Robert Kiepura has joined Raytheon as Director and Senior Counsel with the company’s Naval Power Strategic Business Unit. He was previously with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Division.
Author: Krista Gaedtke
Abad Lopez ’01
Abad Lopez was awarded the “2025 Latino Lawyer of the Year” by the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois.
James Marvin ‘86
James Marvin retired from his position as Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of JBT Marel Corporation in July 2025. He worked for JBT Marel Corporation and its predecessors for 22 years.
Sherkow invested as Richard W. and Marie L. Corman Professor of Law
On November 11, 2025, Jacob S. Sherkow was invested as the Richard W. and Marie L. Corman Professor of Law in a ceremony honoring his commitment to scholarship, teaching, and public engagement. In remarks shared at the ceremony, Dean Jamelle Sharpe said, “Professor Sherkow’s achievements—and the real-world impact of his work—represent the very best of what makes the University of Illinois one of the world’s finest research institutions.”
Professor Sherkow joined the University of Illinois in 2020, where he holds appointments in the College of Law, the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, the European Union Center, and the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. His research focuses on intellectual property, regulation, and bioethics of advanced biotechnologies. He is a leading expert on IP protection for genome-editing technologies, such as CRISPR. Jake is the author of over 75 articles published in both scientific journals and traditional law reviews, including Science, Nature, JAMA, the Yale Law Journal, and the Stanford Law Review. His scholarship has been cited by various federal courts, including the Supreme Court, and he has been extensively quoted in popular media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and NPR. His full bio is available on his faculty profile page.
Professor Sherkow’s endowed position was established by Richard W. Corman (‘40) and Marie L. Corman in 1984. Mr. Corman was a special agent of the FBI for 23 years before practicing in Virginia, where he became a member of the judiciary and also served in the Virginia General Assembly. Joined by his family, Sherkow was honored with speeches from Dr. Amy Santos, associate provost for faculty development and professor in the Department of Special Education, as well as Professor Colleen Murphy, associate dean for academic affairs.
Watch the investiture ceremony on our YouTube channel.
David Horwitch ’97
David Horwitch co-founded National Apartment Partners LLC, a private real estate investment firm focused on acquiring strategic value-add multifamily assets in growth markets with diverse economies throughout the southeast, south, and Midwest regions of the United States. Specifically, the company purchases multifamily assets at a discount, implements significant renovations to add value, and forces appreciation to maximize returns for its investors while providing residents with safe, affordable, and modern housing in strategic markets with strong population growth. National Apartment Partners LLC currently owns and operates over 3,000 rental units, mostly in Tennessee. He has also served as President of the Chicago Real Estate Council.
Jack Waaler ’59
Jack Waaler passed away at age 91 in Urbana, IL, On August 2, 2025. He is surived by his wife Virginia, his 3 sons, and several grandchildren.
James T. McCollum ’56
James T. McCollum practiced for 34 years in Rochester, NY, and was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1966. In 1995, he retired to Emerson, AR, and took a job in IT at Southern Arkansas University. He worked 11 years and earned two additional degrees before retiring in his 90s.
Ashley Kennedy ’19
Ashley Kennedy has joined Edward Jones as senior estate strategist for Edward Jones Generations, providing the firm’s first private client services for high net worth clients.
Bob Brunner ’90
Robert Brunner has joined the Chicago office of Kilpatrick as Litigation of Counsel, joining its Complex Commercial Litigation Team. Brunner previously was a part of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP. A seasoned litigator with extensive expertise in state and federal courts across the country, his nationwide practice includes counseling clients on a wide variety of commercial and insurance coverage disputes as well as financial services litigation.
Kevin Berrill ’05
Kevin Berrill recently became President of the Lake County Bar Association. Kevin is a prosecutor in the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, where he is Chief of Special Investigations as well as Chief of Financial Crimes & Public Integrity.