dcba grief - apr. 2013 · dcba grief - apr. 2013 i ’ve been excited to work on the april issue...

DCBA GRIEF - APR. 2013

I’ve been excited to work onthe April issue for over a

year now. (Imagine mysurprise to find out the April is-sue actually comes out inMarch.) Nevertheless here weare, and with the help of the everdiligent publication board wehave put together, dare I say it,the most exciting issue yet. Wecontinue this month with our re-curring Who’s Who in theDCBA Committees feature incelebration of our twenty-fifthanniversary with two of ournewest committee chairs. TheLawyers Without Humor and Geta Life committees have done suchimportant work this year I amthrilled to include them andproperly welcome them to theDCBA family. This feature reallyillustrates the DCBA’s commit-ment to furthering growth andprosperity among its members . In keeping with the edgyjournalism for which this pub-lication is known and aftermuch debate among our owncommittee, we have chosen torun a piece covering a contro-versial new decision under theIllinois Human Rights Act. In-deed this day has finally come.Democrats now have status asa protected class in DuPageCounty. Law student TiffaniKellogg covers the 2008amendment that started it all

and the 2013 decision that madeit law in DuPage. We are happy to report GraceMcCumber, child progeny anddaughter of our very own SeanMcCumber has come to therescue with a last minute inter-view with the one and only JudgeAlfred Spitzzeri. Once againSusan Alvarado has saved theday with her input on the cover.The publication board really ap-preciates her input each monthand always looks forward to her

1

ing I’m sure that after five yearshe’s got something really great.I would also like to take this op-portunity to announce that ourvery own Committee on Profes-sionalism will be providing cop-ies of past issues of this maga-zine on the Kacharou-bus eachmorning to provide practitionerswith material to better make ef-fective use of their time.

FROM THE LEAD ARTICLES EDITOR

“feed back.” She was right andthe cover photos we shot almosta year ago were getting a littleboring. Speaking of Susan, Iwant to make sure everyone re-serves their spot on CLE Island.While the actual seminar topicsare yet to be announced, you canbe assured you will leave withplenty of MCLE credits to spare.Susan has managed to put to-gether quite a trip this year so re-serve your spot early! Finally, by the time this issuegoes to print, I am assured thatwe will finally get that technol-ogy column Mazy Hedayat hasbeen promising us. Though Ican’t tell you what he’s cover-

M e l i s s aPiwowaris a second-year at Su-san O’NeillAlvarado &Associateswhere she isproud towork withDCBA President Susan O’NeillAlvarado. Since starting workwith DCBA President SusanO’Neill Alvardo, Melissa hasserved as Assistant to DCBAPresident Susan O’NeillAlvarado on the DCBA Presi-dential Installation Committeefor 2012-13. She is the orga-nizer of “Helping the WorldStarts in Your Backyuard,”which involves environmentalwork in DCBA President SusanO’Neill Alvardo’s backyard.She is the co-author of the Re-statement of the Obvious 2d forThomson-East with DCBAPresident Susan O’NeillAlvardo.

April, 2013: The GriefCelebrates Volume 25

by Melissa Piwowar

“Once again, SusanAlvardo has savedthe day with her

input on the cover.”


ON THE COVERLead Articles

Regular Features

Special Features

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2

From the Lead Articles Editor: April, 2013: TheGrief Celebrates Volume 25 by Melissa Piwowar

Discrimination Case Update or Run for theHills There Are Democrats Among Usby Tiffani Kellogg

7

1

President’s Message: Annual State of theParking Lot Address by Susan Alvardo*

4

Judicial Profile: Judge Spitzzeri Flexes hisPECs in Traffic Court by Grace A. McCumber

9

Committee News: Pretext Incentive ProgramDiscussed by Criminal Law Committee &People’s Republic of Naperville

10

11 Who’s Who in the DCBA Committees

13 Deja Overdue: Highlights from the History ofthe DCBA Grief by Tom McClow*

5 DCBA Committee Approves New Pledge ofPledge of Professionalism by John Pcolinski*

DCBA GRIEF. April, 2013. ©2013 All Rights Reserved. The DCBA GRIEF is published far more often than it should be andcertainly while no one is watching too closely. No one who appears to be associated with this magazine really is and nothingsaid in these pages has much, if anything to do with reality as we know it. We’re not too worried anyway. No one reads thisstuff. Of course, if you are actually reading this -- if you’re so keen on reading every word of this magazine that you’re actuallyreading this paragraph... Well, you’re either someone we’re really afraid of or someone we want to meet. Really. You don’texist. Writing this to you is an exercise in self-absorption that warrants medical attention. I’m sure of it. In fact, I’m so sureof it, I hereby promise to give the first person to call and tell us that he or she actually read this block of text a crisp $20.00 billfor the trouble. Of course, if you’re a member of the Pub. Bd., an officer of the DCBA or a Committee Head, you’re probablyreading this just to see if your name’s here. It’s not. And you’re disqualified. So there.

* okay, not really.

This month’s cover marks a de-parture from our “scenes in na-ture” theme these last fewmonths, and was designed espe-cially for DCBA President SusanO’Neill Alvarado to accompanyher President’s Message. Thefocus of that message is the Stateof the Parking Lot. ThePresident’s Message appears onpage 4.

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

I first want to thankthe Grief’s PublicationBoard for recognizing the

vital importance of tying thecover of this magazine to what-ever it is I’m writing about inthis column. As the DCBAPresident, I am of the firm be-lief and conviction that what Ihave to say is far more impor-tant than pretty much anythingelse the editors might want tocover in this magazine. Thereare important thoughts rollingaround in this noggin of mine,and I want to be sure I’ve sharedthem with you in the properlight.

This issue, in particular, Iwant to talk about how thetheme of my administration hascome to be recognized. When Ifirst spoke about “Bread and Cir-cuses” at my inauguration, Itried to emphasize how impor-tant it is for us to see the glass ashalf full... and with somethingworth imbibing. My First VicePresident, Anthony Abear,was quick to imagine ways thisdream might be made real. TheVIP Parking program he initi-ated, like the Kachirou-Bus(which now transports over athousand fee paying court-housevisitors every morning), hasbeen an eminent success. I don’tquite know what Chris doeswith all the money these busesare generating, I hasten to add,but I’m sure they’ve been of im-

measurable value to the com-munity given the selfless dedi-cation with which he hashandled every other programhe’s been involved in over theyears.

Certainly, we all know howcrowded -- how ridiculouslyover-populated the courthouseparking lot has become over theyears. But just as concert-goersand Bears’ fans have learned tomake the best of it, the lawyerscoming to court each day seem

ritory and I am confident thatlawyers who have taken theCommission’s oath are unlikelyto participate in such unsavoryand unprofessional activities.

In the end, the success ofsuch programs as the Kachirou-Bus and Agnes’ EZ Out Parkingremains remarkable. There maystill be days that people have towait outside for hours at a time,in increasingly cold and inclem-ent weather. But now that wehave the “I Heart Jorgensen”gear available, and more andmore people are taking advan-tage of the neighboring camp-ground facilities the night be-fore their hearings, the future ofthe DuPage County Courthouse– and our role in that organiza-

tion – looks bright indeed!

Annual State of the Parking Lot Addressby Susan Alvarado*

so much happier since our par-ent organization, the DuPageProfessionalism Commission,began licensing concessionstands and allowing tail-gateparties for those otherwise un-able to find a place in line to at-tend their favorite hearings.There are still nay-sayers whocomplain that this is steppingbeyond the bounds. And thereare occasionally instances ofcourthouse groupies getting toocarried away, or of scalpers sell-ing counterfeit service affidavitsin the parking lot. But these areproblems that come with the ter-

“What I have to say isfar more important

than pretty much any-thing else the editors

...want to cover...”

4

* okay, not really.


S u a s a nO ’ N e i l lAlvaradofocuses herpractice onfamily lawissues inD u P a g eCounty with the firm SusanO’Neill Alvardo & Associates.She is an Adjunct Professor atDePaul University and is cur-rently co-producing an Off-Broadway revival of the originalmusical “Mutiny of the County.”

DCBA GRIEF - APR. 2013 5

“I pledge allegianceto the pledgeof the Committee on Professionalismand to the perception

for which it stands,one warm fuzzy,from Judge Ann,with hugs and kisses for all”

DCBA Committee Approves NewPledge of Pledge of Professionalism

by Juan Poolinski*

* okay, not really.

Members of the New & Young Lawyers Com-mittee “rush” the courthouse to be among thefirst to take the Pledge to the Pledge.

The DCBA Committee,meeting for the first timein three years, announced

today that it recognizes there isa discrepancy in the Pledge asbetween the obligations im-posed upon judges and thoseupon lawyers. Judges are re-quired to participate in a “dailyreminder” of their obligations,while lawyers have no such ob-ligation. The Committee is thusimplementing a program de-signed to rectify this problem.Effective immediately, attorneyswill be required to take a Pledgeto the Pledge each morning be-fore coffee (unless they are incourt that morning, in whichcase they can wait until the judgeleads them in a Pledge to thePledge). DCBA flags to use forthe pledge are being provided tomembers with their next mem-

bership renewals. “The flags include threestripes, “ explained Committee President, JohnPcolinski. “One to represent professionalism, onefor ethics, and the third for civility. We hadtrouble agreeing on the color for civility. But myopponent in the meeting finally got up from thefloor, brushed himself off and said ‘Fine, blue.Fine. That’s just... fine.”


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Discrimination Case Update or “Run for theHills, There Are Democrats Among Us!”

Just five short years ago, inJanuary of 2008, anamendment to the Illi-

nois Human Rights Act becameeffective giving individuals theright to file employment dis-crimination claims in the statecircuit courts.1 I can’t everremember. Previously, chargescould only be filed with theHuman Rights Commission.2

What ensued was nothing shortof chaos on the second floorincluding massive docket backups, a demand for those prac-ticing employment law, a surgeof “moonlighting” attorneysand some rather interestingdecisions from a few judges3

fairly unacquainted with theHuman Rights Act and littleprecedent on which to rely.DuPage County found itself inthe heat of a series of caseswhich, in Illinois, could only befound in DuPage county.4

I am of course referring tothe flurry of claims filed byDemocrats in seeking protec-tion from the supposed strongarming and discrimination byemployers and other civic orga-nizations which have histori-cally been controlled byDuPage’s predominantly Re-publican constituency.5 Thefirst of these cases was decidedby our very own renegade,Judge Eastwood. When askedto comment on 2nd Districtopinion upholding her deci-sion, Eastwood said “I neverthought it would make it, quite

frankly. I was tired of thisDonner guy and wanted him theheck out of my courtroom.”6

In Donner v Spitzzeri, Else, etal., Plaintiff, a DuPage Countyresident, alleged discriminationas against the defendant basedon his status as a Democrat.Donner claimed he served on thepublication board of the DCBAquietly for a period of 5 years.Donner also alleged that he hadspent all of those years makingpainstaking efforts to keep hispolitical affiliations away from

cious that he had been “foundout” when he realized he hadbeen the only committee chairexcluded from certain DCBAevents and was told that the“Law Boat” was sold out sixmonths in advance. During hisdeposition, then DCBA Presi-dent Fred Spitzzeri stated “[w]ealways thought he was a littleodd, but no one had a clue,though the tweed jackets andGarcia ties probably shouldhave tipped us off.” Donner wasconvinced that evidence of theDCBA’s knowledge of his affilia-tions could be found in situationslike the teasing by an un-namedboard member poking fun at hisToyota Prius including askinghim if he remembered to “plug-in” his Prius very night .7

possible DCBA scrutiny. How-ever while rising in the ranksDonner became more visible tocertain members and the boardof directors generally. Donnerclaims in 2007, as he began histenure as editor of The Brief andbegan working closely with theDCBA President, he “let hisguard down”. Certain adminis-trative staff in charge of DCBAmailings began to suspect thatDonner resided in a certain co-operative housing communityrecently covered in the pressregarding some pending litiga-tion and certain prohibited legis-lation. Donner became suspi-

T i f f a n iKellog is acorrespon-dence stu-dent at theUniversity ofPuerto RicoSchool ofLaw and De-sign. She isthe 2007 re-cipient of the prestigious Afred E.Neuman award for outstandingvideo in her intra school mootcourt competition. Ms. Kellog haswritten several articles for theGrief including “Convict Penpals-the Pros and Cons” , she’s the edi-tor for the Grief’s annual FashionDo’s & Don’ts feature and servesas the vice-chair for the Redeco-rate Cafe DuPage Committee.

7

by Tiffani Kellogg

“Donner...spent yearsmaking painstakingefforts to keep hispolitical affiliations

away fromDCBA scrutiny....”

DCBA GRIEF - APR. 2013 The trial court grantedsummary judgment, findingthat “one would have had tohave been blind to miss all thesigns.” Eastwood went on to saythat “Democrats in DuPage

status quo. That is a fecklessapproach which will lead to theDemocrat inundation eventu-ally getting power. Creating anenvironment in which DuPagedemocrats feel free to openlyreveal their affiliations willactually serve to further theRepublican cause. For onlyafter they are easily identifiedcan our Republican brothersshow them the errors of theirways.”8

The Second Circuit upheldEastwood’s decision, opiningthe time for the ridicule andteasing of our closet Democratshas come to an end. DuPagemust embrace the diversity of itsconstituency and maybe one daya few will even run for localoffice.9

1 Mary Anne did you want foot notesor end notes?2 I guess somebody’s budget got cut.Frankly I think its brilliant-let thecircuit courts deal with all those bozos.3 They’re still cleaning up the Eastwoodmess in the second circuit.4 Here I should probably list all thosecases but since DuPage still doesn’thave an online docket system, I didn’thave time to find them all. Ted, I’m sureone of your fine compadres on thepublication board has some extra timeto run down to the archives and pullwhat I need.5 Predominantly. Who’s kiddingwho here?6 I don’t actually know the name of thearticle but that’s what Pcolinski toldme she said.7 The DCBA does not endorse this“alleged” behavior but would like toexpress its disappointment that thiswas the best they could come up with.8 Nobody actually reads these things dothey?9 Of course they did, Eastwood wrote thedamn opinion.

8

LawyersLending-a-Hand

Isn’t it way past time you did somethingfor the environment? To come to the aid

of this precious world in which we all live?

NowNowNowNowNow’s your chance!’s your chance!’s your chance!’s your chance!’s your chance!The DCBA Legal Aid Foundation is sponsoringthe first annual “Helping the World Starts inYour Own Backyard.” Come out, bring yourfamily and friends, and enjoy the fresh air withyour fellow bar members. An afternoon ofcamaraderie and good old fashioned hard workawaits! Get your hands dirty and give a littleback to Mother Earth byjoining us for a light snackand to plant a tree or a shrubin one little corner of theworld! Where: Where: Where: Where: Where: DCBA Presi-dent Susan Alvarado’s homeWhen: When: When: When: When: 6:00 a.m. Sunday,April 25, 2012. Contact theDCBA for more details.

County are an inevitable reality.The Republican machine whichstarted with such huge advan-tages is now involved infuriously trying to keep the

“The trial court[found] that ‘one

would havehad to have been

blind to missall the signs....’”


DCBA GRIEF - APR. 2013Judicial Profile:

Hi, this is Fred. The Code of Conductsays you have to return

my calls, right...?I suppose so, yes.

Okay, great! This isgonna be fun!

-click-

gulp.

Ring... Ring... Ring...

Hey, Fred! Tell me....

Like ALL my calls?

Judge Spitzzeri Flexes his PECs in Traffic Court

My dad used to tell metales of a gregarious, white-

haired man who would bring joyto all the lawyers of DuPageCounty. I thought he wastalking about Santa Claus (whichwas another lie my dad told me),but actually he was talkingabout DCBA Past PresidentAlfred A. Spitzzeri. WhileCircuit Judges Fawell andKinsella were on vacation, theother circuit judges appointedFast Freddy to the bench. Ofcourse, being tired of all the warstories the Honorable Fredwould tell, even when alone inthe Attorney Resource Center,they sent him to clean up thetraffic call at the Supreme Courtof Addison. Judge Spitzzeri will, ofcourse, always be rememberedfor his PECs campaign from hisdays as DCBA President (PECsstands for “Power, Ego, andChocolate). To increase aware-

ness of the PECs campaign, Fredborrowed an advertising gimicfrom Ms. January 2008 CorriFetman and postered the countywith billboards of a shirtlessman with “PECs – Raising theBar.” Thankfully, when his termwas over, all billboards of Fred’s

by Grace A. McCumber

while standing on one leg. Whatis worse than the fines is endingup in traffic court. Long lines ofsmelly people are the first thingone encounters, and that is justthe “attorneys only” line. SinceEmperor Schillerstrom consoli-dated all field courts into theSupreme Court of Addison,Judge Spitzzeri’s morning callconsists of 4,000 offenders, andhis afternoon call is just as full.Judge Spitzzeri decided to dis-pense with the usual mantra ofoffender rights and instead singFrank Sinatra’s “I Don’t Stand aGhost of a Chance with You.”Honestly, if you haven’t heardJudge Spitzzeri sing, don’t!

bare chest were replaced withMr. Else’s Norelco billboards. Getting pulled over inDuPage County is something noone wants to do. Recently, theClerk’s Office sent out noticethat minimum fines and courtcosts would be raised, reachingthe astonishing amount of$5,000.00 and the offender’sfirstborn child, unless the of-fender can spell “Kachiroubas”

Grace McCumber is a third yearlaw student at Northwestern andlaw clerk to the Hon. Jduge Rich-ard Posner. She is six years oldand quite the over-achiever.

“PECs stands forPower, Ego andChocolate....”

9


Ajoint meeting will be held with the Criminal Law Committee andthe Central Committee of thePeople’s Republic ofNaperville reviewing the newpolice officer commission pro-gram and its new pretext incen-tive program developed tosupplement the overtime budgetfor court appearances. The Alternative DisputeResolution Committee is host-ing a three day intensive seminarentitled “The Practice of Law- Us-ing What You Learned in Kinder-garten” including such topic as“Use Your Words”, “Time out or201k-How You Choose” and “Ac-tions Have Consequences”. The Judiciary Committeeannounces the criminal divisionposted a 100% conviction rate andthe civil division reports a 0% li-ability rate for civil injury casesfor the 3rd straight year. Ananonymous Circuit Court judgewas quoted as saying: “Our newpolicy requests all AssociateJudge applicants to make a state-

Committee News

Pretext Incentive Program Discussed by CriminalLaw Committee & People’s Republic of Naperville

10

ment which must include thewords ‘not’ and ‘guilty’. If they usethem in the same sentence, wesend them to the Second Floor.If they can’t use them in thesame sentence, we send them tothe Fourth Floor. In either event,candidates must have been a resi-dent of Milton Township for aminimum of 30 years at the timeof application.” The Executive Committeewishes to extend their warmestwishes and a fond farewell toDion Davi. Dion has decided toresign his position on the Boardso that he may devote his full at-tention to a campaign for Presi-dent of the World Bar Associa-tion. Dion will be hosting a pressconference in the Attorney Re-source Center from noon until4pm next Tuesday to make thisannouncement. The Publication Board issponsoring a mandatory lunchmeeting: “How to meet yourdeadlines” and other keys to suc-cess in publication. DCBA’s In House Counsel

Committee would like to warnmembers that it has several re-ports of scalpers selling proof ofservice in the parking lot. Pleasebe very careful as these docu-ments very often look like the realthing. You should only purchaseproof of service from an autho-rized dealer. Agnes’ EZ-Out Parking feesfor the morning call will go up to$50 starting April 1st ($45 forpledgees). Agnes would like us toremind everyone to please haveexact change. The new 2013 VIP PledgeParking Passes are now avail-able for pick up at the bar center. Lawyers Lending a Handwill be held in President SusanAlvarado’s back yard nextmonth. So that we may planahead, please be sure to fill outthe appropriate sponsorshipforms and return them to the barcenter as soon as possible. Com-ing soon: Starbucks drive - giv-ing back to lawyers hit hardest inthe recession.

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“Our course on recentdevelopments in the area

of Stick Removal wasextremely well attendedand was, dare I say it,

groundbreaking, particu-larly for the DCBA.”

Who’s Who in

The DCBA Committeespart 7 in a 27 part series

We could think of no better way to celebrate volume 25 of the Griefthan to continue the tradition ofcelebrating the accomplish-ments of the numerous com-mittees which make up theDCBA. So each month thisyear, we are again profiling thecurrent Committee Chairs andasking them to tell us about theCommittees they’re involvedin. This month, we talked withChrista Waltmire (LawyersWithout Humor Committee)and Eric Schneider (Get aLife Committee). (Editor’sNote: The Committee Chairs inthis issue were concernedabout a lack of “Professional-ism” associated with this series

of articles generally and mostespecially took objection to theundignified photographs. Indeference to these concerns wehave redacted what they con-sidered to be the sensitiveportions of the text from thisissue. We apologize for anyinconvenience.)

Lawyers Without HumorCommittee

Ms. Waltmire: I first gotinvolved in the Lawyers With-out Humor Committee when Imet Sean McCumber overdrinks at the 2010 DCBA Holi-day Gathering. It’s somethingI’m glad to be doing because, forone thing, it’s always fun to

spend weeks and months orga-nizing seminars and meetingsfor your fellow practitioners. Idon’t know why it took me solong to get involved. We reallystrive to cover topics that are ofinterest. Our course on therecent developments in the areaof Stick Removal was ex-tremely well attended and was,dare I say it, groundbreakingparticularly for the DCBA.People were talking about it inthe halls for weeks. I know quite

a few judges that even tooksomething away from thatseminar.

Mr. Schneider: You know Ididn’t attend but I did hearsome rave reviews in court. Doyou have any other speakerslined up?

Ms. Waltmire: We are tryingto convince Susan Alvaradoto teach a seminar in April onthe recent developments inIrony and Sarcasm. After thesuccess of her three day inten-sive course on How to Take aJoke in 2011 she really showedeveryone she was one DuPage’sleading authorities in the area.

Mr. Schneider: Are these

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Eric Schneider has beenan junior associate with theRuffled Feathers Group,P.C. for twenty five years.The firm practices exclu-sively in the areas of Boon-doggling, Procrastina-tion, and Tomfoolery. Heis a member of the DCBAwho attributes his successdirectly to his active partici-pation in the many DCBAcommittees on which he hasserved.

Christa Waltmire (Law-yers Without HumorCommittee) is a member ofthe American Bar Associa-tion, Chicago Bar Associa-tion, DuPage County BarAssociation and the IllinoisState Bar Association. She isadmitted to practice in Illi-nois, DuPage County andCook County.

meetings open to everyone?

Ms. Waltmire: Absolutely, Ithink that there exists a miscon-ception among the bar that ourmeetings are only open tomembers who have taken thePledge of Professionalism. But Ibelieve that myth was perpetu-ated when people heard ourmembers were all among thefirst to take the “Pledge.”

Ms. Waltmire: What’s goingon with the Get a Life Commit-tee lately? I know we share quitea few members.

Get a Life Committee

Mr. Schneider: It’s a particu-larly exciting time for both ourcommittees, so many of ourmembers have taken advantageof the joint meetings and CLEprograms. I first got involvedafter a particularly poignant

CLE course John Pcolinskigave on How to Tell If YouHave a Pulse. The seminaraffected me so much it changedthe way I practice every day. Ithought to myself ‘I just had toget involved with this group’.There were maybe six peoplethere, but we all left vowing toshare what we learned with ourcolleagues on the second floor.Just think if more membersattended a seminar like that, intheory, it could fundamentallychange the practice of law inDuPage.

Ms. Waltmire: Wow. I had noidea, you should ask JohnPcolinski to speak at anothermeeting. I know a few practitio-ners who should really attendthat one. Have you found thatyour committee is drawingmore members as a result?

Mr. Schneider: There hasbeen a general increase ininterest in the practice of Get-ting a Life and I think ourattendance is up to at least tenmembers this year. This is anarea that should be of interest toeveryone. There really isn’t amember of the DCBA thatwouldn’t benefit from a re-fresher on How to Get a Life.

Ms. Waltmire: I hear theDCBA Board is now sponsoringa monthly dinner and drinksevent to help encourage moremembers to join your commit-tee?

Mr. Schneider: Yes they have!We really lobbied for the helpand were so excited when theyagreed. Getting a Life is sovital in DuPage, the DCBAboard thought we should do

everything in our power toencourage more practitioners tojoin.

Ms. Waltmire: Aren’t most ofthe members of your commit-tee actual DCBA Directors?

Mr. Schneider: This is true.However our monthly “invita-tion only” events allow each

member to bring a guest andsometimes we even have a judgeattend. These people really havethe best interests of the barassociation at heart. We areeternally grateful to them formaking the Get a Life commit-tee such a great success. They’rethe backbone of the DCBA, theylead by example and really doencourage others to be moreactive in these types of events.

12


DCBA GRIEF - APR. 2013 13

ThomasMcClowis theprincipalof theLaw Of-fice ofThomasMcClow,Ltd. and an adjunct professor atJudson University. He receivedhis B.S. from Michigan StateUniversity and his J.D. fromLoyola University of ChicagoSchool of Law. Mr. McClow isknown to many as the only at-torney who has actually read all25 volumes of this magazine.

I am proud to announce weare finally catching up onour coverage of Grief his-

tory. This issue takes a glanceback to this years past issues.

December 2012: The first is-sue reminds us the importanceof the little things. MichaelHurley starts the year off with“Work -Life Balance: How toJustify Vacations, Weekends offand Sleep,” Resident Grief foodcritic Timothy Gaertner lendshis taste buds to a comprehen-sive review of “The Best ofDuPage Restaurants That Actu-ally Deliver” and the gemsamong them. ThomasGaffney provides a mind bog-gling new look at Jury Selectionin “Voir Dire; How to Read theMinds of Jurors and Tell If TheyLike You”.

January 2013: This issue in-cludes a look into a popular newtechnique in negotiation.Patrick McCluskey tells us in“Settlement Insurance” howcredit checks on opposing coun-sel before settlement can giveyou the competitive edge.“LawOffice Diversity” reveals why ev-ery DuPage practice should in-clude at least one token Demo-crat by James Whelan. Doesyour firm have the uptight andoverpaid lawyer image you’relooking for? If not, you mightwant to check this one out.Brenda Pleviak explains“Why Snappy Logos Mean Ev-erything.” Dion Bobosky cau-tions us in“Office Party Liabil-ity” that there is only so muchdamage control you can do af-ter you get out of control at theoffice holiday party.

February 2013: GlennRuffalo explores why youshould take every case thatwalks in the door - even if its notyour area of expertise in “Howto Learn New Areas of Law onthe Clients Dime.” The ever fas-cinating Tiffani Kellog con-templates a favorite pastime in“Convict Penpals- the Pros andCons” and John Else advisespractitioners who find them-selves in way over their head in“How to Fake it in Court”.

Deja Overdue:

Highlights From theHistory of the DCBA Grief

by Thomas A. McClow*

* okay, not really.

Pictured: The covers of the De-cember, 2012 and January, 2013editions of the Grief. Photos©2012-13 REP3.


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dcba grief - apr. 2013 · dcba grief - apr. 2013 i ’ve been excited to work on the april issue...

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