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.
Mark Feyen '80
(1/24/24)
Hon. Mark A. Feyen has announced his retirement from the Ottawa County Probate Court. Now in his 35th year, Judge Feyen took to the bench on January 1, 1989, after winning election in November of 1988. He won re-election five times.
Helen Hartnell '80
(1/24/24)
Helen Hartnell passed away in late 2023. She taught international law at numerous institutions and was a full-time faculty member at Golden Gate University (GGU) School of Law in San Francisco from 1997 until 2013.
Rick Pautler '80
(8/16/19)
Thompson Coburn attorney Rick Pautler was recently named a Lawyer of the Year in the 2020 edition of Best Lawyers in America.
Thomas Benjamin '80
(2/20/19)
Thomas Benjamin has been appointed President of Cambridge Quantum Computing, LLC, the North America subsidiary of Cambridge Quantum Computing Ltd of London (CQC). CQC is a world leading independent quantum computing company combining expertise in Quantum Information Processing, Quantum Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Chemistry, Optimisation and Pattern Recognition. Tom was most recently Chief Operating Officer of ANSER, Inc. in Falls Church, VA and Colorado Springs, CO. Tom was awarded the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal by the Central Intelligence Agency in 2005. He was a co-founder of InQTel, Inc., a not-for-profit strategic investor launched by CIA in 1999 to accelerate the development and delivery of cutting-edge technologies to national security agencies. Mr. Benjamin also served as Deputy General Counsel and Director of Legislation in his 20 years at CIA.
Anne Secker '80
(12/13/18)
Monterey County Women Lawyers Association (MCWLA) has announced that attorney Anne Secker received the 2018 Lady Justice Lifetime Achievement Award for Legal Advocacy and Community Service. Given annually by MCWLA, Ms. Secker’s award was presented at a dinner on November 29, 2018 at Scales Restaurant in Monterey. Ms. Secker earned her J.D. from University of Illinois in 1980 and joined the law firm of Noland, Hamerly, Etienne & Hoss as an attorney the same year. She is a shareholder with Noland Hamerly, an “AV Prominent,” top-ranked law firm providing legal services to the Central Coast region since 1928. Ms. Secker is a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of California, the Monterey County Bar Association, California Women Lawyers, and Monterey County Women Lawyers Association, in which she has served on the Board of Directors. From 1983 to 1995 she served as Judge Pro Tempore of Monterey County Court. She holds the highest rating, “AV” from Martindale Hubbell, and is well-respected by her peers, her clients, and the judiciary. Ms. Secker’s education includes a B.A., cum laude, from Northern Illinois University and she also attended Salzburg College in Austria.
Mike Mitchell '80
(11/30/18)
Chapman and Cutler LLP mourns the loss of partner, colleague, and friend, Michael J. Mitchell, who passed away on November 25, 2018 in Chicago. He was 63. Read a tribute to Mitchell published by Chapman and Cutler.
Linda Maschek '80
(10/13/18)
Linda Maschek retired in 2018 after serving as an Administrative Law Judge for the Illinois Department of Public Health in Chicago, IL for 25 years. Prior to her ALJ appointment in 1993, Ms. Maschek served as staff counsel for several state agencies located in Chicago.
Jim Flesch '80
(5/24/18)
I retired several years ago after a wonderful career as a litigator and trial attorney in Chicago. Francyn and I now live in beautiful Scottsdale AZ where we spend our time hiking, backpacking and competing in ultra marathon cycling races.
Richard Schmack '80
(12/22/17)
Richard H. Schmack, former DeKalb County State's Attorney, was presented with the 2017 Norm Maleng Minister of Justice Award by the Criminal Justice Section of the American Bar Association at the Section's annual meeting in Washington, DC on November 3. The award is presented annually to a public prosecutor for service which exemplifies the obligation to 'seek justice, not merely to convict'. In September, he was also awarded the Northern Illinois University College of Law Public Service Award. Both awards were in recognition of his role in the exoneration of Jack McCullough, who had been wrongfully convicted in 2012 of a 1957 murder. His article on the case, 'Unmaking a Murderer: The Prosecutor's Duty to Remedy Wrongful Convictions', was published in the Summer 2017 edition of the NIU Law Review. Rich recently joined the faculty of the National Drug Court Institute to provide training and assistance, in maintaining best practice standards, to treatment courts throughout the nation.
Craig Schloss '80
(11/9/17)
Craig has joined the law firm of Cozen O'Connor in its San Diego office. Specializing in employment and trade secret litigation, Schloss has extensive experience litigating wrongful termination cases, employee unfair competition/trade secrets disputes, wage and hour class actions, and discrimination, disability accommodation and sexual harassment lawsuits. He also practices before the National Labor Relations Board regarding labor matters on behalf of management.
Robert Wolff '80
(7/13/17)
Robert M. Wolff, a shareholder in the Cleveland office of Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has been recognized with a top ranking in the 2017 edition of the prestigious Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Chambers placed Wolff in Band 1, the guide’s highest distinction.
As a seasoned civil trial attorney, Wolff has more than 30 years of experience representing companies both large and small in the healthcare, energy, transportation, financial and retail industries. He has handled numerous labor arbitrations and has taken over 50 cases to jury verdicts involving matters of wrongful death, age, race disability and sexual discrimination, commercial and various major civil rights class actions, and wage and hour class actions.