CHICAGO ― Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP announces the addition of new associates to the firm's Illinois and Wisconsin offices. The new associates include the following:
Chicago, Illinois Office of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP
Steven M. Klaczynski, 39, has a broad-based litigation practice, with an emphasis in professional liability, medical malpractice, municipal liability defense and construction litigation. He also handles product liability and commercial litigation matters. Mr. Klaczynski received his J.D. from the University of Detroit – Mercy School of Law in 1990, where he was a member of the editorial staff of the Michigan Business Law Journal. Previously he was an associate for four years with the Chicago law firm of Clausen Miller, P.C., where he concentrated on medical malpractice, products liability, commercial litigation, construction, toxic tort and municipal defense. Mr. Klaczynski also spent 10 years as a Cook County Assistant State's Attorney, where he attained the position of lead attorney in the felony trial division. During his tenure in the State's Attorney office, Mr. Klaczynski prosecuted in excess of 1,000 felony trials, including more than 40 felony jury trials. He was an adjunct professor at Triton Community College in Forest Park, Illinois, from 1998 to 2000 where he taught "The American Judicial Process." Additionally, from 1999 to 2000 Mr. Klaczynski was a trial advocacy coach for Loyola University Law School in Chicago.
Jennifer R. Riccolo, 26, focuses her practice on professional liability litigation with an emphasis on medical malpractice defense. She received her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law Chicago, where she was a member of the Corboy Trial Team that participated in the Georgetown University Law Center Sixth Annual White Collar Mock Trial Invitational in Washington, D.C., in the fall of 2002, and the ATLA Mock Trial Competition in Chicago, Illinois, in the spring of 2003. Ms. Riccolo was awarded the Philip H. Corboy Fellowship for her participation in these events. During law school, Ms. Riccolo was a law clerk with the Chicago law firm of Power Rogers & Smith, P.C., a personal injury firm specializing in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases due to medical malpractice and product defects. Ms. Riccolo holds a certificate in trial advocacy from Loyola and was Secretary of the Student Bar Association.
Diane E. Webster, 25, focuses her practice in litigation with an emphasis on medical malpractice, municipal liability and professional liability. Ms. Webster received her J.D., cum laude, from New England School of Law in 2004, where she was on the Dean's List and was a New England Scholar. While in law school she received the CALI Excellence of the Future Award – Negotiation, and was Associate Editor of the Journal of International and Comparative Law in 2002-2003 and Lead Articles Editor in 2003-2004. During law school, Ms. Webster served several internships with public offices including the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office in Boston, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois, 9th Congressional District), and City of Chicago Alderman Eugene Schulter (47th Ward). Additionally, she was a legislative intern for the Maricopa County Attorney's Office in Phoenix, Arizona, where she conducted legislative research and testified on proposed legislation supported by the Maricopa County Attorney's office before the Arizona Senate Judiciary Committee. In 2001 she researched, summarized and amended proposed legislation for adoption into law and for completion of the Maricopa County Attorney's Office 2001 Legislative Summary.
Crystal Lake, Illinois Office of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP
Matthew F. Logan, 31, concentrates his practice in commercial litigation. He received his J.D. from The John Marshall School of Law in 1999, where he took second place in the Hertzog Moot Court Competition. Previously, he was an associate with the Chicago law firm of Veverka, Rosen & Haugh, where he concentrated specifically on commercial litigation. Mr. Logan also spent a year as an associate with Chicago firm of Tribler, Orpett & Crone PC (now Tribler, Orpett & Meyer PC) where he specialized in insurance defense and civil litigation.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Office of Hinshaw & Culberston LLP
Carlos Ortiz, 25, practices in the areas of litigation, construction, insurance defense and coverage, labor and employment, professional liability, commercial and business law. He is experienced in handling issues regarding trade secret violations, contractual disputes, worker’s compensation defense, employment discrimination defense, FDCPA claims, and medical and legal malpractice defense. He is co-author of Limits in Medical Malpractice: Defending Against Wrongful Birth and Wrongful Life Claims, published in the Defense Research Institute's For the Defense in October 2003. Mr. Ortiz received his B.A., summa cum laude, in Political Science and Economics from Northern Illinois University in 2001. While at NIU, he was a member of the University's Honors Program and completed a thesis entitled Racial Discrimination in the Death Penalty. Mr. Ortiz received his J.D. from University of Wisconsin Law School in 2004. During his law school career, Mr. Ortiz was a member of the Dean's List and the recipient of several awards and honors. These included the G. Young Excellence in Service Award (2004) and the Wisconsin State Bar Award for Highest Achievement in Equal Employment Law and Constitutional Law. He also was a member of the Moot Court Board and President of the Latino Law Students Association. Mr. Ortiz is a native of Chicago. He is bilingual with fluency in Spanish. He is active in the Latino community and a member of the Mexican-Fiesta organization in Milwaukee.
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP is a national law firm with approximately 500 lawyers in 24 offices. The firm offers a full-service practice, with an emphasis in litigation, corporate and business law, environmental, labor and employment law, professional liability defense, and wealth preservation and taxation matters. The firm provides services to a range of for-profit and not-for-profit clients in industries that include construction, financial services, health care, insurance, legal, manufacturing, real estate, retail and transportation. Firm clients also include government agencies, municipalities and schools.
Hinshaw was founded in 1934. The firm is headquartered in Chicago, and maintains offices in 12 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.