NEWS
May 2010. Hansen Illinois State Bar Association Appointments. Jim Hansen has been appointed secretary for the upcoming year for the Illinois State Bar Association Insurance Law Section Council and as president for the Illinois State Bar Association Standing Committee on Mentoring.
March 2010. Pratt Appointed to Board, Appointed to Chamber Committee. Chris Pratt has been appointed by the City of Quincy to the Quincy Public Library Board of Trustees. He also was recently appointed to the Membership Committee of the Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce.
March 2010. Oakley Participates in Conference. Hal Oakley participated in the VHA Mid-America Executive Leadership Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. VHA (Volunteer Health Associates) is a nationwide network of community-owned health care systems, and the presenters at the conference offered the latest information concerning health care initiatives especially regarding the integration of health care delivery systems.
February 2010. Community Services. Recently, our colleagues performed a variety of services for the community. Hal Oakley completed a two-year term as chairman of the Great River Economic Development Foundation (“GREDF”) by presiding over its annual meeting celebrating the 2009 economic development projects. The event was attended by hundreds of community members and out-of-town guests. Ted Niemann has been named to Board of Trustees of Sunset Home, which is a facility offering living options and services to senior citizens. Mike Bickhaus has become chairman of the Board of Directors of The Good Samaritan Home of Quincy, a nursing home and assisted living facility, and will be instrumental in overseeing a $22 million expansion project at the home.
January 2010. Mitchell named as Super Lawyer. Delmer Mitchell was named as a Super Lawyer for 2010 by the Illinois Super Lawyer Magazine in the area of business litigation. Mr. Mitchell has been named as a Super Lawyer each year since 2005.
December 2009. Cashman Negotiates and Closes Transactions. Andrew K. Cashman with the assistance of several other attorneys in the firm worked closely with client personnel to negotiate and close over $70 million in commercial transactions for a large manufacturing client during the year 2009.
December 2009. Corporate Restructuring. Andrew K. Cashman and Christopher W. Pratt completed the merger of a subsidiary company into its parent company for one of the firm’s publicly traded clients in December of 2009.
November 2009. Pratt Passes Illinois Bar. Christopher W. Pratt, who joined the firm as an associate in the transaction practice group in August of 2009, recently passed the Illinois bar and has been admitted to practice in the State of Illinois.
November 2009. Hansen Speaks at Insurance Law Section Council CLE. On November 13, 2009, Jim Hansen spoke to attorneys at the Illinois State Bar Association Insurance Law Section Council CLE in Chicago on the topic of “ERISA: Overview and Its Impact on Civil Litigation Settlements.”
October 2009. Oakley Named Chairman of Westminster College Committees. Hal Oakley, an alumnus of Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri and member of the Board of Trustees of the College, was named Chairman of the Board’s Student Life Committee. He and his committee focus on student satisfaction with their social, academic, extracurricular, spiritual, residential and other aspects of the student experience. In addition, Oakley is co-chairing the College’s Fraternity Housing Task Force. The task force is charged with developing and helping the College’s administration implement successful fraternity house renovations and operating models.
September 2009. Hansen Presentation. On September 3, 2009, Jim Hansen spoke to attorneys at the Illinois State Bar Association Committee on Mentoring CLE in Chicago on the topic of Mentor Training.
May 2009. Lyle Joins Firm. Kristopher P. Lyle has joined SRNM as an associate in the general litigation practice group. Mr. Lyle is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, J.D. (2006; magna cum laude) and University of Illinois, B.S. in Community Health (2003; highest honors). Mr. Lyle is admitted in Missouri and Illinois. For the past three years, Mr. Lyle was an associate at a large law firm in St. Louis where he handled all litigation aspects of cases in state and federal court. Mr. Lyle has an active pro bono practice and in May 2008 received the Legal Services of Eastern Missouri’s John R. Essner Young Lawyer of the Year Award for his commitment to pro bono work. Mr. Lyle is also an active member with the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis where he serves as a Young Lawyer’s Division Committee Chair. Mr. Lyle resides in Quincy and St. Louis.
May 2009. Hansen Wins Trial. Jim Hansen recently tried a case with the Missouri Division of Worker’s Compensation on behalf of a large trucking client in which the claimant sought in excess of $100,000. Mr. Hansen successfully won the trial with the administrative law judge. The claimant appealed to the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission in the State of Missouri. The matter was argued and the award was upheld on appeal.
April 2008 Article by Hansen and Madison Published by Illinois Bar Journal. Jim Hansen and Melinda Madison have had an article entitled The Attorney-Client Privilege and the Common-Interest Doctrine published in the April 2008 issue of the Illinois Bar Journal. The article looks at a fourth district appellate court ruling, Western States Ins Co. v O’Hara, 357 Ill App 3d 509, 828 NE2d 842 (4th D 2005) and the Illinois Supreme Court precedent behind it. Hansen represented the O’Haras in the underlying lawsuit. Both cases illustrate how insurers can lose the attorney-client privilege if they do not proceed cautiously when charged with acting for the mutual benefit of the insurer and insured.
December 2007 Gorman Appointed to Rules Committee. The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Brett K. Gorman to serve on the Supreme Court Rules Committee effective January 1, 2008.
November 2007 Mitchell Named to The Lincoln Academy. Delmer R. Mitchell was appointed by the governor of the State of Illinois to serve as a trustee of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. The purpose of the Academy is to honor individuals whose contributions to the betterment of mankind are accomplished in or on behalf of the State of Illinois, or whose achievements have brought honor to the state because of their identity with it, whether by birth or residence, or by their dedication to those principles of democracy and humanity as exemplified by the great Illinoisan whose name the Academy bears. Since 1965, the Academy has honored individuals with outstanding accomplishments in science, education, business, religion, government, the performing arts, sports, communications, medicine, agriculture, social services and other areas.
November 2007 Oakley Named One of ”20 Under 40”. Harold B. (Hal) Oakley was among 20 professionals under the age of 40 to be named one of Quincy’s “20 Under 40” by the Quincy Young Professionals and the Quincy Herald-Whig newspaper. Recipients were chosen based on their personal and professional accomplishments and commitment to the betterment of the Quincy area.
May 2007 Community Foundation Presents Grants from SRNM Fund For one local law firm, serving clients is not enough. Firm members also transform their interests into active community involvement serving as board members and volunteers for more than 25 community organizations.
The firm took its commitment to an even higher level by establishing the SRNM Fund with the Community Foundation of the Quincy Area. In fact, since the fund was established in 2003, grants of $52,750 to area nonprofit organizations have been made from the fund.
In 2007, 11 organizations are benefiting from grants totaling nearly $13,000.
- The Arc of Adams County
- The Blessing Foundation, Inc.
- Chaddock
- Cornerstone: Foundation for Families
- Culver-Stockton College
- Good Samaritan Home of Quincy
- Mary Weems Barton Foundation for the Quincy Public Library
- Quincy Area Project
- Quincy Foundation for Quality Education
- Transitions Foundation
SRNM was the first business entity to establish a fund with the Community Foundation. Other businesses and individuals, recognizing the flexibility offered in the charitable giving process, have now established funds to support their charitable giving interests.
May 2007 Jerry L. Brennan Retires. Jerry L. Brennan, a partner with Schmiedeskamp, Robertson, Neu & Mitchell LLP, retired in January 2007 after 40 years of practicing law. Mr. Brennan is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law and a graduate of the University of Missouri where he received his Civil Engineer degree. He was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1967. His area of practice included medical malpractice defense, attorney malpractice defense, products liability, insurance defense and general litigation.
December 2006 Gena J. Awerkamp Retires. Gena J. Awerkamp retired as a partner with SRNM on December 31, 2006 after over 25 years of practicing law. Ms. Awerkamp is a 1969 graduate of the University of Missouri (cum laude) and a 1982 graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia J.D. She represented hospitals, physician groups and medical malpractice insurance carriers with respect to medical malpractice and risk management. She advised many of the firm’s business clients on employment matters and handled litigation arising out of the employment relationship.