IN THE HEADLINES
► Beermann Pritikin Mirabelli Swerdlove: Enrico J. Mirabelli (family law; sports law, 2015) and Tanya J. Stanish (family law, 2010) of Schiller DuCanto & Fleck helped Chance the Rapper (Chancelor Bennett) and his ex-girlfriend Kirsten Corley settle their child support case regarding their daughter. Mirabelli represented Corley while Stanish represented Bennett.
► Greenberg Traurig: Samuel K. Skinner (government relations practice, 2012) received The Order of Lincoln award, which was established in 1964 to honor professionals born or residing in Illinois who have positively impacted their communities.
► Katten Muchin Rosenman: Herbert S. Wander (corporate compliance law; corporate governance law; corporate law; mergers and acquisitions law; securities / capital markets law; securities regulation, 1983) is retiring from the Telephone and Data Systems board of directors and will serve as director emeritus of TDS upon the expiration of his term.
► Winston & Strawn: Dan K. Webb (bet-the-company litigation; commercial litigation; criminal defense: white-collar; litigation – antitrust; mass tort litigation / class actions – defendants; medical malpractice law – defendants; patent law, 1987), David E. Dahlquist, and Matt Carter have filed a lawsuit in Cook County City Court on behalf of Illinois’ Cafe & Services Company and Laredo Hospitality Ventures, owners and operators of more than 100 video gaming locations across Illinois. The suit concerns the state’s Video Gaming Act, which is written in a way that forces businesses to give up 50 percent of their profits from coin-operated video gaming machines to video gaming operatives, depriving locally owned businesses of millions of dollars in potential revenue. Additionally, the suit also challenges a provision in the Video Gaming Act that states that business owners cannot buy their own machines. “I can think of no other industry where, by law, a business is forced to give up 50 percent of their profits and is strictly prohibited from even trying to negotiate better terms,” stated Webb in Winston & Strawn’s press release.
ON THE MOVE
PRIVATE PRACTICE:
►Freeborn & Peters: Kenneth M. Crane (venture capital law, 2007) has joined Freeborn’s Chicago office as a partner in the corporate practice group. Previously Crane was a partner at Perkins Coie.
►Mayer Brown: Massimo Capretta (banking and finance law, 2013) has been made a banking and finance partner at the firm.
►Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg: Linda Lemel Hoseman (employee benefits [ERISA] law, 2010) has joined the firm as a partner in the employee benefits and executive compensation practice group. Hoseman was previously a partner at Thompson Coburn.
ITN FEATURE
Thomas A. Demetrio Prepares Case against United Airlines for Doctor Dragged off Plane
Corboy & Demetrio: Thomas A. Demetrio(medical malpractice law – plaintiffs; personal injury litigation – plaintiffs, 1987) is preparing a case on behalf of Dr. David Dao against United Airlines.
Dr. David Dao, 69, was on a United Airlines flight at O’Hare International Airport intended for Louisville, Kentucky, when passengers were informed that four seats were needed for United crew members who had to get to an assignment. Passengers were offered a hotel room to give up their seats along with a $400 voucher that was increased to $800 when no one volunteered. When the hotel room and increased voucher failed to entice passengers, United reportedly went through a random selection procedure to make room. Dao was one of the four selected to deplane.
When Dao refused, United called Chicago aviation police officers to remove him from the plane. Dao continued to refuse, and in cell phone footage that went viral, he was dragged down the aisle floor by his arms as his shirt bunched above his stomach. Further footage that surfaced shows Dao clutching a wall with blood streaming across his face. In the footage, Dao repeats, “Just kill me.”
As a result of the incident and police force, Dao suffered a concussion and broken nose. He also lost two teeth and will need reconstructive surgery.
United Airlines is conducting an internal investigation and will no longer allow officers to physically board planes and remove booked and seated passengers.
In preparing the case, Demetrio has filed an emergency bill of discovery to preserve all surveillance videos and cockpit voice recordings from the day Dao was removed.
