CCL evaluations -- 9th Subcircuit

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

Otaka Vacancy

Abbey Fishman Romanek – Qualified
Abbey Romanek has practiced law since 1987. Since 2004, she has been a Senior Assistant Attorney General in the Medicaid Fraud Division. From 1987 until 2004, she was in private practice first handling criminal defense matters and then focusing for the next eleven years on medical malpractice cases. Ms. Romanek is reported to have good legal ability and temperament. She has had substantial trial and appellate experience in complex civil and criminal law matters. The Council finds her Qualified to serve in the Circuit Court.

Yehuda Lebovits – Not Qualified (Evaluated to fill a vacancy in 2006 and reviewed in 2009)
Yehuda Lebovitz was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2009 to fill a judicial vacancy. He has heard traffic court matters since his appointment. He was admitted to practice in 1983. Before his judicial appointment, he had since 2000 been the Director of the Expedited Child Support Program for the Circuit Court of Cook County. From 1992 to 2000, he was Director of Statewide Judicial Enforcement and Legal Counsel to the Division of Child Support Enforcement for the Illinois Department of Public Aid. From 1985 to 1992, he was a trial attorney at the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation. Before that, he spent two years as a sole general practitioner. Mr. Lebovitz was considered to be an excellent and dedicated administrator. Lawyers appearing before him in traffic court matters find him a capable jurist. He is praised for his temperament and for his willingness to work for systemic reform. The Council in 2006 found then Mr. Lebovitz Not Qualified because of his lack of substantial experience in litigation matters. While Judge Lebovitz receives good marks for handling a high volume court call, he has had little experience as a judge and has not yet been given a challenging judicial assignment. The Council believes that judges must have substantial litigation experience before going onto the bench or demonstrate an ability to handle a variety of challenging judicial assignments. On balance, the Council finds Judge Lebovitz Not Qualified for the Circuit Court at this time.

Geary W. Kull – Well Qualified (Evaluated for Associate Judge in 2004. Judge Kull was appointed to the bench in 2009 by the Illinois Supreme Court)
After being admitted to practice in 1974, Geary Kull served as an Assistant Cook County Public Defender until 1981, when he left to establish a private criminal defense practice as a sole practitioner. Mr. Kull is considered to have very good legal ability, an excellent temperament, and unquestioned integrity. He has extensive litigation experience in complex matters. Mr. Kull is a solid practitioner who has earned the respect of his colleagues, lawyers and judges alike, who uniformly praise him highly. The Council finds him Well Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Dennis Michael Fleming – Qualified
Dennis M. Fleming was admitted to practice in 1976. He currently has a sole practice litigating criminal, civil, and administrative matters. From 1987 until 2001, he was a partner at Wahler, Pecyna & Fleming. From 1978 to 1987, Mr. Fleming was a sole practitioner. He spent the first year of his legal career as an Assistant Cook County Public Defender. Mr. Fleming has been a hearing officer for the City of Chicago Department of Personnel since 1997; he has also been an administrative law officer with the Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings since 1996. He has been a hearing officer for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (1993-1994) and a trial judge for the Commissioner of the State Board of Claims (1982-1983). Mr. Fleming is a 1976 graduate of DePaul University College of Law.

Mr. Fleming is praised for his extensive litigation experience in both criminal and civil matters. He litigates complex cases with great competence and fairness. He is considered to have overall good legal ability. Adversaries describe him as a good practitioner who is honest, courteous, even-tempered and highly professional. The Council finds Mr. Fleming Qualified to serve in Circuit Court.

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

"A" Vacancy

Steven James "Steve" Bernstein – Not Qualified
Steven James Bernstein was admitted to practice in 1971. He is currently the Acting General Counsel for the Illinois Criminal Justice Authority where he drafts inter-agency agreements, drafts legislation, and prepares and delivers training programs. He is very active in community affairs, including as an elected official. He reports acting as lead counsel in 1 criminal and 1 jury trial, as well as in 90 civil bench trials and 150 criminal bench trials. However, most of Mr. Bernstein’s recent legal work involves real estate matters, and trial work cited in his evaluation materials were from as many as 30 years ago. He is very active in community affairs. Mr. Bernstein is considered to have good legal ability and temperament. The Council is concerned that he has little litigation experience in more complex matters and has little recent litigation experience at all. The Council finds him Not Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Michael Ian Bender – Qualified
Judge Michael I. Bender was admitted to practice in 1991. He was appointed to the bench by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2008. Before being appointed, he was with a firm concentrating in family law. He has served as an assistant corporation counsel for the village of Skokie and was a sole practitioner for 10 years. He clerked for Illinois Appellate Court Justice Allen Hartman after graduating law school. As a lawyer, Mr. Bender was reported to have good legal ability and temperament. The Council, in 2007, was concerned, however, that he lacked sufficient experience in complex litigation matters. Since being appointed to the bench, he has been assigned to Traffic Court, but has also presided over misdemeanor criminal bench trials and
motions, misdemeanor criminal jury trials, and civil trials and motions in the First Municipal District. Respondents in general praise his judicial abilities, saying that he has done a good job grasping new concepts, understanding the issues, managing the courtroom, and having a good temperament. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Jeffrey Dov Greenspan – Not Qualified
Jeffrey Dov Greenspan was admitted to practice in 1979. He is currently an attorney with Pomper & Goodman doing plaintiffs’ personal injury work and workers’ compensation cases. From 2003 to 2008 he was the senior project manager for The Trust for Public Land, where among other duties he negotiated and acquired land for use by local and state governments as parks. From 2001 to 2003 he was General Counsel and Director of Land Organization for Corlands, where among other duties, he negotiated land purchases for parks and open space preservation. From 1999 to 2001, he was a partner with Fioretti and Des Jardins, Ltd where he had a general practice with a concentration in local government law. From 1991 to 1999 he was a senior associate with Ancel Glink, Diamond & Cope where he advised and represented local governments, including state and federal litigation matters. From 1981 to 1991, he served as an Assistant Corporation Counsel for the Village of Skokie. From 1980 to 1981, he served as an Assistant Cook County Public Defender. He reports acting as lead counsel in one criminal law jury matter, four civil jury trials, and four bench trials in civil matters. He has a significant history of community service. Mr. Greenspan is considered to be a smart and hard-working lawyer with a variety of experiences, but he lacks significant recent litigation experience. The Council finds him Not Qualified for the Circuit Court.

William Joseph Luby – Qualified
William Luby was admitted in 1994. He has always served as a sole practitioner practicing primarily criminal trial law. He reports that he has taken 2 criminal trials to a jury verdict as well as 15 civil and 35 criminal trials to a bench verdict. He has litigated 7 appellate cases. His practice includes a variety of cases, including murder trials and other more complex matters. Mr. Luby is reported to have good legal ability and is praised as a good practitioner who is fair and zealous. He has a good temperament. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Scott Bagnall – Not Qualified
Scott Bagnall was admitted to practice in 1986. He is a sole practitioner focusing on personal injury, workers’ compensation, and real estate matters. He has been in private practice throughout his career. He reports acting as lead counsel in more than 12 jury trials and more than 20 civil bench trials and five bench trials in criminal cases. Mr. Bagnall, according to his investigation, is considered to have good legal ability and a professional demeanor. He has litigation experience but much of it is in less complex matters. The Council finds him Not Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Mary S. Trew – Qualified
Mary S. Trew was admitted to practice law in Michigan in 1981 and in Illinois in 1991. Since 1991, she has been with Pro Bono Advocates first as a supervising attorney and currently as the Executive Director. Before 1991, Ms. Trew practiced in Detroit. For one year, she was the supervising staff attorney at the Women’s Justice Center. From 1982 to 1989, she was in private practice doing primarily criminal defense work. From 1980 to 1981, she was at the Misdemeanor Defender Office, first as a student and later as a lawyer. Ms. Trew is a 1981 graduate of the Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University.

Ms. Trew is considered to have good legal ability and temperament. She has a variety of litigation experience in both civil and criminal law matters. She is dedicated to public service and has a reputation as a hard-working and extremely well-prepared lawyer. The Council finds Ms. Trew Qualified to serve in the Circuit Court.