CCL evaluations -- 15th Subcircuit

For the complete report of the Chicago Council of Lawyers, follow this link (.pdf format).

Lipinski Vacancy

Linzey D. Jones -- Qualified
Linzey D. Jones, Jr. was admitted to practice in 1982. He is currently a partner with the law firm of Pugh Jones Johnson & Quandt, and has a labor and employment practice. He was an associate and partner with Sidley & Austin. He is past chairperson and a founding member of the Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms. Mr. Jones has substantial litigation experience, although many of his trials settle before verdict. He has also acted as principal counsel in 15 arbitrations and 13 appellate matters. Mr. Jones is praised for his legal ability and temperament. He is reported to be always well-prepared. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Frank James Ryan -- Qualified
Frank James Ryan was admitted to practice in 1981. He is currently a sole practitioner focusing on domestic relations and criminal defense work. He reports serving as lead counsel in one jury matter, more than 50 bench trials in civil law matters, and more than 50 criminal law bench trials. Mr. Ryan is reported to have good legal ability and a good temperament. He is praised for being knowledgeable, and for knowing when to litigate and when to settle a case. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Pat Flanagan – Not Qualified
Patrick Dean Flanagan was admitted to practice in 1999 after a 22-year career in the U.S. Army. He is currently an associate in a small firm doing civil litigation, more than half of which is insurance defense work. He reports acting as lead counsel in seven jury trials and over 20 civil bench trials. While in the military he was an infantry officer. He has also served as a Professor of Military Science in the Chicago area ROTC program. Most respondents report that Mr. Flanagan is an intelligent and diligent lawyer who has a good temperament. The Council is concerned that he has only ten years of experience as a lawyer and his practice does not yet have sufficient depth and breadth. On balance the Council finds him Not Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Nicholas W. Karas – Not Recommended
Nicholas W. Karas refused to be evaluated. He is Not Recommended for the Circuit Court.

Richard G. Karwaczka – Not Qualified
Richard G. Karwaczka was admitted to practice in Illinois in 2001 and in Wisconsin in 2005. Mr. Karwaczka is currently in a small practice where he does criminal defense work. From 2002 to 2007, he was an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney where he spent much of his professional time doing child support enforcement. He served as an instructor with the Northwestern Business College between 2004 and 2005. From 2001 to 2002 he was an Assistant Lake County State’s Attorney. He reports serving as lead counsel in five jury trials and 100 bench trials. Much of Mr. Karwaczka’s litigation experience, however, has been in less complex matters such as in high volume misdemeanor courts. Mr. Karwaczka is praised for his legal knowledge in his areas of practice and he is considered to have a good temperament. The
Council is concerned, however, that he does not yet have litigation experience in more complex matters and thus, has not demonstrated his ability to master new, sophisticated cases that he may be asked to consider as a judge. The Council finds him Not Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Karla Marie Fiaoni -- Qualified
Karla Marie Fiaoni was admitted to practice in 1989. She has been a sole practitioner doing criminal defense work since 2001. She served as Chief of Police for the City of Chicago Heights between 1994 and 1996 and was Superintendent of Police for Chicago Heights between 1996 and 1997. From 1997 to 2001, she served as the Project Director for the Domestic Violence Unit in the City of Chicago Heights. She served as a Cook County Commissioner in 2002. She reports acting as lead counsel in five jury trials and 15 bench trials. Before her current work, Ms. Fiaoni served as an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney between 1989 and 1994. Ms. Fiaoni is considered to have good legal ability and temperament. She is praised for her knowledge of criminal law and procedure and for being hard-working and diligent. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Michael Brendan Barrett – Qualified
Michael Barrett was admitted to practice in 1991. He has spent most of his career with his current firm, Barrett & Sramek doing civil litigation. He reports acting as lead counsel in 9 civil juries, 11 civil bench trials, and 6 criminal bench trials. Mr. Barrett is regarded as an experienced trial practitioner involved in a variety of matters. He is considered to be bright and knowledgeable and received high marks for his temperament. He has a reputation for being a good lawyer who is both fair and a zealous advocate. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Joan Marie G. Kubalanza – Qualified
Joan Kubalanza was admitted to practice in 1984. She is currently in private practice. From 1984 to 1986, Ms. Kubalanza served as a law clerk to Justice William Clark and then served as an Associate with what was Wilson & McIlvaine. She was an Associate and then a partner with Foley and Lardner from 1990 to 1998. For one year she served as an Associate Judge before going back to private practice. She reports acting as lead counsel in 1 civil jury trial and about 8 civil bench trials. She has been involved in extensive motion practice in complex matters. Ms. Kubalanza is considered to have good legal ability with solid litigation experience in more complex matters. She is praised for her temperament. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Panichi Vacancy

George F. Scully -- Qualified
Hon. George Francis Scully was admitted to practice in 1981 and was appointed to the bench by the Illinois Supreme Court in March 2009. He is currently assigned to the First Municipal District hearing traffic matters. Before taking the bench, Judge Scully was in private practice and served as general counsel to two banks and as an Illinois state legislator. He has substantial litigation experience in commercial litigation matters. He was well respected as a lawyer with good legal ability and temperament. Those appearing before him as a judge praise his court management skills and his temperament. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Mary Therese Quinn – Qualified
Mary Therese Quinn has been an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney since her admission to the bar in 1988. She is currently assigned to a felony trial courtroom after having served in the Financial Crimes Unit. Ms. Quinn is considered to be a solid prosecutor with good legal ability and temperament. She is praised as being well-prepared and hard-working. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Michael T. Huguelet – Not Qualified
Michael T. Huguelet was admitted to practice in 1979. He has been a sole practitioner since 1991. He is the Village Prosecutor for the Village of Orland Park. From 1983 to 1991, he served as a partner in a Florida law firm. He reports having no jury trial experience but reports acting as lead counsel in numerous bench trials, although many of these are in less complex matters, such as ordinance violations. Respondents consider Mr. Huguelet to have good legal ability and to possess a good temperament. The Council is concerned, however, that much of his practice has been involved in less complex litigation matters. The Council believes a judge must have experience in complex litigation matters before taking the bench. The Council finds Mr. Huguelet Not Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Peter A. Fera – Not Qualified
Peter A. Fera has been a lawyer since 1968. Mr. Fera is considered to be a highly experienced attorney in will and estates, trusts, banking regulations and compliance, mortgage law, and real estate work. He is considered to have good legal ability in transactional work. While his litigation work is limited, he has done some insurance defense litigation and eviction work during his career. Mr. Fera is a highly respected transactional lawyer who has demonstrated solid ability. The Council believes, however, that judges need to have substantial litigation experience before going on the bench. On balance, the Council finds him Not Qualified.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Phelan Vacancy

John C. Griffin -- Qualified
Judge John C. Griffin was admitted to practice in 1976. For 31 years he was in private practice primarily handling real estate, zoning and development-related matters. In March 2008, he was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to a judicial vacancy. He has served in Traffic Court and currently presides over mortgage foreclosure matters in the Foreclosure/Mechanic’s Lien Section. Judge Griffin is reported to have good legal ability and an excellent temperament. He had a good reputation as a hard-working and knowledgeable attorney and is praised for his courtroom management skills and for being well-prepared. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Carl Evans, Jr. – Qualified
Carl Evans, Jr. has been a lawyer since 1993. He has been a sole practitioner for most of his career, concentrating in criminal defense and personal injury work. He has been an adjunct professor of law at John Marshall Law School since 2001, teaching legal writing, research, and oral advocacy for first-year students. He is considered to have good legal ability and an excellent demeanor. He is praised for being exceptionally hard working and well-prepared. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Nichole C. Patton – Not Qualified
Nicole Patton was admitted to practice in 1997. She is currently a sole practitioner and was an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney having practiced in the areas of real estate taxation, delinquency, child protection, traffic, and appeals. She reports acting as lead counsel in 1 civil jury, 5 criminal juries, 200 criminal bench trials, and 100 civil trials. She has handled 25 cases on appeal. Ms. Patton is considered to have good legal ability and temperament and has the reputation of being a good attorney. The Council is concerned, however, because while Ms.
Patton has litigation experience, little of it is in more complex matters. She has the potential for being a good judge but the Council believes she is not yet ready for the bench. The Council finds her Not Qualified at this time.

Thomas "TJ" Somer – Not Qualified
Thomas Joseph “TJ” Somer was admitted to practice in 1991, following 14 years as a police officer in Chicago Heights. After one year working on insurance defense cases for a large firm, he set up his own general practice firm in the south suburbs. Since 1997 he has served as a Supervisor for Bloom Township and, since 2006, he has also served as corporation counsel for the city of Chicago Heights. He was also an unsuccessful candidate for mayor of Chicago Heights and for Congress. Mr. Somer is reported to have good legal ability and temperament, although his practice is narrow. In addition to the narrowness of his practice, the Council is also concerned that Somer was a defendant in a law suit alleging illegal practices with respect to tax delinquent properties during the time he was the Bloom Township Supervisor. Although the trial court absolved Somer of wrongdoing, the Appellate Court reversed the trial court’s decision. Mr. Somer denies any culpability and insists that this program was appropriate and successful. The Council finds him Not Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Mary Beth Kent Duffy – Qualified
Mary Beth Duffy was admitted to practice in Illinois in 1992 and has been a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney since 1996. She is currently prosecuting felonies as a “First Chair” prosecutor in the Markham courthouse. She has extensive bench and jury trial experience. Ms. Duffy has good legal ability and a good temperament. She is considered to be hard working. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.