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.
Daniel McLaughlin '04
(10/25/24)
Daniel P. McLaughlin has been selected to be a United States Magistrate Judges for the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. District Court announced earlier this year. McLaughlin will fill the magistrate judge vacancy created when then-Magistrate Judge Sunil Harjani was confirmed as an United States District Judge.
Michael Brody '04
(8/22/24)
In late July, Michael Brody was awarded the National Defense University, College of Information and Cyberspace, 2024 Faculty Peer Recognition Award. The award recognizes excellence in teaching, contributions of research, impact of outreach, and collegiality.
Laura Waller '04
(11/16/23)
Laura Waller has been promoted to counsel at Latham & Watkins LLP in Chicago. A member of the Executive Compensation, Employment & Benefits Practice and Tax Department, she advises clients on employment-related matters in corporate transactions and counsels employers on day-to-day legal issues, including hiring practices, personnel issues, employee separations, and restrictive covenants.
Vivek Malek '04
(1/24/23)
Vivek Malek (LLM '04) took the oath of office as Missouri treasurer on January 17, becoming the first person of color to hold statewide office in Missouri.
Zachary Kramer '04
(1/24/23)
Zachary Kramer has been named the next dean of Elon University School of Law following a national search. Currently serving as interim dean and the Jonathan & Wendy Rose Professor of Law at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Kramer will formally join the Elon Law community in June.
Christopher Stetler '04
(4/19/22)
Christopher Stetler returned to Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP as a partner in its litigation department. He previously served for one year as a law clerk to the Honorable Amy J. St. Eve, who was then a United States District Court Judge, and for 11 years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois, most recently as Deputy Chief.
Michael Strauss '04
(10/27/21)
Michael Strauss was honored this month at the A Safe Place annual gala with the Betty Toser "Angel" Award. He also helped to write several laws that recently passed in Illinois.
Joseph Yockey '04
(10/27/21)
In Fall 2021, Joseph Yockey was appointed the David H. Vernon Professor of Law at the University of Iowa College of Law. The David H. Vernon Professorship was established in 2001 through gifts from family, colleagues, and friends in memory of professor and former dean of the law school, David H. Vernon. Professor Yockey is the third holder of the Vernon chair.
Folarin Dosunmu '04
(8/23/21)
Folarin Dosunmu is now Vice President & General Counsel at Levy Restaurants in Chicago.
Michael Strauss '04
(10/26/20)
Michael Strauss was recently honored with the Lake County Bar Association Wayne B. Flanigan Award. The award was established in 2005 to honor the lifework and spirit of former LCBA President and Prairie State Legal Services Board Member Wayne B. Flanigan. Mr. Flanigan was a strong supporter of pro bono service to the community by representing clients as a pro bono attorney, mentoring Prairie State staff attorneys, recruiting new volunteer lawyers and helping fundraising efforts. The award recognizes a LCBA member attorney who provides extraordinary contributions in providing legal services to indigent members of the Lake County communities.
Timothy Liam Epstein '04
(7/31/20)
Timothy Liam Epstein has been named one of Billboard Magazine’s top music lawyers of 2020 for his work on behalf of clients in the live entertainment space. Epstein is a Partner at Duggan Bertsch, LLC.
Erin Mellen '04
(6/16/20)
Erin (Sylvester) Mellen recently joined the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, as an Associate General Counsel. Erin is leaving the Department of Justice, Tax Division, Criminal Enforcement Section after 10 years as a trial attorney.
J.J. Polk '04
(4/15/20)
J.J. Polk has been hired by the Chicago Bulls to serve as an assistant general manager. Polk was previously with the New Orleans Pelicans, and is renowned for his salary cap expertise.
Vivek Malik '04
(2/25/20)
Vivek Malik (LLM '04) was appointed to the Board of Regents of Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO by Governor Mike Parson.
Patrick Bedell '04
(10/24/19)
Patrick was selected to the 2019 Forty Under 40 list by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Patrick, a partner at BatesCarey, focuses his practice on advising insurance carriers on a variety of complex matters and representing them in commercial disputes in state and federal courts across the country.
Danielle Kays '04
(6/20/19)
The Illinois Wesleyan Board has elected Danielle Kays as a representative of the Alumni Association.
Stacy Walton Long '04
(2/12/18)
Stacy Walton Long has been named partner at Krieg DeVault. She advises the firm’s healthcare clients regarding security breach incidents and risk assessments involving Protected Health Information and other personal information under HIPAA/HITECH and other Federal and State laws governing the privacy and security of such information. Long represents individual professionals and healthcare providers in licensing and disciplinary matters, and works with mental health providers on confidentiality matters and commitment proceedings. In addition to her health care practice, she represents clients in State and Federal courts in a variety of litigation matters.
Kyle Seelbach '04
(2/9/18)
Kyle Seelbach, partner at Husch Blackwell, led the firm's trial team in a recent pro bono case, where they represented a Missouri man who was charged with 12 counts of assault, armed criminal action, and unlawful use of a weapon. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty on all counts. The victory was the firm's first verdict in a jury trial while representing clients as a member of the Missouri Coalition for the Right to Counsel (MCRC).