Class Notes
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David Williams, FLMI, JD'85, was elected vice president – associate general counsel for Ameritas Life, Acacia Life and Union Central Life. He is responsible for all disputes, both before and after a lawsuit is filed, involving any UNIFI company. He also has responsibility for controlling and tracking outside legal fees and creating and implementing a UNIFI record retention policy and procedure. David started his career at Ameritas in July 1987 as assistant general counsel. He has served as assistant vice president and associate general counsel and most recently as second vice president and associate general council. David is a member of the Nebraska State Bar Association, American Bar Association, Missouri State Bar Association, American Corporate Counsel Association, Defense Research Institute and ACLI National Committee on Litigation.
John J. McDonald Jr., JD'81, a partner and Management Committee member with the Minneapolis law firm Meagher & Geer PLLP has been appointed by Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty to the Minnesota Commission on Judicial Selection.
Michael D. Matejka, JD'83, has joined the Omaha office of the Woods & Aitken law firm. He specializes in real estate, business entity and tax law.
Jeffrey L. Poots, JD'82, has joined First National Bank of Omaha as a Business Development Officer within the Wealth Management Group. Jeff is responsible for the growth and development of the Retirement Plan Services business in Omaha and Lincoln.
United States Attorney Troy Eid announced that he has appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Rhodes, JD'81, to serve as deputy chief of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) in Colorado.
The law firm Kutak Rock has named David C. Nelson, JD'88, counsel attorney to its Omaha office. Nelson concentrates on corporate law, commercial transactions and real estate law.
The law firm Kutak Rock has named Michael G. Mullin, JD'80, counsel attorney to its Omaha office. Mullin has experience in toxic tort, product liability, civil litigation, insurance litigation and bad faith litigation.
Rent-A-Center announced that Christopher Korst, JD’84, has been promoted to executive vice president–operations. Korst has been serving as Rent-A-Center’s senior vice president and general counsel since 2001. He joined the rent-to-own industry in 1985 as a staff attorney with Thorn Americas. Over the next 22 years, he has served in various capacities including operations and has run his own business. In his new position, Korst will oversee operations for five divisions primarily in the western half of the United States. He will also have responsibility for the company’s Canadian operations and its Get It Now! division as well as its public affairs team.
Michael D. Matejka, JD’83, has joined Woods & Aitken, LLP and will be practicing out of their Omaha office at 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 350, Omaha, NE 68114. Telephone 402-898-7400; Fax 402-898-7401; mmatejka@woodsaitken.com. He practices in the areas of real estate, business and tax.
McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp, P.C., L.L.O. of Omaha has announced that Myron J. Kaplan, JD’82, has become a Shareholder of the Corporation. He represents businesses, both publicly and closely held, in a broad range of matters, including formation, mergers and acquisitions, contracts, and real estate.
Cline, Williams, Wright, Johnson & Oldfather, LLP is pleased to announce that Steven M. Delaney, JD’88, became a partner of the firm in 2007. His areas of practice include civil litigation, plaintiff personal injury, wrongful death, criminal defense, drug crimes, family law and products liability.
The law firm of Erickson & Sederstrom, P.C. is pleased to announce the addition of William C. Nelson, JD’83, to the firm’s Lincoln Office. Mr. Nelson joins the office as a partner where he will concentrate his practice in the areas of business and commercial litigation.
Randall Shanks, JD’84, has become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Gail Werner-Robertson, JD’88, named 2007 Midlands Business Journal Woman of Distinction.
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.
Lisa Swinton McLaughlin, MD, JD’83, has accepted a position as Medical director with the American Red Cross. She will be located at the Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Blood Services Regional office in Baltimore, MD.
John McKay, JD’82, has accepted a full-time offer directing a new ethics center at Seattle University, where he has been an adjunct law professor.
The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) announces that former U.S. Attorney John McKay, JD’82, will be honored with the 2007 Courageous Award. This award is presented to a lawyer who has displayed exceptional courage in the face of adversity, thus bringing credit to the legal profession. WSBA President Ellen Conedera Dial will present the award at the WSBA Annual Awards Dinner, to be held on September 20, 2007, at the Grand Hyatt Seattle Hotel.
Judge Douglas F. Johnson, JD’87 was elected Vice President of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) during the organization’s 70th Annual Conference held July 22-25, 2007 in San Francisco, California. A longtime NCJFCJ member and past Trustee, Judge Johnson was appointed in 1993 as judge of the Separate Juvenile Court of Douglas County, Nebraska.
James M. Heaton, JD’82 has accepted a position with the Department of Homeland Security, Office of the General Counsel, in Washington, D.C.
Securities America has announced that Tracy DeWald, JD’87 has joined the independent broker/dealer as Senior Vice President and General Counsel. As General Counsel, DeWald will be responsible for leading the firm’s legal department and will serve as a member of the firm’s Presidents Council.
Stephen Michael Kalhorn, JD’80, has joined the Keystone Group in Omaha as its chief operating officer. Kalhorn most recently worked as an attorney for Pansing Hogan Ernst & Bachman, specializing in the areas of intellectual property, music and entertainment, general corporate and business related issues.
Maria R. Moran, JD’83, an attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, was recognized by the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee for her work in the investigation and prosecution of drug and weapon offenses.
Gov. Dave Heineman announced his appointment of Leo Dobrovolny, JD’80, to serve as a district court judge for the Twelfth Judicial District of Nebraska, which includes the counties of Banner, Box Butte, Cheyenne, Dawes, Deuel, Garden, Kimball, Morrill, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan and Sioux.
The Kaleidoscope Group, a Chicago-based full-service national diversity consulting firm, has announced that Fredrick H. Bates, JD’83, founder and past chairperson of the Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms, will now head the company’s diversity legal division.
Robert D. Dalager, JD’86, a shareholder at Gallagher & Kennedy in Phoenix, has been elected to the board of Goodwill of Central Arizona. He practices governmental affairs and land use law.
Omaha-based Securities America has added Tracy DeWald, JD’87 as senior vice president and general counsel. As general counsel, DeWald will be responsible for leading the firm’s legal department and will serve as a member of its presidents council. DeWald was previously chief compliance officer for TD Ameritrade, and worked for five years as chief compliance officer and counsel for the Mutual of Omaha Cos. He spent the first 11 years of his legal career in private practice.
Frank J. Mihulka, JD’83, partmer with Omaha’s Fitzgerald Schorr Barmettler & Brennan, has been elected a fellow in the American College of Mortgage Attorneys.
The American College of Real Estate Lawyers has elected to membership Michael D. Matejka, JD’83, attorney wit the law firm Fitzgerald Schorr Barmettler & Brennan in Omaha. Matejka is one of fewer than 40 attorneys from around the country elected to ACREL this year.
David C. Nelson, JD’88, has joined Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman LLP as counsel to the firm. Nelson practices in the areas of corporate law, commercial transactions and real estate law. Nelson’s experience includes commercial and residential real estate transactions, business entity mergers and acquisitions, financing transactions, and corporate insurance and risk management oversight.
Robert F. Rossiter Jr., JD’81, has become a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in America. Rossiter is a shareholder / director in the firm of Fraser Stryker PC LLO and has been practicing in Omaha for 23 years.
In September of this year, Thomas L. Saladino, JD’87, of Omaha, was appointed as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for Nebraska.
Robert J. Kmiecik, JD’87, and Jeffrey D. Toberer, JD’69, have been named co-managing partners of Stinson Morrison Hecker’s Omaha law office.
Rev. Thomas J. Merkel, S.J., President of Creighton Prep, announced the appointment of Rev. George R. Sullivan, S.J., JD’81, to be Assistant to the President at Creighton Prep.
Donald D. Peeler, JD’84, recently joined Kutak Rock in an of counsel capacity. He practices in corporate finance and corporate law.
Judge Douglas F. Johnson, JD’87, of Omaha, NE, was elected Treasurer of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) during the organization’s 69th Annual Conference held July 16-19 in Milwaukee, WI. A longtime NCJFCJ member and past Trustee, Judge Johnson was appointed in 1993 as judge of the Separate Juvenile Court of Douglas County, NE.
In April, Creighton University’s assistant professor of Law and Director of the Legal Writing Program, Nancy Lawler Dickhute, JD’84, was elected to the Board of Directors for the Association of Legal Writing Directors (ALWD). ALWD is the professional association of directors and former directors of legal research, writing, analysis and advocacy programs with over 260 members in the United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Puerto Rico. It is dedicated to improving legal education and analytical reasoning and writing of lawyers. Dickhute will serve a three-year term on the Board beginning August 1, 2006.
Donald D. Peeler, JD’84, has joined Kutak Rock LLP as an of counsel attorney who practices in corporate finance and corporate law. He is admitted to practice in Nebraska.
The Omaha law firm of Gross and Welch is now offering Mediation & Arbitration services. John W. Iliff, JD’83, Michael J. Mooney, JD’63, G. William Smits and Michael W. Pirtle all have litigation experience in addition to training to become practicing mediators in Nebraska & Iowa. Mediation and arbitration are voluntary processes that provide for greater participant control, customized agreements, and mutually satisfactory results. Examples of legal disputes mediation or arbitration can be used to resolve include personal injury, will contests, breach of contract, insurance issues, partnership and business issues, and boundary disputes.
Patrick L. Carmody, JD’80, has become of counsel for Lamson Dugan and Murray law firm in Omaha, NE. His emphasis will be in the insurance regulatory, reinsurance and legislative lobbying issues. He is admitted to practice in Nebraska and Indiana and currently serves as president of the Iowa Comprehensive Insurance Pool.
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.