Alumni News & Accolades

Thomas Lynn,'99: Accomplished Attorney Thomas Lynn Appointed General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at MGP

afruland — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 15:18:09 +0000

ATCHISON, Kan., Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Accomplished corporate attorney Thomas "T.J." Lynn has been appointed to the newly created position of general counsel and corporate secretary at MGP (Nasdaq:MGPI), a leading U.S. supplier of premium distilled spirits and specialty wheat proteins and starches.

Original source:

http://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/accomplis...

Specializing in counseling senior management teams and boards of directors of publicly- and privately-held companies, Lynn has become familiar with MGP in recent years through his association with the Kansas City, Mo.-based law firm, Stinson Leonard Street LLP. In his role as a partner of that firm since 2008, he led significant corporate finance and merger and acquisition transactions for a number of regional and national clients. He also has extensive experience in advising publicly-held companies, including MGP, on compliance with securities laws and with respect to corporate governance matters.

"As part of the continued growth and evolution of MGP, we created the position of general counsel," said Dave Rindom, vice president and chief administrative officer. "This role will allow us to insource some of our legal needs, improving both the efficiency and effectiveness of the company's legal function."

Rindom added, "As a critical member of our executive leadership team, T.J. will perform an important role in supporting MGP's business goals and commitment to growth by providing counsel on issues of overarching importance to the company. His previously acquired knowledge of MGP and our business operations is a big plus, and will make for a smooth transition to his new position here."

As general counsel, Lynn will have responsibility for commercial matters, litigation oversight, environmental matters, corporate compliance obligations, intellectual property and labor/employment laws, contracts and day-to-day legal matters. Corporate secretary responsibilities will include counseling the board and senior management on matters relating to relevant federal and state securities laws, and assuring compliance with applicable corporate government requirements and best practices in conjunction with outside counsel.

"I am thrilled and honored to join MGP," said Lynn. "I look forward to engaging in this new opportunity to more directly support the company's strategic initiatives. MGP is positioning itself for long-term growth and I'm excited to help drive the company's success."

Greg D. Andres, '95: Former US Justice Department official joins Mueller's team

afruland — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:58:16 +0000

A former U.S. Justice Department official has become the latest lawyer to join special counsel Robert Mueller's team investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election, a spokesman for the team confirmed.

Original source:

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/01/former-us-jus...

Greg Andres, '95, started on Tuesday, becoming the 16th lawyer on the team, said Josh Stueve, a spokesman for the special counsel.

Most recently a white-collar criminal defense lawyer with New York law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell, Andres, 50, served at the Justice Department from 2010 to 2012. He was deputy assistant attorney general in the criminal division, where he oversaw the fraud unit and managed the program that targeted illegal foreign bribery.

Mueller, who was appointed special counsel in May, is looking into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the election, among other matters. Congressional committees are also investigating the matter.

Continue reading here.

Hon. Milton I. Shadur, SB, '43, JD, '49: Judge Shadur, 93, to step down after 37 years on federal bench

afruland — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 13:13:19 +0000

Over 37 years, U.S. District Judge Milton Shadur has gained recognition as the academic of Chicago's federal court, widely respected for his intellect, fairness and work ethic.

Original source:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/brea...

Over 37 years, U.S. District Judge Milton Shadur has gained recognition as the academic of Chicago's federal court, widely respected for his intellect, fairness and work ethic.

He was known to arrive early on weekdays and work most weekends, conducting legal research and writing opinions.

But on Tuesday, the court announced that Shadur, now 93, would be stepping down effective Sept. 1 because of complications from recent surgery.

Chief U.S. District Judge Ruben Castillo said Shadur has been unable to travel to the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse since the surgery, but he still continued to keep up with a full calendar by issuing numerous opinions and orders from home.

But in a telephone interview, Shadur said it wouldn't be fair to attorneys or their clients to continue that arrangement.

"As a result, I made the only decision I thought was possible and fair to those two constituencies," said Shadur, who indicated he had never really thought about retiring before his surgery.

Nominated to the bench in 1980 by then-President Jimmy Carter, Shadur has become a bonafide legend at the downtown federal courthouse.

In the nearly four decades since, Shadur has authored more than 11,000 court opinions, Castillo noted, "many of which directly impacted the rights of thousands of individuals."

"No other member of our court can match this stunning body of written work," he said in a statement announcing the retirement.

Castillo also praised Shadur for his "truly encyclopedic" knowledge of the law and his "boundless" intellectual curiosity.

Continue reading here.

Katharine Baird Silbaugh, '92: Elected to the American Law Institute

afruland — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 21:04:46 +0000

Original source:

https://www.ali.org/members/member/444456/

Katharine Silbaugh is a professor of law at Boston University School of Law. She is widely recognized for her pioneering work on gender, family care, and household labor. She is a leader in the legal literature on the relationship between work and family. Her research highlights the economic and social value of work done within households; the complex relationship between families and institutions, such as employers and schools; and the inadequacy of the legal framework supporting care work. Her publications about the relationship between institutions and family address a range of legal systems from family law and employment law to urban planning and education law. She has intervened in policy matters of particular concern to LGBT individuals, including marriage equality litigation and anti-bullying law and policy.

Professor Silbaugh clerked for Judge Richard Posner of the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. She later collaborated with Posner on a survey of sexual regulation, A Guide to America’s Sex Laws, published by the University of Chicago Press and now in paperback.

Continue reading here.

Alumnae Named to List of Most Influential Women Lawyers in Chicago

afruland — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 23:38:44 +0000

Congratulations to Tacy Flint, '04, Joni Jacobsen, '97, Lori Lightfoot, '89, Amy Manning, '92, Elizabeth Perdue, ’82, and Stephanie Scharf, ’85, on being named to the inaugural edition of the Most Influential Women Lawyers in Chicago, in a special custom content section from Crain's Custom Media.

Original source:

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/most-influenti...

Congratulations to Tacy Flint, '04, Joni Jacobson, '97, Lori Lightfoot, '89, Amy Manning, '92, Elizabeth Perdue, ’82, and Stephanie Scharf, ’85, on being named to the inaugural edition of the Most Influential Women Lawyers in Chicago, in a special custom content section from Crain's Custom Media.

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The 60 women featured alphabetically on this site represent an impressive cross-section of the Chicago-area legal community. Many of them have practiced with distinction for decades, while others are on-the-rise attorneys making their mark.

Some have helped set new legal precedents at the U.S. Supreme Court while others have developed winning legal theories that have become standard in state and federal courts. All make it a point to mentor other women lawyers and to give back to their community in myriad ways.

Every one of the profiles in this section is drawn from the nomination materials submitted, and no lawyer paid to be featured. But because this honor is bestowed only upon lawyers for whom nominations were submitted, this year's list is not comprehensive.

Continue reading here.

Allison Eid, '91: Poised to Make History at the 10th Circuit

asiwak — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 15:25:32 +0000

Allison Eid, '91, currently serves as a justice on the Colorado Supreme Court and has been nominated by the president as the first Colorado woman to sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.

Original source:

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/07/28/colorado...

For women striving to achieve that elusive balance between family life and a successful career, it can be hard to find strong role models. But Colorado’s Allison Eid is as a shining example. Not only has she reached the highest levels of the legal profession, she has raised two amazing children and supported her husband’s own high-demand career. This combination — lawyer, mother, spouse to another working spouse — is extraordinarily rare in the upper echelons of the legal community and should be celebrated.

Eid currently serves as a justice on the Colorado Supreme Court and has been nominated by the president as the first Colorado woman to sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. I had the pleasure of serving as one of Eid’s law clerks before going on to clerk for then-Judge Neil Gorsuch and for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

I have been lucky to have great mentors, but none has been quite as special as Eid. From her modest beginnings to her remarkable legal achievements, she epitomizes the self-fortitude and grace we should hope for in our public servants.

Continue reading: http://www.denverpost.com/2017/07/28/colorado...

Mary L. Smith, '91: Enduring Legal Principles Will Trump Politics at DOJ

asiwak — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 15:51:19 +0000

Mary Smith, '91, as an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, will be one of the first Native Americans to serve as an officer of the American Bar Association when she becomes its secretary this month.

Original source:

http://m.nationallawjournal.com/#/article/120...

Mary Smith, as an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, will be one of the first Native Americans to serve as an officer of the American Bar Association when she becomes its secretary this month.

A University of Chicago Law School-trained attorney, Smith clerked at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and has been a lawyer at the White House, 1997-2001, the U.S. Department of Justice, 1994-1996 and then 2010-2012, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, 2001-2005, Tyco International, 2005-2007 and the Indian Health Service, from 2015 until last January, when she left with the administration turnover. There, as principal deputy director, helping to provide health care for 2.2 million people and oversaw a $6 billion budget.

The National Law Journal talked with Smith about what's ahead for the DOJ, the White House, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Indian affairs and health care — mostly all topics the Trump administration has placed center stage, and about which this Cherokee lawyer has significant knowledge and experience.

Continue reading: http://m.nationallawjournal.com/#/article/120...

Adam Silver, '88: Legalized Sports Gambling is a Safe Bet

asiwak — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 15:47:45 +0000

In an unprecedented public gathering of the heads of the nation's top sports leagues, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, '88, on Tuesday made a bold prediction about a topic his colleagues would just as soon sweep under the nearest rug: He believes sports gambling will be legalized in the United States.

Original source:

http://adage.com/article/media/nba-commish-le...

In an unprecedented public gathering of the heads of the nation's top sports leagues, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Tuesday made a bold prediction about a topic his colleagues would just as soon sweep under the nearest rug: He believes sports gambling will be legalized in the United States.

Speaking at the Paley Center for Media's "GameChangers" panel, Silver said he thinks the laws that keep sports books quarantined in Nevada and three other states eventually will fall by the wayside.

"My sense is that the law will change in the next few years in the United States, and I think it's not as much a matter of our leagues being for or against sports betting, it's more a function of being realists," Silver said. "It's a multi-hundred-billion-dollar illegal industry … and I think ultimately, as the owners of our intellectual property, we're going to embrace it and also make sure that our integrity is protected at the same time."

Continue reading: http://adage.com/article/media/nba-commish-le...

Amy Klobuchar, '85: Heads to Chicago for Big Dem Meeting

asiwak — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 15:51:20 +0000

If you're a Democrat—or, for that matter, an independent or disaffected Republican—it's never too early to start talking about who might run for president against Donald Trump in 2020.

Which leads to the woman now set to attend what's being billed as the largest Democratic event in the state each year: U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, '85, D-Minn., who will be the guest speaker at the annual 1,000-donkey-strong brunch of the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen's Association on Aug. 17 in Springfield.

Original source:

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/201707...

If you're a Democrat—or, for that matter, an independent or disaffected Republican—it's never too early to start talking about who might run for president against Donald Trump in 2020.

Which leads to the woman who just got back from a trip to Iowa and now is set to attend what's being billed as the largest Democratic event in the state each year. That would be U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who will be the guest speaker at the annual 1,000-donkey-strong brunch of the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen's Association on Aug. 17 in Springfield.

"This year, more than ever, we must be unified in our fight against (Gov.) Bruce Rauner and Donald Trump," association President Doug House said in announcing the visit by Klobuchar, whom he described as "one of the rising stars" in the party and a woman with "a proven track record of fighting for the middle class and the Midwest."

Continue reading: http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/201707...

Christina Matthias, '15: Married Hank Garrett June 24, 2017

asiwak — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 15:56:07 +0000

Christina Matthias, '15, married Hank Garrett on June 24, 2017 in Honey Brook, PA.

Original source:

http://www.philly.com/philly/living/weddings/...

“Hank’s coming to Penn, and you’re going to love him!” Christina’s friend Alix said.

It was Spring Fling Weekend 2010. Hank, a senior fine arts major at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, came to visit his high school pal Jay, Alix’s then-boyfriend.

Alix was right. Christina, a senior history major, and Hank had so much fun grooving to Grateful Dead covers at Alix’s party that they left together to talk at Smokey Joe’s bar. “We really hit it off over a shared passion for zombie movies,” Hank said. Before he left for Bowdoin, she presented him with the book World War Z.

Continue reading: http://www.philly.com/philly/living/weddings/...