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Elizabeth E. Babbitt is a Partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, in Chicago, and focuses her practice on commercial litigation. Ms. Babbitt is a member of the Chicago Bar Association and is an investigator for the Association’s Judicial Evaluation Committee. She earned her J.D. cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law and her B.S. cum laude from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Hugh S. Balsam is a Partner with Locke Lord LLP, in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in appellate law. Mr. Balsam serves on the Chicago Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Committee and is a member of the Illinois Appellate Lawyers Association. He is a former lecturer at UIC John Marshall Law School. He earned his B.A. from Lawrence University, his M.M. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and his J.D. summa cum laude from UIC John Marshall Law School, where he was Managing Editor of the law review.
Allison E. Czerniak is an associate at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, in Chicago, where she focuses on business and commercial litigation. Ms. Czerniak has been named an Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Star (2019 – present) and has been listed a One to Watch by Best Lawyers in America. She is a member of the Chicago Bar Association and the Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law Firms. She earned her J.D. summa cum laude from the University of St. Thomas School of Law.
Allison K. Ferrini is Insurance Coverage Counsel In-House at Zurich American Insurance Company, in Schaumburg. Ms. Ferrini is a member of DRI and the Chicago Bar Association. She received her B.A. with honors from Pennsylvania State University and her J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Joseph J. Ferrini is a Partner in Clausen Miller PC’s Appellate Practice group, in Chicago. Mr. Ferrini was chosen as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2016 and is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, the Appellate Lawyers Association, and the Catholic Lawyers’ Guild. Mr. Ferrini received his B.A. from Loyola University Chicago and his J.D. magna cum laude from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where he served as a Senior Editor of the Loyola Law Journal and was President of the Catholic Lawyers’ Guild.
Matthew D. Freiman is the Director of Large Loss Litigation at CRAIG/is Ltd., in Jacksonville, Florida, where he concentrates on insurance law. Mr. Freiman is a member of the Property Loss Research Bureau and the Defense Research Institute. He received his B.A. from Boston University and his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School.
William H. Hrabak, Jr., is a Partner with Goldstine, Skrodzki, Russian, Nemec and Hoff, Ltd., in Burr Ridge, where he engages in a commercial litigation practice. Mr. Hrabak is a member of the Chicago Bar Association and has served on its Judicial Evaluation Committee. He received his B.S. from Ohio State University and his J.D. from the University of Toledo.
Thomas J. Kanyock is a Principal at Schwartz & Kanyock, LLC, in Chicago, where he concentrates in commercial and general litigation, and acts Of Counsel as a trial and litigation consultant for other attorneys. Mr. Kanyock is admitted to the state courts of Illinois, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He is a member of the Illinois State and Chicago Bar Associations. Mr. Kanyock received his B.A. from State University of New York at Stony Brook and his J.D. from IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Edward M. Kay is a Senior Partner and former Director of Clausen Miller PC, in Chicago. Mr. Kay cochairs Clausen’s Appellate Practice Group along with his partner, Ms. Melinda Kollross. He is a Fellow in the prestigious American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Kay was also selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2012 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and was named as an “Appellate Litigation Star” and “Highly Recommended” for his appellate work by the 2012 Benchmark Litigation Survey. He has been named as an “Illinois Leading Lawyer” in appellate work and is an Illinois Super Lawyer in appellate practice. Mr. Kay earned his B.A. from Loyola University in Chicago and his J.D. from Northern Illinois University School of Law.
John F. Kennedy is a Partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, in Chicago, where he is a trial lawyer with a focus on crisis management. He is a Professor at The King’s Inns, Dublin, Ireland, and also serves as General Counsel and as a Member of the Board for the National Alliance on Mental Health. He earned his B.A. cum laude from Niles College of Loyola University and his J.D. with honors from DePaul University College of Law.
Michael J. Kralovec is a Partner at Kralovec Meenan LLP, in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in commercial litigation and labor law. He is a member of the American, Illinois State, Chicago, and Federal Bar Associations and the Chicago Council of Lawyers. Mr. Kralovec received his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and his J.D. from Loyola University Chicago.
Owen E. MacBride is a Partner with Schiff Hardin LLP, in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in energy and telecommunications. Mr. MacBride is a member of the American, Illinois State, Chicago, and Energy Bar Associations. He received his B.A. from the University of Michigan and his J.D. from Yale Law School. He formerly served as a law clerk to the Honorable Robert P. Anderson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
F. Kevin Murnighan is a Partner with Carey White Boland Murnighan & Murray, LLC, in Chicago, where he practices in the areas of business litigation and transactions. He received his A.B. from Brown University and his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School, where he was a member of the Law Review.
Valeri J. Nowik is a senior associate at Clausen Miller PC, in Chicago, and focuses her practice on casualty defense, medical malpractice, professional liability, and commercial litigation. Ms. Nowik earned her B.B.A. from the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business, her M.B.A. from Marquette University Graduate School of Management, and her J.D. from Marquette University Law School.
Daniel R. Saeedi is a Partner with Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, in Chicago, and focuses his practice on employment law and unfair competition. Mr. Saeedi is a member of the Board of Governors and Chair of the Standing Committee on Member Services. He is also Adjunct Faculty Coach for the VIS International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court in Hong Kong and on the Alumni Association Board of Directors for The John Marshall Law School. Mr. Saeedi received his B.A. from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and his J.D. magna cum laude from The John Marshall Law School.
Don R. Sampen is a Partner with Clausen Miller P.C., in Chicago, where he focuses on appellate and commercial litigation. He has authored articles and book chapters in various areas of the law, including contempt of court, special remedies, and whistleblower litigation. Beginning January 1, 2015, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed Mr. Sampen to the Supreme Court Committee on Professional Responsibility. He also has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Appellate Lawyers Association and serves on the Rules and Seminars Committees for the Association. Mr. Sampen is a member of the Chicago, Illinois State, and American Bar Associations; the Appellate Lawyers Association; and the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Professional Responsibility. He earned his B.A. from Northwestern University and his J.D. magna cum laude from Northwestern University College of Law where he was Executive Editor of the Northwestern Law Review.
Andrew R. Schwartz is the Managing Member of Schwartz & Kanyock, LLC, in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in complex collections and commercial litigation. Mr. Schwartz is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, where he is an author and lecturer. He has received a Martindale-Hubbell AV rating. He received his B.A. from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and his J.D. from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law.
Leigh Handelman Smollar practices with the firm of Pomerantz LLP, in Chicago, in the area of securities fraud litigation, representing institutional investors in individual and class-action cases. Ms. Smollar is a member of the American and Illinois State Bar Associations. She is admitted to practice in the State of Illinois, U.S. District Courts for the Northern District of Illinois, and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh and Eighth Circuits. Ms. Smollar received her B.S. with high honors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her J.D. from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Sara L. Spitler is a Partner at Goldstine, Skrodzki, Russian, Nemec and Hoff, Ltd., in Burr Ridge. Ms. Spitler has a general commercial litigation background but devotes a substantial portion of her practice to probate and guardianship matters, as well as contested trust and estate disputes. Ms. Spitler is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, where she received her B.A. summa cum laude and with departmental honors. She received her J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law and is a member of the DuPage County and Illinois State Bar Associations.
Richard Wm. Strawbridge is Senior Counsel at Sneckenberg, Thompson & Brody, LLP, in Chicago, and focuses on property subrogation. He has given presentations on the topic of damages in property subrogation cases to the National Association of Subrogation Professionals, the Chicago Bar Association, and the Western Loss Association, plus other presentations and seminars for various insurance company personnel. Mr. Strawbridge received his B.A. from Colgate University and his J.D. cum laude from The John Marshall Law School. Licensed in Illinois and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, he has also practiced widely throughout the greater midwest pro hac vice. He served as an artillery officer with the United States Army 1972 – 1974.
Jonathan B. Turpin is an associate at Locke Lord LLP, in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice on intellectual property litigation and IP pharmaceutical and biotechnology. Mr. Turpin is a Maurer School of Law Young Alumni, Order of the Coif, and Order of the Barristers. He received his B.A. from Miami University and his J.D. magna cum laude from Indiana University Maurer School of Law.
Richard L. Whitman, Sr., of The Whitman Law Office, in Monmouth, focuses his practice on wills, trusts and estates, real estate, family law, business litigation, and business entities. Mr. Whitman has been chosen as a Super Lawyer and as a Distinguished Lawyer by Expert Network. He received his undergraduate degree from Eastern Illinois University and his J.D. cum laude and Order of the Coif from Northwestern University Law School where he was an editor of the Northwestern Law Review.
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