BatesCarey LLP partner, Adam H. Fleischer, will present a webinar titled Independent Counsel: When Required & Strategies for Defense. The half-hour webinar is presented through the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM) 2015 Webinar Series. It will take place on Wednesday, March 11 at 11 a.m. central. For registration, click here.

Kari Timm has joined BatesCarey LLP, and brings extensive experience in cyber and privacy insurance issues. Kari has been at the forefront of this new and developing area of insurance law. She currently serves as designated coverage counsel on multiple cyber facilities, and consults with foreign and domestic insurers on claims, underwriting, and product development in this burgeoning space. Kari counsels her clients on responses to data breaches and security incidents, as well as remediation efforts, and serves as coverage counsel on cyber and privacy liability claims. Before joining BatesCarey, Kari was a partner at Walker Wilcox Matousek LLP.

In recent months, courts have issued numerous decisions impacting both the liability exposures frequently seen on the professional liability front, as well as the insurance coverage issues arising from those liabilities. To keep you abreast of these developments, we provide below a summary of those recent professional liability decisions. As an overview, the decisions generally fall into these categories, addressing the following issues:

BatesCarey LLP is pleased to announce that eight of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2015 Illinois Super Lawyers and Illinois Rising Stars lists.

Congratulations to Robert J. Bates, Jr., Scott L. Carey, Maria G. Enriquez, and Adam H. Fleischer who were recently selected to the prestigious international listing of Who's Who Legal: Insurance and Reinsurance 2015! London-based Who's Who conducted interviews and collected questionnaires and research from across the world to identify the preeminent insurance and reinsurance coverage attorneys in 59 different countries. We are pleased to announce that Bob, Scott, Maria and Adam were among those 559 attorneys worldwide that were ultimately selected for this recognition, with only 32 from Illinois.

Jordon S. Steinway has been invited to join the prestigious Claims and Litigation Management Alliance. The CLM is a nonpartisan alliance comprised of thousands of insurance companies, corporations, corporate counsel, litigation and risk managers, claims professionals, and attorneys. Through education and collaboration the organization's goals are to create a common interest in the representation by firms of companies, and to promote and further the highest standards of litigation management in pursuit of client defense. Selected attorneys and law firms are extended membership by invitation only based on nominations from CLM Fellows.

BatesCarey LLP is pleased to announce that David L. Koury and Jordon S. Steinway have been elected to the partnership, effective January 1, 2015.

Robert J. Bates, Jr., Arthur F. Brandt, and Michael H. Passman contributed to the 2014 edition of "Commercial and Professional Liability Insurance," an Illinois insurance law handbook published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education. Robert J. Bates, Jr. and Arthur F. Brandt co-authored the chapter on the pollution exclusion. Michael H. Passman authored the chapter on declaratory judgment litigation. The book can be ordered here.

BatesCarey LLP is pleased to announce that 11 of its partners have been selected to the prestigious Leading Lawyers list by Law Bulletin Publishing Company. The survey involves a four phase process, including: the solicitation of recommendations of leading attorneys from all lawyers throughout the state; detailed further interviews with nominees; verification of the ethical history of each nominee and, finally; review by the Leading Lawyers Advisory Board to select no more than five percent of the state's lawyers to be named a Leading Lawyer. Congratulations to: Robert J. Bates, Jr; Arthur F. Brandt; Scott L. Carey; Maria G. Enriquez; Stanley V. Figura; Adam H. Fleischer; Maryann C. Hayes; Matthew M. Murphy; Joseph P. Pozen; John E. Rodewald, and; Mark G. Sheridan!

BatesCarey LLP is pleased to have been recognized as a "Best Law Firm" in U.S. News – Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms" 2015 rankings. BatesCarey received this honor both with respect to the national rankings and the metropolitan Chicago rankings.

BatesCarey LLP was awarded these honors following a rigorous evaluation of firms in 74 nationally ranked practice areas and 120 metropolitan practice areas. The U.S. News – Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms" annual ranking was based on client and lawyer evaluations, peer review, information provided by law firms, and a new Law Firm Leaders Survey.