Class Notes
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Serving as Special Assistant Attorney General for the Rhode Island Attorney's Office since 1999, Tricia (O'Hare) Jedele, J.D., Class of 1998, is the lead attorney and Counsel of Record for the State of Rhode Island, and the states of CT, DE, MA, NJ, NY in Entergy Corp. v. EPA, No. 07-588. On April 14, 2008, the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari to hear this Clean Water Act case. Oral argument is scheduled for the Fall of 2008.
Bradley D. Holbrook, JD'98, was named a shareholder in the former Kearney law firm of Jacobsen Orr Nelson Wright & Lindstrom law firm, changing the firm's name to Jacobsen Orr Nelson Wright Lindstrom & Holbrook. Holbrook joined the firm in 1998. His practice includes banking, bankruptcy, business and commercial litigation, corporate law, family law, UCC, and insurance defense litigation.
Rachel Lynn Foley, JD 93, has opened her own Bankruptcy Litigation Practice in Independence, MO representing clients in both MO and KS. When she is not working on bankruptcy issues she is blogging for www.bankruptcylawnetwork.com.
Joshua C. Dickinson, JD'99, was recently elected to the partnership at Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP in the Omaha Office. Joshua C. Dickinson's practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on disputes involving intellectual property, employment, and construction. He is also a member of the firm's Appellate Practice Group. He is licensed to practice in the states of Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas, and is also admitted to practice before several federal and appellate courts in the Midwest.
Howard N. Epstein, JD'96, was appointed as the Executive Director and legal counsel for the Milton S. and Corinne N. Livingston Foundation, Inc., at its November 2007 meeting of the Board of Trustees. The Livingston Foundation was established by Omaha philanthropists Milton S. and Corinne N. Livingston in 1948 and has been an important benefactor for Jewish and secular charitable projects.
Robert Zaleski, JD'92, has been named an associate general counsel for the Omaha title division at Nebraska Title Co. He is a registered abstracter and licensed title agent in Nebraska.
Kutak Rock LLP has announced the election of Janis J. Winterhof, JD'99, as partner. Winterhof devotes her paractice primarily to employee benefit matters. She works with corporate, not-for-profit and governmental clients on all issues involving qualified and nonqualified retirement and compensation arrangements, assists clients with ERISA matters and works with health and welfare plans and other general employment issues.
Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan, P.C., L.L.O. is pleased to announce that Camille R. Hawk, JD'94, has become a shareholder in the Firm. Ms. Hawk practices in the areas of real estate law, mortgages and lending law, banking law and creditor rights.
Gross and Welch law firm has appointed Francie C. Riedmann, JD'93, a shareholder of the firm. Riedmann specializes in appellate advocacy and general civil litigation.
Amy L. Erlbacher-Anderson, JD’94, has been named partner with Baird Holm in their Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Law Practice Group. Her practice is primarily in the areas of employee benefits and immigration.
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.
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.
Hauptman O’Brien Wolf & Lathrop in Omaha has elected Melany Chesterman, JD’93, a partner in the firm. Chesterman’s practice focuses on litigation and she handles plaintiff’s claims in the areas of personal injury, product liability, civil litigation and worker’s compensation.
Bret W. Jedele (JD 1998) was recently made partner at the law firm of Chace Ruttenberg & Freedman, LLP. Bret lives in Rhode Island along with his wife Tricia K. Jedele (formerly O'Hare)(JD 1998), who is the State of Rhode Island's Environmental Advocate with the RI Attorney General's Office. Bret and Tricia have three children, Liam (7), Brooke (4) and Scarlett (2). Bret concentrate's his practice in environmental law which includes handling a broad range of state and federal environmental issues, including but not limited to permitting, compliance, site remediation, brownfields, Superfund, and enforcement matters under state and federal laws.
Mara Glaser McCahan, JD’98, has been elected partner for Bingham McCutchen LLP. Mara, a lawyer in the Corporate, M&A and Securities Group in Washington, represents business enterprises of all sizes, with a concentration on mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, debt financings, and general corporate matters. She has represented both public and private companies.
Jason M. Toon, JD'99, has become a Shareholder in the international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, which was recently named as USA Law Firm of Year by Chambers and Partners. He practices in the Chicago office of the firm and his practice focuses on all aspects of commercial real estate including the retail and shopping center industries.
The Brouillette Law Office, PC, LLO has opened a professional law practice in North Platte with attorneys Tim Brouillette, JD’91, as general counsel, and Vince Dugan, of counsel. Their new office will be located at 501 South Dewey. The Brouillette Law Office will practice in areas of personal injury, auto accidents, workers compensation, wrongful death, business law, wills and estates, guardianship and conservatorship. The office telephone is 632-1600.
Former Douglas County Election Commissioner Scott Lautenbaugh, JD’91, has been appointed by Gov. Dave Heineman to replace Mick Mines as a State Senator.
Rick Jeffries, JD’93, joined the firm of Cline, Williams, Wright, Johnson & Oldfather, LLP in July 2007. His practice includes the areas of complex litigation, banking litigation, computer technology, trademarks, copyrights, reinsurance, civil appeals and appellate practice.
Scott P. Moore, JD’95, named to Midlands Business Journal’s 40 under 40 for 2007.
Joshua C. Dickinson, JD’99, with Spencer, Fane, Britt & Browne, LLP, has moved from the firm’s Kansas City office to its Omaha office. Dickinson’s practice areas include commercial litigation and intellectual property litigation.
Nebraska Title Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Patrick Lutz, JD’95, as CEO of Nebraska Title and senior vice president of its parent corporation, Title Midwest Inc.
Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman has picked 42-year-old Scott Lautenbaugh, JD’91, of Omaha to represent parts of Douglas County and Omaha in the state Legislature. He is replacing Mick Mines of Blair, who is resigning to pursue a business venture.
Mary E. Vandenack, JD’92, was sworn in to the Michigan Bar Association.
Patrick J. Duffy, JD’97, has joined McCarthy Capital Corporation, an Omaha, NE private equity firm as a principal.
Tom Ackley, JD’99, of Koley Jessen, PC, Trent Bausch, JD’95, of Blackwell Sanders, and Camille Hawk, JD’94, of Fitzgerald Schorr, have been selected for the 2007-2008 Leadership Omaha class in August.
Juliana Reno, JD’93 joins Kutak Rock. Her experience includes an emphasis on health and welfare plans, including ERISA, COBRA, and HIPAA issues, plus pension planning.
David M. Sengstock, JD’99, is a new associate at Mick & Associates, P.C., LLO. Prior to joining the firm he was a partner at Poulos, Sengstock, Budny and Ludwig S.C. in Wilwaukee, WI, where he practiced primarily in the areas of real estate and bankruptcy.
Jeanelle R. Lust, JD’94 has been selected as a Fellow of Litigation Counsel of America, a trial and appellate honorary society. Criteria for selection are effectiveness and accomplishment in litigation and superior ethical reputation. She has practiced with Knudsen, Berkheimer, Richardson & Endacott, LLP since 1994, focusing primarily on civil litigation, and she is licensed in Nebraska, South Dakota and Colorado. Lust was also recently elected as the firm’s managing partner.
Daniel Neppl, JD’93, was named a partner in the Chicago Office of Sidley Austin LLP. He is a partner in the Insurance/Reinsurance Disputes practice. He regularly arbitrates and litigates reinsurance disputes, representing both ceding companies and reinsurers in the property and casualty areas in matters involving both traditional and non-traditional reinsurance. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Neppl clerked for the Honorable C. Thomas White, Chief Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court. Mr. Neppl, who had been counsel, received his J.D., cum laude, from Creighton University School of Law, where he was executive editor of the Creighton Law Review. He received his B.S., with honors, from the University of Iowa.
Mark T. Peters, JD’92, was recently promoted to the position of Senior Compensation Attorney at Caterpillar, Inc., in Peoria Illinois.
An Omaha attorney and physician will serve as Nebraska’s new deputy chief medical officer. Joseph M. Acierno, JD’93, fills a position previously held by Dr. Daniel Noble, a Lincoln spine surgeon. Acierno currently is a lawyer in the regulation and licensing section of the Nebraska Health and Human Services Systems’ Legal Services Division. He worked as an emergency room physician at Bergan Mercy Medical Center in Omaha in the early 1990s.
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.
The law firm of Adams & Sullivan has hired Timothy J. Buckley, JD’96, in its Papillion practice. Buckley will practice in the areas of municipal law, estate planning and probate.
Julie A. Knutson, JD’93, a partner at Baird Holm, has earned the highest rating available from Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings in recognition of her legal skills and professional ethics. Knutson is primarily involved in providing heal care facility and physician or provider practice clients with advice and representation concerning regulatory compliance, reimbursement, contracting medical staff, licensure and behavioral health issues.
The Omaha Bar Association recognized Diana Vogt, JD’90, and Brandie Fowler, JD’02, for their contribution to the Community with this year’s Robert M. Spire Public Service Award. Vogt and Fowler serve as hosts of the weekly radio show, “Ask a Lawyer,” which airs on Omaha’s KIOS-FM public radio channel. Fowler began helping with the program while still in law school and continuing after the show’s earlier host, Eileen Reilly Buzzello, left. Vogt also joined as a host for the show. Fowler is in general practice with the Skutt law firm and Vogt practices business and commercial law with the Sherrets and Boecker law firm.
Matthew A. Lathrop, JD’91, has opened the Law Office of Matthew A. Lathrop, PC, LLO in Omaha. His practice is limited to automobile accidents, personal injury claims, and worker’s compensation cases. His new office is located at Blackstone Centre, 302 South 36 Street, Suite 222, Omaha, NE 68131; Telephone: (402)614-7744; Fax: (402)614-6960. He can be reached by email at Matt@LathropLawOmaha.com.
The law firm of Adams & Sullivan, P.C., is pleased to announce the addition of Timothy J. Buckley, JD’96, and Ranae B. Upton, JD’06, to their practice.
James R. Thibodeau, JD’99, has been hired as the Director of Labor Relations-General Counsel for Metropolitan Community College in Omaha.
Julie A. Knutson, JD’93, a partner at Baird Holm LLP, has earned the highest rating available from Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings in recognition of her exceptional legal skills and professional ethics. She is a partner in the health care section of Baird Holm. She is primarily involved in providing health care facility and physician/provider practice clients with advice and representation concerning a wide variety of regulatory compliance, reimbursement, contracting, medical staff, licensure and behavioral health issues. Prior to joining the firm, she spent 18 years working in the health care industry as a manager, internal consultant and trainer.
Jeffrey F. Putnam, JD’98, has opened a new solo practice, the Law Offices of Jeffrey F. Putnam, PC, located at 6790 Grover Street, Suite 250, Omaha, NE 68106. He will continue practicing plaintiff’s personal injury law with an emphasis on workers’ compensation, auto accidents, and other injury claims. He can be reached at 402.505-3555 or jeff@putnamlawoffices.com.
Former Douglas County Attorney Stuart J. Dornan and former Chief Civil Deputy County Attorney Christine A. Lustgarten, JD’93, have opened the private practice of Dornan & Lustgarten, P.C., L.L.O. in Omaha. Dornan will focus his practice on criminal defense while Lustgarten will concentrate on a general civil practice.
At the firm’s recent annual meeting, the partnership of Woods & Aitken LLP voted to make Todd W. Weidemann, JD’94, a partner in the firm. Weidemann, who works in the firm’s Omaha office and specializes in civil litigation, focuses his practice in the areas of construction law, commercial litigation and real estate law.
Koley Jessen P.C. law firm has named Julie A. Schultz, JD’97, shareholder of the firm as of January 1, 2007. Schultz joined Koley Jessen in 1999. She is a member of Koley Jessen’s employment law and labor relations, and litigation and trial practice groups.
James F. Cann, JD’98, has joined Koley Jessen as a senior associate attorney. He brings over eight years of litigation and trial experience to Koley Jessen’s litigation department. Cann is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.
John T. Rogers, JD’93, has joined the firm of Slusky Law. Rogers will lead the firm’s debt recovery section, representing collection agencies, large retail and financial institutions, and individual creditors. Rogers’ experience includes serving as general counsel for an automobile and equipment leasing company and a manager of an asset liquidation company. In private practice, Rogers represented business interests in litigation.
The Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce is announcing the 2007 Young Professionals Council steering committee. Rick Jeffries, JD’93, a partner in Kutak Rock, LLP, will serve as the steering committee’s 2007 chairman and will represent the council on the Chamber’s board of directors.
Kutak Rock announced that Lyneth A. Rhoten, JD’96, has been elected to join the firm’s partnership. Lyneth’s practice areas are corporate and corporate finance.
Gross & Welch is pleased to announce Sheryl Lohaus, JD’90, has joined the firm as Director. Lohaus has practiced in the areas of creditors’ rights and corporate law for over 15 years. Lohaus is active in the American, Iowa, Nebraska, and Omaha Bar Associations. She is also a member of the Robert M. Spire American Inns of Court.
Donald Dworak, JD’99, has joined the law firm of Stinson Morrison Hecker in the business litigation division. Dworak, of counsel, has represented major insurance companies and commercial clients and has served as lead counsel in numerous cases in state and federal court. Prior to joining the firm, he was a litigation attorney for seven years.
Jeff Huber, JD’94, of Home Instead Senior Car, was recognized by the Midlands Business Journal in their “40 Under 40” celebration.
Daniel J. Guinan, JD’99, has become a shareholder and director of Fraser Stryker law firm in Omaha. His areas of practice include estate planning, trust and estate administration, intellectual property law, business and corporate law, business succession planning, and employee benefits, ERISA, and executive compensation.
Woodmen of the World/Omaha Woodmen Life Insurance Society has named Matthew E. Ellis, JD’97, Associate General Counsel.
FORTY BAIRD HOLM LLP ATTORNEYS ARE NAMED THE BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA 2007®
OMAHA, Neb., Sept. 21, 2006 – Eleven Baird Holm LLP attorneys were selected by their peers and appeared for the first time in The Best Lawyers in America 2007®. In total, 40 lawyers from Baird Holm LLP were chosen for this year’s edition.
Among the newly selected 11 are Amy L. Erlbacher-Anderson for immigration law and Elizabeth Eynon-Kokrda for education law. Both are graduates of Creighton University Law School.
Best Lawyers in America is based on a peer-review survey in which 24,000 leading attorneys throughout the country cast votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers. Lawyers are not allowed to pay a fee to be listed.
Baird Holm LLP is a 130-year old, full-service law firm with 70 attorneys providing results-oriented counsel for corporate, institutional, governmental and individual clients. Baird Holm is the exclusive member firm for Nebraska of Lex Mundi, the world's leading association of independent law firms.
RAPID CITY NATIVE SELECTED AS JUDGE
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Randin Roland, a Rapid City native, has been named a county court judge for western Nebraska's 12th Judicial District by Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman.
The district include the counties of Banner, Box Butte, Cheyenne, Dawes, Deuel, Garden, Grant, Kimball, Morrill, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan and Sioux.
Roland, 40, is a 1984 graduate of Stevens High School and is the son of Ron and Millie Roland of Rapid City.
Roland has served as chief deputy county attorney for Cheyenne County since 2003 and as the deputy county attorney from 1995 to 2003. Before returning to Nebraska in 1995, Roland maintained a private legal practice in Rapid City.
He is a magna cum laude graduate of Northern Arizona University, where he received a degree in business administration in 1988. He received his law degree from Creighton University School of Law in 1993.
Annette Walker Farnan, JD’94, a Legal Aid staff attorney since 1994 and who was serving as Director of the AccessLine, has been named director of Access and Support for Legal Aid of Nebraska.
Jennifer Amen Tomka, JD’92, is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Lincoln Bar Association.
Diana Vogt, JD’90, has joined the firm of Sherrets & Boecker as a senior associate.
Paul Shotkoski, JD’95, has become a shareholder and director at Fraser Stryker.
Mary Vandenack, JD’92, and Mark Williams, JD’98, announce the merger of their practices with Ron Parsonage, JD’68, into Parsonage Vandenack Williams LLC. The firm will specialize in tax, business, real estate, health care, succession planning and noprofit. The Omaha office will be located at 5332 South 138th Street, Suite 100. (The Nebraska Lawyer, May 2006)
McGoughlaw P.C., L.L.O. is pleased to announce the relocation of its office to 11920 Burt Street, Suite 100, Omaha, NE 68154, Ph: 402-614-8655 and Fax: 402-884-6302. The move was effective as of March 233, 2006. Members of the firm include Jim K. McGough, JD’96 and Todd W. Lancaster.
First Data Resources has promoted Joan E. Manhart, JD’92, an attorney there since 1996, to senior counsel.
Michael Mead, JD’99, joined the Richard Alexander Law Office as an associate in January 2006. Prior to this employment, he was associated with the Lieske Law Firm of Minden, and previously worked as a deputy county attorney for the Adams County Attorney’s Office. Mead practices criminal defense, family law, personal injury and civil law. He is a member of the Nebraska State Bar Associate and the Adams County Bar Association.
Kelly K. Brandon, JD’95, has joined Spencer Fane Britt & Browne’s labor and employment practice in Omaha as of counsel and will practice exclusively on behalf of management. Brandon has more than 10 years of litigation experience in state and federal courts including the employment discrimination, workers’ compensation, premises liability, products liability, insurance, coverage and general and professional negligence. She graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1992 and received a degree from Creighton Law School in 1995.
San Francisco-based Bank of the West has established a legal department in Omaha. Quinn M. Osborne, JD’99, will be one of 3 attorneys in this office. Osborne was a member of the legal department at Commercial Federal and has practice in the area of banking law for the past five years.
Steve Jerome, JD'97, was elected Chairman of the Bankruptcy Section of the State Bar of Arizona. He is a partner at Snell & Wilmer in the firm's Phoenix, Az office. Steve and his wife Amy live in Phoenix with their two children, Hannah age 4 and Dominic age 2.
Kelly Kleinschmidt Brandon, JD’95, has joined Spencer Fane Britt & Brown with a practice that focuses on complex employment matters, and all types of general liability risks faced by employers today, including premises liability, insurance coverage, and professional negligence.
Michael J. Weaver Jr., JD’90, has become a partner with the Lamson Dugan and Murray law firm in Omaha, NE. Weaver is a partner of the firm’s business counseling practice group. His emphasis will be in the areas of federal income, estate and gift taxation, business and tax planning, corporate, partnership and limited liability company law, mergers, acquisitions and reorganizations, estate and gift tax planning, and general corporate business planning.
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.