Class Notes
Class Notes are displayed in the order that they are received. You may also view notes by decade, or by class year – simply click on the decade or click on the + symbol to expand the decade and display by year. If a given class year does not appear, notes do not exist for that particular year.
John Early '71
(4/23/24)
John F. Early, of Elgin, IL, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.
William McClure '71
(12/11/23)
William (Bill) McClure passed away unexpectedly on October 28 in Naples, Florida, where he lived for with his wife, Carma.
Saul Morse '72
(11/16/23)
Saul Morse was recently appointed to the General Assembly Commission on Accessibility of the Capitol. He also retired from Brown, Hay & Stephens LLP where he was Of Counsel.
William Coulson '72
(10/11/23)
William R. Coulson was was honored by Martindale-Hubbell for 30 years of being rated “AV Preeminent,” the “highest possible peer review rating in legal ability and ethical standards.”
Steven K. Wood '71
(10/11/23)
Steven K. Wood, 83, of Sullivan, passed away September 22, 2023.
Stanley Cichowski '74
(9/19/23)
Stanley Cichowski, LTC (retired), passed away on September 7, 2023. During his career, Stan was a highly respected expert in state and local taxation. He also taught as an adjunct professor at the College of Business MST, University of Illinois at Chicago.
George Ripplinger '70
(8/21/23)
George R. Ripplinger Jr. of Belleville, IL, passed away peacefully at his home, surrounded by family.
Tom Lamont '72
(8/21/23)
Tom Lamont was recently appointed by President Biden to the State Department’s Cultural Property Advisory Committee. Lamont, a longtime Springfield attorney, previously served in the Obama administration as Assistant Secretary of the Army.
Saul Morse '72
(8/21/23)
On June 30, 2023, Saul Morse retired from the practice of law. He had been Of Counsel at Brown, Hay, & Stephens LLP in the Springfield office.
Christopher Murtaugh '70
(8/21/23)
On Friday, June 23, 2023, Christopher David Murtaugh was honored by the Florida Bar for being a 50-year member in good standing as a part of the Annual Florida Bar Convention.
Floyd Mandell '73
(8/21/23)
On Friday, June 23, 2023, Floyd A. Mandell was honored by the Florida Bar for being a 50-year member in good standing as a part of the Annual Florida Bar Convention.
Robert Hall '73
(8/21/23)
On Friday, June 23, 2023, Robert C. Hall was honored by the Florida Bar for being a 50-year member in good standing as a part of the Annual Florida Bar Convention.
Gregory E. Pelini '76
(5/21/23)
Gregory E. Pelini passed away peacefully at Carle Hospital in Urbana, surrounded by family on March 26, 2023.
Robert McIntire '72
(3/22/23)
Robert McIntire was appointed Resident Circuit Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit, Vermilion County, in January 2023 to fill the unexpired term of Judge Nancy Fahey.
Stuart Lubin '74
(1/23/23)
Following the retirement of the Hon. Michael P. Toomin from the Cook County Courts, Hon. Stuart F. Lubin has been appointed interim acting presiding judge of the Juvenile Justice Division. Judge Lubin has been a judge for 32 years, prior to which he served as an Assistant Cook County Public Defender for 17 years.
Richard Siehl '77
(12/20/22)
Richard Walter Siehl passed away on October 13, 2022.
John Spear '78
(11/17/22)
John Spear, of the law firm of Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A., has completed his recertification, marking his 25th year as a Florida Bar board certified specialist in real estate law.
Marilyn Johnson '79
(7/8/22)
Judge Marilyn Johnson passed away on June 1, 2022, after a long illness.
David Peterson '74
(7/8/22)
David E. Peterson, 72, of Springfield, IL, passed away on Monday, February 28, 2022, at Springfield Memorial Hospital.
Richard Pravda '78
(7/8/22)
Richard E. Pravda has earned a Masters in Museum Studies from the School of Professional Studies of the City University of New York Graduate Center/New York Historical Society. After 40 years of practice in the area of civil litigation, he intends to enter a new area of practice. Richard resides with his wife on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York.
Norman Early '70
(5/24/22)
Norman Early has died at age 76 after a long illness. Early served as Denver’s top prosecutor from 1983 to 1993 and was the only elected Black district attorney in Colorado history.
Timothy Johnson '72
(5/24/22)
Timothy Johnson passed away Monday, May 9th, 2022, at his Urbana home among family and friends.
Michael McGovern '72
(4/19/22)
Michael "Mike" McGovern of Atlanta, Georgia, passed away on Saturday, March 26th, 2022.
Frederick Stavins '76
(4/19/22)
Frederick C. Stavins, the City Attorney for the City of Champaign since 1981, has announced plans to retire from that position effective May 20, 2022. Serving for more than forty years, Stavins is the longest serving City Attorney and department head in the City’s history.
Walter Jones '72
(10/25/21)
Walter Jones passed away on Sunday, October 17, 2021. Walter was a renowned Chicago trial attorney. He started his career as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois where he rose to become the highest ranking minority in the history of the office at that time as Chief of the Criminal Division and Special Litigation Counsel in charge of all litigation, both civil and criminal. Subsequently, he founded the minority-owned law firm of Pugh, Jones & Johnson, P.C. where he practiced for almost 30 years, handling many of the firm's most complicated, high profile cases. Through his efforts, the firm became one of the largest minority-owned and managed firms in the Midwest. More recently, Walter joined longtime friends at the prestigious firm of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner.
David Allen Larson '79
(10/21/21)
David Allen Larson has been elected Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution. David is a tenured Professor at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St Paul, Minnesota, and also is the System Designer for the New York State Unified Court System Small Claims Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Pilot project.
Robert Reiland '75
(8/30/21)
Robert (Bob) N. Reiland of Clarendon Hills, IL passed away on August 11, 2021.
Saul Morse '72
(8/26/21)
Saul Morse, of Counsel at Brown, Hay & Stephens, has recently been appointed by Governor Pritzker to the Capital Development Board and as Chair of the Quality Care Board of the Illinois Department of Human Services. Both appointments require confirmation by the Illinois State Senate.
William Coulson '72
(7/23/21)
The Cook County Board has reappointed attorney William R. Coulson to another 5-year term on the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority (“RTA”). RTA provides financial and planning oversight of the CTA, Metra, and Pace bus and rail services in the six- county Chicago region. Coulson has served on the Board since 2007, and currently Chairs the RTA Audit Committee.
Joel Halper '73
(6/29/21)
Joel David Halper, age 73, of Arlington Heights, IL, passed away on Sunday June 27th, 2021.
James Schlifke '73
(6/10/21)
James Steven Schlifke of Marina, California, passed away on May 17, 2021.
Bud Alexander '77
(4/9/21)
Bud Alexander was elected McHenry, Illinois Public Library District Trustee.
John DeLaMar '70
(3/31/21)
John “Jack” DeLaMar passed away on Friday, March 26, 2021, at the age of 75 in Champaign, IL.
Stanley Eisenstein '73
(12/2/20)
Stanley Eisenstein has been presented with the Walter P. Reuther Distinguished Service Award by the United Auto Workers, the highest honor the UAW bestows. The American Institute of Legal Counsel named him one of Illinois’ 10 Best in Labor and Employment Law for 2020. He was named as 2020 Lawyer of the Year, Labor Law - Union, Chicago by Best Lawyers. Both of these are repeat honors.
James J. Eder '79
(11/27/20)
Associate Judge James J. Eder of the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Illinois announced his retirement at the end of 2020 after 19 1/2 years on the bench.
James Brusatte '77
(11/18/20)
Retired Circuit Judge James Brusatte has received the 2020 Prairie State Legal Services Excellence Award for his contribution to Pro Bono Services.
Lawrence Rolle '78
(8/25/20)
Lawrence Rolle ’78 just celebrated his 41st year of practice at RolleLaw in Dallas, Texas. He has been Senior Partner for 34 of those years, is Board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law, & has obtained 7 figure jury verdicts in his last 3 trials.
Harvey Temkin '78
(8/21/20)
Harvey Temkin of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. has been recognized on the 2021 "The Best Lawyers in America" list. He is based in the Madison office.
Judy Fernald '74
(7/15/20)
Judy Lunsford Fernald, 73, of Houston, TX passed away on Monday, May 4, 2020.
Mark Goldenberg '73
(4/13/20)
Mark Goldenberg was selected as a recipient of The Mannie Jackson Center for the Humanities Foundation Human Spirit Leadership Award at the Fifth Annual Distinguished Leadership Dinner and Fundraiser in February. Established this year, the Human Spirit Leadership Award, presented by the MJCHF, honors individuals who have committed their time, talent and resources to be a contributing leader who values developing an understanding of others. Winners must reflect the values of Mannie Jackson’s life-long mission to overcome obstacles and challenge the status quo.
William Coulson '72
(2/18/20)
William R Coulson authored a feature article in the April 2020 edition of "World War II Magazine" on the 1942 battle of Tulagi. The article is the third Coulson has written for the magazine based on his travels to remote Pacific Island battlefields of the War and their appearance today.
Martin Joseph Knanishu '75
(1/31/20)
Martin Joseph Knanishu passed away at the Albuquerque, New Mexico Veterans Medical Center on June 17, 2019 at the age of 70 with loving family and friends by his side. He graduated from Augustana College was drafted and served in Vietnam, then entered the University of Illinois College of Law and graduated in 1975. Martin’s long career as a lawyer began in the University of Illinois Student Legal Service, then in a long service as a Public Defender and in private practices concentrating in criminal defense law in Champaign, Illinois, Roswell and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Stephen Balsley '72
(11/13/19)
Stephen G. Balsley has been a partner in the Rockford law firm of Barrick, Switzer , Long, Balsley and Van Evera for 47 years. He also served as a bankruptcy trustee continuously since 1973. After 46 years, he retired from the position in June 2019, as one of the longest serving trustees in the United States.
Harvey Temkin '78
(11/12/19)
Harvey Temkin of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. has been recognized on the 2019 Wisconsin “Super Lawyers” list. He is based in the Madison office.
Michael Jones '77
(10/29/19)
In June, Michael D. Jones was elected Chair of the Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. OGERL is the oldest section of the SBOT and has over 4500 members. Michael has been Board Certified in Oil, Gas & Mineral Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1992.
Frances Hulin '71
(9/24/19)
Frances C. Hulin died at home in Urbana on Sept. 23, 2019 after a long battle with congestive heart failure.
Marshall Eisenberg '71
(9/20/19)
Neal Gerber Eisenberg is pleased to announce that founding partner Marshall E. Eisenberg is being honored by American Friends of the Hebrew University (AFHU) with the prestigious 2019 Jerold S. Solovy Torch of Learning Award. The Torch of Learning Award is presented to a leading individual who has influenced the course of higher learning in the United States and Israel.
John D. Spear '78
(8/20/19)
John Spear has joined the Bonita Springs office of Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. Spear is a Florida Bar Board Certified real estate expert. For nearly 40 years, he has been representing owners and tenants in Bonita Springs, Estero, Naples and Fort Myers in all aspects of residential and commercial real estate.
Harvey Temkin '78
(8/16/19)
Harvey Temkin of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c has been named to the 2020 Best Lawyers in America.
Ralph Turner '73
(8/12/19)
Ralph T. Turner passed away May 7, 2019 in Normal, IL. He was a partner at Hartweg, Turner, Wood & DeVary in Bloomington for more than 40 years, until his retirement at the end of 2018.
Dennis Jacobsen '72
(5/10/19)
Retired longtime Monroe County Circuit Judge Dennis J. Jacobsen of Waterloo passed away May 4 at the age of 76. Jacobsen, a Democrat, was elected Monroe County State’s Attorney in 1976. He was appointed to be an associate judge in the 20th Circuit Court for five years. In 1984, he was elected the resident circuit judge. He retired from the bench in 2001.
William Coulson '72
(4/24/19)
Chicago attorney William R. Coulson published a feature history article in the June 2019 edition of "World War II Magazine". The article describes the battle of Galloping Horse Ridge on the Pacific island of Guadalcanal and Coulson's recent hike across the battlefield and down the cliffs to the Matanikau River. This is the second of three articles Coulson is writing for the magazine. In the August 2018 edition, Coulson wrote about his hike across the battlefield on Peleliu Island.
John Paul Kelly '74
(4/4/19)
John Paul Kelly (Bus '71, Law '74) has been inducted as a Senior Life Fellow in the Dallas Bar Foundation. Fellows of the Dallas Bar Foundation are attorneys who have distinguished themselves in their legal careers and in their civic contributions. Induction as a Fellow is recognition of dedication and commitment to service, education, and philanthropy.
Pamela Strobel '77
(1/29/19)
The Music Academy of the West has announced the appointment of Pamela Strobel to its Board of Directors for three-year terms. “Pam Strobel’s exceptional history of Arts advocacy and serving the community, so much in line with the academy’s mission, make her a dynamic addition to our board,” said Scott Reed, Music Academy of the West president/CEO.
Strobel is the director of Domtar Corporation, Illinois Tool Works Inc., and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company.
She serves on the board of the UI Labs of Chicago and the Chicago High School for the Arts, and was a past trustee of the University of Illinois, past chair and life trustee of the Ravinia Festival, and past chair and life trustee of the Civic Consulting Alliance.
Strobel is also a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, the Chicago Network, and the Commercial Club of Chicago where she serves on the executive committee.
Carol Brook '76
(1/18/19)
Carol Brook has been hired by The John Marshall Law School as a Distinguished Practitioner-in-Residence to teach Criminal Procedure. Brook is a prominent Chicago attorney, having recently retired as the Federal Defender for the Northern District of Illinois. She previously served in the Federal Defender Program as Deputy Director, Chief Appellate Attorney, and Staff Attorney.
Brook has worked in the legal field for more than 40 years and has been active in many professional organizations, such as the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Association of Federal Defenders and more. Brook has also been a leading authority in criminal defense and often speaks to the media about various criminal defense topics, including radical disparity in criminal justice, criminal discovery, ethics, appellate advocacy and sentencing.
Phyllis Holmen '74
(11/29/18)
Phyllis Holmen recently received a Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor bestowed by the State Bar of Georgia, for conspicuous service to the cause of jurisprudence and to the advancement of the legal profession in the state of Georgia.
Harvey L. Temkin '78
(11/15/18)
Harvey Temkin of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. has been recognized on the 2018 Wisconsin “Super Lawyers” list. He is based in the Madison office.
Stanley Eisenstein '73
(10/16/18)
Stanley Eisenstein has been named as the top Labor Union attorney in Illinois by Leading Lawyers.
Mike Lause '73
(8/16/18)
Mike Lause, partner at Thompson Coburn LLP, has been named 2019 Best Lawyers St. Louis Public Finance Law Lawyer of the Year.
Steven Olswang '71
(7/24/18)
In February 2017, Steven Olswang helped launch Washington Technology University, where he is now president. He has spent the last 40-plus years working in higher education. Olswang was part of the University of Washington’s administration when it opened the Tacoma and Bothell campuses in 1990 and later served as chancellor at both schools when they transitioned from two-year to four-year universities in 2006.
James Brusatte '77
(6/24/18)
James Brusatte has been appointed as a commissioner for the Third Appellate Court District of Illinois to the Board of Commissioners of the Office of the State Appellate Defender.
Dave Downey '66 and Jane Hays '79
(5/17/18)
The Community Foundation of East Central Illinois has selected Dave Downey and Jane Hays to receive the Kyle and Phyllis Robeson Philanthropy Award.
Charles Bernardini '72
(4/25/18)
Nixon Peabody LLP Partner Charles R. Bernardini (Law 1972) has been conferred the title of "Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic" by the President of Italy. The order is the highest ranking honor in the Italian republic and is awarded for "merit acquired by the nation" in the arts, economy, literature, public service, and social, philanthropic and humanitarian activities.
Martha Coultrap '74
(4/20/18)
Martha F. Coultrap has joined Dorsey & Whitney LLP in New York as a Partner. Her practice focuses on private investment funds and fund investors.
William Showtis '73
(3/26/18)
William "Bill" Showtis, 69, of Springfield, Illinois, passed away at 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 20, 2018. He is survived by his wife, Vicki Showtis; one son, Joey (Theresa Waxler) Showtis; two sisters, Barbara (husband, Joe) Conti and Beth (husband, Tom) Hamilton; several nieces and nephews; and his beloved dog, Amos.
Michael E. Rose '75
(3/19/18)
Michael E. Rose, senior partner in Creighton & Rose, PC, in Portland, Oregon, along with his partner, Beth Creighton, and co-counsel David Park, just obtained the largest jury verdict in a police shooting case in Oregon history.
James Moroni '73
(3/6/18)
James "Jim" Moroni, dad of Jordan Reno Moroni, brother of Renee Berg and the late Bonnie (beloved brother-in-law Jack) Berg, uncle to Dina (Ron) Blazek and the late Cory Berg, great uncle of Carter Blazek, cousin to many and great friend to many, passed away on December 14, 2017.
Janet Goldberg McEnery '75
(1/8/18)
Janet Goldberg McEnery has joined the Tampa office of Stearns Weaver Miller as a Shareholder in the Labor & Employment Department.
John Foltz '73
(12/21/17)
Longtime Monticello attorney John Foltz has retired from the legal profession as of November 7, 2017. His legal career has included time as a circuit attorney out of Bloomington, IL, an assistant states attorney in Logan County, but most of those years have been spent practicing in Monticello, IL.
Harvey Temkin '78
(11/15/17)
Harvey L. Temkin has been named a 2017 Wisconsin Super Lawyer.
Dale G. Haake '79
(10/23/17)
Dale G. Haake successfully argued (Jan 2017) in the Third District Court of Appeals (Ottawa) defense of a $1.5 million Oct 2015 jury verdict (Whiteside Co) (Benzakry v. Singh et al. Decision April 2017). The case included unusual circumstances of an appellate court not only granting cross-appeal, but entering judgment in appellate court rather than a remand.
David Dorris '73
(10/13/17)
David V. Dorris has been presented the Alumni Achievement Award from Blackburn College. Dorris graduated from the college, located in Carlinville, in 1969. He went on to receive a law degree from the University of Illinois. The award is presented each year to an alum for significant achievement in professional and public service. Dorris has served in a number of professional leadership positions, including as president of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. He also served as a trustee for the University of Illinois. He continues to practice law in Bloomington at the Dorris Law Firm, P.C.
Stanley Eisenstein '73
(9/20/17)
Stanley Eisenstein has just been named in “Who’s Who in America” by Marquis Publications. He also is included in “Who’s Who in American Lawyers.” In 2016, he was named as one of the 10 Best in its Labor and Employment Law Division by the American Institute of Legal Counsel. He has been elected a Fellow in the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. In 2013, his firm Katz, Friedman, Eagle, Eisenstein, Johnson & Bareck P.C., of which he is its senior labor counsel, was named by U.S. News & World Report as Law Firm of the Year in Labor Law – Union and Workers’ Compensation.
Brian McPheters '73
(9/14/17)
After 13 years on the bench, Champaign County judge Brian McPheters has announced he's ready to retire. Brian McPheters, 72, of Champaign, IL said that his last day as an associate judge will be Dec. 11.
William Conlon '70
(9/5/17)
On November 28th, 2017, Leo Catholic High School will present William Conlon with the Leo Lifetime Achievement Award at their scholarship benefit at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago, IL.
James Brusatte '77
(8/24/17)
James Brusatte has been chosen by Prairie State Legal Services as a "Hero of Justice" along with 40 other recipients in the state of Illinois. This recognition is presented for pro bono services over a 40 year period. James is a retired judge from Ottawa, Illinois.
Howard Gum '76
(6/27/17)
The family and bankruptcy law firm of Gum, Hillier & McCroskey, PA, is proud to announce that Howard L. Gum was elected to the Board of Governors of the North Carolina Bar Association at its Annual Meeting in Asheville on June 24, 2017. Howard is elected to a three year term of office, the first meeting of which was held Sunday morning. The Board of Governors provides leadership and governance to the NC Bar Association. The Board of Governors also serves as the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Bar Foundation, the endowment branch of the Association through which the Association gives back to the state and the communities served by the membership.
Bill Coulson '72
(6/16/17)
Bill Coulson has been reappointed by the Cook County Board to a third five year term on the Board of Directors of the Regional Transportation Authority. The RTA is the funding, budgeting, and oversight agency for mass transit - the CTA, Metra, and Pace Bus - in the six-county metropolitan Chicago area.
Raymond Myles Sr. '77
(6/12/2017)
Judge Raymond Myles Sr. passed away on April 10, 2017 in Chicago, IL. Having maintained a prolific career spanning four decades, Raymond was most recently assigned to the Criminal Division of the Cook County Courts at 26th and California where he presided over trials involving misdemeanor offenses and presided over Calendar 4 Courtroom, juvenile court hearing matters.
Michael Closen '74
(5/5/2017)
I am Professor of Law Emeritus, John Marshall Law School, Chicago, where I taught for 27 years , and where I am proud to say I was voted a "Professor of the Year" by the law students seven times. I have now published 20 books. I have authored 10 law books, including co-authoring the first and only law school casebooks in the country on Aids Law & Policy and on Notary Law & Practice. My 10th law book, "Notary Public Best Practices," will be released later in 2017. And, I continue to lecture, consult, and testify as an expert witness in legal cases. I have also written 10 fun coffee-table type books on a variety of subjects (mostly about my favorite pastime of RVing and traveling), such as "Maine Memories: A Vintage Picture Postcard Tour." My 10th coffee-table book "Don't Call Them Trailer Trash" was just released in 2017.
Patricia Pierman Larson '79
(5/4/2017)
Patricia Pierman Larson has retired from Thomson Reuters (formerly West Publishing) after 37 years of service. Patricia began her career as a headnoter and spent the last 19 years as a Director of Judicial Editorial overseeing 100+ attorney editors.
Craig Mousin '78
(4/11/2017)
Craig Mousin was recently invited to speak as part of the Visiting Artist Series of DePaul University’s School of Cinematic Arts and the Office of Mission and Values to explore the pressing challenges of forced migration. The audience had viewed part of a documentary on Syrian refugees, Exodus. View a video of the panel event.
Paul Williamson '73
(3/1/2017)
Mr. Williamson was recently named one of the top trademark attorneys in the U.S. in the 2017 edition of World Trademark Review’s WTR 1000. He earned Silver status in the national “Enforcement and Litigation” category.
Tom Lamont '72
(2/24/2017)
Tom Lamont has recently re-located back to Springfield after serving in Washington D.C. as Assistant Secretary of the Army and subsequently, Vice-Chair of the National Commission on the Future of the Army. He is the principal of Lamont Consulting Services LLC.
Dan Flannell '77
(12/12/2016)
Dan Flannell, chief judge of the sixth judicial circuit and presiding judge of Moultrie County, is trading his robe for a newly created position as city administrator of Sullivan, IL.