FOUNDERS
Marvin D. Berman (Retired Partner) born Chicago, Illinois, May 25, 1931; admitted to bar, 1955, Illinois; 1959, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois; 1964, U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit; 1974, U.S. Supreme Court.. Education: University of Illinois (B.S., 1953; J. D., 1955). Member, Moot Court Team. Member: Chicago (Chairman, Insurance Law Committee, 1983-1984), Illinois State and American Bar Associations; Society of Trial Lawyers; Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel; Defense Research and Trial Lawyers Association. Transactions: Attorney for Crown Drug Co. merger with Vitarene, Inc. Languages: Spanish. Practice Areas: Insurance Coverage Interpretation and Litigation; Probate; Estate Planning; Corporate; Real Estate.Email: Marvin D. Berman
Robert L. Kiesler (Senior Counsel) born Chicago, Illinois, August 25, 1932; admitted to bar, 1956, Illinois; 1959, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois; 1962, U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit; 1974, U.S. Supreme Court. Education: University of Illinois (B.S., 1954; J.D., 1956). Lecturer, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education on Declaratory Actions and Insurance Law, 1979. Police and Fire Commissioner, Winnetka, Illinois, 1979-1986. Member: Chicago (Member, Bench and Bar Section; Chairman, Insurance Law Committee, 1981-1982), Illinois State (Chairman, Insurance Law Section, 1982-1983; Vice Chairman, Tort Law Section Council, 1988-1989) and American Bar Associations; Society of Trial Lawyers; Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel (Board of Directors, 1986-1996); Defense Research and Trial Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Insurance Coverage; Insurance Defense Law; Tort.Email: Robert L. Kiesler
PARTNERS
Stephen B. Frew (Managing Partner) born Painesville, Ohio, March 8, 1951; admitted to bar, 1976, Illinois and U.S. District, Northern District of Illinois; 1978, U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit. Education: Indiana University (A.B., 1973); Case Western Reserve University (J.D., 1976). Member, Case Western Law Review, 1975-1976. Member: Chicago (Chair of Circuit Court Committee, 1996-1997; Member, Insurance Law Committee), Illinois State (Delegate to General Assembly, 1996-1997; Member Sections on: Tort Law, Civil Practice and Procedure and Insurance) and American Bar Associations; Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel; Society of Trial Lawyers (Board of Directors, 2002-2003; Nominating Committee, 2005). (Managing Partner since 1977). Reported Cases: Kempes v. Dunlop Tire & Rubber Co., 192 Ill. App 3d 209 (1989); Davis v. Pakmor, 284 Ill.App.3d 214 (1996); USF&G v. Specialty Coatings, 180 Ill.App.3d 378, 535 N.E.2d 1071 (1st Dist. 1989); Kelly v. Northwest Community Hospital, 66 Ill.App.3d 679 (1978); Martin v. Hertz, 104 Ill.App.3d 592 (1982); Clay v. Pepper Construction Co., 205 Ill.App.3d 1018 (1990); Adami v. Green Giant, 849 F.Supp. 615 (N.D.Ill 1994); Knoblauch v. DEF Express Corp., 86 F.2d 684 (7th Cir. 1996). Practice Areas: Civil Trials and Appeals; Insurance Defense; Professional Malpractice; Product Liability; Construction Litigation; Insurance Coverage.Email: Stephen B. Frew
Clinton J. Feil (Partner) born Chicago, Illinois, September 3, 1946; admitted to bar, 1971, Illinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois including Trial Bar; 1976, U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit. Education: Northwestern University (B.S., 1968; J.D., cum laude, 1971). Phi Alpha Delta. Member: Chicago, Illinois State and American Bar Associations; Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel. Reported Cases: Aetna v. Globe Co., 60 Ill. App 3d 957 (1978); Zielinski v. A. Epstein & Sons Int'l, 179 Ill. App 3d 340 (1989); Farley v. Barber Coleman Co., 269 Ill. App 3d 104 (1994) app. den.; Duncan v. Church of the Living God, 278 Ill. App 3d 588 (1996) app. den. Practice Areas: Civil Trials and Appeals; Insurance Defense; Tort; Construction Litigation; Employer Liability; Libel and Slander; Products Liability.Email: Clinton J. Feil
Alan P. Miller (Partner) born Detroit, Michigan, January 17, 1938; admitted to bar, 1965, Illinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois including Trial Bar; 1974, U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit; 2004, U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois. Education: Brown University (A.B., 1959); University of Michigan (J.D., 1963). Recipient, Campbell Competition Award (Moot Court), University of Michigan Law School. Past Chairman, American Cancer Society Annual Drive, Kenilworth. Independent Arbitrator, Three Person Arbitrations. Chair Qualified Circuit Court, Cook County Mandatory Arbitration Program. Member: Chicago (Past Chair, Circuit Court Committee, 2000-2001) and Illinois State Bar Associations; Defense Research Institute; Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel; Society of Trial Lawyers (Member; Board of Directors, 1991-1993; President, 2000-2001). Reported Cases: Gulley vs. Fountalas, 153 Ill. App 3d 100 (1987); Claudy vs. Commonwealth Edison, 169 Ill.2d 39 (1995); Peterson v. Ress Enterprises, Inc., 292 Ill. App 3d 566 (1997). Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; Trucking Law; Construction Litigation; Tort; Arbitrations and Mediations; Condemnation; Civil Trials and Appeals.Email: Alan P. Miller
John R. Garofalo (Partner) born Chicago, Illinois, April 27, 1940; admitted to bar, 1967, Illinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. Education: University of Notre Dame (B.B.A., 1962); John Marshall Law School (J.D., 1966). Township Attorney, Oak Park Township, Oak Park, Illinois, 1969. Chair Qualified Arbitrator, Cook County Mandatory Arbitration Program. Member of Panel, American Arbitration Association. Member: Chicago (Vice Chair of Circuit Court Committee, 1997-1998; Chairman, Circuit Court Committee, 1998-1999; Member, Tort Litigation Committee) and Illinois State Bar Associations; Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel; Society of Trial Lawyers (Member, Board of Directors, 1993-1995); Justinian Society of Lawyers. Reported Cases: Dick vs. Gursoy, 124 Ill. App.3d 185; 471 N.E.2d 195 Dowen vs. Hall, 191 Ill. App.3d 903; 548 N.E.2d 346 Arnold vs. Chicago Ridge, 181 Ill. App.3d 778; 537 N.E.2d 823; Schoch v. U. of Chicago 87 Ill. App. 3d 856; Moricoli v. P & S Managerment Co., 104 Ill. App. 2d 234. Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Insurance; Local Government.Email: John R. Garofalo
Dale L. Schlafer (Partner) born Detroit, Michigan, April 22, 1938; admitted to bar, 1962, Illinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. Education: Amherst College (A.B., 1959); University of Chicago (J.D., 1962). Arbitrator, American Arbitration Association. Chair Qualified Arbitrator, Cook County Mandatory Arbitration Program. Selected as one of Illinois' "Super Lawyers" by Chicago Magazine and Law & Politics Magazine, 2005. Member: Chicago (Past Chairman, Insurance Law Committee), Illinois State and American (Past Chairman, Automobile Committee; Past Vice-Chairman, Excess, Surplus Lines and Reinsurance Committee, Torts and Insurance Practice Section) Bar Associations; Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel (Board of Directors, 1997-2000; Chairman, Insurance Committee); Trucking Industry Defense Association; Defense Research Institute. Practice Areas: Medical Negligence Defense; Chiropractic Malpractice Defense; Podiatric Malpractice Defense; Insurance Coverage; Automotive Dealership Law; Trucking Law; Civil Trials and Appeals.Email: Dale L. Schlafer
Patti Olson Deuel (Partner) born Chicago, Illinois, May 3, 1959; admitted to bar, 1985, Illinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois; U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit. Education: Northern Illinois University (B.A., 1981); John Marshall Law School (J.D., 1985). Executive Editor, John Marshall Law Review, 1984-1985. Member: Illinois State Bar Association (Member, Insurance Law Section); Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel. Reported Cases: USF&G vs. Wilkin Insulation Co., 144 Ill.2d 64 (1991); St. Paul vs. Smith, 337 Ill. App.3d 1054(2003); United States Fire Insurance Co. vs. Hartford, 312 Ill. App 3d 153 (2000); USF&G vs. Jiffy Cab Co., 265 Ill. App.3d 533 (1994). Practice Areas: Insurance Coverage; Appellate Practice; Insurance Defense Law.Email: Patti Olson Deuel
David A. Beck (Partner) born Chicago, Illinois, April 16, 1954; admitted to bar, 1979, Illinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. Education: University of Illinois (B.A., 1976); John Marshall Law School (J.D., 1979). Practice Areas: Tort Defense.Email: David A. Beck
Bryan W. Luce (Partner) born Louisville, Kentucky, September 2, 1961; admitted to bar, 1986, Illinois; 1988, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois; 1989, U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois. Education: University of Illinois (B.A., 1983; J.D., 1986). Phi Beta Kappa. Member: Chicago Bar Association (Member, Appellate Section). Reported Cases: Delaney vs. McDonald's Corp., 158 Ill2d 465 (1994); McGee vs. Kerr-Hickman Chrysler-Plymouth, Inc., 93 F3d 380 (7th Cir. 1996). Languages: Russian and German. Practice Areas: Civil Trial and Appeals; Insurance Defense; Consumer Law; Construction Litigation.Email: Bryan W. Luce
SENIOR TRIAL COUNSEL
Edward L. Cooper (Senior Counsel) born Chicago, Illinois, March 22, 1931; admitted to bar, 1955, Illinois; 1963, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois and U.S. Supreme Court. Education: University of Illinois; Roosevelt University; Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology (J.D., 1954). Member, Chicago Kent Law Review, 1952. Practice Areas: General Civil Trial; Appellate; Insurance Defense; Tort.Email: Edward L. Cooper
ASSOCIATES
Victoria P. Karasik (Associate) born New Orleans, Louisiana, October 23, 1949; admitted to bar, 1983, Illinois; 1996, Arizona. Education: Louisiana State University (B.A., 1973); DePaul University College of Law (J.D., 1983). Member: Illinois State Bar Association. Practice Areas: Insurance Defense Litigation; Insurance Arbitration; General Liability; Automobile Liability Defense.Email: Victoria P. Karasik
Jeanne M. Zeiger (Associate) born Waterloo, Iowa, December 25, 1952; admitted to bar, 1979, Illinois; 1982, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois; 2001, U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois. Education: University of Iowa (B.S., 1975); Washington University School of Law (J.D., 1979). Associate Editor, Urban Law Annual. Member: Chicago and Illinois State Bar Associations. Reported Cases: Institute of London Underwriters vs Hartford Fire Insilo, 234 Ill. App. 3d 70, 599 N.E 2d 1311 (1992); Motor Vehicle Casualty Company vs 65F Energy, Inc., 193 Ill. App 3d 1, 549 N.E 2d 884 (1989). Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Insurance Coverage Litigation; Appellate Practice.Email: Jeanne M. Zeiger
Lingzhi Zhao (Associate) born Hebei, China, October 30, 1972; admitted to bar, 2003, Illinois. Education: Peking University (M.A., 2000); Michigan State University College of Law (J.D., 2003). Deans List, 2003. Associate, Journal of International Law, Michigan State University Law School. Member: Chicago and Illinois State Bar Association. Languages: Chinese and French. Practice Areas: Family Law; Insurance Defense; Consumer Law; Immigration and Naturalization; Business Immigration; Citizenship; Employment Authorizations; Employment Immigration; Employment Visas; Family Immigration Law; Immigration Law; Investor Visas; Labor Certifications; Political Asylum; Permanent Visas; Removal Proceedings; Visas.Email: Lingzhi Zhao
SENIOR COUNSEL
William M. Stroud (Senior Counsel) born Chicago, Illinois, March 12, 1935; admitted to bar, 1983, Illinois; 1994, U.S. Court of Federal Claims; 1996, U.S. Tax Court. Education: Roosevelt University (B.S.C., 1957); Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology (J.D., 1983). Certified Public Accountant, Illinois, 1957. Controller, Town of Camillus, N.Y., 1970-1975. Illinois Certified Public Account Society, 1959-1967 and 1980. Member: Chicago, Illinois State and American (Chairman, Committees on: Taxation Law; Torts) Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Taxation Law; Business Law; Corporate Law; Estate Planning; Trusts; Probate.Email: William M. Stroud