal injury defense. Prior to joining DMG, Patrick spent four years with O’Connell, Tivin, Miller & Burns specializing in toxic tort, environmental and insurance defense litigation. He started his career at Dunn/Gibbons, a boutique civil litigation practice and worked as a volunteer law clerk at the Kent County (Michigan) Prosecutor’s Office. He also served as a Judicial Law Clerk for the 17th Judicial Circuit under the Hon. Patricia D. Gardner. -
June 2, 2014 |
People
Gill M. Garman, a prominent Danville attorney and husband of Chief Justice Rita B. Garman of the Supreme Court of Illinois, passed away on Saturday at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He was 71.
Mr. Garman engaged in the practice of law for more than 45 years and was a senior partner at Kesler Nelson Garman Brougher & Townsley PC. He met his wife when they were both students at the University of Illinois and were married the year before they both graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1968.
A celebration of Mr. Garman's life will be held on Thursday, June 5, 2014, at 11 a.m. at St. James United Methodist Church in Danville with Rev. Randall Robinson officiating. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, June 4, 2014 from 2 to 8 p.m. at Sunset Funeral Home in Danville.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to St. James United Methodist Church, the Danville Public Library Foundation, the Danville Symphony Orchestra, or any charity of the donor's choosing.
View more at http://www.sunsetfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Gill-Garman/#!/Obituary
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May 29, 2014 |
People
Retired Lake County Circuit Court Judge David Hall, who also was a devoted supporter of the local YMCA and a member of a rock and roll band, died May 20 surrounded by his family.
He was 61.
The lifelong Waukegan resident, who in 2011 was diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, is survived by his wife, Karen, a daughter and three sons.
“Judge David Hall was a man of superb intellect and marvelous wit who never let go of his fascination with history and love of music, particularly rock and roll,” Chief Judge John Phillips said Wednesday.
“In the courtroom he strove to ensure that every litigant, attorney and witness left his courtroom knowing that the judge had truly listened to what they had to say and that his decision was justly based on the law and the evidence that was presented,” Phillips said.
Hall was appointed to the bench as associate judge of the 19th Judicial Circuit in 1989.
Following a contested primary election in 2000, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed Hall as circuit judge to fill the vacancy created by the death of then Circuit Judge Jack Hoogasian. Hall was then successfully elected to two, six-year terms as a circuit judge.
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May 29, 2014 |
People
Jordan Jay Hillman, 89, died on April 8, 2014 after an eight-and-a-half-year journey with Alzheimer's. Born in Waukegan in 1924, he was known to friends and colleagues as "Jay." He served during World War II as an Army Air Corps navigator in the Eighth Air Force Unit and liked to reminisce about flying. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Political Science, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago and later received a Doctor of Juridical Science from Northwestern University.
He was vice-president and general counsel for the Chicago and North Western Railway and joined the law school faculty at Northwestern in 1966. In 1975 he took a temporary leave from teaching and served as general counsel for the U.S. Railway Association.
He pursued many social causes beyond his chosen profession and served on the Evanston school board as well as the CTA board and various boards related to the arts. He was strongly committed to humanitarian endeavors, expressing his deepest convictions and principles through both philanthropy and service. He was a lover of nature, animals, children, walking, and classical music, played the clarinet, and after retirement, joined a chamber group.
During the last five years of his life, he lived in Oak Park and was surrounded by his loving family, friends, and caregivers. His book, The Torah and Its God: A Humanist Inquiry was published in 2001 and embodies his deep respect for scholarship, humanism, and Judaic history.
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May 29, 2014 |
People
John J. Siena was born on October 20, 1936 in Chicago to Giovanni and Augusta (nee Pongetti) Siena. He died Saturday, May 10, 2014 at Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter in Arlington Heights.
Mr. Siena retired as an attorney from Sears. Since his retirement, he was a volunteer at the Arlington Heights Senior Center library. John also enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his granddaughters.
John is survived by his wife of 46 years, Gerry (nee Lawson) Siena; his children, Kristin (Ryan) O'Neill, Matthew Siena, and Anne (Jonathan) Ballard; his granddaughters, Kate and Reese O'Neill, and Ellie Ballard; his siblings, Rose Holubiak, Mary Daly and Serio (Tosca) Siena; his sister-in-law, Mary Siena; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his brothers, Nano Siena and Seco Siena; and his parents. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter, 2050 Claire Court Glenview, IL 60025.