People

William Evertson Phillips, 82, of Oak Brook, formerly of Deerfield, died Nov. 14, 2010 at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield. Mr. Phillips was born May 3, 1928, in Galesburg to Frederick Wisner and Ruth nee Johnson Phillips. He is a descendant of the Reverend George Phillips who came to this country in 1630 with the Puritans, and Major Moses Phillips who fought in the Revolutionary War. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne Salvesen Phillips; and three daughters, Carrie (Anthony) Quinn, Anne (David) Gezon and Elizabeth (Bernard) Schaffer; he is also survived by two stepdaughters, Melissa (Kip) Carlson and Melanie Salvesen; he was the proud grandfather of Kathleen (Mark Reed) Quinn Reed, Michael (Jennifer) Quinn, John Quinn, William Schaffer, Richard Schaffer, Sarah Schaffer, Christopher Gezon and Caroline Gezon; and great- grandfather of Samantha Quinn Reed. Mr. Phillips was preceded in death by first his wife of 47 years, Frances Holcomb Phillips. He attended High School at Western Military Academy, in Alton, where he graduated with honors. He continued his education at Knox College, in Galesburg, graduating in 1950 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. While at Knox, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and Scabbard and Blade Honorary Military Fraternity. He received four varsity letters in swimming, and was Captain of the Knox Swim Team his junior and senior year. He received his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law in 1953, where he received the prestigious U.S. Law Book Award. Upon graduating he worked for several firms before founding his own law firm, which eventually became Phillips, Healy and Allen. He practiced at 134 N. LaSalle Street in Chicago, for 35 years until he retired as President of the firm.

Karl D. Dexheimer, 68, of O'Fallon, IL, born May 16, 1942, in St. Louis, MO, died unexpectedly Thursday, November 25, 2010, at St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis MO, surrounded by his loving family. Mr. Dexheimer was Of Counsel to the law firm Greensfelder, Hemker and Gale, P.C.. He graduated from Millikin University in 1964, and from Washington University School of Law in 1967. He was admitted to practice in Illinois, Missouri, and numerous federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States. He was a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (life member), a Fellow of the Illinois State Bar Association, a sustaining member of the Product Liability Advisory Council, a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and a Founding Member of its Levere Memorial Foundation. Mr. Dexheimer served on the McKendree University Board of Trustees for 22 years where he was Treasurer of the Board, Chair of the Adminstration and Finance Committee and member of the Executive Committee. He also served as treasurer and vice president on the Board of the Belleville Area Humane Society.

[caption id="attachment_16815" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Robert M. Karton"][/caption] Col. Robert M. Karton, CAP, has been assigned to serve as the new Great Lakes Region commander.  Presently, Col. Karton is the GLR interim commander having been appointed to fill the position after Brig. Gen. Charles L. Carr was elected vice commander in September. Civil Air Patrol is the volunteer official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. During his 21 year tenure in CAP, Col. Karton has held the positions of: legal officer for Illinois Wing and Great Lakes Region; Illinois Wing Inspector General; National Legal Officer (National Executive Committee); Illinois Wing Commander; GLR Vice Commander; National Board and NEC Parliamentarian, and interim GLR Commander.  In addition, he played a pivotal role on the CAP Constitution and By-laws committee and in the drafting of the Membership Action Review regulations. Col. Karton is an instrument rated pilot and has flown numerous search and rescue and disaster relief missions as a mission pilot. In civilian life, Col. Karton is a prominent Chicago attorney having begun his career as an Assistant States Attorney for Cook County in the Criminal Trial Division.  Currently, he is in private practice, in Chicago, at Robert M. Karton, Ltd.  He did his undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana, Ill., and earned his J.D. at the DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. Col.

The Executive Committee of the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) announced last week that they have appointed ISBA YLD Council member Michael G. Bergmann as Executive Director as of December 1, 2010.  Bergmann, who joined PILI in 2006 as Pro Bono Initiative Director, has most recently served as PILI’s Director of Programs where he expanded and advanced PILI’s Pro Bono Initiative and played a critical role in assuring the success of interns, fellows and alumni placement and educational programs.  Bergmann further brings to the position his substantial knowledge of the Illinois pro bono community as well as the experience gained through his career long commitment to providing legal services to those in need. Bergmann obtained his Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from The Catholic University of America.  Before joining PILI, Bergmann served as the Guardian Ad Litem Program Director for Chicago Volunteer Legal Services. During and before law school, he focused on project management and business development as a consultant with the Financial Planning Solutions Group of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Bergmann currently serves as Chair-Elect of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (YLD) and will become the Chair of the YLD during the 2011-12 bar year.  He is also a member of the Illinois State Bar Association where he serves on the ISBA’s Assembly and Young Lawyers Division Council, is Immediate Past Chair of the Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services, and previously held the position of Vice Chair of The Chicago Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section.  He additionally serves as a board member of several community organizations. Frequently recognized for his contributions to the profession and his service to the bar and public, Bergmann received the Kimball and Karen Anderson Public Interest Law Fellowship in 2005 from The Chicago Bar Foundation, and was named the 2006 ISBA YLD Young Lawyer of the Year from Cook County and the 2007 Outstanding Young Alumnus from DePaul University College of Law. “I am honored to have this opportunity to serve as PILI’s Executive Director and look forward to building on PILI’s proud history of successes, and its contributions to the highest ideals of our profession,” says Bergmann.  “PILI’s role in the Illinois legal community is critical to helping address the vast unmet legal needs of the poor and underrepresented, and I look forward to working with our partner public interest law organizations, law schools, law firms, and corporations in meeting those needs.”