On an ongoing basis, the Law Bulletin, an Illinois lawyers’ publication, publishes articles and lists of what its surveys indicate are the leading lawyers in the state. Its December 2009 edition, “Leading Lawyers Network: Consumer Edition,” lists Tony Licata prominently and appropriately. This publication conducts extensive research in collecting and compiling the information contained in its feature articles. Within the legal community it is understood that one is not undeservingly highlighted and recognized in this publication. Lawyers strive for such recognition, and to be included among the most respected in the Illinois legal community is a tremendous honor. This month …

In these pages, we often speak about improving the Italian-American condition in the Chicago area, which we do by highlighting the careers of those who have made this part of their life’s agenda. With the exception of a very small handful of people that are easily recognized in our community, no one does more to accomplish this than Professor Dominic Candeloro. (Parts of this article was originally published in Il Messaggero di Sant’Antonio by Generoso D’Agnese of Pescara.) “My mother wanted me to become a doctor, but I eventually chose to become a scholar of Italian-American culture,” says Candeloro. After …

Like many successful folks in our community, Mary Ann Iantorno Hynes is a child of immigrants. Her father, Ernest Mario Iantorno, came to this country from Rende, in the province of Cosenza, Italy, and her mother, Emma Louise Noto Iantorno, came from San Fili, in the same province. Although her parents came from neighboring towns in Calabria, they first met in this country in Cicero. They sought the “American Dream” for their children and, as Mary Ann tells the story, to accomplish that they worked different shifts at factories so that one parent would always be home caring for the …

“Success at any age is impressive. But to achieve it at an early age is even more of a feat.” For the eleventh straight year, the 40 Under 40 Committee at Law Bulletin Publishing Company sifted through almost one thousand nomination forms to select the 40 most talented attorneys in Illinois under the age of 40. The Law Bulletin is the preeminent legal publication in the state of Illinois, having been in operation for over 150 years. What does it take to earn the 40/40 recognition? The standards applied in the selection process include: intelligence, professional achievements, outstanding reputation amongst …

This month we highlight the distinguished career of Vincent C. Cipolla, a successful attorney with a wonderful reputation who is on the cutting edge of a relatively new, significant development in the field of law, alternate dispute resolution (ADR). What precipitated highlighting the career of Vincent C. Cipolla was the announcement of the creation of Cipolla Mediation and Arbitration Services. For the readers of Fra Noi not familiar with ADR, let me explain. Historically, especially in major metropolitan areas like Cook County, so many people have taken advantage of access to the courts that justice often seemed to be backlogged …

Every year, Crain’s Chicago Business, a leading weekly newspaper servicing the Chicagoland business community, publishes a list of their annual selection of the top 40 business professionals in this community under the age of 40. Always, Italian Americans are prominent on the list. This year is no exception. One of the selectees is Dino De Vita, Senior Vice President at the Northern Trust Company, Managing Director of its significant Personal Financial Services Group. In the article, highlighting the career of this outstanding young Italian-American professional, it was mentioned: For his first day in first grade, Dino De Vita showed up …

Today we highlight the distinguished career of Michael D. Ruggiero, a financial advisor/planner with Ameriprise Financial Inc., a position in which he has excelled for 10 years. Michael is a neighborhood guy, born in Chicago and raised in Oak Park and then River Forest. His father, Angelo Ruggiero, is a highly respected attorney and longtime and influential member of the Justinian Society of Lawyers. The Ruggiero’s are of Neapolitan descent and Michael’s mother, Gina, is of Sicilian descent. Angelo grew up around Leavitt and Harrison and his mother grew up in the Cragin neighborhood. Angelo is still a practicing and …

Rarely has Thomas M. Battista joined an organization — professional, social, or community — and did not become a leader in its governance. He has served as president of the Justinian Society of Lawyers and the Italian-American Political Coalition; board member and legal advisor to the Italian-American Human Relations Foundation; an elected delegate of the Assembly of the 32,000 member Illinois State Bar Association, its supreme governing body; chief counsel to the chairman of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board; and deputy director of the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board. Raised initially in Elmwood Park, Battista and his family then moved …

On an annual basis, the Law Bulletin, an Illinois lawyers’ publication, publishes a volume called, “Forty Under 40,” recognizing through a statewide nomination process outstanding attorneys under the age of forty in the State of Illinois to watch. The most recent publication identified two outstanding young professionals from our community, for this recognition, Kenneth C. Apicella and Peter M. Spingola. We introduce these two rising stars to our readers. Kenneth C. Apicella attended DePaul University College of Law where he distinguished himself as a Dean’s List student. While there, he was elected to be an executive board member on the …

This month we introduce you to Dan Bellino, licensed practicing attorney and professional Major League Baseball umpire. That’s quite a combination. Upon graduating from Northern Illinois University, Dan thought that his career path would take him through law school in the field of intellectual property and land him in private practice as a patent lawyer. He distinguished himself as an outstanding student at the John Marshall Law School, but a funny thing happened upon his graduation in 2002. He decided to put all of his efforts into being an umpire in professional baseball. He gave it his best shot and …