Katelyn Blanchard

You often hear about small-town values from big-city attorneys in commercials, but Jim McPhedran, who grew up on a farm outside Oglesby, took his small-town values to Chicago and brought back his law degree to help the people of the Illinois Valley. He remains as committed to his community today as he was as a new lawyer over three decades ago. "I learned a long time ago that you treat all clients the same," said Jim McPhedran. "Each deserves the same level of respect, consideration, and hard...

Dennis J. Kelly is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Dennis J., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Dennis J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Russell is a Partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP where he has spent his entire 36+ year career. He focuses his trial, appellate and alternative dispute resolution practice on patent infringement matters and disputes involving and related to technology transfer and patent license agreements. His trial practice includes jury trials, arbitrations and Section 337 proceedings before the U.S. International Trade Commission. His appellate practice concentrates on appeals in the Court of Appeals for ...

Ross M. Kwasteniet is a partner in the Restructuring Group. His practice is centered around the representation of distressed companies in all aspects of Chapter 11 reorganizations and out-of-court restructurings. Ross also has considerable experience representing both buyers and sellers of distressed assets. Most recently, Ross was recognized in the 2021 edition of IFLR1000. In 2019, Ross was recognized as a Dealmaker of the Year by The American Lawyer. Ross was also recognized in the 2018&nd...

John M. Popelka focuses his practice exclusively representing public and private sector clients in the area of Workers’ Compensation law. Equally comfortable in the courtroom and at the negotiating table, a significant portion of his practice involves litigating and settling claims for union workers who suffer career-ending injuries, permanent total disability, catastrophic injuries requiring home modification and lifetime medical care, and death cases. John joined Anesi Ozmon in 1993, ...

For over 50 years, Bruce Sperling has been winning record-breaking and game-changing jury verdicts, court judgments, and arbitration awards for plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes litigation. Experienced in virtually every area of the law, Mr. Sperling has favorably resolved wide-ranging commercial disputes for Fortune 500 companies, privately held enterprises, and individuals. His cases have included securities, antitrust, patents, trade secrets, corporate governance, real estate develo...

Marc H. Trachtenberg is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Advertising Law and Trademark Law. Marc H., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Marc H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Robert Unikel is a partner in the Chicago office of Paul Hastings and is head of the Chicago and Midwest Intellectual Property practice. Mr. Unikel has a diverse practice that includes litigating patent, trade secret, and trademark cases in a variety of industries, including digital media distribution, consumer products and brands, financial products and services, auto parts, and medical devices. Mr. Unikel's extensive experience includes trying patent and trade secret cases involving varied ...

Tom is a Shareholder and Chairs the Patents and Intellectual Property Sections. An experienced attorney most active in patent prosecution, portfolio management and providing opinions of counsel, Tom drafts and prosecutes U.S. and foreign patent applications; renders non-infringement, validity, patentability and inventorship opinions; drafts and interprets license, indemnification, employment and non-complete agreements; prepares and prosecutes trademark and copyright registrations; and counse...

Biography: Todd A. Smith, Founding Partner, Smith LaCien LLP Making Access to Justice a Personal Crusade A native of Evanston, Ill., and with a law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Todd A. Smith, a founding partner with Brian LaCien of Smith LaCien LLP, has practiced law for over 40 years. He has won some of the largest multi-million dollar jury awards and settlements in serious personal injury, product liability, wrongful death, and medical malpractice cases in Illinois. ...