NEWS & EVENTS

  • Andrew Kopon Jr. served as the moderator for an IADC webinar entitled "Winning at Trial: Presenting an Effective Defense Opening Statement ."
  • Michael A. Airdo recently spoke at the Resource Center for Religious Institutes (“RCRI”) Annual Conference held in St. Louis, Missouri.  Michael’s talk focused on the unique liability issues facing religious orders and their ministries.
  • Rachel E. Yarch spoke on the implications of the recent EEOC regulations regarding the ADA Amendments Act at the Housing Authority Defense Attorneys (HADA) conference in Connecticut.
  • Michael A. Airdo was a participant in a panel discussion entitled, “Perspectives of the
    Insured, Insurer, and Insurer-Retained Defense Counsel & Managing an Insured's Rights to Independent Counsel,” that was part of the National Forum for Environmental and Toxic Tort Issues (“FETTI”) Conference held in Chicago.
  • Heather R. Watterson has been selected as an Illinois Rising Star Super Lawyer for 2012.
  • Andrew Kopon Jr. has been selected once again as an Illinois Super Lawyer for 2012. He has also been appointed to serve as the Chair Person for the Trial Techniques & Tactics Committee of the International Association of Defense Counsel.
  • Michael A. Airdo recently conducted a presentation for the Brothers of the Christian Schools – San Francisco Province Secondary School Administrators’ Conference.  The seminar discussed legal issues arising in private schools, including liability that stems from social networking websites and other forms of electronic media.
  • P. Patrick Cella has successfully completed a one week intensive trial program at Stanford University sponsored by the International Association of Defense Counsel.
  • Heather R. Watterson has been appointed to the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel's 2012 Spring Defense Tactics Seminar Committee and the 2012 IDC Trial Academy Committee. 
  • Michael A. Airdo and P. Patrick Cella will present a Webinar, "Guarding Against Bad Apples: How to Protect Your Organization from Criminal Acts of Others", on Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm. Please contact Kris Drum at kdrum@koponairdo.com for dial-in details.
  • Andrew Kopon Jr. has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of Loyola Academy, a Jesuit College Preparatory School, Wilmette, Illinois.
  • Andrew Kopon Jr. and Rachel E. Yarch conducted an Employment Law Webinar in April, 2011where they discussed the " Ins and Outs" of conducting a workplace investigation.
  • Andrew Kopon Jr. has been appointed to the President's Advisory Council for Christ the King, a Jesuit College Preparatory School, located in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, IL.
  • Rachel E. Yarch accepted an invitation to join the prestigious International Association of Defense Counsel and is a member of its Employment Law Committee.
  • Andrew Kopon Jr. participated as a panelist at the 2011 International Association of Defense Counsel's Corporate Counsel College, Chicago, where he spoke on the topic, The Tri-Partite Insurance Relationship: How To Identify and Manage Through Potential Conflicts.

  • Michael A. Airdo presented a seminar entitled, “Evaluating Additional Insured Coverage and Contractual Indemnity Issues.” This workshop was sponsored by the Counsel on Litigation Management for insurance and claims professionals, and it was held at Zurich’s Offices in Chicago. The course focused on evaluating additional insured status under CGL policies, and the distinction and interplay between additional insureds and a carrier’s coverage obligations to insureds based on contractual indemnity.

  • Andrew Kopon Jr. and Rachel E. Yarch won a unanimous decision in the First District Appellate Court affirming summary judgment on all counts for DePaul University, its President, the former Dean of the School of New Learning, the Associate Dean of the School of New Learning and a member of the Media Communications department, Klocek v. DePaul University, et. al., No. 1-09-1683. Plaintiff had filed multiple counts seeking compensatory and punitive damages based on allegations of defamation per se, invasion of privacy, publication of private information and breach of contract.  The Illinois Supreme Court has denied plaintiff’s Petition for Leave to Appeal, No. 111118 (November 24, 2010

  • Andrew Kopon Jr. spoke on the topic, Selecting Arbitrators and Mediators/Preparing the Client for ADR as part of the International Association of Defense Counsel’s seven-part webinar series addressing topics related to Alternative Dispute Resolution. His presentation focused on preparing the client for mediation, selecting mediators, ethical issues, Rules of Professional Conduct, conflicts of interest, and drafting mediation contract language.
  • Michael A. Airdo spoke on the topic, “The Ins and Outs of HIPAA,” as part of a legal webinar spring series program sponsored by Christian Brothers Services.  His speech provided a detailed update of new rules and regulations that affect HIPAA security and privacy compliance, including changes implemented by the HITECH Act.