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Paul R. Lynch has become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in America. The induction ceremony at which Mr. Lynch became a Fellow took place on Saturday, October 10, 2009, before an audience of approximately 974 persons, during the 59th Annual Meeting of the College in Boston. Mr. Lynch is a partner in the firm of Craig & Craig, where he has been employed since 1977, first at Mattoon, and, since 1986, in Mt. Vernon. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law. Mr. Lynch serves on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel (IDC), and is a member of the Jefferson County Bar Association. Founded in 1950, the College is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only and only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of fifteen years trial experience before they can be considered for Fellowship. Membership in the College cannot exceed one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province. There are currently approximately 5,739 members in the United States and Canada, including active Fellows, Emeritus Fellows, Judicial Fellows (those who ascended to the bench after their induction) and Honorary Fellows. Paul R. Lynch, Partner in the Mt. Vernon office of Craig & Craig, completed a two-day jury trial representing the owner of Meadow Woods Country Club. Paul R. Lynch, Partner in the Mt. Vernon office of Craig & Craig, completed a two-day jury trial in the Circuit Court of Marion County, in Salem, Illinois, on June 2, 2009, with a defense verdict in a Dram Shop case. Mr. Lynch represented Richard R. Garnier, owner and operator of Bogie’s on the Lake, a restaurant located in the Meadow Woods Country Club in Centralia, Illinois. The Plaintiff, John Harris, and the alleged intoxicated person, Jimmy N. Jolliff, were participants in a golf tournament on July 21, 2007. The Plaintiff contended that Mr. Jolliff became intoxicated by consuming beer that was sold and served by Bogie’s during and after the tournament. Mr. Jolliff struck Mr. Harris during an altercation, causing the Plaintiff to fall. Mr. Harris sustained severe fractures to his right leg. The defense denied that Mr. Jolliff was intoxicated, and denied that the actions of Mr. Jolliff were caused by any alleged intoxication. The jury returned a verdict in favor of the Defendant and against the Plaintiff. Paul R. Lynch, Partner in the Mt. Vernon office of Craig & Craig represented Washington County Hospital. Paul R. Lynch, Partner in the Mt. Vernon office of Craig & Craig, completed a three-day jury trial in the Circuit Court of Washington County, in Nashville, Illinois, on April 29, 2009, with a defense verdict in a premises liability case. Mr. Lynch represented Washington County Hospital. The Plaintiff, Judith Donnell, was visiting her aunt in the long-term care wing of Washington County Hospital, and left the room for a period of time to speak with her aunt’s physician. During the Plaintiff’s absence, a housekeeper employed by the Hospital mopped the floor of the room. Judith Donnell returned to her aunt’s room and fell, suffering a severe fracture of her left leg. Mrs. Donnell claimed that there was no “wet floor” warning sign, and that she slipped and fell because the floor was wet. The defense maintained that the housekeeper did place a “wet floor” sign in the doorway, and that the floor was already dry when the Plaintiff fell. The jury returned a verdict in favor of the Defendant and against the Plaintiff. Paul R. Lynch, Partner with the Mt. Vernon office of Craig & Craig, served as Chair of the continuing legal education program on Ethics and the Legal Profession Paul R. Lynch, Partner with the Mt. Vernon office of Craig & Craig, served as Chair of the continuing legal education program on Ethics and the Legal Profession, held by the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel (IDC) on May 1, 2009. This program was conducted at the University Club of Chicago, and included presentations by nine speakers on various topics involving professionalism and ethics for attorneys. In addition, Mr. Lynch served as moderator of a panel discussion on Practical and Ethical Considerations for Attorneys in Dealing with Clients and Judges. Paul R. Lynch, Partner with the Mt. Vernon office of Craig & Craig, prepared written course materials and gave a presentation on Litigation and Other Special Considerations in Releasing Medical Records Paul R. Lynch, Partner with the Mt. Vernon office of Craig & Craig, prepared written course materials and gave a presentation on Litigation and Other Special Considerations in Releasing Medical Records, as part of a continuing education program on Medical Records Law in Illinois. The seminar was organized by Lorman Education Services, and was conducted on July 24, 2009, at the Holiday Inn in Collinsville, Illinois. This seminar was attended primarily by medical records coordinators and managers for various clinics, hospitals, and other organizations. Mr. Lynch’s presentation included topics on compliance with requests and subpoenas for medical records under H.I.P.A.A. and Illinois law, with an emphasis on practical considerations, and specific confidentiality requirements under the FMLA and ADA. Paul R. Lynch, Partner in the Mt. Vernon office, obtained Summary Judgments for the Defendant in two related lawsuits claiming libel in the Circuit Court of Williamson County at Marion, Illinois. On February 10, 2009, Paul R. Lynch, Partner in the Mt. Vernon office, obtained Summary Judgments for the Defendant in two related lawsuits claiming libel in the Circuit Court of Williamson County at Marion, Illinois. The Plaintiffs in those cases, Kevin Clark and Robert Emery, contended that Jon Musgrave, Executive Director of the Williamson County Tourism Bureau, had allegedly defamed them, primarily in a letter dated January 24, 2007, to the publisher of Marion Living Magazine. Mr. Emery was a previous Executive Director of the Williamson County Tourism Bureau, and Mr. Clark is a photographer who had contracted to provide services to the Tourism Bureau. In Motions for Summary Judgment, Mr. Lynch contended that the statements concerning the Plaintiffs that appeared in the letter were not defamatory as a matter of law, and also that the legal defense of “qualified immunity” was applicable. After the filing of legal memoranda and affidavits, and a hearing on the Motions, Circuit Judge John Speroni granted Summary Judgment to the Defendant in both cases. Paul R. Lynch has been elected Vice President of the Southern Illinois American Inn of Court Paul R. Lynch, Partner with the Mt. Vernon office of Craig & Craig, has been elected Vice President of the Southern Illinois American Inn of Court, an organization that includes judges and lawyers, in addition to professors and students from the Law School at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. The Inn meets five times annually for dinner, with programs and discussions on matters of ethics, skills and professionalism. The Southern Illinois American Inn of Court was founded in the early 1990's, and Mr. Lynch was one of the original members. The American Inns of Court is a legal mentoring organization that has adopted the traditional English model of legal apprenticeship, modified to fit the particular needs of the American legal system. Gregory C. Ray and J. Patrick Lee Conclude Major Jury Trial. Gregory C. Ray and J. Patrick Lee of the Mattoon office completed a jury trial on October 22, 2009, in the Circuit Court of the Fifth Judicial Circuit, Coles County, Illinois, involving serious personal injury to Plaintiff, David Ames. Ames v. Stretch, et al, Coles County No. 2005-L-55. Mr. Ames sustained a severe fracture of his right femur and other orthopedic injuries as a result of falling from a man lift operated by Defendant Stretch. The jury found in favor of the Plaintiff and awarded damages of past medical expense of approximately $126,000.00; future medical expense of $100,000.00 and wage loss of $80,000.00, together with an award for pain and suffering and loss of a normal life totaling $425,000.00 for a verdict of $751,445.00. Plaintiff had asked the jury for $1,500,000.00. Prior to suit, the Defendants had declined to make an offer that would satisfy Plaintiff's demands, and so the case was tried to verdict. The verdict was within the range anticipated by the defense and for a substantial amount less than the case could have been settled for prior to trial. The judgment was promptly paid by the Defendants. Gregory C. Ray of the Mattoon office recently secured a ruling. Gregory C. Ray of the Mattoon office recently secured a ruling from the Illinois Appellate Court, Fifth District, reversing a denial by the Circuit Court of St. Clair County of a motion to transfer venue of a lawsuit filed in St. Clair County but arising out of an explosion and fire in Crawford County, Illinois. The basis of the motion to transfer was the doctrine of forum non conveniens. The explosion and fire allegedly resulted in the death of Harry Yargus, whose surviving daughter filed a Wrongful Death Act case against the firm’s Crawford County clients and against AmerenCIPS, alleging venue was valid in St. Clair County because AmerenCIPS did business there. CIPS, represented by Broom, Hepler of Edwardsville, Illinois, joined in the motion and appeal. Plaintiff’s counsel is Clyde Kuehn and Jarrod Beasley of Belleville, Illinois. The Appellate Court’s ruling was issued under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 23. See 5-08-0445. Mr. Kenneth F. Werts, Partner with the Mt. Vernon office of Craig & Craig, is currently working on a book. Mr. Kenneth F. Werts, Partner with the Mt. Vernon office of Craig & Craig, is currently working on a book to be titled Illinois Workers￢ﾀﾙ Compensation Handbook LexisNexis. ￂ

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