RSHC in the news

RSHC is proud to announce Cheryl D. S. Walker is the new Chair of the Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC) for the First Congressional District. Cheryl was appointed by Missouri Governor Mike Parson and confirmed by the Missouri Senate and will serve a two-year term.

Patricia Brown Holmes will be part of an esteemed female managing partners panel at the March 6 CBA Women’s Summit, “Learning Your Leadership Language,” at the Chicago Athletic Club. Justice Joy V. Cunningham will moderate the conversation as co-panelists share their unique paths to achieving leadership positions in the law and provide advice on how to carve out an authentic leadership strategy.

RSHC is proud to announce that Partner Leslie D. Davis has been appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to serve as a member of the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) Review Board, which investigates and prosecutes allegations of lawyer wrongdoing in Illinois. Leslie’s appointment began January 10, 2020 and expires December 31, 2021.

On December 16, RSHC Partner Rod Perry and RSHC Of Counsel Cheryl Walker will be co-panelists at the Construction SuperConference 2019 program, “Participation Goals: Strategies to Achieve Them,” to be held at Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. Contractors are often called upon to meet or exceed project goals established for (public and private) participation by disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs), minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs), and women-owned business enterprises (WBEs).

RSHC Partner Shalem Massey will be a panelist at the October 24-25, 2019 ABA/TIPs program, “The Aviation Lawyer’s Operating Handbook: Learning to Litigate, Navigate, and Communicate,” to be held in Washington, DC. Shalem and his co-presenters will discuss the tripartite relationship, the issues which arise, and best practices at their session, “Keeping Formation: Navigating the Relationship of Insured, Insurer, and Outside Counsel.”

RSHC Partner Jake Kahn will serve as Conference Co-Chair and a Speaker at the 11th Annual Conference on Futures and Derivatives on October 17, 2019, hosted at Chicago-Kent College of Law. Jake will present on the topic: “At the Intersection of Antitrust and Derivatives Law.”

RSHC Associate, Nathan Howze will be a panelist at the American Bar Association/Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section conference entitled “From Regs to Riches: Navigating the Rapidly Emerging Fields of Cannabis & Hemp Law.” On September 19-20 come join Nathan and a wide array of industry leaders including CEOs, general counsels, legislators, academics, and practicing lawyers in Chicago at what promises to be the premier CLE program on cannabis and hemp law this year.

We are pleased to announce that our partner, Edward Casmere, was recently accepted into the membership of the prestigious Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC). The FDCC is comprised of U.S. and international civil defense litigators, senior corporate counsel, and insurance claims executives. Dedicated to promoting knowledge, fellowship and professionalism for lawyers and other professionals, the FDCC strives to achieve a balanced justice system in the defense of civil lawsuits.

RSHC is delighted to announce that the Cook County Bar Association’s Board of Directors selected RSHC Associate Raymond Rushing to receive the 2019 CCBA Junior Counselor Award, which recognizes a member of the Cook County Bar Association who has been admitted to practice law in Illinois for five (5) years or less, for outstanding service rendered to the legal profession and to the Bar Association. Raymond will be presented with this award at the CCBA’s 105th Annual Awards and Installation Banquet to be held on Thursday, June 20, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

RSHC proudly announces that Partner Merili Seale has been recognized by the National Bar Association as one of the nation’s top 40 lawyers under the age of 40. The award commends those most deserving for their high achievement in the legal field based solely on merit, and their commitment to the practice of law, community service, and social change. Merili and fellow award recipients will be honored at the 10th Anniversary of the Awards ceremony on July 24 during the NBA’s 93rd Annual Convention in New York City.

Congratulations to Drahcir Smith and the entire 2019-2020 Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. (BWLA) Board of Directors and Scholarship Fund Board, who were installed on June 3. The group pledged their renewed commitment to making an “impact” on the legal profession, as well as the general community-at-large, and changing so many lives.

RSHC is proud to sponsor and have RSHC Partners, Meghan McMeel and Kate Stimeling, presenting at The Women, Diversity & Change Summit programs in Chicago (June 6) and San Francisco (June 11). Meghan will be speaking at the June 6 program on strategies for strategically fostering effective sponsors for women in law to progress their careers. Kate will be presenting on the June 11 San Francisco panel, “Sponsors, Influencers & Career Engineering.” The conference will explore and inspire lasting change for women and minorities in the legal profession.

A Dream Became Reality—Project Chimps celebrates a 5-year milestone! Bruce Wagman, Co-Founder, President and RSHC animal protection lawyer, recalls the journey. Currently 59 chimpanzees with almost 150 more to join them are thriving at the 236-acre Project Chimps sanctuary in the Blue Ridge Mountains of north Georgia.

RSHC is proud to announce that RSHC Employment Counsel Drahcir Marie Smith has been elected the 2019-2020 Corresponding Secretary for the Black Women Lawyers' Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. (BWLA). Drahcir served as a BWLA Board Member at Large for the 2018-2019 term. Congratulations to all of the new BWLA Officers and Board members!

“What Constitutes the Effectiveness of Settlements?” RSHC Partner Josh Lee will address this topic as a panelist at the May 2 Perrin Conferences Mass Tort Global Settlement Architecture Conference in Washington, D.C. Josh and co-panelists will examine how success is measured and the criteria for determining a “fair and reasonable” settlement.