The law firm of Sgro, Hanrahan & Durr, LLP of Springfield, Illinois is proud to announce the affiliation of Ellen C. Bruce as an associate. Ms. Bruce is a 2005 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law and obtained her undergraduate degree from the Colby College of Waterville, Maine. She has prior experience as an Assistant Attorney General with the General Law Division. She will be concentrating her practice in the field of general civil law including litigation, Workers' Compensation, automobile accidents and estate planning.
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June 24, 2010 |
People
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June 22, 2010 |
People
[caption id="attachment_12493" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Kelly L. Gawne"][/caption] Lebow, Malecki & Tasch LLC of Chicago is pleased to announce that Kelly L. Gawne has joined the firm as an associate. She will continue her focus on corporate transactions and health care law. Ms. Gawne brings to the position previous experience assisting public and private companies with commercial transactions, entity formation and governance matters, compliance with federal and state law, and negotiation and drafting of vendor, supply and consulting agreements. Her healthcare experience includes counseling clients on medical staff issues, Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, fraud and abuse, Stark law and regulatory compliance. Previously Ms. Gawne was an associate with the Chicago office of Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. In this position, she served clients in mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracts, information technology, privacy laws and regulatory compliance. Ms. Gawne graduated with high honors from the Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2007, where she also served as Managing Editor of the Chicago-Kent Law Review. During law school, Ms. Gawne was an extern for The Honorable Richard D. Cudahy of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit Court and for The Honorable Mark Filip of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Ms. Gawne received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature from Loyola University in Chicago in 2000.
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June 21, 2010 |
People
[caption id="attachment_12456" align="alignright" width="133" caption="Douglas F. Spesia"][/caption] Douglas Frank Spesia died peacefully at his home on Friday after a 10-year battle with prostate cancer. He was born October 11, 1940 in Joliet. Mr. Spesia graduated from the University of Illinois and the University of Notre Dame Law School. He was a proud member of Joliet's first all-star team which played in the 1953 Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. On June 12, 1965, he married Loretta Wiesbrook and joined the oldest law firm in Joliet, which is now Spesia & Ayers. He had a distinguished and rewarding 45-year career as an attorney, and spent his adult life involved in the Cathedral of St. Raymond parish. An active volunteer, he served on the boards of many organizations including: President of the Joliet Montessori School Board, past President of the Will County Bar Association, President of the Joliet Rotary Club and host of exchange students, founding member of the Will County Community Foundation, and a committed supporter of Catholic Charities' Daybreak Shelter. An avid reader whose wide range of interests led to a life of incredible travel -- from family camping across the United States and Canada to world-wide trips with dear friends that covered six continents.
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June 18, 2010 |
People
[caption id="attachment_12418" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Gina Arquilla DeBoni"][/caption] Gina Arquilla DeBoni has joined the law firm of Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, as a managing attorney. Romanucci & Blandin provides clients with experienced and skilled representation in catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death and workers’ compensation claims. DeBoni, who is an elected member of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Board of Governors, has chaired several fundraisers for the ISBA’s Young Lawyers Division, raising thousands of dollars for the Children’s Assistance Fund. She was the YLD chair in 2008-09. She recently completed a three-year term on the ABA’s House of Delegates, and is the ABA Young Lawyers Division District 15 representative, where she coordinates legal services in the event of a disaster. She is also active in the Justinian Society of Lawyers and a board member of the Italian American Political Coalition. DeBoni has been named twice as a “Rising Star” in the field of law by Chicago magazine. She received her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2002 and her undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa in 1997. Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, is located at 33 N. LaSalle St., Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60602, contact www.rblaw.net or call (312) 458-1000.
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June 16, 2010 |
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[caption id="attachment_12385" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Hank Shulruff"][/caption] Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund Inc. (ATG), the only bar-related title insurance company based in Illinois, is the recipient of the 19th Judicial Circuit Court of Lake County 2010 Liberty Bell Award. The Liberty Bell Award is an annual award given to an organization that demonstrates outstanding commitment and service to the community. ATG has played an integral role in an unprecedented effort to help Chicagoland homeowners at-risk of foreclosure modify their loans via a series of “Fix Your Mortgage” and “Keep Your Home” foreclosure-prevention events. “In the wake of the foreclosure crisis, ATG is a leader in providing services to at-risk homeowners,” said Chief Judge James K. Booras of the 19th Judicial Circuit Court. “We are proud of their dedicated volunteer work and ability to use the force of their membership to provide services to communities battling foreclosure.” Through its extensive member network, ATG has recruited and helped to train more than 500 volunteer attorneys to assist homeowners at these events.
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June 11, 2010 |
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Three attorneys were installed June 8 as officers of the prestigious, 131-year-old Union League Club of Chicago. The new president is James J. Gatziolis, a founding partner of the Chicago office of Quarles & Brady. A 1973 graduate of the Chicago-Kent College of Law and a certified public accountant, he has chaired several ULCC committees and is a trustee of its Boys & Girls Clubs. Serving as first vice president is Robert M. Karton of Robert M. Karton Ltd, a 1965 graduate of the DePaul University College of Law. A former assistant state’s attorney, he has been in private civil practice since 1968 and is Great Lakes Region legal officer of the Civil Air Patrol. Guy N. Maras, a partner with Hennessy & Roach in workers’ compensation, was elected to his second term as club secretary. A 1995 graduate of The John Marshall Law School and former editor of its Journal of Computer and Information Law, he has a master’s degree in public policy from DePaul.
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June 8, 2010 |
People
Officers of the Illinois Judges Association (IJA) for 2010-11 were installed at the organization’s Annual Meeting held recently at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago. The new officers are (from left) Judge Michael B. Hyman, Circuit Court of Cook County, Secretary; Justice M. Carol Pope, 4th Appellate District, Third Vice President; Justice Mary S. Schostok, 2nd Appellate District, First Vice President; Judge Lewis M. Nixon, Circuit Court of Cook County, President; Judge Rita M. Novak, Circuit Court of Cook County, Second Vice President; and Judge Robert J. Anderson, Circuit Court of DuPage County, Treasurer.
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June 8, 2010 |
People
The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers is proud to announce the election of long-time Evanston resident Alisa Arnoff of Scalambrino & Arnoff, LLP as a newly elected Fellow. Election as a Fellow is the highest recognition by ones colleagues of sustained outstanding performance in the profession, exemplifying integrity, dedication and excellence. The 15th installation of Fellows will be held Nov. 6, 2010 in Chicago, coincident with the American Bar Association's Labor and Employment Law Section's Continuing Legal Education Conference. With the current installation, the College is represented by almost 1,100 members in 43 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada. The College was the vision of a number of the Fellows. The idea was to further establish this profession in all its aspects as one uniquely important to the world of labor and employment law, individual rights, collective bargaining and dispute resolution. The College was established in 1995 through an initiative of the Council of The Section of Labor and Employment Law of The American Bar Association. It operates as a free standing organization recognizing those who, by long and outstanding service, have distinguished themselves as leaders in the field.
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June 8, 2010 |
People
Anthony C. Raccuglia of Peru, will be awarded the prestigious Leonard M. Ring Lifetime Achievement Award at the lllinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) Convention on Friday, June 11. The convention will be held at the Oak Brook Hills Marriott Resort in Oak Brook. The criteria of the award is as follows: "This award is given annually at the convention banquet to someone selected by a committee appointed by the president. The recipient is someone who has devoted, as Leonard did, a substantial part of their life and their practice to ITLA, someone who has done more than is called for. Someone who had the standards of Leonard, the work ethics of Leonard and the commitment to ITLA that Leonard had. At the same time, it keeps alive the memory of Leonard Ring."
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June 7, 2010 |
People
Todd A. Smith, a founding partner of Power Rogers & Smith in Chicago, will be installed as the 57th President of the lllinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) on Friday, June 11, at its annual convention. He received his Bachelors degree from Kansas University, his Masters in Business Administration at Northwestern University and his J.D. at Loyola University of Chicago. Smith is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, limited to 100 top trial lawyers nationwide. He is also a Fellow in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Society of Barristers. He is a past president of the lllinois State Bar Association (ISBA) and a past president of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), now the American Association for Justice (AAJ). Smith is also past Chairman of the ISBA Mutual Insurance Company Board of Directors. He was appointed to the Lawyers Trust Fund of lllinois by the lllinois Supreme Court and served a six-year term. He was honored in 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 with his inclusion in the respected Naifeh & Smith publication, "The Best Lawyers in America." He has been recognized in the top 10 lllinois lawyers in recent Super Lawyer publications, as well as in the Leading Lawyers Network. He was also selected by Chicago Lawyer Magazine as its 1998 Person of the Year.
