Chicago. Lisa Abrams, an attorney and adjunct professor at Roosevelt University, will speak during the seminar luncheon Oct. 12.
Illinois Trial Lawyers
A 1st District judicial and legislative night dinner will be held Monday, Oct. 2, in the Mid-America Club, Chicago, by the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. Call (800) 252-8501 for details.
Kane County Bar
The 42nd annual Kane County Bar Association Steer Roast will take place from 4 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, in the Batavia VFW. Call (630) 232-6455 for reservations.
Lake County Bar
Retired judge Charles F. Scott will be honored Wednesday, Oct. 4, by the Lake County Bar Association and 19th Circuit Court. The dinner will take place at Glen Flora Country Club, Waukegan. Call (847) 244-3143 for reservations.
Madison County Bar
The Madison County Bar Association will hold a dinner meeting and program Thursday, Sept. 28, at The Back Porch in Highland. Call John J. Johnson Jr., (314) 421-3400, for details.
North Suburban Bar
Rachel A. Runnels of Glenview will be installed Thursday, Sept. 21, as president of the North Suburban Bar Association during a dinner in the Terrace Restaurant of the Wilmette Golf Club. The event will begin at 6 p.m. with a reception and chamber music by the Meyer Family Musica.
Other officers who will take the oath office from Presiding Judge Nancy Sidote Salyers of the 2nd Municipal District are Vice Presidents Mary A. Long, Phyllis M. Rudnit, Francis B. Baumgart and David P. Pasulka; Treasurer Diane H. Damico, and Secretary Mary L. Walker.
Past president Kenneth P. Dobbs will be master of ceremonies, and Judge Wayne R. Andersen of U.S. District Court is the keynote speaker. Retiring President Gail M. Vierneisel will present special awards, and Robert A. Romanoff will introduce the recipient of the L. Sanford Blustin Award for Distinguished Service to the Legal Profession.
Call Diane Damico, (847) 724-1696, for dinner reservations and Rachel Runnels at (847) 657-0973 for NSBA membership information.
Northwest Suburban Bar
A Chicago Committee formed by the Northwest Suburban Bar Association to plan events for members who have downtown law practices held its first luncheon Sept. 12. For meeting information, call chair Michael Erde at (773) 286-3800 or Nairee Hagopian at the association office, (847) 290-8071.
Prosecutors Bar
Formation of a Prosecutors Bar Association took place during a Sept. 6 reception in Chicago. The organization will respond to criticism of prosecutors and attacks on the criminal justice system. Call Terry Ekl, (630) 654-0045 for information about membership and future events.
Vermilion County Bar
The Vermilion County Bar Association will meet for luncheon and program Tuesday, Sept. 26, in the Old National Bank Community Room. Call Bruce Meachum, (217) 442-1390, for details.
West Suburban Bar
West Suburban Bar Association members mourned the passing on Aug. 10 of former executive director Rosalie Kotel.
The next dinner meeting will take place Thursday, Sept. 21, at D's Little Italy, LaGrange Park, with a presentation by Gino L. DiVito on judicial eligibility commissions. Call (708) 366-1122.
Whiteside County Bar
The Whiteside County Bar Association has invited the Lee County Bar Association to a joint golf outing and dinner Friday, Sept. 22, at the Lake View Country Club. Call Teresa in the office of Secretary Trent L. Bush, (815) 625-8200, for reservations.
Tee times begin at 12 noon at a cost of $25, including half a cart. The rib-eye dinner at 6:30 p.m. will be $15, including tax and gratuity.
Winnebago County Bar
Alan Brown, superintendent of Rockford School Dist. 205, will speak to the Winnebago County Bar Association during a buffet luncheon Tuesday, Sept. 26, in the City Plaza Restaurant. Call (815) 964-4992 for reservations.
O'Reillys' family firm loses respected mentor
After more than three decades devoted primarily to defense work, during which he gained respect as a trial lawyer, Roger Kevin O'Reilly opened a plaintiff practice in 1995 with his daughter, Molly M. O'Reilly (McGowen). A son, John F. O'Reilly, soon joined them.
A 1959 graduate of the Chicago-Kent College of Law, Roger O'Reilly died Aug. 20 at age 65 of stomach cancer. After five years of practice in Chicago, he joined the Wheaton firm that became O'Reilly, Cunningham, Norton & Mancini.
During his tenure with the law firm, six of its attorneys became judges of the 18th Circuit and justices of the Appellate Court. Many credit his mentoring and encouragement for their judicial careers.
Highlights of Mr. O'Reilly's career are included in the reminiscence on this page by Lester Munson. In addition, he was a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, an Advocate of the American Board of Trial Advocates and a member of the Society of Trial Lawyers.
Mr. O'Reilly tutored inner city children for many years in a program sponsored by Old St. Patrick's Church in Chicago, and he was a volunteer on behalf of the underprivileged.
The O'Reilly Law Offices will continue under the leadership of Molly and John O'Reilly. Another son, Kevin E. O'Reilly, has a private practice in Chicago and is of counsel to the family firm.
Gardner Abbott
Retired Chicago attorney Gardner Abbott, a Flossmoor resident, died Aug. 16 at age 88. A 1936 graduate of the Chicago-Kent College of Law, he was the former chair and chief executive officer of TSC Industries.
Mr. Abbott also was a vice president of LaSalle National Bank and a consultant to the Carrier-Oehler Co. He was a director of the Western Golf Association and a supporter of Evans Golf Scholars and the Glenwood School for Boys.
Stephen Anselmo
Stephen A. Anselmo of Westchester, a former justice of the peace in River Forest, died in August. He was a veteran of service during World War II as a commander in the Navy Intelligence Department.
Joan Brophy
Joan Edmonds Brophy, a partner in Mayer, Brown & Platt, Chicago, died Aug. 26 at age 55 in an Evanston hospital of breast cancer. A 1977 graduate of the DePaul University College of Law, she received a master of laws degree in taxation in 1980.
A former Chicago high school teacher with a master's degree from Boston College, Mrs. Brophy decided to become a lawyer after the orphaned children of a murdered colleague were denied benefits by the Board of Education.
She was a founder of the Illinois Democratic Women's Caucus in 1970. She served on the Chicago Bar Association Employee Benefits Committee from 1977 to 1988.
Jewell Burk
Retired Chicago and Oak Park attorney Jewell V. Burk died Aug. 14 at age 93 in a Naperville health care center. A 1925 graduate of the Kent Law School in Chicago, he was a lieutenant commander in the Navy during World War II.
Mr. Burk was an emeritus board member of the Shriners Hospital for Children. He retired from practice in 1997.
John Conroy
John T. Conroy of Sawyer, Mich., formerly of South Holland, died in July at age 72. He was of counsel to DeJong, Sharkey & Conroy, Dolton.
A 1957 graduate of the DePaul University College of Law, Mr. Conroy served in the Army during the Korean War. He was past grand knight of the San Salvador Knights of Columbus.
Jean Dobrer
Assistant Chicago corporation counsel Jean Dobrer died Aug. 18 at age 46 of diabetes in her Chicago residence. A 1980 graduate of the New York University Law School, she practiced with Cravath, Swaine & Moore before joining Sidley & Austin in Chicago.
In 1988, Ms. Dobrer became a member of the Appeals and Constitutional Issues Division of the city legal department. She also taught legal writing at the Northwestern University School of Law.
Survivors include her husband, Robert L. Suomala of Peterson & Ross, Chicago.
Harold Dray
Harold J. Dray, a graduate of the DePaul University College of Law, died in August at age 85. He was the former vice president of Peoples Iron and Metal Co. and Scrap Corp. of America.
Mr. Dray was past president of Congregation Rodfei Zedek and the Midwest region of Temple Men's Clubs.
Joseph Fink
Joseph Harris Fink, retired senior partner of Antonow & Fink, Chicago, died July 19 at age 84 of Alzheimer's disease. A member of Phi Beta Kappa and a 1940 graduate of the Cornell University Law School with distinction, he became of counsel to Altheimer & Gray in 1989.
Herman Grant
Chicago attorney Herman Grant, retired Midwest regional solicitor for the U.S. Labor Department, died Aug. 20 at age 89 in Highland Park Hospital of congestive heart failure.
A 1936 graduate of the University of Iowa Law School, Mr. Grant was an executive officer on a Navy cruiser in the Pacific during World War II. He joined the Labor Department after the War and retired in 1983.
Survivors include a stepson, Robert H. Brown, who also was an attorney with the Labor Department.
Brimsom Grow
Retired Chicago attorney Brimson Grow died Aug. 23 at age 90 of kidney failure in his LaGrange home. He was a 1934 graduate of the University of Chicago Law School.
During World War II, Mr. Grow served in the Army in Italy and trained to enter the Judge Advocate General Corps. After the war, he practiced with Wetten, Pegler & Dale, and Dale, Haffner & Grow before retiring in 1975.
A trustee of the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary since 1965, Mr. Grow was a benefactor of the Fred A. Grow Memorial Camp, named for his father, in Wisconsin. A library in the seminary is named for Brimson Grow.
Howard Hawkins
Former Chicago attorney Howard G. Hawkins Jr. died July 31 at age 84 in San Mateo, Calif. A 1941 graduate of the University of Chicago Law School, he served in Army Counter-Intelligence during World War II with the Manhattan District atomic bomb project.
After the war he had a Chicago practice and was counsel to Argonne National Laboratory until 1952, when he joined the atomic energy subsidiary of Standard Oil Co. of California in San Francisco.
When Standard Oil left the atomic energy field in 1954, Mr. Hawkins joined the Kern County Land Co., which later merged with Tenneco Inc. He became counsel to Dean Witter & Co. in 1968 and retired in 1981 as senior vice president and general counsel.
James Holton
Former Illinois attorney James T. Holton died April 2 at age 76 in Freehold, N.J. A graduate of the University of Chicago Law School, he practiced for 40 years in Chicago and five years in Evanston, where he lived for 37 years.
A student of English legal history, he was working on a book about Sir Edward Coke, attorney general under Queen Elizabeth I, who died in 1634.
Howard Koontz
Howard D. Koontz of Flossmoor, a member of the Illinois bar since 1951, died July 23 at age 77. He retired in 1987 as senior general solicitor for the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad and was a member of the Association of Interstate Commerce Commission Practitioners.
I. Leonard Kovitz
Isadore Leonard Kovitz of Chicago, retired administrative law judge and hearings referee for the Illinois Department of Labor, died in June at age 90. He was a 1933 graduate of the Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Roy Larsen
Roy W. Larsen Sr., a former justice of the peace and police magistrate in Franklin Park, died in July. He also served as Leyden Township collector.
Wayne McCoy
Chicago attorney Wayne A. McCoy, a partner in Schiff, Hardin & Waite, died Aug. 29 at age 58 of cancer in Evanston Hospital. A 1972 graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, he joined the law firm that year and became a partner in five years.
Mr. McCoy was general counsel to the Chicago School Finance Authority during its existence, and also represented the Chicago Housing Authority, the Chicago Transit Authority and Cook County.
He was involved in securing financing for the new Comiskey Park and the international terminal at O'Hare Airport, and he was counsel to basketball legend Michael Jordan in several legal matters.
Herbert Ray
Retired banker Herbert Ray of Winnetka, a 1956 graduate of the DePaul University College of Law, died Aug. 26 at age 72 of cancer in Evanston Hospital. He had a master's degree in business administration from the Tuck Business School.
After four years as a civilian employee of the Navy, Mr. Ray joined First National Bank of Chicago (now Bank One) in 1955 as a commercial