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gewilliams@smsjslaw.com
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Probate; Wills; Estate
Planning; Real Estate Law
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Guy E. Williams joined Samuels, Miller, Schroeder,
Jackson & Sly, LLP in 1965. He received a Bachelor of Science in Finance
from the University of Illinois College of Business Administration in 1962,
and a L.L.B. degree from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1965.
He is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois, U.S. District Court
for the Central District of Illinois, and the U.S. Tax Court.
Mr. Williams practices in the area of estate administration, trust
administration, estate planning, real estate and Section 1031 exchanges.
Mr. Williams is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, and
currently serves on the Trust and Estate Planning Section Council. He is past
President and currently member of the Executive Committee of the Decatur Bar
Association. Mr. Williams serves on the Board of Directors of Decatur
Community Foundation.
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jscobb@smsjslaw.com
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General Corporate Law,
Banking Law,
Health Care Law, Mergers/Acquisitions
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John Scott Cobb graduated from the University of Illinois
College of Commerce with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and from the
University of Illinois College of Law with a Juris Doctor.
Mr. Cobb assists individuals and companies with organizational,
contractual, shareholder and governance advice and in buying, selling and
merger transactions. He has had primary responsibility to buyers and sellers
for acquisitions in the banking, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, broadcasting,
health care and accounting industries. He also works with business, health
care, educational and governmental units in raising capital and has served as
borrower’s, issuer’s and underwriter’s counsel. Mr. Cobb advises banks and
bank holding companies on acquisitions, financing, reorganization and
regulatory matters.
Since 1986 Mr. Cobb has served on the Secretary of States’ Corporate Acts
Advisory Committee (Chairman 1994-1995) which manages the State of Illinois’
business acts and legislation. He was chairman of the committee to revise the
Illinois corporate franchise tax and has consulted with law firms and served
as an expert witness on franchise tax matters.
Mr. Cobb is married to Dr. Susan Schroeder Cobb, an Associate Professor of
Piano at Millikin University and is the father of Courtney Anne Cobb, a
graduate of the University of Wisconsin and a sales representative for
Bristol Myers Squibb and of Andrew Scott Cobb who has completed a masters
degree at Loyola University and is employed by the Archer Daniels Midland
Company.
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mejackson@smsjslaw.com
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General Civil Litigation;
Workers Compensation Law; Estate Planning.
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Mark E. Jackson graduated from Lawrence University,
Appleton, Wisconsin in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in
economics. He graduated from The University of Illinois College of Law in
1974 with a Juris Doctor degree. While in law school he published an article
in the Illinois Bar Journal entitled “Governmental Immunity - A Plan for
Legislative Action” (Illinois Bar Journal, February 1973).
Mr. Jackson represents employers in the defense of workers’ compensation
claims. He represents hospital and doctors in the defense of medical
malpractice claims. Mr. Jackson also has an interest in estate planning and
represents clients in planning and administering estates.
Mr. Jackson has been active in the community, having served on the Board
and as president of Webster-Cantrell Hall. In addition, he has served on the
boards of New Life Pregnancy Center, the Decatur Club and Millikin-Decatur
Symphony Orchestra. He has regularly served on committees at St. Paul’s
Lutheran Church, and has served as Chairman of the congregation.
Mr. Jackson is married to Ann Loehr Jackson and is the father of Julia
Diane Jackson, Paul E. Jackson and Laura K. Jackson. Julia was salutatorian
of her high school class and will be attending St. Olaf College in
Northfield, Minnesota. Paul and Laura are active in high school.
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casteel@smsjslaw.com
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Agricultural Law, Banking
Law, Commercial Law, Environmental Law, Estate Planning and Taxation, Real
Estate Law.
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Keith
W. Casteel joined
Samuels, Miller, Schroeder, Jackson & Sly, LLP in 1975. He graduated from
Purdue University with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and completed the
honors curriculum in 1972. At Purdue, he was the recipient of the G.A. Ross
Award for the Outstanding Senior Man and was a member of Tau Beta Pi and Iron
Key. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois in 1975.
Mr. Casteel has authored numerous articles including Equitable
Apportionment of Federal Estate Taxes - The Expanding Doctrine, 69 Illinois
Bar Journal 538.
Mr. Casteel is licensed to practice law in Illinois and is admitted to the
bar of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, U.S.
Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, and the U.S. Tax Court.
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woolums@smsjslaw.com
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Municipal Law; Real Estate
Law.
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Darrell A. Woolums joined Samuels, Miller, Schroeder,
Jackson & Sly, LLP in 1976. He attended Ventura College and Illinois
State University (B.S. 1971) followed by two years in the U.S. Army. He
received his Juris Doctor from John Marshall Law School in 1976.
Mr. Woolums practices in the area of real estate, 1031 exchanges, probate,
trust administration, banking law, not-for-profit governance and municipal
law. Representative clients include Richland Community College, Village of
Forsyth and Gerber State Bank.
Mr. Woolums is licensed to practice in Illinois and is admitted to the bar
of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. District Court for the
Central District of Illinois and the U.S. Tax Court.
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jesanner@smsjslaw.com
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Corporate
Law; Commercial Law; Mergers and Acquisitions; Health Care Law; Commercial
Real Estate
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John E. Sanner is a partner in Samuels, Miller and has been with
the firm since 1984. Mr. Sanner advises business entities and business owners
regarding the organization and maintenance of corporations, partnerships and
limited liability companies; the merger of business entities; the sale or
purchase of businesses; commercial financing transactions; commercial
contracts; and commercial real estate matters. Mr. Sanner also assists banks,
hospitals and charitable organizations with regulatory matters unique to
their organization and operation.
Mr. Sanner is a native of Decatur. He graduated from Southern Illinois
University, Carbondale, Illinois, in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema
and Photography (University Honors) and an Associate of Applied Science in
Law Enforcement. He received his Juris Doctor from Southern Illinois
University in 1984 (summa cum laude). Mr. Sanner is licensed to practice in
Illinois.
Mr. Sanner has participated in Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal
Education seminars as a presenter on the topic “Special Considerations in Manufacturing
Businesses” (IICLE Advising Illinois Business Conference, 1995) and as a
co-presenter on the topic of letters of intent (IICLE Using Letters of Intent
in Transactional Practice (With Forms) Telephone Conference Program, 1996).
Mr. Sanner is a member of the board of directors of the Illinois Traction
Society, a not for profit railroad historical society.
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costa@smsjslaw.com
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General Civil and
Commercial Litigation; Creditors Rights; Bankruptcy; Foreclosure;
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Edward Q. Costa joined Samuels, Miller, Schroeder, Jackson
& Sly, LLP in 1988. He graduated from St. Louis University with a B.A. in
political science. He earned his Juris Doctor from Creighton University in
1983.
Mr. Costa’s practice is concentrated in the general civil and commercial
litigation area. He also concentrates in bankruptcy law and creditors’ rights
law.
He is licensed to practice in Illinois and has been admitted to the U. S.
District Court for the Central District of Illinois. Mr. Costa is a member of
the Board of Directors of the Community Health Improvement Center and is a
Trustee at the Sanitary District of Decatur.
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jtjackson@smsjslaw.com
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College and University
Law, Education Law, Medical Malpractice Litigation, Commercial Litigation,
General Civil Litigation, Employment Law
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James T. Jackson is a partner in Samuels, Miller,
Schroeder, Jackson & Sly, LLP and has been with the firm since 1988. Mr.
Jackson concentrates his practice in litigation and college/university law.
His litigation practice includes personal injury lawsuits; medical
litigation; employment claims; insurance coverage disputes;
breach-of-contract and other commercial claims. He also spends considerable
time advising colleges and universities in the areas of contracts, faculty
and tenure issues, student affairs, employment and disability law, institutional
policies, and compliance with state and federal law. Mr. Jackson has
litigated cases in state and federal court, and argued cases before the
appellate courts.
Since 1997, Mr. Jackson has been a member of the National Association of
College and University Attorneys where he served as co-chair of the Student
Affairs Section for 1998-99 and 1999-2000.
Mr. Jackson is an active member of the Illinois State Bar Association
where he has served on the Insurance Law Section Council (1995-2001, Chair 2000-01);
Tort Law Section Council (2001 to date); and the Committee on Attorney
Registration and Disciplinary Commission (2001 to date).
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heinz@smsjslaw.com
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Employment Law; General
Civil Litigation; Appeals
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Rhonda Heinz graduated from the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign with a B.S. in Communications. She received her Juris Doctor
from the University of Illinois in 1990. Ms. Heinz joined the firm in 1990
and practices primarily in the areas of employment law and civil litigation.
Ms. Heinz' employment law experience includes representation of
individuals, businesses, colleges, and universities concerning discrimination
claims, employment contracts, employee manuals, personnel issues, and
applicable State and Federal laws and regulations. She also handles a variety
of employment related matters involving both State and Federal administrative
and regulatory agencies.
As a litigator Ms. Heinz is experienced in handling commercial and real
estate matters as well as personal injury and tort cases in addition to
discrimination and other employment related litigation. Her litigation
practice includes State and Federal Courts as well as a variety of
administrative hearings.
Ms. Heinz is licensed to practice in Illinois and is admitted to the bar
of the 7th Circuit of the Court of Appeals and the Central District of
Illinois. She is a member of the Illinois Bar Association (Labor and
Employment Law and Civil Practice and Procedure Sections), Decatur Bar
Association, American Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law and Tort and
Insurance Practice Sections), the Illinois Defense Council and the Defense
Research Institute.
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hogan@smsjslaw.com
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Corporate Law; General Practice;
Civil Litigation; Real Estate Law; Appellate Practice
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Bridget C. Hogan joined Samuels, Miller, Schroeder, Jackson
& Sly, LLP in 1997. Ms. Hogan graduated from Rockhurst College (B.S.B.A.,
major in finance/economics), and St. Louis University School of Law (cum
laude, 1997). She is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Missouri.
Ms. Hogan resides in Decatur with her husband, Chris and children, Sean,
Peter, Kevin, and Marie.
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sgarwood@smsjslaw.com
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Probate, Wills and
Trusts, Estate Planning, Business and Corporate Law, Mergers/Acquisitions,
Agricultural Law, Real Estate, Municipal Law
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Scott E. Garwood joined Samuels, Miller, Schroeder,
Jackson & Sly, LLP in 2002 upon graduation from law school.
Mr. Garwood graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
with a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture (high honors, 1999). He earned his
Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (cum laude,
2002), where he was active in Moot Court and Trial Advocacy programs.
Mr. Garwood is licensed to practice in Illinois and is a member of the Decatur/Macon
County and Illinois State Bar Associations. He concentrates his practice in
the areas of probate, wills and trusts, estate planning, business and
corporate law, contracts, mergers and acquisitions, agricultural law, real
estate and municipal law.
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psbowers@smsjslaw.com
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Estate Planning, Probate,
Family Law, Personal Injury, Environmental Law
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Phoebe S. Bowers is an associate at Samuels, Miller, Schroeder, Jackson
& Sly, LLP. Her practice areas include real estate transactions, estate
planning, business and corporate law, personal injury law and environmental
law.
Ms. Bowers graduated cum laude in May 2000 from Millikin University at
Decatur, Illinois with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science. She
graduated cum laude from the Southern Illinois University School of Law in
May 2003.
Ms. Bowers is licensed to practice in Illinois and is a member of the
Decatur/Macon County and Illinois State Bar Associations. She also serves as
a board member of the Decatur/Macon County Animal Shelter Foundation.
jejackson@smsjslaw.com
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General Civil Litigation,
Medical Malpractice Litigation, Product Liability Litigation
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Jerald E. Jackson graduated from Western Illinois University
with honors and received his law degree from The University of Chicago (J.D.
cum laude).
Mr. Jackson is an active trial lawyer who has tried many jury cases to
verdict. He defends medical malpractice cases, other professional liability cases,
and many other kinds of civil cases. Mr. Jackson is a Fellow in the American
College of Trial Lawyers and a Laureate of the Academy of Illinois Lawyers.
He served for more than twenty years on the Illinois Supreme Court Committee
on Pattern Jury Instructions.
Mr. Jackson is married to Miriam Jackson who has been a civic leader
serving as president of the Symphony Guild of Decatur-Macon County and as
Regent of the local D.A.R. They have four sons, all of whom are lawyers. Mark
and James practice in Decatur, Illinois. Jeffrey practices in Bloomington,
Illinois, where he is a vice president of the State Farm Insurance Company.
Christopher is general counsel for an investment company with offices in Ft.
Lauderdale, Florida.
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neiers@smsjslaw.com
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General Civil Litigation,
Real Estate Law
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Nicholas J. Neiers, (Of
Counsel) born Cascade, Iowa, September 30, 1929; admitted to bar, 1960,
Illinois. Education: University of Notre Dame (A.B., magna cum laude, 1959; J.D.,
1960). Case Editor, Notre Dame Lawyer, 1959-1960. Fellow, American College of
Trial Lawyers. Member: Decatur, Illinois State Bar Associations; Illinois
Association of Defense Trial Counsel; National Association of Railroad Trial
Counsel Practice Areas: General Civil Litigation; Railroad Litigation; Real
Estate Law.
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