IICLE Online

Ivar R. Azeris
Ivar R. Azeris
Ivar R. Azeris is a Senior Partner in Clausen Miller PC in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in business law, commercial litigation, real estate, estate planning, and estate and trust litigation. Mr. Azeris’ experience in the general corporate area includes establishing and advising closely held corporations, sale and acquisition of corporate and other business entities, and negotiating employment and related agreements. He has lectured for bar associations and authored materials for National Business Institute CLE programs on resolving real estate title defects and fundamental probate procedures. He is a member of the Illinois State and Chicago Bar Associations and has served on the CBA Corporation and Business Law Committee and Civil Practice Committee. Mr. Azeris received his J.D. from Boston College Law School.
Edward X. Clinton
Edward X. Clinton
Edward X. Clinton is Principal at The Clinton Law Firm, LLC, in Chicago, where he has specialized in corporate and securities law matters since he began practicing law. Mr. Clinton is a member of the Evanston Golf Club, a member of the Lay Advisory Board of the Little Sisters of the Poor Chicago Home, and the President of the Children’s Care Foundation. A former instructor in securities regulation at The John Marshall Law School, he has written and lectured extensively on corporate, securities, and banking law topics. Mr. Clinton received his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School.
Edward X. Clinton, Jr.
Edward X. Clinton, Jr.
Edward X. Clinton, Jr., is a Shareholder at The Clinton Law Firm, LLC, in Chicago where he focuses his practice on commercial litigation. Mr. Clinton served as law clerk to the Honorable Michael S. Kanne of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and also as an associate with the firm of Mayer, Brown & Platt before joining the Law Offices of Edward X. Clinton, P.C., in Chicago. He is a member of the Seventh Circuit, Chicago, Illlinois State, and American (Section of Litigation) Bar Associations. Mr. Clinton is a member of the Lay Advisory Board of the Little Sisters of the Poor Chicago Home and a member of the Board of Directors for Saint Ignatius Chicago Rowing Club. He maintains a blog on commercial litigation and securities issues and has authored presentations for IICLE® and other groups on contract law. He received his B.A. from the University of Chicago, his LLM from Chicago-Kent College of Law, and his J.D. with honors from Harvard Law School.
R. Mark Halligan
R. Mark Halligan
R. Mark Halligan is a Partner at FisherBroyles, LLP, in Chicago. He is an accomplished trial lawyer who focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation including patent, copyright, trademark, and trade secret litigation in federal and state courts throughout the United States and abroad. Mr. Halligan has also developed a nationally recognized trade secrets litigation practice focused on all aspects of trade secret law. He represents individuals, middle-market companies, and large corporations, both as plaintiffs and defendants, in trade secret and noncompete disputes. He has become a “go-to” litigator on some of the most complex intellectual property matters in the United States and worldwide. Mr. Halligan has an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and peer reviews rank him as a top lawyer in Intellectual Property in Chambers USA. Best Lawyers recognized Mr. Halligan as Lawyer of the Year in trade secrets law in 2020. Legal 500 has recognized him as a leading lawyer in trade secrets litigation in multiple years. He has also been ranked as one of the world’s Leading IP Strategists in IAM 250 and IAM 300 and was recognized as a leading TMT lawyer in Who’s Who Legal Telecommunications Media & Technology: Information Technology (2016). Mr. Halligan is a frequent lecturer on intellectual property issues; his speaking engagements include the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), the Licensing Executives Society (LES), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and the Illinois Intellectual Property Law Association (IPLAC). He earned his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law and his B.A. from the University of Cincinnati summa cum laude. Mr. Halligan has taught trade secrets law at University of Chicago School of Law for the past 30 years.
Robert N. Kamensky
Robert N. Kamensky
Robert N. Kamensky is a Partner with Husch Blackwell LLP, in Chicago, where he focuses on corporate law. Kamensky guides companies through major transactions and provides comprehensive advice on their day-to-day operations and business needs. He received his B.A. from the University of Iowa and his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law, where he was a member of the DePaul Journal of Health Care Law.
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
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.
Susan Poll Klaessy
Susan Poll Klaessy
Susan Poll Klaessy is a Partner at Foley & Lardner LLP in Chicago, where she focuses on bankruptcy and business reorganizations. She is a member of the Turnaround Management Association and the International Women’s Insolvency Restructuring Confederation. She was named a Super Lawyer: Business Bankruptcy in 2020 – 2023. Ms. Poll Klaessy received her B.A. from the University of Iowa and her J.D. cum laude from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Don R. Sampen
Don R. Sampen
Don R. Sampen is a Partner at Clausen Miller P.C. in Chicago, where he focuses on appellate work, insurance coverage litigation, and commercial litigation. He has taught as an adjunct professor at several Chicago-area law schools, including insurance law, trial practice, pretrial litigation, and other subjects. He is the former Chief of Special Litigation and former Chief of the Public Interest Division for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, where he concentrated on complex civil litigation. He is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is an Illinois Super Lawyer in Insurance Coverage. He has argued appeals in the Illinois Supreme Court, all five Illinois appellate districts, four other state appellate courts, and six U.S. Courts of Appeals. Mr. Sampen received his J.D. magna cum laude from the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
Joseph W. Sheyka
Joseph W. Sheyka
Joseph W. Sheyka, Senior Counsel with the firm DLA Piper LLP (US), in Chicago, concentrates his practice in franchise and distribution law. Mr. Sheyka is a member of the American Bar Association and its Antitrust Committee and Forum on Franchising. He received his B.A. from the University of Illinois and his J.D., Order of the Coif, from Northwestern University School of Law.
Ronald A. Stearney, Jr.
Ronald A. Stearney, Jr.
Ronald A. Stearney, Jr., is a solo practitioner in Chicago, concentrating his practice in commercial litigation. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his J.D. from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Ivar R. Azeris

Edward X. Clinton

Edward X. Clinton, Jr.

R. Mark Halligan

Robert N. Kamensky

John F. Kennedy

Susan Poll Klaessy

Don R. Sampen

Joseph W. Sheyka

Ronald A. Stearney, Jr.

Business Law (Illinois): Miscellaneous Operating Issues (ARCHIVED 2011 EDITION & 2013 SUPPLEMENT)