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  • January 7, 2015 | People
    First female lawyer in LaSalle Co. welcomes granddaughter into practice

    A recent law school graduate kicked off the New Year with her grandmother, the first female attorney in LaSalle County, expanding an Ottawa-based law firm.

    Kathryn Baker, who graduated from Northern Illinois College of Law and passed the Illinois State Bar in October, said she’s excited to launch Barton & Baker with her “fiery” grandmother Marilyn Barton, the first woman to practice law in Ottawa more than 40 years ago.

    “Kate’s the only one of six grandkids I could talk into law,” Barton said with a laugh. “I’m proud she’ll carry on the tradition, and I’m thrilled to start 2015 practicing law alongside my granddaughter.”

    Barton started practicing law back in 1970, after serving as a Chicago Public School teacher for more than a decade. She said she likes the idea of adding her granddaughter into her long-standing practice because, with similar strong personalities, the two make a good team.

    Baker, who interned at Prairie State Legal Services in 2013 helping low-income clients, had initially sworn off becoming a lawyer in lieu of becoming a counselor. After being the youngest to graduate in her class at Bradley University with B.S. degrees in both Psychology and Sociology, Baker spent three years as a caseworker at the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery at Proctor Hospital in Peoria.

  • January 7, 2015 | People
    Lateral associate, new grads join Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP

    Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP has welcomed a lateral associate to its Libertyville office and two recent law school graduates to its Chicago office.

  • January 7, 2015 | People
    Olejniczak joins Burke & Handley, P.C

    Burke & Handley, P.C. is pleased to announce that Jordan C. Olejniczak has joined the firm as an Associate. Mr. Olejniczak graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Northern Illinois University College of Law. During his last year of school, he worked at a law firm in Naperville, Illinois. Mr. Olejniczak will be working in the firm’s commercial banking, real estate, and bankruptcy practice. 

  • December 30, 2014 | People
    Watkins elevated to partner at Schiff Hardin

    Schiff Hardin has announced that ISBA member Lynn J. Watkins has been elevated to partner status effective Jan. 1, 2015.

    Mr. Watkins concentrates his practice in corporate and securities, as well as finance. Mr. Watkins has experience representing private and public company clients in their acquisitions and divestitures, institutional clients in connection with their investments in alternative investment vehicles and private equity funds in their formation and compliance with securities laws. Mr. Watkins also represents financial institutions and borrowers in a variety of financing matters, including secured and unsecured term note placements and mezzanine financings.

    Mr. Watkins earned his J.D. (2005) from the University of Illinois College of Law, his M.P.P (2002) from the University of Michigan — Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, and his A.B. (1999) from Oberlin College.

  • December 16, 2014 | People
    Rosenberg, Zabrin join Segal McCambridge's Chicago office

    Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney is pleased to announce that Samuel Rosenberg and Lauren Zabrin have joined the team in our Chicago office. Both are members of the Illinois State Bar Association.

    Samuel A. Rosenberg is a trial attorney who focuses his practice on medical malpractice litigation and insurance matters. Prior to joining Segal McCambridge, Mr. Rosenberg practiced law throughout Central Illinois as a Champaign County Assistant State’s Attorney and as a civil litigator. He was also a special assistant in the Office of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, and previously worked in the felony trial division of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Mr. Rosenberg ran for State Representative in the 103rd District (Champaign-Urbana) in 2014.

    In addition to his work at trial, Mr. Rosenberg is a member of the Litigation Counsel of America, the Illinois State Bar Association, and has served on the executive committee of local Jewish charitable organizations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Chicago and his J.D. from the University of Illinois.

  • December 9, 2014 | People
    Jamie Levin joins Chuhak & Tecson as associate

    Jamie E. Levin has joined Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. as an associate. She focuses her practice in Corporate transactions & business law, estate planning & asset protection and healthcare.

    She graduated from the University of Illinois in 2011 and received her JD from Loyola University Chicago in 2014. Prior to joining Chuhak & Tecson, Jamie served as a Legal Extern for the American Medical Association, where she gained extensive regulatory experience. Jamie also worked as a Legal Extern in the Circuit Court of Cook County

  • December 9, 2014 | People
    Primack joins Chuhak & Tecson as Of Counsel

    Ronald N. Primack has joined Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. as Of Counsel. Primack concentrates his practice in Banking; Corporate Transactions & Business Law; Employment; Estate Planning & Asset Protection; Estate & Trust Administration & Litigation.

    He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1978 and received his JD from DePaul University College of Law in 1981. He was previously employed at the Law Offices of Ronald N. Primack, L.L.C.

  • November 19, 2014 | People
    Barnes & Thornburg adds 3 new associates

    Barnes & Thornburg LLP has added Jill M. Fortney, Serj Mooradian and Jeff W. Sanford as associates.

    Fortney is a member of the litigation and environmental departments. She was previously a summer associate at the firm, working in litigation, intellectualy property, finance, insolvency and restructuring.

    Mooradian is a member of the health-care department and concentrates on counseling health-care clients on federal and state regulatory and compliance issues, professional licensure matters, agreements and transactional and corporate matters. He was previously a law clerk with the firm.

    Sanford is a member of the litigation department and was also a summer associate at the firm.

  • November 14, 2014 | People
    Savant Capital Management names Michael Cyrs as Lead for New Estate and Wealth Transfer Service

    Savant Capital Management, a nationally recognized fee-only wealth management firm headquartered in Rockford, announced today that Michael Cyrs has been hired as Estate and Wealth Transfer Advisor. Cyrs will head up the firm’s newly formed Family Wealth Transfer service.

    In this new role Cyrs will work with clients on complex estate and wealth transfer matters. With more than 20 years’ experience as an attorney concentrating on estate and business succession planning and administration, Cyrs’ expertise will be extremely beneficial to Savant clients in need of specific services that includes estate planning, wealth transfer, charitable planning, asset protection, and business succession planning. Cyrs will also work with attorneys as a technical resource to help coordinate legal projects related to their clients’ sophisticated estate and wealth transfer needs.

    “I am very pleased to bring Mike on board at Savant,” said Brent Brodeski, CEO of Savant.  “His specialized expertise will further enhance our goal to help our clients build their ideal futures by providing world-class integrated wealth management solutions.”

  • November 13, 2014 | People
    Alexis Ferracuti joins Law Offices of Peter F. Ferracuti, P.C.

    Alexis Ferracuti is following in her father's footsteps.

    Born and raised in Ottawa, Alexis joined the Law Offices of Peter F. Ferracuti, P.C., her father's firm, in September. The 25-year old recent graduate concentrates in civil litigation and workers' compensation matters.

    Alexis Ferracuti received a master's degree from New England Law and a bachelor's degree in political science and philosophy from Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington.

    During her third year of law school, Ferracuti served as a lieutenant governor for the First Circuit Law Student Division of the American Bar Association. She also was the academic co-chairwoman of Phi Alpha Delta, a member of the Business Law Society and a member of the Students Veterans Advocacy Group.

    She became an advocate for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and lobbied in Washington, D.C., for both public mental health rights and veterans’ mental health treatment.

    Prior to joining the firm, Ferracuti interned with the Massachusetts Human Resources Division doing both workers’ compensation and employment law, as well as with the Normal Cornbelters minor league baseball team in sports law. Additionally, she interned with her father's firm, doing both workers’ compensation and personal injury law for several summers during college and law school.

    Ferracuti has been admitted to the Illinois State Bar and also is a member of the American Bar Association, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, the Womens’ Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association.