Class Notes
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Charles Caulkins, JD'76, managing partner of the Fort Lauderdale office of the law firm Fisher & Phillips LLP and a member of the firm’s Management Committee, has been named a “Super Lawyer” by Florida Super Lawyer magazine, an annual publication that recognizes the top attorneys in the state. The list is compiled from peer nominations, in which attorneys in Florida are asked to nominate their choice for the state’s best lawyers, based on individuals they have observed in action firsthand. Caulkins has represented employers nationally in labor and employment law matters since 1977. This includes advising employers on the development and implementation of preventative labor relations programs to avoid charges and lawsuits, and the protection of trade secrets and resolution of disputes. He regularly counsels employers during union representation elections, decertifications, corporate campaigns and collective bargaining negotiations. He also handles employment related litigation and arbitrations before state and federal courts and administrative agencies.
Fisher & Phillips LLP announced today that Charles Caulkins, JD'76, managing partner of the firm’s Fort Lauderdale office, is featured in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2008. Additionally, the firm is ranked as one of the top labor and employment law firms in the United States. Each year, Chambers USA publishes a list of the top law firms and attorneys across the United States. It determines rankings through thousands of in-depth interviews with randomly selected attorneys, clients, and businesses. Fisher & Phillips Chairman and Managing Partner Roger Quillen said, “While it’s an honor each year for our firm to be so recognized, this year is especially gratifying to see so many more of our attorneys being noted for their dedication to the highest quality of service they provide to our clients. This group of attorneys represents the culture, dedication, and expertise that Fisher & Phillips’ attorneys bring to their work every day. Our clients are the ones who truly benefit from this breadth and depth of experience and knowledge.” In addition to his role as managing partner of the Fort Lauderdale office, Caulkins is a member of the firm’s Management Committee. He handles employment related litigation and arbitrations before state and federal courts and administrative agencies involving claims of discrimination, wrongful discharge, contract breach, OSHA and other statutory claims. Caulkins is a founding member and past President of the Academy of Florida Management Attorneys, and was the 2006 Chairman of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce. Caulkins has been listed in America's Leading Business Lawyers since 2002 and in The Best Lawyers in America since 2006.
Brian Campbell, JD'77, has joined the law firm of Whitfield & Eddy, P.L.C. as a member attorney in the firm's downtown Des Moines location. He practices in the areas of employment, life/health/casualty insurance, ERISA, construction, product liability, personal injury defense and general business litigation and is licensed to practice in Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska.
Michael J. Javoronok, JD'75, and Monte L. Neilan have formed the law firm of Javoronok and Neilan. Javoronok is a past president of the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys (NATA). He currently serves on NATA's board of directors. The firm will emphasize civil litigation, products liability, personal injury, worongful death, and workers' compensation.
Ann L. Wright, JD’79, has been reassigned to a position in the Office of the General Counsel, Department of the Army, to work in the Civil Works and environment practice area as an Associate Deputy General Counsel. Her practice will focus on environmental restoration program and policy legal issues for the Army worldwide. She previously worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Omaha specializing in environmental restoration and compliance, project legal support and litigation. For this new position she will relocate to the Washington, D.C. area to work in the Pentagon.
McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp, P.C., L.L.O. of Omaha has announced that Steven J. Woolley, JD’76, and Janice M. Woolley, JD’76, B have become Shareholders of the Corporation. Steven Woolley represents financial and business entities in a wide range of banking, collection, commercial and real estate matters. He also assists individuals in business matters, including entity formation. Janice Woolley represents lenders, businesses and individuals in a variety of matters, including loan documentation, financial institution regulatory matters, real estate and contracts.
James M. Bausch, JD’73, joined the firm of Cline, Williams, Wright, Johnson & Oldfather, LLP in 1973 and relocated to the Omaha office in 2007. Bausch is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He continues his general civil trial practice in the Omaha office. His trial practice includes complex commercial litigation, business and securities litigation and arbitration, and intellectual property litigation.
The National Conference of State Trial Judges (NCST) has elected Douglas County District Court Judge Gary B. Randall, JD’74, as its Vice Chair.
Several women lawyers and judges were profiled in the September 9th issue of the Lincoln Journal-Star. Among those who were recognized for their effectiveness and influence were the Honorable Patricia Lamberty, JD’79, Douglas County District Court Judge; Gail Werner Robertson, JD’88, GRW Investments, Nebraska Investment Council; and Brenda Council, JD’77, Omaha lawyer.
Fisher & Phillips LLP has announced that the office’s managing partner, Charles Caulkins, JD’76, has been named to the 2008 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the specialty of labor and employment law.
John S. Slowiaczek, JD’73, of Lieben Whitted Houghton Slowiaczek & Cavanagh, PC, LLO, has been elected to membership in the American College of Family Trial Lawyers.
The law firm of Brodkey, Cuddigan, Peebles & Belmont, LLP is pleased to announce that Mark E. Belmont, JD’78, has joined the firm as Of Counsel. Belmont has 28 years of experience, more recently as in-house corporate counsel for Northern Border Partners and Peter Kiewit Sons’, Inc. He will focus his practice on general business and commercial matters, including the formation, purchase and sale of business entities, real estate transactions and family law.
Amy L. Longo, JD’79 was elected as the 2007-2008 Omaha Bar Association president on June 14, 2007, following the term of J. Scott Paul, the 2006-2007 president. Longo previously served as president of the Nebraska State Bar Association from 1999-2000.
John S. Slowiaczek, JD’73, of Lieben, Whitted, Houghton, Slowiaczek & Cavanagh, PC, LLO has been elected to membership in the American College of Family Trial Lawyers. Membership in the College is extended by invitation only to experienced family trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality.
The Columbus law firm of Fehringer Mielak & Fehringer has relocated its offices to 3939 25th Street. Jim Fehringer, JD’73, established the practice in 1974 and is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Thomas M. Fehringer, JD’99, joined the firm in 2004, after having served in the U.S. Army, Judge Advocate General’s Corps. The general practice law firm provides services in estate planning, business, real estate, and person injury, and trials and appeals generally.
Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine, JD’77, was honored in May for contributions to the criminal justice system. He was among 16 law enforcement officials from across the state to receive awards from the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee at its annual criminal justice conference in Kearney. Kleine was recognized for work he did while with the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office. He was cited for his contributions in training and assistance to law enforcement statewide.
Charles Caulkins, JD’76, managing partner of the Fort Lauderdale office of the law firm Fisher & Phillips LLP and a member of the firm’s Management Committee, has been named a “Super Lawyer” by Florida Super Lawyer magazine, an annual publication that recognizes the top attorneys in the state. The list is compiled from peer nominations, in which attorneys in Florida are asked to nominate their choice for the state’s best lawyers, based on individuals they have observed in action firsthand.
John F. Decker, JD’70, a resident of Elmhurst, Illinois, Professor of Law at the DePaul University College of Law in Chicago, received the DEPAUL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW VIA SAPIENTIAE AWARD, the university’s highest academic award, at the College of Law’s commencement exercises on May 20, 2007. Professor Decker was recognized for his numerous achievements at DePaul, where he has taught since 1971, including being the founder of the law school’s highly successful Internship/Externship Program, as well as its Criminal Law program. Decker has also been involved in numerous continuing legal education programs for judges, prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys. He has written numerous books and articles, including the widely used ILLINOIS CRIMINAL LAW. Finally, he is Special Advisor to the Criminal Law Edit, Alignment and Reform commission, which is involved in efforts to modernize Illinois criminal law legislation.
Gary J. Nedved, JD’77, of the Keating, O’Gara, Nedved & Peter law firm of Lincoln, has been inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only to those experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy, and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility, and collegiality. Nedved has been a trial lawyer in Lincoln for 30 years focusing his practice in the areas of personal injury, professional negligence, and commercial litigation.
Gerald L. Friedrichsen, JD’77, shareholder of Fitzgerald Schorr Barmettler & Brennan, has been named a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He has been practicing in Omaha for 28 years and is chairman of the firm’s litigation department.
Wichita criminal defense attorney Dan Monnat, JD’76, was appointed in April to the Kansas Sentencing Commission by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. The 17-member panel includes members of the Kansas legislature, judiciary, corrections and parole sectors, as well as state and local prosecutors and public defenders. Monnat is the sole private defense counsel appointed to the Commission.
John B. Atkins, JD’73, retired as vice-president and senior trust officer from Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. after 31 years with the trust and investments division. He is now working as vice-president & senior trust officer with Union Bank & Trust Company of Lincoln in their Omaha Office.
James S. Jansen, JD’73, attorney with McGrath North Mullin and Kratz in Omaha, has been selected a district chairman of Learning for Life, a subsidiary division of the Mid-America Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Attorney John W. Wilke, JD’78, has relocated his office, as of January 15, to 11725 Arbot Street, #240, Omaha, NE 68144. Hecan be reached at Phone 402.334.6666 or Fax: 402.333.9193 or jwilkelaw@aol.com.
Kutak Rock announced that John P. Passarelli, JD’79, has been elected to join the firm’s partnership. John’s practice areas are intellectual property and information technology.
Rita Melgares, JD’79, an Omaha attorney and longtime activist, received the lifetime achievement award September 23, 2006 from “Latinos on the Move.”
Joyce Renard Dixon, JD’75, Bob Ginn, JD’76, and John Katelman, JD’72, have been listed among “The Best Lawyers in America 2007.”
St. Paul Lawyer Patrick J. Kelly Assumes State Bar Presidency July 6, 2006, Minnesota State Bar Association, www.mnbar.org
Longtime St. Paul lawyer and civic volunteer has become president of Minnesota's largest bar association. Kelly, a partner with Kelly & Fawcett, P.A., began his tenure July 1.
Kelly's practice focuses on land use, eminent domain, administrative hearings, municipal law, labor and employment law and litigation, national practice in real-estate development and international business focusing on China. Kelly is also a national speaker on administrative procedures for interscholastic athletics.
He received his law degree from Creighton University, where he was a member of the Creighton Law Review. He graduated from Marquette University and attended the National University of Ireland, University College of Dublin honors.
His bar activities include chairing the Second Judicial Ethics Committee for six years, the presidency of the Ramsey County Bar Association in 2003 and serves on its Foundation. Mr. Kelly also served on the MSBA Task Force on Association Governance
Kelly served as an Army Infantry officer and has served on numerous nonprofit boards. He is co-founder of the board of directors of Washington County Banks. He was also commissioner, board member and president of Youth Athletic Associations.
With 16,000 members the MSBA is the state's largest and most influential voluntary organization of attorneys, providing continuing legal education and public service opportunities for lawyers, and assistance to the legal system.
In recent years, the MSBA has worked closely with the state courts to lobby the Minnesota Legislature for adequate funding for the court system, salaries for judges and funding for legal services for the disadvantaged. The MSBA also works with the state Supreme Court on setting high ethical and practice standards for Minnesota lawyers.
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Paul J. LaPuzza, JD’72, has joined the Slusky Law Firm. LaPuzza will continue building on his 33 years of practice in the Omaha community. His areas of practice include real estate transactions, foreclosures, acquisitions, lender services and corporate transactions.
Harry D. Dixon, Jr., JD’72, of Omaha was honored for his service at the recent 25th Anniversary meeting of the American Bankruptcy Institute (“ABI”) in Washington, D.C. The award was made at a luncheon attended by approximately 1100 members. Dixon founded the ABI in Omaha in 1982 and served as its chairman and CEO from 1982-1996. The ABI has over 11,000 members and is the predominate organization in the bankruptcy field. Its members include attorneys, judges, accountants, and other insolvency professionals from throughout the U.S. and many foreign countries, Dixon is of counsel to the law firm of Gallner & Pattermann, PC.
Mike Nelsen, JD’74, is expanding his practice to include mediation/arbitration services and advisory trials.
Robert V. Ginn, JD’76, has joined Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin’s Omaha office. He joins the firm as a partner in the litigation department, practicing in the area of bankruptcy, restructuring and creditors’ rights. “Bob Ginn is on everyone’s short list when a bankruptcy lawyer is needed in Omaha,” said Tom Dahlk, managing partner of the firm’s Omaha office. “We are extremely pleased to add Bob’s expertise and experience to the firm’s bankruptcy and creditors’ rights practice group.” Ginn has almost 30 years of experience representing corporate debtors, creditos, committees and trustees. Prior to joining Blackwell Sanders, he was a partner at Brashear & Ginn from 1990 to 2005. He started his practice in 1976 with the firm of Nelson & Harding in Omaha and later represented the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Resolution Trust Corporation in matters arising from more than 30 bank and savings institution failures. Ginn earned his J.D. from Creighton University School of Law in 1976. He received his B.S.B.A. from Georgetown University in 1972. (The Nebraska Lawyer, May 2006)
Robert F. Cryne, JD’78, returned to Omaha in April of this year after nine months in Iraq, serving as one of the American advisers to the Iraqi High Tribunal, which is investigating and prosecuting Saddam Hussein and other former leaders of his regime on war crimes charges. Shortly after his return, Cryne gave a presentation at Creighton University School of Law outlining the nature of his assistance. He is a prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and a former Douglas County prosecutor. The judicial process and personnel in Iraq are entirely Iraqi, but the U.S. and other coalition forces have provided security, investigators, and legal advisers. Cryne was glad to return home to his family but expressed concern for the friends he left in Iraq.
John P. Passarelli, JD’79, has joined the firm of Kutak Rock LLP. Passarelli was the head of the Intellectual Property Group at his former firm, as well as having served on its board of directors. He has substantial experience in advising clients, including Fortune 500 Companies, in legal matters involving trademarks, patents, copyright, trade secrets, unfair competition, franchising, marketing and distribution. Passarelli advises clients in both transactional and litigation contexts and has extensive experience in appellate practice having been involved in appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Circuits and in the Nebraska and U.S. Supreme Courts. He is also admitted to practice in Nebraska.
Jim Fitzgerald, JD’74, from McGrath North was named one of America’s 500 leading litigators.
The Omaha Bar Association has elected the following officers: J. Scott Paul, JD’81, president; Amy Long, JD’79, president-elect; Aimee Haley, secretary; Paul Bouda, JD’96, treasurer; James Waldron, JD’79, treasurer-elect. Longo, a partner in the Ellick Jones law firm, is a past president of the Nebraska State Bar Association.