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James P. Bartley is a Partner with Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins, Ltd., in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in school law, municipal law, labor and employment law, and litigation. Mr. Bartley has advised and represented clients in numerous employment law matters, negotiated in excess of 200 collective-bargaining agreements for school districts and municipalities, and handled many arbitrations and employment-related disputes before the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the Illinois Labor Relations Board, and the EEOC and in state and federal court. He is a member of the Chicago, Illinois State, Nevada, and American Bar Associations and the Illinois Council of School Attorneys. Mr. Bartley received his B.A. from Loyola University and his J.D. with high distinction from The John Marshall Law School.
Maryam T. Brotine is Assistant General Counsel with the Illinois Association of School Boards in Lombard. Ms. Brotine is a member of the Illinois Attorney General’s Advisory Committee on Special Education, the Illinois State Board of Education’s Make Sexual and Severe Physical Abuse Fully Extinct Task Force, and the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Social, Emotional, and Developmental Screening Advisory Group. She received her B.A. from the University of Illinois and her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law, where she was an International Human Rights Sullivan Fellow and a member of the Moot Court Trial Team, National Lawyers Guild, and the Chiapas Practicum. She has also completed Cornell University’s eCornell Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Program.
Stewart H. Diamond is a Partner at Ancel Glink, P.C., in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in representation of local government bodies. Mr. Diamond is the originating General Editor of the IICLE® handbooks MUNICIPAL LAW AND PRACTICE IN ILLINOIS and ILLINOIS SCHOOL LAW and has participated in numerous seminars on these subjects. He is one of the authors of the ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL HANDBOOK, published by the Illinois Municipal League. He is also one of the authors of THE HANDBOOK ON ILLINOIS PARK DISTRICT LAW, published by the Illinois Association of Park Districts, and a handbook on township law. He has written many articles on local government law. He drafted one of the first contract and bylaws agreements for a comprehensive intergovernmental self-insurance pool in the United States and currently represents a large number of intergovernmental self-insurance pools. He has taught municipal law at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and is a Past Chair of the Illinois State Bar Association Local Government Law Section Council. He is the author of DIAMOND’S RULES OF ORDER,a set of parliamentary rules for government bodies and private organizations. In over 50 years of law practice, he has represented, as regular or special counsel, many government bodies in the Chicago metropolitan area and in other parts of the state. Mr. Diamond was educated at the University of Chicago, where he received both his A.B. and his J.D., and University College, Oxford, England.
Frank B. Garrett III is a Partner with Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor, Ltd., in Chicago, where he concentrates in education law, employment law, and litigation. Mr. Garrett has been named an Illinois Leading Lawyer in Employment Law and is a member of the Illinois Council of School Attorney, the American Bar Association, and its Labor and Employment Section. Mr. Garrett received his B.A. from Oberlin College and his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.
Philip H. Gerner III is a Partner with Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor, Ltd., in Chicago, where he counsels and represents school districts and community colleges in collective-bargaining negotiations, union representation petitions, and IELRB proceedings; teacher evaluations, remediations, and dismissals; employee discipline and discharge issues; labor contract administration and grievance arbitration; and other labor and employment issues. Mr. Gerner is a frequent presenter for the Illinois Association of School Boards, the Illinois Association of School Administrators, the Illinois Association of School Business Officials, the Illinois Community College Trustees Association, and other educational employer associations on a full range of labor and employment issues. He has been named an Illinois Leading Lawyer in employment and school law. Mr. Gerner received his B.A. cum laude from St. Lawrence University and his J.D. from Washington University School of Law.
Timothy E. Guare is a Partner with Hodges, Loizzi, Eisenhammer, Rodick & Kohn, LLP, in Arlington Heights, where he practices in the areas of public sector labor and employment law. He is a frequent speaker at labor and employment conferences and seminars presented in respected forums including the Illinois and National Public Employer Labor Relations Associations, the IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law Public Sector Labor Relations Law Program, and IICLE®. A former teacher of mathematics, he has also served as a board member of his local high school district and as education editor in his community’s local press. Mr. Guare received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.
Margaret Kostopulos is a partner at Ancel Glink, P.C., in Chicago, where she focuses on labor and employment law and school law. She is a member of the Illinois State and Chicago Bar Associations and the Illinois Council of School Attorneys. She is a member of the Illinois Public Employer Labor Relations Association and has conducted training programs before IPELRA and other state associations on Illinois labor law issues. She has been named by Chicago Magazine and Illinois Super Lawyers as one of the top labor and employment lawyers in the state. Ms. Kostopulos received her B.A. from Loyola University and her J.D. from The John Marshall Law School.
Keri-Lyn J. Krafthefer is an Equity Partner at Ancel Glink, P.C., in Chicago, where she focuses on local government law, election law, and labor and employment law. She was named by Chicago Magazine as one of the top-50 female attorneys in the State of Illinois; one of the top-10 Leading Lawyers in government, municipal, and administrative law; and an Illinois Super Lawyer. Ms. Krafthefer received her B.A. from the University of Illinois and her J.D. from The UIC John Marshall Law School.
Rachel E. Lutner is a Partner with Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor, Ltd., in Chicago, where she focuses on labor and employment law. Ms. Lutner has conducted management and employee training sessions and seminars on harassment, workplace policies, human resources functions, union avoidance, civility in the workplace, and investigating and resolving other complaints. She is also an author and speaker on labor and employment issues. Ms. Lutner received her B.A. from Carleton College and her J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law.
Colette L. McCarty is an associate at Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor, Ltd., in Champaign, where she concentrates her practice in education law with a focus on student issues. Ms. McCarty is a frequent presenter on topics dealing with student and school issues and has spoken for the Illinois Community College Chief Student Services Officers and the Large Unit District Association and Robbins Schwartz Administrators’ Academy. She is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Illinois Council of School Attorneys, and the National Council of School Attorneys. Ms. McCarty received her B.A. magna cum laude from the University of Illinois and her J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law.
Thomas M. Melody is a Partner with Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins, Ltd., in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in school law and municipal law. His experience includes collective bargaining, advising employers on all facets of labor and employment law, and defending employers against all types of employment claims at both the administrative and judicial levels. Mr. Melody is a Leading Lawyer, a member of the Chicago Bar Association, and is on the Executive Committee of the Illinois Council of School Attorneys. He received his B.A. and his J.D. from Loyola University Chicago.
Susan E. Nicholasis Senior Counsel at Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor, Ltd., in Champaign, and concentrates her practice on education law, labor and employment, employee benefits, and municipal law. Ms. Nicholas is a member of the Illinois Council of School Attorneys and the Illinois State and Decatur Bar Associations. She received her B.A. from Illinois Wesleyan University and her J.D. magna cum laude from Southern Illinois School of Law.
Everett E. Nicholas, Jr., is with Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor, Ltd., in Decatur, where he focuses on education law. Mr. Nicholas has represented clients in arbitrations, unfair labor practices, administrative review actions, as well as all types of trials and appellate matters. On behalf of school districts, he has successfully prosecuted numerous tenured teacher dismissals, prosecuted and defended many detachment and consolidation cases, and represented districts in litigation challenging student expulsions, reductions in force, due-process violations, and civil rights issues. He has served on the Illinois State Bar Association’s Education Law Council three different times, serving as Chair twice. He has also served as Chair of the Local Government and House Committees of the Chicago Bar Association and as a member of the ISBA Labor Law Committee. He was recognized by his peers as being in the top five percent of Illinois attorneys in a survey by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company, listed in Leading Lawyers.com, and named an Illinois Super Lawyer. Mr. Nicholas received his A.B. from Wheaton College and his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law.
Robert E. Riley is a Partner with Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor, Ltd., in Chicago, where he concentrates in advising and representing units of local government (including school districts, community colleges, and municipalities), corporations, and insurers in labor and employment matters. Mr. Riley has been a speaker for the Illinois Association of School Boards, the Illinois Association of School Administrators, the Illinois Community College Business Managers Association, and the Council on Education in Management and has spoken at numerous seminars for school district superintendents, board members, and business managers. He is a member of the American, Illinois State, and Chicago Bar Associations, the Chicago Council of Lawyers, and the State Judicial Evaluation Committee. Mr. Riley received his B.A. from Western Illinois University and his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.
James D. Rock is an associate at Ancel Glink, P.C., in Chicago, where he focuses on local government, municipalities, special districts, and schools. His extensive background in governmental finance and his former administrative experience with the College of Lake County and Round Lake Area Park District are valuable components of his representation of public bodies. He counsels clients on issues that arise in day-to-day representation, including matters related to board practices and procedures, finance, grant procurement, First Amendment issues, and intergovernmental cooperation. Mr. Rock received his B.S. from Central Michigan University, his M.A. from Northern Illinois University, and his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School.
Caroline A. Roselli is a Partner with Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor, Ltd., in Chicago, where she practices in the areas of education law, including special education and student rights. Ms. Roselli is a member of the Illinois Council of School Attorneys and its Executive Committee and the National Council of School Attorneys. She is also a member and advisor of the Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education. She received her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law.
Laura M. Sinarsis a Partner with Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor, Ltd., in Chicago, where she focuses on education law, including special education and student rights. Ms. Sinars is a member of the Illinois Council of School Attorneys and its Special Education Liaison Committee and the National Council of School Attorneys. She is also a member and advisor at the Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education. Ms. Sinars received her B.A. and her J.D. from the University of Notre Dame.
Gregory T. Smith is a Partner at Klein, Thorpe and Jenkins, Ltd., in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in municipal and local government law. He was named an Emerging Lawyer in 2015 – 2018. Mr. Smith received his B.S. from DePaul University and his J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law, where he was on the Dean’s List and an Associate Editor of the Chicago-Kent Journal of Intellectual Property.
Scott F. Uhleris a Partner at Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins, Ltd., in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in school, municipal, library, and election law. He has been a member of the Illinois and Chicago Bar Associations, Illinois Municipal League, International Municipal Lawyers Association, National and Illinois Councils of School Attorneys, and the Illinois and American Library Associations. Mr. Uhler received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Illinois, his master’s degree from the University of Illinois, and his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.
Allen Wall is a Partner with Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins, Ltd., in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in the areas of general litigation and municipal, library, and school law. Previously, Mr. Wall was a Senior Assistant General Counsel for the Chicago Board of Education. He received his B.A. magna cum laude from Williams College, his Masters from Duke University, his Masters and his Ph.D. from Northwestern University, and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill School of Law.