Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu & Mitchell Lawyers - Quincy IL

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Community Service Is Important To Us

Schmiedeskamp lawyers and staff are well-known throughout the region as leaders who care about the people and the communities they serve.


The firm, along with numerous lawyers and staff, financially support and volunteer their time to help many agencies, both civic and charitable in ways that make a difference for their neighbors, clients and communities.


For more than 100 years, passion for their clients and their partners has made the Schmiedeskamp firm a model for longevity and success.


United for generations

Hal Oakley United Way Chair

Hal Oakley is the current chair of the 2018-2019 United Way annual campaign and has been a volunteer since 1997. Early in his involvement with the United Way, Hal had the honor of serving with the late Joe Bonansinga, known then as “Mr. Quincy.” 


“Joe was a major proponent of the United Way and impressed upon me the need to think and act in the best interests of the community as a whole as opposed to this or that special interest.”


The United Way partners with area agencies and organizations to address the community’s social service needs by raising funds that are regranted to member agencies as well as providing community-wide services that support other agencies and the underserved populations as a whole.


“As a member of a family that has multi-generational experience with the United Way, I’m pleased to play an important role in its success now,” he said. “The Schmiedeskamp firm’s attitude about community involvement is much like my family’s. We owe much to the community that has supported us in our careers and only through a healthy community can we all continue to survive and thrive.”


Opening doors

Natalie Oswald YWCA
As a woman, mother, and lawyer, Natalie Oswald has been particularly drawn to the mission of the YWCA. 

The local mission of the YWCA has been ‘opening doors and creating opportunities for women and children in Adams County,’ and its hallmark programs support these efforts while also working to eliminate racism wherever it exists.

“It’s so important to give back, and I like this organization because of the impact on multiple people and generations,” Natalie says. “If we can help Mom or Dad, the kids and generations after will benefit. It shows the impact we can have for years to come.”

Natalie is the current board chair and has been especially involved in developing the YWCA Voice for All Women, an event that recognizes local women of achievement while mixing with a fun lip-synching, fund-raising showdown.

“The fact that our firm puts such a big focus on community involvement has been a good fit for me professionally and personally,” she said. “Every attorney here gives back to our community not just through funding but through time and talent.”

Achieving dreams through persistence and focus

Boy Scouts of America Logo
Trustworthy, Loyal and Helpful lead the 12-word Boy Scout law and also explain Jeff Terry’s approach to life and work.

For 25 years, Jeff has been involved in scouting, including reaching the highest rank of Eagle Scout. Jeff grew up in a family of Scouts and has continued to be a dedicated volunteer for the Mississippi Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

“Reaching the rank of Eagle Scout taught me all dreams are possible to achieve with persistence and focus, “ he said. Jeff has served as an Executive Board member for the Mississippi Valley Council since 2014. He now serves as Vice President of Administration for the Council and a member of the Council’s Executive Committee which serves over 2700 scouts in two states.

“I am very proud that community involvement continues to be a focus of the Schmiedeskamp firm.”

Schmiedeskamp In The News

A man in a suit and tie is smiling for the camera.  SRNM Partner Ted Niemann
26 Mar, 2024
Attorney Ted Niemann announced his candidacy for the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) Area VI Board of Governors seat. Niemann, having practiced law for over 40 years with the law firm of Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu & Mitchell LLP in Quincy, Illinois, and having been an active member of the Illinois State Bar Association for over 40 years, has decided to step up his contribution to the Illinois legal profession by running for a position on the ISBA’s Board of Governors. "I'm humbled by the notion that I may have the opportunity to serve on the Illinois State Bar Association’s Board of Governors as a representative of its Area VI,” said Niemann, which includes the Illinois 7, 8, and 9 judicial circuits. The Board of Governors is the ISBA’s governing body. The Board has not had an Adams County-based member for over 50 years. In the event Niemann is elected, he pledges to focus on issues important to downstate attorneys, such as the significant lack of attorneys in many communities located south of Interstate Highway 80. This “attorney desert” adversely affects attorneys’ abilities to service clients and people’s ability to access legal services. In addition, Niemann is committed to improving ISBA services to rural, downstate attorneys, such as offering timely and relevant seminars and newsletters, attorney networking opportunities, referral services, and mentoring. Niemann was quick to add that he feels he is uniquely positioned to fill this role on the ISBA Board in light of the fact that he has chaired the ISBA’s statewide Real Estate Law Section Council twice, been a member of this committee for more than 25 years, and is currently a member of the ISBA Assembly. “I believe my ISBA involvement shows my dedication to representing the West Central Illinois region," said Niemann. "Throughout my career, I have been committed to serving the legal community and advocating for the needs of Illinois lawyers. I believe my extensive experience and deep understanding of the legal landscape will allow me to effectively represent the diverse interests of attorneys in Area VI while serving on the ISBA Board of Governors,” Niemann commented. Niemann's legal practice focuses on a variety of areas, including real estate, commercial, banking, corporate, estate planning and administration, agriculture, and debt collection law. Niemann is an alum of DePaul University-College of Law and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a member of the ISBA, the ISBA Assembly, the ISBA Real Estate Law Section Council, and the Adams County Bar Association. He is past president of the Adams County Bar Association and Quincy Regional Crime Stoppers. He is the recipient of the 2023 ISBA Matthew Maloney Tradition of Excellence Award. On behalf of the ISBA, he has written numerous newsletter articles, and organized and presented at a myriad of real estate-based seminars. Learn more about Ted Niemann at his firm’s website at www.srnm.com . As an ISBA Area VI Board of Governors member, Niemann will be representing member attorneys in 20 counties in Western and Central Illinois, this voting district being bounded on the north by Knox County, on the east by Sangamon County, on the south by Calhoun, Jersey, and Macoupin Counties, and on the west by Adams and Hancock Counties. The Board advocates for the legal profession, promotes the administration of justice, and provides resources and services to ISBA members in the region. Niemann encourages all ISBA members in Area VI (Circuits 7, 8, & 9) to learn more about his candidacy and to cast their votes in the upcoming election by accessing the Illinois State Bar Association website at www.isba.org . The election runs from March 27 to April 30.
a woman with long blonde hair is smiling for the camera .
10 Jan, 2024
Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu & Mitchell LLP is excited to announce Shelby N. Clinging as the latest addition to its growing legal team. Shelby is a graduate of Drake University School of Law where she was involved in the Mock Trial Team, Children’s Rights Clinic (juvenile law, guardianships, and education law), and the Student Bar Association. Shelby passed the Illinois Bar Exam and was licensed in November 2023. Prior to joining the firm as an associate, Shelby served as a law clerk for SRNM. “We are delighted to welcome Shelby Clinging to the SRNM family. Her dedication and intelligence make her a fantastic addition to our firm. We look forward to witnessing her continued success and growth in serving our clients and the community” says Managing Partner Mike Bickhaus. The Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu & Mitchell LLP firm was founded in 1914. Its nineteen lawyers represent clients in civil litigation, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, agribusiness, banking, education law, real estate, healthcare, estate planning, trust administration, probate, taxation, labor and employment law, and other areas of practice. The firm serves clients in Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, Montana and the District of Columbia. More information about the firm and its lawyers is available at SRNM.com.
Cole Bradshaw
05 Oct, 2023
Cole W. Bradshaw has joined Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu & Mitchell LLP as an associate after recently passing the Missouri Bar and taking his Oath of Admission in Missouri on September 29, 2023. “We are excited to welcome Cole as a new associate to our legal team. We are confident that he will be a great contributor to our ongoing growth and success.” - Managing Partner Mike Bickhaus A Griggsville native, Bradshaw is a proud graduate of Saint Louis University School of Law and is ready to make his mark in the legal world. Currently, Cole is licensed in Missouri and is working towards adding Illinois to his licensed states. While he may be new to being an associate, his previous role as summer law clerk at SRNM has already helped him to develop exceptional legal skills and develop an understanding of the legal needs in the area. We welcome Cole to our legal team, knowing that his passion and dedication for the practice of law will be instrumental in our continued success as a firm.
a man in a suit and tie is smiling for the camera .
02 Aug, 2023
SRNM Partner Del Mitchell passes the Quincy University Chairman of the Board position to Ralph Oakley
Kevin S. Bross
03 May, 2023
Kevin S. Bross has joined Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu & Mitchell LLP as an associate with the firm’s litigation team. “We are excited to have Kevin join our firm. He is just the kind of lawyer our office needs to add to enhance our already excellent litigation group." said Mike Bickhaus, Managing Partner of SRNM. "His mindset for community involvement aligns well with our overall firm’s involvement in the tri-state area and beyond. We are proud that he is now a part of our team.” A Palmyra native, Bross is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Law. Bross is licensed in Illinois and Missouri. Prior to joining the firm, Bross practiced in St. Louis with a focus on insurance defense work and earlier served as a prosecuting attorney in Monroe City. Bross has been active in several community activities including the Marion County Law Enforcement Foundation, Flower Children Relay for Life Team, and the American Cancer Society. The Schmiedeskamp firm was founded in 1914. Its lawyers, now 18 in number, represent clients in civil litigation, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, agribusiness, banking, education law, real estate, healthcare, estate planning, trust administration, probate, taxation, labor and employment law, and other areas of practice. The firm serves clients in Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. More information about the firm and its lawyers is available at SRNM.com.
Michael A. Bickhaus
11 Apr, 2023
SRNM Managing Partner Mike Bickhaus will be inducted into the Quincy University 2023 Legal Hall of Fame on April 15, 2023. Congratulations to Mike on this honor! An article on this achievement can be found here .
09 Mar, 2023
Wednesday, March 8th, Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, Lawyers for Learners, and John Wood Community College joined forces to host a free legal clinic for clearing criminal records. The collaboration benefitted a total of 38 community members, with almost a dozen receiving in-person consultations today from volunteering local attorneys and former judges, including Judge William Mays (retired), attorney Ted Niemann, attorney William Meckes, attorney David Penn, attorney Christopher Scholz, and attorney James Rapp. The event focused on helping prepare requests for expungement and sealing of legal records that were hurting participants’ housing and employment opportunities. The legislature has expressly authorized the sealing and expungement process because it vitally benefits the economy and society to allow citizens the opportunity to work and live productive lives without being held back by youthful missteps resulting in an arrest or conviction. Meeting at the JWCC Campus in Quincy, IL, Land of Lincoln attorneys and staff with the above volunteers helped guide participants through their legal paperwork, the first step of this legal process to request to expunge and/or seal their Adams County criminal records. An expungement is a legal court order that destroys a criminal record and removes it from public view. Records that cannot be expunged because they resulted in convictions may be eligible to be sealed. Sealing limits who has access to the records. It generally takes several months from when a petition for expungement and sealing is filed until a decision is made by a judge. Throughout the event, Quincy’s local attorneys shared that they enjoyed meeting one-on-one with participants, who demonstrated they were determined to improve not just their own circumstances, but that of their families and communities through higher level education, through better job options, and better access to housing. The participants must next seek approval of the Court to clear specific records, but so many expressed deep gratitude for this start towards their goal because they received explanations of the process, help with the legal forms, and free legal counsel about their circumstances. The collaboration between Lawyers for Learners, Land of Lincoln and John Wood Community College aimed to help current or future students have a clearer path towards their career goals. It is the hope of each of the three organizations to work together on future events focused on enriching the lives of the Quincy community. Land of Lincoln provides free legal help with many types of civil legal matters, including expungements and sealing, across 65 Illinois counties year-round. Their Alton office currently serves the legal needs of 12 counties, including Adams, Pike, Brown, Schuyler, and Hancock Counties. Land of Lincoln plans to open a Quincy branch office this Summer, focusing on free legal help with divorces, custody matters, and Orders of Protection for issues of domestic abuse and violence. More about Land of Lincoln Legal Aid is available at: https://lincolnlegal.org/ More about Lawyers for Learners can be found here: https://lawyersforlearners.org/
20 Feb, 2023
Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu & Mitchell LLP would like to announce as of January 1, 2023 various management changes. Harold B. (Hal) Oakley has completed an 8-year term as Chair of the firm and a 12-year term as a member of its Executive Committee. Michael A. Bickhaus will continue as Managing Partner, which position will now also include the duties of the Chair. The partners re-elected Bickhaus, James A. Hansen, Natalie L. Oswald, and Jeffrey L. Terry to the Executive Committee for 2023. Kaleena Gentry continues to serve as the firm’s Business Manager, which role will now include additional managerial duties. Oakley plans to devote more time to his legal practice, which focuses on corporate law (including transactional health care law) and estate planning and administration. He is a candidate for an LLM (master’s degree) in tax law with Washington University of St. Louis. Oakley, a Quincy native, joined the firm in 1996 after practicing law for several years in St. Louis. He has been active with many charitable and civic organizations in and outside the Quincy area, including Quincy University, the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, Illinois Equal Justice Foundation, America’s National Churchill Museum at Westminster College, and the International Churchill Society. He formerly served as a director and the corporate secretary of Quincy Media, Inc. Bickhaus, a Quincy native, joined Schmiedeskamp in 1994 with his practice focusing primarily on estate planning, business, real estate, agricultural, and banking law. In addition to his successful law practice, he also has held numerous positions on the boards of local charitable, civic and business organizations with current board roles with Mercantile Bank, Western Catholic Union, and Good Samaritan Home Foundation. Bickhaus has also served on the firm’s Executive Committee for the past 12 years. About Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu & Mitchell LLP Established in 1914, Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu & Mitchell LLP is the largest law firm within 100 miles of Quincy and currently consists of 17 lawyers with diverse expertise. As a result of this extensive knowledge & experience, as well as emphasizing firm-wide collaboration, the firm’s lawyers are trained to provide their clients unsurpassed representation and service in the areas of civil litigation, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, agribusiness, banking, education law, real estate, healthcare, estate planning, probate, taxation and labor and employment law. This sophisticated, varied practice challenges and rewards its lawyers daily with opportunities to serve clients throughout the country. For more information about SRNM please visit, SRNM.com . 
William S. Meckes - Partner
01 Feb, 2023
The law firm of Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu & Mitchell LLP is pleased to announce the promotion of William S. Meckes to equity partner of the firm as of January 1, 2023. Meckes joined the firm in 2018 and has practiced law since 2014. He represents families, businesses, and local governments in a variety of matters, with a focus on corporate, banking, and real estate law. Meckes also handles special matters such as claims by veterans and veteran families involving Camp Lejeune.
22 Aug, 2022
The partners of Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu & Mitchell LLP are pleased to announce that effective September 1, 2022, Steven E. Siebers will be joining the firm as a partner. Siebers grew up in Quincy and has been an established, successful lawyer in the region since earning his law degree in 1979 from the University of Illinois School of Law, where he graduated at the top 10% of his class. His practice has focused on a full array of legal services for area business clients, including banks, and estate planning and administration for individuals, including tax issues. He is licensed in both Illinois and Missouri. Siebers has also served the community as a volunteer board member for several charitable organizations, including Transitions of Western Illinois, Quincy Notre Dame Foundation, United Way, Community Foundation, Chamber of Commerce, and Boy Scouts, among others. “We are excited to welcome Steve as a valuable member of our team,” said Harold B. Oakley, Chairman of the Schmiedeskamp firm. “Steve’s expertise and over 40 years of experience are a terrific fit for our firm,” Oakley continued. “His dedication to serving the community also fits nicely with our firm’s tradition of volunteer service.” “I am very pleased to partner with the Schmiedeskamp law firm. We share a passion for high quality service and practical problem solving for our clients. I look forward to working closely with their lawyers and staff.” Siebers will begin meeting with clients at the firm location of 525 Jersey, Quincy, IL and can be reached by calling the firm at (217) 223-3030 or (217) 222-7620. About Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu & Mitchell LLP Established in 1914, Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu & Mitchell LLP is the largest law firm within 100 miles of Quincy and currently consists of 17 lawyers with diverse expertise. As a result of this extensive knowledge & experience, as well as emphasizing firm-wide collaboration, the firm’s lawyers are trained to provide their clients unsurpassed representation and service in the areas of civil litigation, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, agribusiness, banking, education law, real estate, healthcare, estate planning, probate, taxation and labor and employment law. This sophisticated, varied practice challenges and rewards its lawyers daily with opportunities to serve clients throughout the country. For more information about SRNM please visit, SRNM.com .
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