Our latest featured speaker is the Honorable Patricia O’Brien Sheahan, a Circuit Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, IL!

Illinois Circuit Court Judge Patricia O’Brien Sheahan is speaking at our upcoming 14th Annual Circuit Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts program on December 10 & 12, 2024. The comprehensive program covers a wide range of topics, including effective complaint and answer strategies, deposition and discovery techniques, navigating case management conferences, honing motion writing skills and heading up to trial. Led by experienced Circuit Court Judges, and accomplished attorneys from a variety of backgrounds, including both large and small firms, this program offers an insider’s perspective on litigating in Illinois Circuit Court, along with invaluable general litigation skills.

Attendees have found this program helpful year after year. Judge Sheahan has previously taught at our Annual Circuit Court Boot Camps in 2020 and 2021, and our attendees really appreciated her insight and advice.

Judge Sheahan will be teaching on December 10th. You can see the detailed agenda and the rest of the program, and sign up to watch it live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Judge Sheahan is a Cook County Circuit Court judge, currently assigned to Law Division, Motions Section, Calendar D, in Courtroom 2207 of the Daley Center. She oversees a call of approximately 1,300 Law Division cases, which include medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, products liability, defamation/libel, premises liability and other general torts.  She previously covered civil non-jury and jury trial courtrooms and a civil jury motion call, as well as the post-judgment and miscellaneous remedies call in the First Municipal District. Judge Sheahan serves on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Judges Association and serves as a Topic Editor of the Illinois Judicial Benchbook on Civil Law and Procedure.

Prior to her election in 2014, Judge Sheahan served as Associate General Counsel of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), now known as the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab.  In this capacity, she oversaw all litigation and claims, including case investigations, pre-trial discovery and settlement negotiations. Additionally, she handled and defended all employment/labor matters and claims before the EEOC, the NLRB and the IDHR, including fact conferences, mediations and evidentiary hearings. She also represented RIC in a wide variety of other complex disputes ranging from contractual, insurance coverage and probate matters.

Before joining RIC, Judge Sheahan worked as an attorney at Baker McKenzie in its litigation practice group.  She gained extensive federal and state court experience in a wide range of complex civil litigation matters, including medical malpractice, employment, products liability, and class action suits. She also represented clients at the appellate level, including the Illinois Supreme Court and multiple appellate districts throughout the State of Illinois.

We are thrilled to have you back Judge Sheahan!

Our latest featured speaker is Shannon M. Kilpatrick of Stritmatter Kessler Koehler Moore!

Shannon is speaking at our upcoming 9th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice program on November 19th and 20th, 2024. She will be co-teaching “Preservation and Other Circumstances that Affect the Scope of Review” (Shannon is speaking on the 19th). You can sign up to attend live, order OnDemand Streaming, or get the recorded package here.

As a faculty member, Shannon is joined by former Washington Supreme Court Justice Philip Talmadge (in private practice), 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Hon. Kim McLane Wardlaw, Appellate Judges Hon. Linda Coburn, Hon. Leonard Felman, Hon. Lori Smith, appellate Commissioners Hailey Landrus, and top-notch practitioners who have spoken at our programs on many occasions and received excellent reviews every time!

Shannon practices at Stritmatter Kessler Koehler Moore in Seattle. She handles civil appeals and consults on appeals (both within and without the firm), and also does legal research and writing projects for the firm. She is licensed to practice law in the state of Washington and has 12+ years experience at all levels of the state court system. She served as a former judicial law clerk to Justice Debra Stephens of the Washington Supreme Court.

Shannon handles appeals for most civil procedural and substantive issues, including in areas involving government liability, premises liability, contract disputes, insurance bad faith, workers compensation, evidentiary issues, medical malpractice, consumer protection issues, and others. Since 2018, she has also served as an Arbitrator for the superior courts of King, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties.

A native of the Seattle area, Shannon grew up in Bellevue, WA and earned her BA in History from Whitman College in Walla Walla. She graduated cum laude from Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she externed for the Honorable John L. Coffey at the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Shannon has significant experience volunteering with legal organizations. She serves on the Board of Governors for the Washington State Association for Justice (WSAJ). She was recently appointed to the Washington State Supreme Court Gender & Justice Commission. She served as chair of the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Court Rules & Procedures Committee from 2015-2018 and a member of that Committee from 2011-2015. From 2017-18 she served on the WSBA Civil Litigation Rules Drafting Task Force. From 2011-2012, she served on the WSBA Admission to Practice Rules Task Force.

We are so excited to learn from you Shannon!

Our latest featured speaker is Bruce Givner of KFB Rice LLP! 

Bruce is speaking at our upcoming Understanding the Corporate Transparency Act and Helping your Clients Comply program on November 14, 2024. The Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”) went into effect on January 1, 2024. It requires “reporting companies” in the United States to disclose information regarding its beneficial owners, i.e., the individuals who own or control a company, to the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”). Join attorneys specializing in the CTA for a comprehensive discussion covering the act’s implications, impacted entities, filing the Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOIR), key deadlines, penalties, and related congressional, judicial, and state matters. Attend this program to navigate these critical issues and safeguard your clients’ interests.

Bruce will be co-teaching “History of CTA, Entities Impacted & Exempt Entities” with Vince Farhat and Eileen Duffy Robinett, and “Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOIR): Contents, Timing, Gathering Information & Access” with Vince Farhat. You can see the detailed agenda for his topics and the rest of the program, and sign up to watch it live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Bruce will also be teaching at our Trust and Estate Planning 101: The Nuts and Bolts (CA) [Two-Part Webinar] program in March 2025. If you are just getting going with your estate planning practice, or need a refresher on various aspects of estate planning, this comprehensive estate planning program is for you. This seminar is focused on giving you a thorough overview of the critical areas of estate planning and the tasks and law you need to know to be a successful estate planning attorney.

Bruce has previously taught at our programs focused on Advanced Estate Planning, Tax Planning, and Protecting Your Client’s Assets, and our attendees raved about how much they learned from Mr. Givner.

Mr. Givner has been practicing tax law for almost five decades concentrating on income tax planning, estate tax planning, sophisticated retirement plans, asset protection planning, charitable planning, capital gain planning, tax litigation, and the representation of high net worth and high income families, as well as individuals and their closely held corporations.

He is the author of close to 150 articles in professional journals. He is also the author, co-author or editor of 18 chapters in various CEB treatises.

Bruce represented the prevailing taxpayers in L&B Pipe & Supply Co., Inc. v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 1994-187 and has been cited favorably by both the U.S. Tax Court (Judge Nims in Fujinon Optical, 76 T.C. 499 (footnote 10) and the California Court of Appeals (Judge Lui in FTB v. Safeco, 164 CA 3rd 526.  He has been AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell for 3 decades and is a SuperLawyer.

We are always so glad to have you back, Bruce!  Thank you for joining us again.

Our latest featured speaker is Edward Samuelson of Levin & Perconti!

Ed is speaking at our upcoming 14th Annual Circuit Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts program on December 10 & 12, 2024. This program covers a wide range of topics, including effective complaint and answer strategies, deposition and discovery techniques, navigating case management conferences, honing motion writing skills and heading up to trial. Led by experienced Circuit Court Judges and accomplished attorneys, like Ed, from a variety of backgrounds, including both large and small firms, this program offers an exclusive insider’s perspective on litigating in Illinois Circuit Court, along with invaluable general litigation skills. Attendees have consistently raved about the program each year.

Ed will be co-teaching “The Early Parts of Your Case: Themes, Complaints, Answers, and More” with Mona Naser on December 10th. You can see the detailed agenda for his topic and the rest of the program, and sign up to watch it live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Ed Samuelson focuses his practice on all types of personal injury, medical malpractice, and nursing home neglect cases. He joined Levin & Perconti as an associate attorney in 2022.

Prior to joining Levin & Perconti, Samuelson spent nearly 12 years working as a judicial law clerk at the Circuit Court of Cook County for Judges Ronald S. Davis, John P. Kirby, John “Jack” P. Callahan, Jr., and Melissa A. Durkin. His experience included writing orders on motions, prepping judges for hearings, reviewing settlement petitions, and assisting with courtroom proceedings.

Samuelson taught two classes at The John Marshall Law School, now known as the Law School at U.I.C. One class was for judicial externs where he got to know many Northern Illinois state and federal court judges. The other class was called Illinois Civil Motion Practice, which focused on practical aspects of litigating. His students learned the chronology of motions at various stages of litigation, from motions challenging venue and jurisdiction to motions for good faith finding.

Prior to joining the court as a judicial law clerk, Samuelson worked as an associate attorney at another Chicago personal injury law firm.

Samuelson graduated from The John Marshall Law School cum laude in 2008. He earned many honors including the Dean’s Scholarship, Baim Scholarship, and the Herzog Scholarship for Academic Excellence. He also holds Master of Philosophy and Master of Arts degrees in French Studies with Distinction from New York University (1992 and 1988); a Master of Arts in French with Distinction from The University of Illinois at Chicago (1986), and a Bachelor of Arts in Medieval Studies with a minor in Economics from Northwestern University (1979).

We are so glad to you have join us Ed!

Our latest featured speaker is Vince Farhat of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP!

Vince is speaking at our upcoming Understanding the Corporate Transparency Act and Helping your Clients Comply program on November 14, 2024. The Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”) went into effect on January 1, 2024. It requires “reporting companies” in the United States to disclose information regarding its beneficial owners, i.e., the individuals who own or control a company, to the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”). Join attorneys specializing in the CTA for a comprehensive discussion covering the act’s implications, impacted entities, filing the Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOIR), key deadlines, penalties, and related congressional, judicial, and state matters.

Vince will be teaching several sessions in this program including: “Enforcement and Penalties,” and “Legislative and Judicial Update.” He will also be co-teaching “History of CTA, Entities Impacted & Exempt Entities” with Bruce Givner and Eileen Duffy Robinett, and “Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOIR): Contents, Timing, Gathering Information & Access” with Bruce Givner. You can see the detailed agenda for his topics and the rest of the program, and sign up to watch it live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Vince Farhat is a partner and chair of Jeffrey Mangels Butler & Mitchell’s (JMBM) White Collar Defense and Investigations practice. Vince has extensive jury trial experience and focuses his practice on representing companies and individuals in criminal and civil investigations and prosecutions by government enforcement agencies, as well as complex federal litigation. He also advises companies in connection with complex and sensitive internal investigations.

Prior to joining JMBM, Vince served as an assistant United States attorney in the Major Frauds Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. As a federal prosecutor, he investigated and prosecuted white collar crimes, including healthcare fraud, bank fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, bankruptcy fraud and money laundering. While in the Major Frauds Section, Vince served as the criminal healthcare fraud coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and oversaw the investigative activities of the U.S. Department of Justice Medicare Fraud Strike Force for the Central District. He regularly worked with civil fraud attorneys and other prosecuting agencies in parallel fraud investigations. Vince’s criminal trial experience includes cases involving healthcare fraud, wire fraud, bankruptcy fraud, money laundering, immigration fraud and criminal forfeiture.

Before becoming a criminal prosecutor, Vince was an assistant U.S. attorney in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office where he represented the United States in commercial litigation and other civil cases. Vince served as a law clerk to the Honorable Edward Rafeedie, U.S. district court judge for the Central District of California. Vince works as an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School where he teaches white collar and healthcare law.

Vince is an experienced trial lawyer who understands business risk from the client’s perspective. He regularly represents financial services companies, government contractors, consulting firms, real estate and construction companies, healthcare providers, family offices, nonprofits, and trustees and fiduciaries in government investigations, corporate internal investigations, and complex, high-stakes litigation.

We are excited to have you join us and to learn from you, Vince!

Our latest featured speaker is Eileen Duffy Robinett of Thompson Coburn LLP!

Eileen is speaking at our upcoming Understanding the Corporate Transparency Act and Helping your Clients Comply program on November 14, 2024. The Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”) went into effect on January 1, 2024. It requires “reporting companies” in the United States to disclose information regarding its beneficial owners, i.e., the individuals who own or control a company, to the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”). Join attorneys specializing in the CTA for a comprehensive discussion covering the act’s implications, impacted entities, filing the Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOIR), key deadlines, penalties, and related congressional, judicial, and state matters. Attend this program to navigate these critical issues and safeguard your clients’ interests.

Eileen will be teaching “Who are the Beneficial Owners & Company Applicants.” She will also be co-teaching “History of CTA, Entities Impacted & Exempt Entities” with Vince Farhat and Bruce Givner. You can see the detailed agenda and sign up to watch it live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Eileen is a seasoned corporate and securities attorney with extensive involvement with public company legal compliance, disclosure, governance, financings, and acquisitive/dispositive transactions. After taking a career hiatus, Eileen has returned to practicing law.

She has experience preparing and reviewing current and periodic reports filed with the SEC (10-K, 10-Q, 8-K), Section 16 filings, Schedule 13D/G filings, registration statements, proxy statements and annual reports. Eileen has advised clients about insider trading policies, Rule 10b5-1 plans, codes of conduct, disclosure controls and procedures and many Board of Director corporate and securities law considerations, such as charters, calendars, resolutions, share repurchase programs, stock splits and defensive takeover considerations.

She earned her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

We are thrilled to have you join us Eileen!

Our latest featured speaker is Kristen E. Hudson of Dickinson Wright PLLC!

Kristen is speaking at our upcoming 14th Annual Circuit Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts program on December 10 & 12, 2024 and will also be teaching at our February 2025 program: Trial Essentials: What Every New Litigator Needs to Know. The comprehensive curriculum covers a wide range of topics, including effective complaint and answer strategies, deposition and discovery techniques, navigating case management conferences, honing motion writing skills and heading up to trial. Led by experienced Circuit Court Judges and accomplished attorneys, like Kristen, from a variety of backgrounds, including both large and small firms, this program offers an exclusive insider’s perspective on litigating in Illinois Circuit Court, along with invaluable general litigation skills. Attendees have consistently raved about the program each year.

Kristen will be co-teaching “Discovery & E-Discovery” with Paul Coogan on December 12th. You can see the detailed agenda for her topic and the rest of the program, and sign up to watch it live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Kristen has spoken at several of our programs and was highly popular with our attendees. She most recently taught “Deposition Objections” at our Mastering the Deposition 101: The Nuts and Bolts program this past July. You can still purchase the recorded package or OnDemand Streaming here.

Kristen Hudson, Of Counsel in Dickinson Wright’s Austin and Chicago offices, represents businesses and business people in complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts in Texas, Illinois and across the country.  Kristen has won high-stakes challenges in a variety of substantive areas, from breach of contract, business and statutory torts, including fraud and the False Claims Act claims, to intellectual property disputes involving the protection of trade secrets and privacy. Kristen has significant experience with Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code and the U.N. Convention on the International Sale of Goods. Kristen also has concentrated experience in lawyer professional liability and fiduciary liability, including high-net worth trust disputes.

Kristen has served as General Counsel of mid-size law firm with offices in multiple jurisdictions. In addition, she has been seconded to clients for extended periods including at a large energy company and with a UK-based insurance company. With this experience to guide her, Kristen works to avoid court wherever possible for her clients, and pursues solutions that make the most business and financial success for her clients, including advocating aggressively when litigation is required.

In addition to her commercial litigation practice, Kristen is knowledgeable about all types of third-party commercial liability policies, including directors’ and officers’ liability, professional liability, employment practices liability, commercial general liability, products liability, cyber liability, among others. Kristen has experience on all sides of an insurance coverage dispute and business disputes involving the insurance industry.  As a policyholder lawyer, Kristen recovered millions of dollars in insurance proceeds for her policyholder clients.  Most recently, Kristen served as coverage and monitoring counsel on behalf of insurers.

Prior to attending law school, Kristen was a French teacher in the North Carolina public schools.

We are always thrilled to have you back Kristen!

Our latest featured speaker is Ryan Erickson of Lewis & Llewellyn LLP!

Ryan is speaking at our upcoming Winning Motions for Summary Judgment program on November 7th, 2024. This is a must-attend program for any attorney wanting to improve not only their writing skills with respect to Motions for Summary Judgment, but also learn how to handle the early parts of their case with the MSJ in mind, to optimize their chances of success on Motion for Summary Judgment. With state and federal judges teaching, as well as seasoned litigators, you will learn not only how to write your MSJs more persuasively, but also how to approach the entire first part of your case with a Motion for Summary Judgment in mind.

Ryan is co-teaching the Planning for the MSJ session.  You can see the detailed agenda for his topic and the rest of the program, and sign up to watch it live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Ryan has previously spoken at our Superior Court Boot Camp programs, and our attendees raved about how prepared and informed they felt after leaving his sessions.

Ryan Erickson is a tenacious litigator who thrives in the high-pressure environment of civil litigation. As a Partner at Lewis & Llewellyn, Ryan brings years of experience representing plaintiffs and defendants in a diverse array of complex disputes. He enjoys combining strategy, grit, and efficiency to best meet his clients’ litigation objectives. After graduating with High Honors from Princeton University, Ryan received his law degree from UCLA, where he was an Editor of the Law Review and selected as a member of the Order of the Coif (top 10% of his class). Ryan began his career in the San Francisco office of Latham & Watkins LLP, one of the world’s premier law firms, where he represented several Fortune 500 companies in high-profile commercial disputes.

Since joining Lewis & Llewellyn in 2013, Ryan has secured complete defense victories for multiple clients in bet-the-company cases. Crossing the aisle to the plaintiff’s side of the courtroom, Ryan has secured millions of dollars in judgments and settlements through the successful prosecution of his clients’ claims. By litigating on both sides of the bar, Ryan brings a broad perspective to his practice that enables him to efficiently and effectively address the legal needs of his clients.

For four consecutive years, Ryan has been recognized as, a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers Magazine, an honor reserved for only 2.5% of U.S. attorneys. Benchmark Litigation also recently named Ryan to its “Under 40 Hot List,” which honors the achievements of the nation’s “most accomplished legal partners of the age of forty or younger.” In addition to his business litigation practice, Ryan has also earned a reputation as a premier advocate for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Applying the aggressive and exhaustive approach taken in high-stakes commercial litigation to his nationwide sexual abuse practice, Ryan has obtained numerous multi-million dollar recoveries on behalf of his clients.

Along the way, he has become a tireless advocate for the prevention of sexual abuse. Ryan also serves on the Board of Directors of CALICO, one of the largest child advocacy centers in California, which serves approximately 700 abused children every year. During his free time, Ryan enjoys competing in the occasional Ironman triathlon and spending time with his family, usually outdoors in their 1991 Volkswagen Westfalia Vanagon.

We are so glad to have you back Ryan!

Our latest featured speaker is Eva Novick of Miller Nash LLP.

Eva, practicing out of Miller Nash’s Oregon office, is speaking at our upcoming AI and the Practice of Law program this October. This two-part national webinar is set for October 29 & 30, 2024 and will not only discuss how AI is being used in the legal field and how the courts are dealing with AI, it will also teach attendees about the software available, how they can use AI (or should not use AI), how to disclose to their clients, ethical issues and a host of other topics related to the practical use of AI by attorneys and law firms.

Eva will be co-teaching the Introduction session: “What It Is and How It Works” on October 29 with Judge Curtis Karnow of the Superior Court in California. You can see the detailed agenda for her topic and the rest of the program, and sign up to watch it live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Eva Novick is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPM) and a member of the firm’s privacy & data security team. Eva advises clients, both business and individual, on complying with U.S. and international data privacy laws, and remediating and responding to data security incidents. Eva has extensive knowledge and experience in matters of privacy and data security, including enforcing consumer protection laws against particular industries. She works closely with clients on compliance with state and federal privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended (CCPA/CPRA), and international laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Prior to private practice, Eva dedicated nearly two decades of her career to the Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ). During this time, she was able to gain a substantial amount of skill and expertise regarding matters of privacy, data security, and consumer protection. During her time with the Oregon DOJ, Eva led settlement negotiations in Oregon-specific and multistate actions and resolved over 400 investigations, which resulted in distributing over a billion in restitution.

We are so excited to have you join us Eva!