Articles Posted in Firm News

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, Chicagoans encounter the tell-tale signs that the holiday season is upon us. Downtown and neighborhood streets are decked out in bright lights, store windows are decorated in bright, cheery displays, and the train stations and street corners are peppered with bell ringers collecting money for the needy.

Chicago offers many activities to enjoy the holidays and the crisp winter weather. Here are some highlights of holiday activities to do in and around Chicago.

Head down to Millennium Park, where the ice-skating is free and open to the public. And if you happen to be there on a Friday evening around 6:00 p.m., stop by the Cloud Gate for some caroling near the Bean.

The old Marshal Fields building, now Macys, continues its tradition of decorating its windows according to a story or theme. This year the theme revolves around letters to Santa, a theme which the retailer continues within its store by offering a special mailbox for kids to mail their letters to Santa. Also inside the store is the several-story high Christmas tree, located in the store’s Walnut Room.

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Thanksgiving is a time to take stock and recognize all the blessings in one’s life and give thanks. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank those people who have had a positive impact on my life during this past year.

First, I would like to thank my family. My wife, sons, mother, and extended family are the center of it all. This past year is full of many wonderful memories and some important milestones. I am thankful for the amazing support system you provide that helps keep me grounded and focused.

And then there is my wonderful staff at Chicago’s Kreisman Law Offices. Without you the day-to-day matters of my firm would not run as smoothly or as expertly. I am thankful for your hard work and upbeat spirit that makes our law office such a positive environment to work in.

And to my clients, who make all of this possible. I know that you have a choice when deciding on an attorney and I want to take the time to thank you for entrusting me with your legal matters. I appreciate the large amount of trust that goes into choosing an attorney and I thank you all for placing your trust in me. I take this trust very seriously and will not let you down.

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Last Friday the Chicago Union League Civic & Arts Foundation marked its 60th anniversary celebration with a gala event that featured several of its former Foundation award winners. Chicago civil attorney Robert Kreisman attended the “Showcase of Stars” and was treated to a night of high quality classical music.

The Civic & Arts Foundation (CAF) is dedicated to sponsoring and supporting young artists in the Chicago community. The CAF not only hosts artistic competitions and concerts, but also provides civic services such as legal services, supportive services for recently divorced parents and children, and civic education.

The success of the CAF’s efforts can be seen in the high level that their former award recipients have achieved. Showcasing their talents were performers Rachel Barton Pine, violinist; Wendy Warner, cellist; Nancy Gustafson, soprano; Rodrick Dixon, tenor; and Jonita Lattimore, a soprano with the Chicago’s Children Choir.

Chicago Attorney Robert Kreisman was among the crowd enjoying the fruits of the CFA’s efforts in the form of a beautiful concert. Like many of the attendees he looks forward to another successful 60 years for the CAF and what their future will bring.

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Yesterday the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) sponsored its thirteenth year of its Principal for a Day (PFAD) program.

celebrated its 13th year in Principal for a Day. Chicago personal injury attorney Robert Kreisman participated in the program at Bowen Environmental Studies Team (B.E.S.T.) on Chicago’s south side.

Attorney Kreisman and his fellow principals for the day were greeted by B.E.S.T. High School’s principal, Camille Covington, Ed.D. Assistant principal Roberto Paredes led a group of “principals for a day” through the school, including visits to different ongoing classes and introductions to students and teachers. Of particular interest was that B.E.S.T. High School was undergoing College Day, which is a day when numerous universities and colleges showcase the opportunities they can offer the students. The students were invited to engage in discussions about their future at these colleges and universities.

B.E.S.T. High School is one of the four high schools that make up the physical address at 2710 E. 89th St., Chicago, where Bowen High School stands. B.E.S.T. High School focuses on preparing its students for college by emphasizing physical, social, political, and natural elements of the environment. Its students are encouraged to think of themselves as future leaders in their communities and fields.

The Principal For A Day program receives a high level of support from the Chicago business community, with over 1,400 business men and women participating this year alone. The day concluded with Chicago Mayor Daley hosting a luncheon for all the “principals”.

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On Saturday, October 17, 2009, Evanston/North Shore Branch of the NAACP celebrated its 100th year with pride. Several hundred friends and supporters were in attendance at the Chicago North Shore Holiday Inn in Skokie, Illinois. Chicago personal injury attorney Robert Kreisman attended the event as a member of the NAACP.

According to its President George P. Mitchell, the NAACP has lasted for 100 years because it has been effective and it’s no wonder that “the oldest, the boldest, the most feared, the most revered, the most cussed and discussed civil rights organization” continues to exist.

The keynote speaker was the president of the Illinois Conference of Branches, attorney Donald Jackson of Peoria, Illinois. Mr. Jackson traced the history of the 100 year-old volunteer-only organization. The springboard for the organization’s founding was a violent and deadly race riot in Springfield, Illinois in 1908.

Also honored was Evanston’s former, long-time Mayor, Elaine Morton, who received the NAACP’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The Community Service Award was granted to Theola Murphy, also an Evanston resident, who was saluted for her years of dedication and volunteer service to the community. Also receiving awards were Keith Banks and the Sergeant William B. Snell VFW Post #7816.

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Using actual transcripts from the Guantanamo Bay military tribunals, The Response provides a window into the tribunals and allows the general public a glimpse of what takes place at Guantanamo Bay. The film’s writer/producer, Sig Libowitz, has had first hand experience at Guantanamo Bay, participating as a legal observer to the Military Commissions.

The film, directed by Adam Rodgers, has been showcased at various locations nationwide, including screenings at both The Pentagon and the U.S. Department of Justice. The Response has received favorable reviews both from the military and the general public, including an Audience Award at the Politics on Film festival in Washington, D.C.

The thirty-minute drama focuses on the trial of an enemy combatant and three military judges that are deciding his fate. The film is unclear on whether or not the enemy combatant is guilty, instead forcing the audience to experience the ambiguities of the tribunal process. The specific trial revolves around whether the detainee provided supportive material to Al Qaeda, or whether he is an innocent victim that was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The military judges are forced to decide the man’s fate without full access to the evidence and trust their instincts.

The film holds a chilling mirror up to the military tribunals and shows how complicated the issues are surrounding the Guantanamo Bay detainees. For information on screenings in your area, visit the film’s website at www.theresponsemovie.com.

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On Friday, October 2, 2009, the Union League Club of Chicago honored its newest recipients of the Union League Club’s Distinguished Writers Award, Carol Marin and Scott Turow. The evening was hosted by Peter Sagal, the host of NPR’s Wait Wait . . . Don’t tell me! The event was attended by more than 200 guests at the Union League Club, including Chicago Civil Justice Attorney Robert Kreisman. Attorney Kreisman is also a member of the club’s Public Affairs Committee.

Carol Marin is an award winning journalist who is currently NBC 5’s Political Editor, a political columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, and a contributor to “Chicago Tonight” on WTTW Chicago. She is also a member of the Chicago Journalism Hall of Fame and has received the Ethics in Journalism Award from the Chicago Headline Club.

Scott Turow, also honored is an attorney and writer who authored seven best selling novels including, Presumed Innocent (1987), The Burden of Proof (1990), Pleading Guilty (1993), The Laws of Our Fathers (1996), Personal Injuries (1999), Reversible Errors (2002) and Ordinary Heroes (2005). Mr. Turow has won a number of literary awards, including the Heartland Prize in 2003, the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award in 2004 and Time Magazine’s Best Work of Fiction in 1999.

The event not only honored the prestigious careers of Carol Marin and Scott Turow, but also was another example of the club’s devotion to the arts. Not only does the club have a significant collection of private art work, but it also supports the Union League Civic & Arts Foundation, a separate not-for-profit organization to promote the arts in Chicago. The evening banquet was enjoyed by all who attended.

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Today the Union League Club of Chicago hosted a panel discussion titled Ethics & Reform in Illinois: An Update that included Patrick Collins, Andy Shaw, and John Tillman. The panel was moderated and organized by the Union League Club’s Public Affairs Committee.

Patrick Collins was appointed by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn to chair the Illinois Reform Commission, an ethics commission task force that focuses on ways to clean up Illinois’s government. The main recommendations of the task force, as represented by Collins, deal with caps on campaign financing, redistribution of funds, and effective enforcement of any reforms.

Andy Shaw serves as executive director of the Better Government Association (BGA), which is a nonpartisan government watchdog. He spoke about the “unholy intersection” of jobs being awarded for campaign contributions and the need for change.

John Tillman is currently Chairman and CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute. Unlike the other panelists, Tillman opposed caps on campaign contributions because he feels they favor the incumbent who is able to collect and build their resources during their term. Instead, Tillman focuses on promoting public financing, redistribution, and accountability.

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Chicago Civil Justice Attorney Robert Kreisman was honored to serve as a faculty member for the recent American Association of Justice (AAJ) case workshop program held September 10 through September 13, 2009 in Kansas City, MO. Robert Kreisman has participated in similar workshops as a faculty member over ten times.

The AAJ program involved analyses of the participating lawyers’ real cases that were coming up for trial. The workshop included a variety of legal cases, including personal injury, medical malpractice, and product liability. The concept behind the program was to dissect the legal cases in order to explore additional points of view. Sometimes when you have been working up a specific case yourself for so long it is difficult to take a step back and analyze it from every angle. The AAJ workshop gave lawyers the opportunity to see other viewpoints expressed.

AAJ has been hosting similar workshops for over a decade, and they have always been a great success. This particular workshop featured an assembly of trial lawyers from across the country – both attorneys who were featuring a case and lawyers who were analyzing other attorneys’ cases. Also present were trial consultants, whose function is to assist lawyers in preparing for trial.

And in order to get a point of view from outside the legal community, the workshop assembled focus groups to weigh in on the facts of the case. These focus groups were composed of members of the local community and serve the function of a mock jury. Attorneys use focus groups to test their trial strategies and as a way to predict how a local jury might respond.

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The Union League Club of Chicago’s Public Affairs Committee co-sponsored with the Chicago Federation of Labor a luncheon honoring Secretary of Labor, The Honorable Hilda L. Solis on Wednesday September 2, 2009. Secretary Solis allowed this luncheon to serve as her first Labor Day holiday speech.

The event was well attended by Union League Club members, including Chicago civil justice attorney Robert D. Kreisman, who serves on the Public Affairs Committee. The speech was also attended by active members and officers of local and national unions and many state and federal elected officials, including House of Representatives members Jan Schakowsky and Danny Davis.

Secretary Solis spoke about her early life in California and her upbringing by her union member parents. Previous to her nomination for this post, Secretary Solis served eight years as a United States Congresswoman from the 32d District in California. She was appointed to Secretary of Labor by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate on February 24, 2009.

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