Class Notes

1996

The awards fill the cabinets in the law school lobby. They are symbols of our rich history of graduating some of the very best trial lawyers in this country. We have been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top 10 trial advocacy programs in the country for the last 25 years. These awards and rankings do not really tell the story of the Chicago-Kent trial advocacy team. They may chronical success and accolades, but they are not our legacy. Our legacy is the alumni, like the ones you read about here, who have gone on to have successful careers in private practice, government, and business. They have become academics, partners in firms, government supervisors, judges in both the trial and appellate courts…and even two U.S. congressmen. No matter their career paths, these alumni have all continued the culture of excellence that the Chicago-Kent trial advocacy team graduates.

That is our Legacy.

— David A. Erickson: Director of the Trial Advocacy Program, Co-Director of Criminal Litigation Program, Senior Instructor

John Heil, Germantown Hills, Ill., a shareholder with the regional law firm of Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen, P.C., was recently named as the managing partner of the firm’s Peoria, Illinois, office. Heil co-chairs Heyl Royster’s business and commercial litigation practice group and leads its attorney mentoring program.

1999

Lou Chronowski, Chicago, joined Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg, LLP as partner in its renowned motor vehicle group.

2002

Blair Dawson, Chicago, is proud to be a distinguished member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals’ (IAPP) Fellowship of Information Privacy (FIP) and is certified by IAPP, including for CIPP/ US, CIPP/E, and CIPM. Dawson is also pursuing a Master of Science in Cybersecurity to be completed this fall, and is an advisory board member for The Cyber Helpline, a mentor for the Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) mentorship program. Dawson will also be serving as an adjunct professor in the Chicago-Kent College of Law Certificate in Privacy Law program starting in spring 2024.

2003

Alex Abate, Chicago, recently founded a new law firm, Adeszko Abate & Green, LLC, located in Chicago. His firm concentrates its practice in representing injured individuals in personal injury and workers’ compensation claims.

recently promoted to partner at the Illinois law firm of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, where he focuses his practice on personal injury and medical malpractice.

2016

Shannon Fura, Chicago, is celebrating the 15th anniversary of the founding of Page Fura, P.C., an international trade and customs law firm based in Chicago; the firm was founded with fellow Chicago-Kent College of Law alum Jeremy Page ’86. Fura was honored to present the keynote at the ExpoParks International Trade Summit in San Jose, Costa Rica, in September, and was elected as the chair of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones based in Washington, D.C.

2008

Margaret Battersby Black, Elmhurst, Ill., was awarded the Carole K. Bellows Women of Influence Award that recognizes zealous advocacy for action of women’s issues and leadership in promoting women in the legal community by the Illinois State Bar Association at its member rewards event this summer.

Justin Nemunaitis, Dallas, has been recognized on the 2023 Texas Rising Stars list of the state’s top young lawyers based on his work in intellectual property law.

2014

John Buscemi, Chicago, was elevated to partner at the Chicago office of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP on September 1, 2023. He concentrates his practice on insurance coverage law.

Rob Kohen, Chicago, has been included in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, which recognizes associates and other lawyers who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States. He was

Kenneth Matuszewski, Chicago, and Martin Gould ’14 were recently installed as the chair and first vice chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section. As the leaders of one of the largest bar associations for young lawyers in the country, Matuszewski and Gould will focus on honoring the rich tradition of the YLS and the 150 year-anniversary of the CBA, shaping the organization’s future. At Chicago-Kent, Gould was Matuszewski’s Legal Writing I and II teaching assistant; to this day, Matuszewski credits both Gould and Chicago-Kent as the cornerstone for his legal writing and research abilities.

2017

Alyssa Jutovsky, Chicago, has been promoted to partner in the investment funds group in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. She concentrates her practice on representing private fund sponsors in connection with structuring, negotiating, forming, and operating private investment funds, including buyout funds, growth equity funds, debt funds, real estate funds, and other private investment vehicles, including single asset funds and special purpose vehicles.

2019

Jennifer Ashley, Chicago, Has been named in the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers, one of the oldest and most respected peer-review publications in the legal profession. Attorneys named to the Best Lawyers in America list are reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing. She is a partner at the Illinois law firm of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, where she focuses her practice on personal injury.

Michael Schostok, Chicago, has been included in the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, which recognizes associates and other lawyers who are early in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States. He is an attorney at the Illinois law firm of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, where he focuses his practice on personal injury and medical malpractice.

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In Memoriam

Eugene Crane ’53

Charles A. Brizzolara ’57

Darwin P. Kal ’58

Evan D. Roberts ’61

Martin A. Tiersky ’63

Jerry L. Bepko ’65

Leonard J. Petrucelli ’72

Andrew R. Alex ’74

Kim R. Denkewalter ’74

Joan C. Wing née Montgomery ’74

Steven A. Shapiro ’75

Stephen B. Engelman ’76

Conrad J. Knuth ’78

Patricia J. Moy ’85

John W. Mcnulty ’94

Paul A. Greco ’95

Paul R. Day ’00

Tony T. Howard III ’06

Daniel Wartan ‘19