The Illinois Local Government Lawyers Association recognizes the professional achievements of local government lawyers through its Awards Program. The Association began this practice in 2001, presenting awards to attorneys who foster professional education, interaction, and exchange among other governmental attorneys, as well as those who have made outstanding contributions to local government law in the field of litigation, innovation, and over their lifetime in their careers.
The first awards were given at the Association’s Annual Conference in February of 2001 and have been given continuously since then.
Awards are given for the following categories: Litigation, Innovation, and Distinguished Service for both current year and lifetime achievement, Longevity of Service, and Listserver of the Year.
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Litigation Award
The Litigation Award is presented to a firm or attorney who has established favorable legal precedent for local governments during the preceding year.
|
Award Year |
Name |
Achievements |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Tim Bishop | Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 531 U.S. 159 |
| 2002 | Joan Fencik and Steven A. Weiss | Thomas v. Chicago Park District, 534 U.S. 315 |
| 2003 | Mara Georges | City of Chicago’s successful litigation throughout the year 2002 |
| 2005 | John M. Mullen | Village of Lake Villa v. Stokovich, 211 Ill.2d 106 |
| 2007 | Mathias W. Delort | Marconi v. Chicago Heights Police Pension Board, et al., 225 Ill.2d 497 |
| 2009 | Ken Florey and Nanci Rogers | Napleton v. Hinsdale, 229 Ill.2d 296 |
| 2010 | John B. Murphey | Walker v. Calumet City, 565 F3d 1031 (7th Cir., 2009) and Mann v. Calumet City, 588 F3d 949 (7th Cir., 2009) |
| 2011 | Sarah B. Jansen | Koehler v. Illinois Liquor Control Commission, 405 Ill.App.3d 1071 (2nd Dist., 2010) |
| 2011 | Julian Henriques, Jr. | Portis v City of Chicago, 613 F3d 702 (7th Cir., 2010) and American Beverage Assn. v City of Chicago, 404 Ill.App.3d 682 (1st Dist., 2010) |
| 2012 | John B. Murphey | Christian Assembly Rios de Agua Viva v. City of Burbank, 408 Ill.App.3d 764 (1st Dist., 2011) and Nowak v. City of Country Club Hills, 2011 IL 111838 |
| 2013 | Margo Ely, Patricia Johnson Lord, and Mark Antonio Scarlato | Patrick Engineering v. City of Naperville, 2012 IL 113148 |
| 2014 | Benna Ruth Solomon, Myriam Zreczny Kasper, and Christopher S. Norberg | Palm v 2800 Lake Shore Drive Condominium Association, 2013 IL 110505 |
| 2015 | Robert J. Long, Lawrence R. Moelmann, and Nancy G. Lischer | Lake County Grading Company v. Village of Antioch, 2014 IL 115805 |
| 2016 | Victor P. Filippini, Jr. | Gurba v. Community School District No. 155, 2015 IL 118332 |
| 2017 | Michael W. Condon and Yordana Sawyer | Burrell Trust v. City of Kankakee |
| 2018 | Lorilea Buerkett, Brown, Hay and Stephens, LLP | Board of Education of Springfield School District No. 186 v The Attorney General of Illinois |
| 2019 | Kristen Foley and Robert R. Wilder | Naperville Smart Meter Awareness v City of Naperville, 11 C 9299 (7th Cir. 2018) |
| 2020 | Suzanne M. Loose |
LMP v. City of Chicago, 2019 IL 123123 and Labell v. City of Chicago, 2019 IL App (1st) 181379 |
| 2021 | James L. Simon, James A. Martinkus, Thomas S. Yu, and Frederick Stavins |
I-57 and Curtis, LLC v. Urbana and Champaign Sanitary District, City of Urbana and City of Champaign, 2020 ILapp(4th) 190850 |
| 2022 | Hal R. Morris, Elizabeth A. Thompson, and Thomas A. Laser |
McCaffrey v. Village of Hoffman Estates, 2021 IL App (1st) 200395 |
| 2023 | Dawn Didier |
Village of Downers Grove v. Village Square III Condominium Association, 2022 IL App (2d) 210098 |
| 2024 | Matthew D. Cole, Ward, Murray, Pace & Johnson, PC |
City of Rock Falls v. Aims Industrial, 2024 IL 129164 |
Innovation Award
The Innovation Award is given to a firm or individual attorney who has developed a new or novel way of approaching a local government legal issue, either through the development of an ordinance, legislation or procedure designed to solve a problem or create an opportunity for a unit of local government. Past Innovation Award winners include:
|
Award Year |
Name |
Achievements |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Steve Mahrt | Development of a pay-by-mail city court system |
| 2004 | Joseph E. Hooker and Rhonda Olds | Development of an ordinance prosecution networking group |
| 2005 | Wayne Karplus, Ann Marie Lampariello-Perez, and Steven J. Holz | Established a seminar devoted completely to municipal prosecution. |
| 2008 | Jack Waaler, Sonni Williams, Ann Marie Perez, Wayne Karplus, Rhonda R. Olds, and Stephen Holz | Championed and assisted in the development of the Supreme Court Rules revisions for Ordinance violations. |
| 2012 | Frederick C. Stavins | Development of the ILGL Info Share networking site. |
Distinguished Service Award
An Annual Distinguished Service Award is made to an attorney who has, during the previous calendar year, exemplified the Mission Statement of the Illinois Local Government Lawyers Association, and the attorney or firm has promoted professional education, information, exchange, and interaction among local government attorneys. Recipients of the Annual Distinguished Service Award include:
- Justice Tom Kilbride (2001)
- Thomas A. Thanas (2002)
- Ronald G. Matekaitis (2010)
- Mara S. Georges (2011)
- Julie A. Tappendorf (2021)
- Hon. Sonni C. Williams (2024)
Robert J. Mangler Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement
A Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement may also be made to an attorney or firm who has promoted the ideals of the Institute over a career for a period of 25 years or longer. In 2011 the board voted to rename the ILGL Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of Robert J. Mangler, the Association’s first President and first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is now known as the Robert J. Mangler Lifetime Achievement Award.
Recipients of the Robert J. Mangler Lifetime Achievement Award include:
| Award Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 2001 | Robert Mangler |
| 2001 | Jack Waaler |
| 2002 | Murray Ross Conzelman |
| 2003 | John Zimmermann, Bill Quinlan, and Jack Siegel |
| 2004 | Chapman and Cutler, LLP - Kelly K. Kost, Patricia M. Curtner, and Timothy McGree |
| 2005 | Patrick A. Lucansky and Kurt Froehlich |
| 2006 | Robert E. Becker |
| 2007 | Dr. James M. Banovetz and Thomas W. Kelty |
| 2008 | Richard Williams |
| 2009 | Terry Barnicle |
| 2010 | Barry L. Moss |
| 2012 | Ronald N. Schultz |
| 2013 | William G. Raysa |
| 2014 | Ronald S. Cope |
| 2016 | John B. Murphey |
| 2017 | Honorable Russell W. Hartigan |
| 2017 | James A. Rhodes |
| 2018 | Frederick C. Stavins |
| 2019 | Steven Mahrt |
| 2020 | Justice Mathias W. Delort |
| 2022 | Thomas P. Bayer |
| 2023 | Charles (Chuck) Hervas |
Longevity of Service Award
In 2014, the ILGL Board established the Longevity of Service Award which is presented to an attorney who has represented a municipality or unit of local government for a continuous period of over 25 years.
| Award Year | Name | Municipality |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Everette "Buzz" Hill | Villages of Northfield and Mount Prospect |
| 2015 | William G. Raysa | Village of Buffalo Grove |
| 2015 | Frederick C. Stavins | City of Champaign |
| 2016 | Earnest R. Blomquist III | Village of Arlington Heights |
| 2016 | Thomas W. Good | Village of Woodridge |
| 2017 | Stanley Pagorek | Villages of Burnham, IN and Crete |
| 2017 | James Stevenson | Village of Crete |
| 2018 | Thomas P. Bayer | Village of Lombard |
| 2018 | Burton S. Odelson | Villages of Orland Hills and Merrionette Park |
| 2019 | Wendy Morthland | City of Decatur |
| 2023 | Stanley Pagorek | Golden Longevity Award for 50 Years with the Village of Burnham, IN |
Listserver of the Year
In 2018, the ILGL Board created an award for “ILGL Listserver of the Year” will be presented at the Annual Conference to an ILGL member based on the following criteria:
(1) quality of responses to questions posed on the Listserv; and
(2) number of responses to questions posed on the Listserv.
|
Award Year |
Name |
| 2019 | Brian Day |
| 2020 | Robert J. Long |
| 2021 |
Lenoard "Jamie" Snyder |
| 2022 | Robert J. Long |
| 2023 | Jeffrey Jacobson |
| 2024 | Michael Santschi |