Firm Life

Freeborn & Peters partner Michael F. Tomasek, employee benefit plans, has been appointed to the U.S. Department of Labor's Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans.

McAndrews, Held & Malloy has been awarded a 10-year contract worth up to $181 million by the National Institutes of Health to provide patent-related legal services work. It was one of four firms selected to work on contested proceedings, which may include interferences, oppositions, inter partes reexaminations, inventorship disputes and litigation support. McAndrews also was one of only two firms selected to provide services in chemistry.

Charles H. Cole, a shareholder at Schuyler, Roche & Crisham , has been named secretary-treasurer of DRI-The Voice of the Defense Bar, a national organization of defense trial lawyers.

The Chicago Alumni Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity conducted the honorary initiation of Judge George N. Leighton, followed by his remarks as part of the Chicago chapter's Distinguished Lecture Series. On the eve of his 97th birthday, Leighton was honored for his career, which spans more than a half-century.

Chicago Legal Search has hired Sara DeNio as manager of client development. She will develop new clients and be responsible for the company's marketing efforts.

Jenner & Block associates Melissa M. Hinds and Christine L. Childers have been elected as chair and vice chair, respectively, of the Chicago chapter of the International Women's Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation.

Nancy S. Gerrie has been named partner-in-charge of McDermott Will & Emery's Chicago office, where she will oversee operations.

James A. Christman, a partner at Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon specializing in litigation, has been inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Partner Mark E. Rust, business and medical issues, has been named office managing partner at Barnes & Thornburg's Chicago office, and partners William M. McErlean, commercial litigation, and Melissa A. Vallone, information technology, have been elected to the firm's management committee.

The Association of Corporate Counsel has presented its ACC/CPBO Pro Bono Award to James Buda, vice president, general counsel and secretary of Caterpillar Inc., and the corporation's legal department.

Alan P. Solow, a partner at DLA Piper specializing in bankruptcy and vice chair of the firm's restructuring group, has received the Judge Learned Hand Human Relations Award from the American Jewish Committee.

> Partners

Howrey has promoted senior associate Deanna L. Keysor, intellectual property, to counsel.

Barnes & Thornburg has promoted Wesley W. Broquard, real estate and business, to partner.

Baker & McKenzie has elected Edward S. Harrison, domestic and cross-border mergers, Jerome Tomas, litigation, and Peter P. Tomczak, litigation, to partner.

Fisher & Phillips has promoted Joel W. Rice, employment-related matters, to partner.

Reed Smith has promoted these associates to partner: Benjamin L. Brimeyer, financial services; and Tracy Gregar Ferak, complex product liability litigation.

And the firm also promoted J. Andrew Moss, insurance coverage disputes; and Casey L. Westover, products liability, securities and other commercial litigation matters.

Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell has promoted associates Simon A. Fleischmann, banking and finance, J. Matthew Goodin, complex commercial litigation, and Kevin M. Nelson, federal court litigation, to partner.

Mayer Brown has promoted Wendy Dodson Gallegos, corporate and securities, and Diane Sabol, litigation, to partner.

> Moves

To Cassiday Schade : of counsel Luisa F. Trujillo, tort litigation, from Bollinger, Ruberry & Garvey.

To Much Shelis t: principal Gregory D. Grove, private equity, venture capital and corporate transactions, from Kirkland & Ellis; principal Courtney E. Mayster, real estate, from Schain, Burney, Ross & Citron; and associate Michael J. Goldstein, technology transactions, formerly a sole practitioner.

To Dykema : associate Amy R. Jonker, consumer financial services, from McGuireWoods.

To Silliker : vice president of legal affairs Christopher McVety, mergers and acquisitions, from Reed Smith.

To Grady Pilgrim Christakis Bell : partner Stephen B. Bell, real estate transactions, from Goldberg Kohn.

To Donnelly, Lipinski & Harris : of counsel Scott O. Reed, insurance coverage litigation and analysis, from Reardon Golinkin & Reed.

To Stellato & Schwartz : new associates Joshua J. Muench (Schaumburg), Matthew E. Schweiger and Stacey L. Wilkins, all civil litigation defense.

To Polsinelli Shughart : shareholders Mark J. Nora and David M. Franek, both real estate and from Shefsky & Froelich; and associate Paula S. Kim, business litigation, from Katten Muchin Rosenman.

To Loeb & Loeb : partner Theresa L. Davis, securities and financial services litigation, from Katten Muchin Rosenman.

To DLA Piper: partner Ralph P. Dudziak, finance, from Mayer Brown.