In The News

May 2008
ABA Journal
"Plotting Against Probate: Efforts by Estate Planners, Courts and Legislatures to Minimize Probate Haven't Killed It Yet"
Thomas W. Abendroth
Tom Abendroth, Deputy Leader of Schiff Hardin's Private Clients, Trusts and Estates group, is quoted in this article examining the advantages and drawbacks of probate proceedings, and trends in alternative ways to settle estates.

April 23, 2008
Fulton Daily Report
"In The Trenches: Prosecutor Goes Private with Schiff Hardin Partnership"
Byung J. "BJay" Pak
This front-page story centers on new Schiff Hardin partner BJay Pak, who recently joined the firm's White Collar Crime and Corporate Compliance group in our Atlanta office after nearly six years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. Mr. Pak, who emigrated with his family from Korea at age nine, spent two years in private practice before the September 11th attacks motivated him to join the U.S. Attorney's office. The story highlights some of Mr. Pak's notable victories as a prosecutor.

April 7, 2008
InvestmentNews
"States Lift Restrictions on Spending by Endowments"
Andrew M. Grumet
This article in InvestmentNews examines new state laws regarding how charities and non-profit groups spend their endowment funds. Schiff Hardin counsel Andrew Grumet, in our Private Clients, Trusts and Estates group, comments on the expanded fiscal responsibilities that come with increased freedom to spend funds from endowments that have lost value relative to the amount originally donated.

March 17, 2008
Mondaq Business Briefing
"The Patents Game: How Strong Is Your Hand?"
Stacie R. Hartman
In this article about patent litigation in the electronic derivatives trading field, Schiff Hardin partner Stacie Hartman is quoted, commenting on the value of documenting the development of proprietary trading systems and seeking intellectual property protection for them. She had previously been quoted in Futures magazine in October of 2007 on the same subject.

March 17, 2008
Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
"Lawyers Will Push Builders to Let Games Begin"
Mark C. Friedlander
Schiff Hardin partner Mark Friedlander is quoted in this piece, which details the activities of the Society of Illinois Construction Attorneys' Olympic Task Force. Mr. Friedlander, chair of the task force, describes its efforts to unify the construction industry around a pledge to finish all Olympic-related construction properly and on-time and to develop a uniform, mutually beneficial dispute resolution process for the local construction industry that prevents work stoppages and slowdowns in advance of the building boom that would occur should Chicago be chosen as the site of the 2016 Olympic Games.

March 5, 2008
Daily Report
"Hollinger Trial Shows Even Least Culpable GC at Risk"
Patricia Brown Holmes and David H. Williams
This article reflects on the recently increasing exposure of corporate general counsel to risks of criminal prosecution for ethical infractions. Schiff Hardin partners Patricia Brown Holmes and David H. Williams comment on the ethical pitfalls that can complicate the work of a GC. Ms. Holmes, along with managing partner Ron Safer, represented Mark Kipnis, the former GC of Hollinger International, Inc., in the fraud trial of Conrad Black and his associates.

March, 2008
Georgia Super Lawyers
"The Supreme Thrill"
Michael K. Wolensky
Schiff Hardin partner Michael Wolensky was one of seven attorneys profiled in this article about the experience of arguing before the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Wolensky focuses his practice in securities regulation and litigation in our Atlanta office.

February 25, 2008
Compliance Week
"Best Practices for Talking Under Reg FD"
Peter L. Rossiter
In this article about corporate disclosure rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, Schiff Hardin partner Peter Rossiter comments on the practical aspects of compliance with Regulation FD (for "Fair Disclosure"). Mr. Rossiter leads Schiff Hardin's Financial Institutions practice group.

February 5, 2008
Daily Deal
"Dorel Adds Cannondale Bike Lines"
This item about the acquisition of high-end bicycle manufacturer Cannondale Bicycle Corp. by Dorel Industries Ltd. highlights Schiff Hardin's role as counsel to Dorel.

February 2008
Chicago Lawyer
"Setting Themselves Apart From the Pack"
Ronald S. Safer
In this article about the internal cultures of Chicago law firms, Schiff Hardin Managing Partner Ron Safer describes the attributes that make Schiff Hardin distinct. In particular, he says, the firm succeeds through a client intimacy model that encourages its lawyers to learn their clients' businesses, personalities and staff, efforts that pay off in helping mid-size companies grow into Fortune 500 companies. Schiff Hardin's culture fosters partnerships with clients in reaching effective and efficient results.

January 2008
Leading Lawyers Network Magazine
"David Grossberg: A 'Gentle Giant' Whose Work Leaves a Big Footprint on Chicago"
David A. Grossberg
Leading Lawyers Network Magazine featured a profile of David Grossberg, the leader of Schiff Hardin's Real Estate Group, in its January issue. The article describes Mr. Grossberg's roles in various development projects across the city, and includes praise of his talents from several major players in the field of commercial real estate development.

January 2008
ABA Journal
"The Boss is Watching"
Patricia Costello Slovak
Schiff Hardin's Pat Slovak, a partner who focuses her practice on labor and employment, offers her insights in this article about emerging employee privacy issues in the workplace. She recently spoke on this topic at an American Bar Association teleconference, "Employment Law Goes Overtime."

December 12, 2007
Toronto Sun
"It's A Wonderful Verdict: Mark Kipnis, the George Bailey of the Black Trial, Didn't Deserve Jail"
Ronald S. Safer
This column in the Toronto Sun reviews the sentencing of Mark Kipnis, former in-house counsel of Hollinger International, Inc., who was a defendant in the recently concluded Conrad Black trial. Mr. Kipnis received the lightest sentence of all the defendants – probation – due in part, the column suggests, to a deft characterization of him before the judge by his attorney, Schiff Hardin Managing Partner Ron Safer. Similar pieces noting the favorable sentence have appeared in the Chicago Tribune and numerous other publications across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

November 14, 2007
The New York Times
"A Little Planning Can Mean More For Heirs Later"
John D. Dadakis
John Dadakis, a lawyer in Schiff Hardin's New York office who practices in Private Clients, Trusts and Estates, shares some information in this article on estate planning in a business context. Mr. Dadakis was recently recognized for the second time in Worth magazine's annual "Top 100 Attorneys" list.

November 10, 2007
Philadelphia Inquirer
"Angry Clash of Ideologies Splits NLRB: Labor Lawyers Call Actions Anti-Union"
Patricia Costello Slovak
This piece from the Philadelphia Inquirer centers on ideological differences within the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). At a labor law conference hosted by the American Bar Association, panelist and Schiff Hardin partner Pat Slovak is quoted regarding the NLRB's recent decisions regarding methods of unionization.

November 2, 2007
Chicago Tribune
"Neumann Ends Bankruptcy Watch"
J. Mark Fisher
In this follow-up to an earlier Tribune article, Schiff Hardin's J. Mark Fisher is again quoted, this time commenting on the next steps in the bankruptcy of a regional home builder.

November 2007
ABA Journal
"Beast Practices: High Profile Cases Are Putting Plenty of Bite Into the Lively Field of Animal Law"
Walter H. Bush, Bruce A. Wagman
Schiff Hardin has established a national practice in animal law and is a leading firm in protecting and defending the rights of animals. This feature in the November 2007 ABA Journal explores the swiftly expanding field of animal law. Two Schiff Hardin partners are highlighted: Walter Bush, in our Atlanta office, and Bruce Wagman in San Francisco. Both lawyers relate some of their experiences in a practice that has become personally meaningful to them.

November 2007
Licensed Architect
"Meeting Memos"
Mark C. Friedlander
In its third quarter issue, Licensed Architect, a trade publication of the Association of Licensed Architects, takes note of a well-received presentation given by Schiff Hardin partner Mark Friedlander. The presentation drew over 140 attendees. Mark is a frequent speaker on the subject of architect-led design-build construction practices.

November 2007
Chicago Lawyer
"Giving a Few Hours of Legal Help Can Change Entire Lives"
Beth Blackwood, Paul E. Dengel, Heidi Hennig Rowe
The November 2007 issue of Chicago Lawyer features a story about pro bono work that highlights Schiff Hardin's pioneering efforts in support of Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CVLS). Schiff Hardin attorneys Beth Blackwood, Paul Dengel and Heidi Hennig Rowe describe the origin of our longstanding partnership with CVLS and the personal satisfaction that comes from helping people in need.

October 30, 2007
Chicago Tribune
"Bankruptcy Lag Hangs Up Customers: Neumann Homes Hasn't Filed a Week After Announcement"
J. Mark Fisher
The leader of Schiff Hardin's Restructuring, Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights group, J. Mark Fisher, is quoted in this article about a regional home builder's prematurely publicized Chapter 11 filing.

October 30, 2007
Securities Law Daily
"NYSE to End Arbitrage Collars, Says They Do Not Affect Market Volatility"
Howard L. Kramer
This article reports the New York Stock Exchange's recent decision to eliminate a rule, enacted after the market crash of 1987, that restricts the trading of index arbitrage orders in S&P 500 stocks when the market has moved 2% in a day. Howard L. Kramer, leader of Schiff Hardin's Securities and Futures Regulation group and a former SEC official, is quoted, explaining the history of the rule and significance of its elimination.

October 29, 2007
San Francisco Daily Journal
"Schiff Lures Litigator From Fry's Electronics"
Brian D. Henri
The San Francisco Daily Journal took note of partner Brian Henri's recent move from Fry's Electronics, Inc. — a multi-billion dollar electronics retailer where he served as in-house counsel — to Schiff Hardin's San Francisco office.

October 25, 2007
The Recorder
"First District Eyes Joint Asbestos Trial"
Eliot Jubelirer
The Recorder, a leading legal newspaper in Northern California, ran a front-page article about a San Francisco judge's controversial consolidation of two asbestos lawsuits. Schiff Hardin's Eliot Jubelirer, a partner in our San Francisco office with long experience in defending asbestos cases, was quoted on the disadvantages of such consolidation to both defendants and plaintiffs.

September 17, 2007
Inside FERC
"CFTC, FERC Reportedly at Odds Over Amaranth Jurisdiction, Enforcement Roles"
Allan Horwich
This article examines the roles of two regulatory agencies as they attempt to enforce penalties against a hedge fund accused of manipulating natural gas markets. Allan Horwich, a partner working in Schiff Hardin's Energy, Securities and Futures Regulation, and Litigation groups, explains the jurisdictional conflicts that make this case particularly significant.

September 1, 2007
Business Insurance
"20 Years and Counting; Liquidation Drags on Through 'Failed Promises' and Lessons Learned"
Dennis LaGory
Schiff Hardin's Dennis LaGory, a partner in the firm's Reinsurance and Insurance group, was interviewed for this article about the liquidation of an insurance company and its resulting legal and regulatory fallout.

September 2007
Leading Lawyers Network Magazine
"Patricia Costello Slovak: Irish Charm and Experience Make Her One of Illinois' Finest"
Patricia Costello Slovak
Leading Lawyers Network Magazine featured a profile of Schiff Hardin's Patricia Costello Slovak, a partner in the firm's Labor and Employment group, in its September issue. The article describes her pioneering early career in a profession dominated by men, her colleagues' admiration for her abilities, and her leadership role in the area of labor and employment law.

September 2007
Futures Industry
"Penny Pilot Moves Into High Gear: SEC Asks Options Exchanges to Add 50 Names by April"
Howard R. Kramer
This article from the September/October issue of Futures Industry examines the Securities and Exchange Commission's phased introduction of penny pricing for listed options. Howard Kramer, who leads Schiff Hardin's Securities and Futures Regulation group from our Washington office (and who previously spent 16 years working for the SEC) shares his views on the SEC's strategy and its potential effects on the options trading industry.

September 2007
Chicago Lawyer
"Partner's Role Gives Him an Inside Look at Sports History"
Gary L. Mowder
Schiff Hardin Corporate and Securities/Financial Institutions partner Gary Mowder is profiled in this article in Chicago Lawyer. The three-page feature describes Mr. Mowder's years of work with Chicago sports teams such as the White Sox and the Bears, and legendary personalities like Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton and baseball franchise owner Bill Veeck.

September 2007
Corporate Secretary
"The Lesser of Two Evils"
Lawrence M. Gill
Corporate Secretary magazine spoke to Schiff Hardin partner Larry Gill for an article in its September 2007 issue on international accounting standards. Mr. Gill comments on how companies can best introduce these standards — which soon may be used in the United States — to analysts, institutional investors and retail holders.

August 13, 2007
Newsweek
"Monkey See, Monkey Sue (for Legal Custody)"
Bruce A. Wagman
This item from Newsweek spotlights an animal protection case involving two chimpanzees, twelve gibbons and a steer who were rescued from a situation of severe neglect. Schiff Hardin partner Bruce Wagman, who represents the plaintiffs in the case, is quoted.

August 6, 2007
BusinessWeek
"In-House Attorneys, Watch Your Step"
Ronald S. Safer
This article focuses on the status of Conrad Black co-defendant and former Hollinger International Inc. in-house counsel Mark Kipnis. Schiff Hardin managing partner Ron Safer, who represents Mr. Kipnis, comments on the significance of the jury's decision in the case.

August 3, 2007
IP Law 360
"Debate Rages Over IP Protection in Fashion Industry"
Judith Roth
In this article about copyright law and the fashion industry Schiff Hardin partner Judith Roth offers her insights on recent high-profile intellectual property lawsuits.

July 31, 2007
Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
"In the Bar Associations"
Patricia C. Slovak
The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin took note of Schiff Hardin partner Patricia Costello Slovak's recent appointment to the American Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession. Ms. Slovak, who concentrates her practice in labor and employment, will assist the Commission in assessing the role of women in the legal field and making recommendations to the ABA.

July 2007
Design Firm Management
"Increasing Margins: Consider Architect-Led Design-Build for Fewer Disputes and Greater Profit"
Mark C. Friedlander
This article, written for a publication of the American Institute of Architects, is a detailed account of a very well-received presentation given by Mark Friedlander at the AIA's 2007 convention. The presentation, titled "Architect-Led Design-Build: A Practical Business Plan," described ways in which architects can structure their businesses to maximize efficiency and profit.

July 9, 2007
National Law Journal
"Chicago's Midsize Firms Look to Stay Independent"
Ronald S. Safer
This article focuses on the ways in which Chicago law firms are responding to a competitive environment increasingly characterized by mergers with international "megafirms." Schiff Hardin managing partner Ron Safer is quoted, explaining that the firm's independence and sharper focus help keep costs down, and enable the firm to give its clients the kind of attention that megafirms cannot offer.

July 1, 2007
AmericanWay
"Fair Deal"
David Jacoby
David Jacoby, a partner in Schiff Hardin's New York office, weighs in on the topic of fair-trade clothing in this article about a growing sector of the apparel industry.

July 1, 2007
The American Lawyer
"Scoring the Firms — Survey Chart"
Schiff Hardin LLP was ranked number 41 out of 200 in pro bono hours logged by the nation's 200 highest grossing law firms as listed in The American Lawyer's "Am Law 200" survey.

July 1, 2007
The American Lawyer
"From Death Row to Dolphins — Am Law 200 Firms Have Embraced a Rich Palette of Causes"
Ronald S. Safer and William E. Meyer, Jr.
This feature story in the July issue of The American Lawyer (a publication that included Schiff Hardin in its "Am Law 200" listing the previous month) spotlights Schiff Hardin's 2006 pro bono work on behalf of wrongfully convicted Julie Rea Harper. Harper, an Illinois woman who had been sentenced to 65 years in prison for the 1997 murder of her son, won a new trial in 2004 due to a procedural error. Ron Safer led the team that tried the new case with the invaluable assistance of Bill Meyer and other Schiff Hardin attorneys. Their innovative and tireless efforts — comprising 2,776 hours in 2006 alone — brought to bear blood spatter and DNA analysis as well as expert witness testimony to win an acquittal for Harper.

June 13, 2007
USA Today
"Disability Claims Related to Obesity Could Rise"
Patricia C. Slovak
Patricia Slovak, a Schiff Hardin partner focusing on labor and employment issues, is quoted in this front-page article, observing that employers are now taking more notice of obesity as a source of potential disability claims. Three recent obesity-related employment discrimination cases are highlighted.

June 7, 2007
Chicago Tribune and Toronto Daily Globe and Mail
"Kipnis' Case May Have Improved" and "Largely Forgotten Figure Now Looms Large"
Ronald S. Safer
These articles, part of continuing coverage of the Conrad Black fraud trial, take special note of U.S. District Court Judge Amy St. Eve's praise for the efforts of Schiff Hardin managing partner Ron Safer on behalf of his client, Mark Kipnis. Specifically, Mr. Safer's cross-examination of a government witness showed that Mr. Kipnis received no improper reward for his in-house counsel work at Hollinger International Inc. Judge St. Eve was quoted as telling Mr. Safer that this testimony "gives you a very powerful argument in your closing arguments."

June 4, 2007
National Law Journal
"Law Schools Increase Animal Law Studies"
Bruce Wagman
This survey story featured Bruce Wagman's comments about law students' growing interest in animal law and the expansion of his own animal law practice nationwide. He pointed out that owners setting up trusts for their pets to be taken care of after their owners die is an example of the kind of legal work that is increasing.

June 2007
Chicago Lawyer
"Private Equity Boom Fueling More Work For Lawyers "
S. Michael Peck
This lengthy survey article spotlighted Sy Peck as a leading private equity and venture capital attorney. He was extensively quoted about why this is such a growing area of the law and what law firms need to do in order to best counsel and assist their private equity and venture capital clients.

May 21, 2007
East Bay Business Times (California)
"Law Suits By Pet Owners Skyrocket"
Bruce Wagman
This article featured comments by Bruce Wagman, whose national animal law practice continues to attract significant media coverage, on rapid expansion of this legal area.

May 1, 2007
Women's Wear Daily
"Policies on Models Can Lead To Weighty Legal Issues"
Patricia C. Slovak
This multi-page special report quoted Pat Slovak exclusively regarding the legal issues, such as employment discrimination, that could arise from increasing pressure on the U.S. fashion industry to emulate requirements established in Italy and Spain regarding a fashion model's weight. The death of under-weight, high-profile models from malnourishment has fueled this controversy and calls for national regulation. Ms. Slovak commented, "The general concern we wanted to raise to employers in the fashion industry is, while they should address this issue, they need to be careful how they do it."

May 2007
Chicago Lawyer
"Trial Lawyer Finds Success Inside And Outside The Courtroom"
Roger Pascal
This three-page feature article spotlighted Roger Pascal's illustrious 40+ years career as an attorney and also highlighted his many pro bono and charitable activities. This news story included a focus on his volunteer work for LifeLine Pilots, which transports patients for ongoing medical treatments through licensed private pilots such as Mr. Pascal donating flight expenses and time.

April/May/June 2007
Newspapers and Broadcast Media Around the World
"Conrad Black Trial"
Ronald S. Safer
Ron Safer's representation of Mark Kipnis, a co-defendant of Conrad Black in a while collar crime prosecution, has received daily coverage in news media across the United States and around the world.