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  • March 10, 2011 | People
    Dearmont, Titzer join Williams Venker & Sanders
    [caption id="attachment_18198" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Eric Dearmont"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_18197" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Ross Titzer"][/caption] Williams Venker & Sanders LLC is pleased to announce the addition of Eric Dearmont (edearmont@wvslaw.com) and Ross S. Titzer (rtitzer@wvslaw.com) as the newest associates to join the growing law firm. As former legal counsel to the Missouri Public Service Commission and Executive Director of the Columbia Missouri Police Officer’s Association, Eric Dearmont is well-equipped to handle the complex litigation the firm is known for.  He will focus primarily within the asbestos practice group, working closely with the firm’s many toxic torts clients. Ross S. Titzer will also work within the firm’s toxic torts group, as well as the commercial litigation and transportation law practice groups.  Experienced in defense litigation, he has handled all phases of a case, including drafting pleadings, arguing motions and developing overall strategy. Located in St.
  • March 9, 2011 | People
    Benjamin C. Duster III, 1927-2011
    Benjamin C. Duster III, the grandson of legendary anti-lynching crusader Ida B. Wells, carried on his family’s activism by taking on the Chicago Machine, and by steering an education initiative now viewed as a precursor to the massive school reforms of the late 1980s. He was a lawyer, investment banker and venture capitalist — remarkable achievements in an era when a black man had to be many times as good as the next student or worker. Mr. Duster, 83, died last month of heart failure at Advocate Trinity Hospital. He grew up in Bronzeville during the Depression, and had a powerful role model in his mother, Alfreda, the youngest child of Ida B. Wells-Barnett. She had graduated from the University of Chicago in 3½ years. In addition to a top-notch education, Alfreda had a mimeograph machine — and, she could type. People often asked her to help them fill out legal documents. Even ministers sought her guidance. “They would come all hours of the day and night, and Mrs. Duster would help them,’’ said another son, Mr. Duster’s brother, Donald. Mr. Duster attended Wendell Phillips High School and graduated as valedictorian at 16, said his wife, Murrell Duster. He studied electrical engineering in the 1940s at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and joined Alpha Phi Alpha, a black fraternity. It was an important — and safe — place to socialize at a time when African Americans were not welcome at town malt shops and student hangouts. After his father died, he left school to help his mother and his four younger siblings. He worked as a bricklayer and ran an auto garage and a construction firm — while going to night classes at DePaul University to become a lawyer. Mr. Duster also served in the U.S.
  • March 8, 2011 | People
    Gerald P. Rodeen 1947-2011
    [caption id="attachment_18142" align="alignright" width="101" caption="Gerald P. Rodeen"][/caption] Gerald P. "Gerry" Rodeen, 63, a Paxton attorney, died on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011, at rural Loda. Gerry was born April 14, 1947, in Paxton, the son of Karl Marcus and Mary Louise Kennedy Rodeen. He married Katherine M. Hustedt on July 6, 1975, at St. John's Lutheran Church, Buckley. She survives. Gerry was a graduate of Paxton Community High School and earned his B.S. in accounting in 1969 and his J.D. in 1973, both from Indiana University. Upon graduation from Indiana University in 1969, Gerry was employed by Touche Ross Certified Public Accountants for a year and a half prior to re-enrolling at the university to pursue his law degree. While at the university, he received the American Jurisprudence Award in Tort Law and prepared a revision of the state of Indiana parole law. After receiving his J.D. in 1973, he began practice as Gerald P. Rodeen and Associates, Ltd., in Paxton and later purchased the sole practice of Sidney H. Dilks. He concentrated his practice in personal injury litigation, workers' compensation, criminal defense and family law. He had extensive trial experience, having successfully represented criminal defendants in first-degree murder, armed robbery, aggravated kidnapping, rape and other criminal felony jury trials. He participated in and argued civil and criminal appeals in the Illinois Appellate Court and Supreme Court. He was a member of the American Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Indiana State Bar Association, Ford County Bar Association, American Trial Lawyers Association and Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and served on the board of managers of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.
  • March 8, 2011 | People
    Kate Heitman joins Baker & Daniels as litigator
    [caption id="attachment_18116" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Kate Heitman"][/caption] Katharine "Kate" E. Heitman has joined Baker & Daniels LLP as an associate litigator in the law firm's product liability practice group. Before joining Baker & Daniels, Heitman was a litigator at Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles and then Chicago. She graduated from the University of Southern California School of Law in 2008 after earning a bachelor's degree in economics from Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., in 2004. While in law school, Heitman served as executive senior editor of the Southern California Law Review and a judicial extern for the Honorable Stephen J. Hillman in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. She also was a research assistant at the University of Southern California School of Law, collecting information on the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 to create recommendations for state governments to adopt voting regulations. In college, Heitman played on the Pomona women's varsity soccer team and spent a semester aboard in Freiburg, Germany. She is a Wisconsin native. Baker & Daniels LLP provides advice and counsel to regional, national and international clients with legal and business needs. With more than 370 attorneys and legal professionals, the full-service law firm has offices in Indiana, Chicago, Washington, D.C.
  • March 5, 2011 | People
    William Wood McKittrick 1915-2010
    William Wood McKittrick, 95, died Dec. 25, 2010, at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Davis McKittrick; daughter, Lynn McKittrick Pond; son, Bruce Wood McKittrick; son-in-law, Robert A. Pond; and daughter-in-law, Wendy Wilson McKittrick. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lafe Emmerson and Mary Lynn Wood McKittrick. He attended DePauw University from 1932 to 1936, graduated in 1936 with an A.B. in political science, and was a member of 1933 DePauw University Football Team, which went "undefeated, untied and unscored upon." He attended Northwestern University School of Law from 1936 to 1939, graduated in 1939 with a J.D. degree, and was a member and Notes Editor of the Illinois Law Review of Northwestern University School of Law. He joined the Law Firm of Pope and Ballard in Chicago, in 1939. From February 1942 through August 1942, he was on leave from Pope and Ballard for the purpose of performing government service as an attorney in the office of the General Counsel, the Panama Canal Zone. In November 1942, he enlisted and was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve and was called to active duty in February 1943. He was subsequently stationed on the escort carrier USS Kalinin Bay, including during the period of that ship's participation in the Battle Off Samar in late October 1944. On December 19, 1942, he married Carolyn Lenne Davis, and they celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary on December 19, 2010.
  • March 4, 2011 | People
    Caleb H. Canby III 1922-2010
    Caleb H. Canby III, J.D. Attorney at law, age 88, passed on December 31, 2010 at home. He was born in Chicago and was a lifelong resident of Barrington. He is survived by his wife Bonnie S. (Kunsky) Canby. He is also survived by his three children, Ellen C. Lynch, Sarah C. Jackson, and Caleb L. Canby, six grandchildren, Samuel H. Lynch, Jane E. Lynch, Rachel C. Jackson, Max C. Jackson, Beata M. Canby and Grace M. Canby and two great-grandchildren, Olivia J. Lynch and Chloe W. Lynch. He is survived by loving nieces, Heather (Clem) Schulte and Dawn (Drew) Gentsch and numerous great nieces, nephews and cousins. His parents Caleb Harlan Canby Jr. and Ruth Cudney Canby preceded him in death. He was Corporal in the Marine Corps and a WWII Veteran serving in the Pacific. He was a volunteer firefighter for Barrington Fire Department for 36 years. He was issued a Commission As A Justice Of The Piece on April 26, 1957 which expired in April of 1961. He was also a Special Prosecutor for the Village of Barrington in 1970. He was a 55 year member of the Illinois State Bar Ass. and served as the attorney for the Incorporation of the Village of Barrington Hills. For many years he was the attorney for the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District. He was also the attorney for 1st Federal Savings and Loan of Barrington until it's merger with Bank One (Chase).
  • March 2, 2011 | People
    Danielle Kays joins Grady Pilgrim
    [caption id="attachment_18054" align="alignright" width="135" caption="Danielle Kays"][/caption] Grady Pilgrim Christakis Bell LLP announced today that Danielle Kays has joined the firm as an associate. Kays joins the firm from Cheng Cohen LLC and focuses on complex commercial litigation. “We’re pleased to have Danielle on board,” said Jeff Pilgrim, a founding partner of Grady Pilgrim. “She is a bright, young talent and her experience in trial litigation enhances our firm’s expanding Commercial Litigation practice.” Kays focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation in a wide variety of areas, including breach of contract, fraud, trademark infringement, trade secret, unfair competition, franchise-dealer, employment, consumer finance, class action defense and real estate disputes. She has been named an Illinois Super Lawyers® Rising Star by Law & Politics magazine for the past two years. Kays is a member of the American Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association and Women’s Bar Association of Illinois. She is also a member of the Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar. Kays received a J.D., cum laude, from University of Illinois College of Law and a B.A.
  • March 1, 2011 | People
    Melvin O. Moehle 1922-2011
    [caption id="attachment_18020" align="alignright" width="87" caption="Melvin O. Moehle"][/caption] Melvin Otto Moehle, 88, of Washington, Ill., passed away on Friday, Feb. 18, at Washington Christian Village. Melvin was born Sept. 17, 1922, in Okawville, Ill., to Walter A. and Minna Miche Moehle. He married Loraine Niermann on May 5, 1945, in Nashville, Ill. She preceded him in death on Dec. 9, 2007. Mel graduated from Washington University in 1944, where he was a member and served as president of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He was a World War II Navy veteran, serving aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Solomons, achieving the rank of lieutenant. After serving in active duty, he graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law in 1948. In 1950, he and Loraine moved to Washington, where he worked for the law firm Heyl, Royster & Voelker in Peoria.
  • March 1, 2011 | ISBA News | People
    ISBA leaders attend DuPage County Bar Association's Judges' Nite
    A number of ISBA leaders attended the DuPage County Bar Association's Judges Nite on Friday, Feb. 25, at the Abbington in Glen Ellyn. This year's production, the event's 36th, was titled "Flee." On hand for the show were (from left): ISBA Board of Governor Lisa Nyuli; candidate for 3rd VP Rick Felice; current 3rd VP Paula H. Holderman and Board of Governor Jim McCluskey.
  • February 25, 2011 | People
    Jacobs, Cervantes join Bozeman, Neighbour, Patton & Noe, LLP
    [caption id="attachment_17983" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Elizabeth J. Cervantes"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_17982" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Jeffrey D. Jacobs"][/caption] Jeffrey D. Jacobs and Elizabeth J. Cervantes have joined the Moline firm of Bozeman, Neighbour, Patton & Noe, LLP as associates. Mr. Jacobs graduated from Drake University magna cum laude and from Chicago Kent School of law.  He is licensed in Illinois.  His practice concentration is in the business area, including transactional work and resolution of disputes. Ms. Cervantes is a graduate of the University of Iowa and the Iowa Law School.  She is in general practice with an emphasis on litigation.