Firm Life

Six women have formed the Amal Law Group, the first all-Muslim, all-female law firm in the United States. The general-practice firm opened in March in Palos Heights. The six partners are Nikia Marie Bilal, family law and civil litigation; Janaan Hashim, civil rights and criminal defense; Maryam Khan, family law and real estate; Rima Kapitan, employment law, estate planning, and probate; Majdel Musa, business and commercial real estate; and Heena Musabji, civil rights and immigration. Pattishall, McAuliffe, Newbury, Hilliard & Geraldson is celebrating the 125th anniversary of the founding of the intellectual property firm.

New York-based Proskauer Rose is opening a new office in Chicago with three partners from Mayer Brown: Steven Gilford, Paul Langer, and Marc Rosenthal. All three specialize in insurance coverage litigation.

Duane Morris has relocated its office to 190 S. LaSalle St., Suite 3700.

Travis Richardson and Myron Mackoff have formed Richardson & Mackoff, 407 S. Dearborn St., Suite 1310. The firm specializes in commercial and civil litigation, government representation, personal injury cases, and criminal law.

E. Lynette Denton has opened Denton Law Group, specializing in insurance recovery, personal injury, and real estate closings. Denton was an associate with Meckler Bulger & Tilson.

> Partners

Jenner & Block has named Susan Levy as its new managing partner. Levy is the first woman to be managing partner; she succeeds Gregory Gallapoulos, who will join General Dynamics as corporate vice president and deputy general counsel.

Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg has named Diane J. Romza-Kutz as chair of its newly formed life sciences practice group.Holland & Knight has elected Miami partner Steve Sonberg as managing partner of the firm.

Cozen O’Connor has named Tia C. Ghattas office managing partner of the Chicago office.

BryceDowney has named Carol A. Cesaretti, workers’ compensation defense, a partner in the firm.

Vedder Price has admitted Jordan R. Labkon, equipment finance, as a shareholder.

Katten Muchin Rosenman has elected 15 attorneys to partner, including nine in the firm’s Chicago office: Cathleen A. Booth, corporate; Rachel S. Brown, real estate; Michael W. Jones, corporate; Daniel B. Lange, employee benefits and executive compensation; Jason P. Shaffer, litigation and dispute resolution; Christopher D. Sheaffer, corporate; David S. Slovick, litigation and dispute resolution; Rachel M. Vorbeck, litigation and dispute resolution; and Jennifer I. Wolfe, commercial finance.

Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal announced the election of 12 partners and one senior managing director, including four partners in the Chicago office: Thomas J. Burton, patent prosecution and litigation; Wendy N. Enerson, securities litigation and insurance class action; Terance A. Gonsalves, commercial litigation; and Elizabeth Warren-Mikes, commercial leasing and real estate.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom has named Patrick J. Nash Jr., corporate restructuring, and David F. Levy, tax, as partners in the firm.

Chapman and Cutler has named nine new partners: Walter L. Draney, David M. Field, Rose E. Gallagher, Thomas F. Howard, Charles J. Kolin, Willie F. Lewis, Jr., Joseph P. Lombardo, Michael D. Robson, and Jennifer L. Tedjeske.

> Moves

To Sidley Austin: partners S. Michael (Sy) Peck, Jeffrey Smith, Roger Wilen, Dirk Andringa, Alexis Cooper, and Nancy Kasko, all in private equity, and all from Schiff Hardin.

To Vedder Price: shareholders Richard Bollow, litigation, from Quinlan and Carroll; and Michael D. Whitty, tax and estate planning, from Winston & Strawn.

To Enterprise Law Group: counsel Tina G. Stavrou, securities, from the Illinois Securities Department.

To Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker: partner Tim Callahan, global projects, from Mayer Brown.

To Schiff Hardin: counsel Amy Cohen Heller, intellectual property, from Johnson Diversey, Inc. in Wisconsin, where she served as senior trademark counsel; and associate Kathryn McCullough Long, environmental, from Balber Pickard Maldonado & Van Der Tuin, in New York City.

To Meltzer, Purtill & Stelle: counsel Donald G. Mulack, commercial litigation, from Holland & Knight; and associates Richard J. Jancasz, litigation, from Wildman Harrold; and David L. Kane, bankruptcy, reorganization, and creditors’ rights, from Freeborn & Peters.

To Katten Muchin Rosenman: partner Robert Breisblatt, intellectual property, from Welsh & Katz.

To Valorem Law Group: partner Nicole Nehama Auerbach, litigation, from Katten Muchin Rosenman.

To Thompson Coburn Fagel Haber: counsel Frederick Richards III, real estate, from Allen A. Lefkovitz & Associates.

To Stahl Cowen Crowley Addis: partner William Holzman, corporate, from Schwartz Cooper.

> Changes

R. Eugene Pincham, a civil-rights advocate, long-time criminal defense attorney, and a trial and appellate judge, died April 3, at age 82.

Edward J. Egan, a retired justice of the Illinois Appellate Court and the special prosecutor of police torture cases in Chicago, died of cancer March 26, at age 84.

James P. O’Malley, a Cook County circuit court judge for nearly 13 years, died April 1, of cancer, at age 53.

Alex Elson, the oldest registered Illinois attorney, died March 11, at age 102.

Fred F. Herzog, a refugee from the Nazis who became the dean of Chicago-Kent College of Law and The John Marshall Law School, died March 21, at age 100.

Frank T. Steponate, an attorney, painter, collector of African sculpture, and owner of The Beaumont, died March 19, at age 72.