PRIOR PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION

• Administrative & Supervisory Endorsement, Administrative Type 75, State of Illinois
• Early Childhood Education, Type 02, State of Illinois
• Temporary Special Education Early Childhood Certification, State of Illinois
• Speech and Language Impaired, Special K-12, Type 10, State of Illinois
• Speech Corrections, Special K-12, Type 10, State of Illinois
• Speech Corrections, State of Missouri, for life
• Certificate of Clinical Competence, Speech & Language Pathology, American Speech & Hearing Assn., 1974

Areas of Practice

• General Practice of Law
• Domestic Relations (Divorce, Custody, Support, Juvenile)
• Adoption
• Estate Planning
• Probate
• Debtor/Creditor
• Mediation
• Real Estate
• Traffic
• Social Security
• Personal Injury
• Workers' Compensation
• Criminal Defense
• Bankruptcy

Litigation Percentage

• 75% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Certification/Specialties

• Special Needs Adoption/Guardianship Certification, Illinois Dept of Children & Family Services, 2001
• Special Needs Adoption Certification, American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, 2001
• Adoption Mediation Certification, American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, 2001
• Mediation Certification, 1992

Bar Admissions

• Missouri, 2000
• Illinois, 1982
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois, 1983
• U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois, 1991

Education

• Washington University School of Law, St. Louis, Missouri, 1982
  Juris Doctor
  
  
• Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 1973
  M.S.
  Honors: Valedictorian, Graduate Hon., Graduate Program Communication Disorders, 73
  Honors: Rehabilitation Services Administration Graduate Traineeship, 1972-1973
  Major: Communication Disorders
  
  
• University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, 1972
  B.S.
  Honors: Phi Beta Kappa, 1972
  Honors: Mortar Board, Women's Honorary, 1971
  Honors: Alpha Lambda Delta, 1969-1972
  Honors: Sigma Alpha Eta Honorary, 1969-1972
  Honors: State of Illinois Teacher's Educational Scholarship, 1969-1972
  Honors: Edmund J. James Scholar, 1969
  Honors: Kappa Delta Pi Honorary, 1969
  Major: Speech and Hearing Science
  
  

Published Works

• "Adaptive Re-use of Public School Buildings", Journal of Law and Education, 1982
• Contributing Author, Planning and Law Division, American Planning Association Newsletter, 1982
• "Early Childhood Education for the Developmentally Delayed: Diagnosis, Intervention and Evaluation", Language and Speech and Hearing Services in Schools, March, 1979
• "East Alton Pre-Kindergarten Screening Procedure.", Illinois Speech and Hearing Journal, October, 1977
• East Alton Special Education-Early Childhood Education Program, S.I.R.S.E.A., September, 1977
• "Teaching Basic Concepts: A Programmed Approach", Illinois Speech and Hearing Journal, May, 1977
• "Early Childhood Education for the Developmentally Delayed: Diagnosis, Intervention and Evaluation.", Illinois Speech and Hearing Journal, February, 1977
• "The Clinical Interview Form with Parents of Children Sustaining Communication, Learning, or Emotional Problems: An Organized Outline.", 1973
• "Client-Directed Therapy for a Non-Organic Voice Disorder: A Case Study, Journal of Language Speech and Hearing Services in School, January, 1973
• "Investigation of Client-Directed Voice Therapy: A Case Study", 1972

Classes/Seminars Taught

• "Guardianships for Disabled Adults", Bar Assoc. of Metropolitan St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, April 23, 2002
• "Ask the Lawyer", WBGZ Radio, Alton, Illinois, February 18, 2002
• "Let's Talk Business", WBGZ Radio, Alton, Illinois, January 24, 2002
• "Estate Planning and Adoption", Family Tree, St. Louis, Mo., June 11, 2000
• "Ask A Lawyer About Adoption", WBGZ Radio, Alton, Illinois, February 29, 2000
• "Estate Planning Basics", Primerica, Alton Senior Citizens, Alton, IL, December 17, 1999
• "Ask A Lawyer Day", WBGZ Radio, Alton, Illinois, 1999
• "Estate Planning Basics", Colonial Care Nursing Home, Granite City, IL, April 20, 1999
• "Estate Planning Basics", Bethalto Kiwanis Club, Bethalto, IL, March 4, 1999
• "Six Easy Steps to Estate Planning", Collinsville Library, Collinsville, IL, February 4, 1999
• "Six Easy Steps to Estate Planning", A.G. Edwards, Bethalto Library, Bethalto, IL, November 5, 1998
• "The Adoption Option", United Hebrew Cong, with Jewish Family Services and Agency for Planning, Chesterfield, MO, October 19, 1998
• "Why the Living Trust is Replacing the Will", Jerseyville Community Hospital, May 21, 1998
• "Ask A Lawyer Day", WOKZ Radio, Alton, Illinois, 1998
• "Why the Living Trust is Replacing the Will", First Community Bank, Godfrey, IL, February 26, 1998
• "Why The Living Trust is Replacing the Will," , Wood River Library, Wood River, IL, December 4, 1997
• "Estate Planning for Seniors", Senior Widows Meeting, August 23, 1996
• "Ask A Lawyer Day", WOKZ Radio, Alton, Illinois, November 13, 1995
• "Everything you wanted to Know about Estate Planning" but Didn't Know Who To Ask", 1997
• St. Clair v St. Clair, Custody Healing, Judge, Alton Senior High School Mock Trial, Alton, Illinois, May 13, 1993
• "Credit Union Law", Atlas Credit Union Board of Directors Meeting, February 9, 1993
• St. Clair v St. Clair, Custody Hearing, Judge, Alton Senior High School Mock Trial, Alton, Illinois, January 14, 1993
• "Credit Union Law" , Atlas Credit Union Board of Directors Meeting, January 15, 1992 - January 16, 1992
• "Private Adoption" , Kiwanis, Alton, Illinois, 1991
• "Women and the Law" , Alton Museum of History and Art, Alton, Illinois, February 10, 1990
• "Private Adoption", All-Adopt Support Group, Alton, Illinois, September 8, 1990
• "Women and Their Finances", Alton Community Service League, Alton, Illinois, January 8, 1990
• "Estate Planning", American Association of University Women, Alton, Illinois, 1990
• "Estate Planning", American Association of Retired Persons, Alton, Illinois, 1989
• "Women and Their Finances" , Edwardsville Business and Professional Women, Edwardsville, Illinois, November 15, 1989
• "Everything Women Want to Know About Money But Are Afraid to Ask" , Collinsville Business Professional Women, Collinsville, Illinois, March 15, 1989
• "The Legal Profession" , Career Awareness Week, East Alton/Wood River High School, Wood River, Illinois, May 4, 1988
• "Ask an Attorney", Tri-District Workshop, East Alton/Wood River High School, Wood River, Illinois, February 11, 1988
• "Up With Life: The Legal issues of Life Planning", Wood River Township Hospital, Wood River, Illinois, March 2, 1987
• "Ask an Attorney" , Tri-District Workshop, East Alton/Wood River High School, Wood River, Illinois, February 13, 1987
• "From a Women's Point of View", Soroptomist International, Alton, Illinois, May 8, 1986
• "Establishing and Safeguarding Credit" , Professional Women's Awareness Week, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Illinois, April 23, 1986
• "Estate Planning and Money Management", Lewis & Clark Community College, Godfrey, Illinois, October 29, 1985
• Guest Speaker, "Real Estate Sales and Purchases and Landlord-Tenant", Lewis and Clark Community College, Godfrey, Illinois, May 10, 1985
• "Focus on Women", Alton Business and Professional Women, Alton, Illinois, 1984 - 1985
• "Making Your Money Work" , Soroptomist International, Alton, Illinois, March 15, 1984
• "Making Your Money Work" , American Association of University Women, Wood River, Illinois, January 16, 1984 - February 20, 1984
• "The Role of Educators in Contested Custody Cases", Madison County Teacher's Institute, Edwardsville, Illinois, March 25, 1983
• "Receptive and Expressive Language: Diagnosis, Intervention and Evaluation", Illinois Speech and Hearing Association Convention, Chicago, Illinois, April 21, 1979
• "An Art Education Curriculum for Early Childhood Education Program", Special Education Early Childhood Teachers' Meeting, East Alton, Illinois, October 30, 1978
• "Art Education for the young Learning Disabled Child", Special Arts Festival, Edwardsville, Illinois , October 27, 1978
• Principal and Teacher, Temple Israel Religious School, Godfrey, Illinois
• Guest Lecturer, "Early Childhood Education: Diagnosis, Intervention and Evaluation", Special Education Development Class; Instructor-Virginia Armbruster, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, June 11, 1978
• Guest Lecturer, "Language Diagnosis and Remediation" Speech Pathology 544, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Illinois, June 21, 1978
• "A Music Education Workshop for the Non-Musician", Illinois Council for Children with Learning Disabilities; Springfield, Illinois, May 12, 1978
• "East Alton Pre-Kindergarten Screening Procedure", Illinois Speech and Hearing Association, Chicago, Illinois, April 15, 1978
• "Early Childhood Education - What is it all about?", Women's Auxiliary of St. Anthony Hospital, Alton, Illinois, April 15, 1978
• "Early Childhood Education for the Learning Disabled: Diagnosis, International Conference of the Association of Children with Learning Disabilities", March 3, 1978
• "Learning Disabilities: Definition, Characteristics, Suggestions for Parents and Teachers", Penn Junction P.T.A.: Pattonville School District, Missouri, February 21, 1978
• "East Alton Pre-Kindergarten Screening Procedure", East Alton, Illinois, 1977
• "East Alton Pre-Kindergarten Screening Procedure", Madison County Curriculum Council, Collinsville, Illinois, November 22, 1977
• Music Teacher, Temple Israel Religious School; Godfrey, Illinois, 1972 - 1984
• Guest Lecturer, Language Development Class, S.I.U.E., June 20, 1977
• Instructor, 'Language Intervention: Diagnosis and Therapy"
• "Early Childhood Education for the Learning Disabled: Diagnosis, Intervention and1 Evaluation", Illinois Council for Children with Learning Disabilities Convention; Chicago, May 5, 1997
• "Teaching Basic Concepts: A Programmed Approach", Illinois Speech and Hearing Association Convention, Chicago, Illinois, April 23, 1977
• "Early Childhood Education for the Developmentally Delayed: Diagnosis, Intervention, and Evaluation", Webster College, Webster Grove, Missouri, April 2, 1977
• "Early Childhood Education for the Developmentally Delayed: Diagnosis, Intervention and Evaluation", Madison County Teacher Institute, Edwardsville, Illinois, March 25, 1977
• "Early Childhood Education for the Developmentally Delayed: Diagnosis, Intervention and Evaluation", Lincoln and Speech and Hearing Association Meeting, Decatur, Illinois, February 24, 1977
• "Early Childhood Education for the Developmentally Delayed: Diagnosis, Intervention", Annual Conference Missouri Association for Children with Learning Disabilities, October 15, 1976
• Guest Lecturer, "Language Intervention: Diagnosis and Therapy Based on Techniques Developed by Laura L. Lee", Dept. of Speech and Language Pathology, S.I.U.E., Edwardsville, Illinois
• "Early Childhood Education for the Developmentally Delayed: Diagnosis, Intervention, and Evaluation", Illinois Speech and Hearing Association Convention, Chicago, Illinois
• "Early Childhood Education for the Exceptional Child", District #13 Teacher Institute, East Alton, Illinois, January 31, 1976
• Language Intervention: Diagnosis and Therapy Based on Techniques Developed, Speech and Hearing Association, Edwardsville, Illinois, January 23, 1976
• Special Education Visitation Team Member, Office of the Superintendent Education Association of Adams County, Quincy, Illinois, February 3, 1975 - February 6, 1975
• "Behavior Modification In the Classroom", District #13 Teacher In "Description of the Early Childhood Description of the Early Childhood Education Program, 1973
• "Investigation of the Client-Directed Voice Therapy: A Case Study, ISHA Association Convention, March 25, 1972
• Student Teaching, Champaign Unit #4 Schools, 1972

Honors and Awards

• Presidential Who's Who, 2008
• Congressional Medal of Distinction, June 17, 2008
• Metropolitan Who's Who Registry, April 17, 2007
• Congressional Order of Merit, June 9, 2007
• National Leadership Award, Hon. Chairman, Business Advisory Council, 2007
• Honors Edition, Biltmore Who's Who among Executive and Professional Woman, January 18, 2007
• 2001 Business Woman of the Year- Illinois, Business Advisory Council, Republican Natl. Com., 2002
• People's Choice Award, Best Attorney; Alton Telegraph, Alton, Illinois, October 30, 1997
• Urban Law Annual, Washington University, 1980 - 1982
• Nationwide Register of Who's Who in Executives and Business, 1999
• Nationwide Register of Who's Who in Executives and Business, 2000
• Judge, Soroptomist of Alton; Fourteenth Annual Youth Citizenship Award, Alton, Illinois, 1984
• Awards Dinner, February 16, 1984

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Bankruptcy Association of Southern Illinois (BASIL), 2005 - Present
  
  
• American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, 1990 - Present
  
  
• American Bar Association Illinois Bar Association, 1982 - Present
  
  
• Missouri Bar Association, 2000 - Present
  
  
• Madison County Bar Association, 1982 - Present
  
  
• Alton/Wood River/Jerseyville Bar Association, 1982 - Present
  
  
• Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, 2000 - Present
  
  
• Women Lawyers Bar Association
  
  
• American Association for Justice
  
  
• Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (Prior)
  
  
• East Alton Kindergarten Screening Program, 1978
  Co-Chairman
  
  
• First Annual East Alton Parent-Teacher Special Education, 1977
  Chairman
  
  
• American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA)
  
  
• Illinois Speech and Hearing Association (ISHA)
  
  
• Southwestern Illinois Speech and Hearing Association (SWISHA)
  
  
• St. Louis Association for Children with Learning Disabilities
  
  
• Missouri Association for Children with Learning Disabilities
  
  
• National Association for Children with Learning Disabilities
  
  
• Illinois Council for Children with Learning Disabilities
  
  

Past Employment Positions

• Law Firm of Paul L. Pratt, P.C., East Alton, Illinois, Law Intern and Attorney, 1980 - 1982
• Federal District Court, Southern District of Illinois, Judge Hon. Beatty, Law Clerk, 1981
• Law Firm of Rosenbloom, Goldenhersh, Silverstein and Zafft, Clayton, Missouri, Law Intern, 1980
• Early Childhood Special Education Program, East Alton Elem. School Dist.#13, East Alton, IL, Director , 1973 - 1979

Pro Bono Activities

• Member, Board of Trustees, Smokler Center for Jewish Life (Hillel), Johns Hopkins University, 2008
• Madison County Bar Assn Pro Bono Volunteer, Certificate of Appreciation, May 1, 2007
• Chrmn. Torah Vestment Committee, United Hebrew Cong., St Louis, MO, 2005 - Present
• Interview, Alton Telegraph, Estate Administration, Role of Executor, February 19, 2007
• Interview, Alton Telegraph, Estate Planning, 2006
• Co-Host, with Gary Grammer, Fund Raiser for Thomas Dunn Adult Education Association, October 10, 2004
• Alumni Interviewing, Northwestern University Alumni Admission Council, 2000 - 2010
• Alumni Interviewing, Washington University Admission Council, 2001
• Judge National Collegiate Mock Trial Competition, Washington University, St. Louis, 2006
• Judge National Collegiate Mock Trial Competition, Washington University, St. Louis, 2010
• Judge, Missouri High School Mock Trial State Championship, 2006 - 2008
• Judge, Missouri High School Mock Trial, Local and Regional Playoffs, Clayton, MO, 2001 - 2009
• Assistant Attorney Coach, Mary Institute St. Louis Country Day School Mock Trial Team, 1999 - 2000
• Judge, Missouri High School Mock Trial Regional Playoffs, St. Louis, MO , March 11, 2000
• Judge, National High School Mock Trial Championship, St Louis, MO, May 7, 1999
• Judge, Mock Trial, Alton High School, Alton, IL, January 14, 1993 - May 13, 1993
• Advisory Board, Cardiac Awareness for Women, American Heart Assn., St. Louis, MO, 2001
• Director, Greater Alton Concert Association (GACA), Alton, Illinois, 1990 - Present
• Director, River Bluffs Girl Scout Council, Edwardsville, Illinois, 1990 - 1994
• Director, Gastro-Intestinal Research Foundation, University of Chicago, 1988 - 2006
• Participant, Mentor Program, Women's Law Caucus, Washington University School of Law, 1989 - Present
• Jewish Liaison, Trails West Boy Scout Council, Madison County, Illinois, 1996 - Present
• Girl Scout Leader, 1990 - 1996
• Principal Religious School, Music Teacher and Hebrew Teacher, Temple Israel, Godfrey, IL, 1975 - 1982

Fraternities/Sororities

• Zeta Phi Eta

Birth Information

• January 9, 1950