Lawyers Face Off for Mercy Home

CHICAGOLAWBULLETIN.COM FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017

Volume 163, No. 180 Serving Chicago’s legal community for 162 years

Paul Langer, Chicago office managing partner of Quarles & Brady LLP, prepared to spar against Peter Birnbaum, president and CEO of the Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, at Mercy Home’s basement ring on Thursday. The two will face off on Oct. 14 at the 26th annual Ringside for Mercy’s Sake charity event to benefit Mercy Home. For more photos — including of Langer and Birnbaum facing off in the ring — visit chicagolawbulletin.com. Photo by Rashel Gordin Lawyers face off for Mercy Home

BY SARAH MANSUR the Rev. Edward Kelly brought Law Bulletin correspondent County Cook lawyers prepare to slug it out in the Catholic Youth Organization’s athletic program to the organiza - On Thursday afternoon, two charity boxing match to help youth center tion in the 1950s and installed Chicago lawyers exchanged the boxing ring in the basement, blows — not in a courtroom, but said Mark Schmeltzer, Mercy in a boxing ring. the organization opened a girls’ “I thought this is a great op - Home communications director. Peter J. Birnbaum and Paul L. shelter in the former Walgreen portunity to get in shape and do Schmeltzer said the charity Langer were trading punches mansion on the South Side. something way out of my com - event began in 1991 when two and practicing for their upcom - It’s the third Ringside event fort zone,” he said. traders from the Chicago Mer - ing match up at the 26th annual for Langer, Chicago office manag - But he’s realized in the course cantile Exchange and the Chica - Ringside for Mercy’s Sake chari - ing partner at Quarles & Brady of training that smacking a go Board of Trade came together ty event to benefit Mercy Home. LLP, but the first for Birnbaum, punching bag is nothing like get - with an idea to raise money for The event will be held Oct. 14 at president and CEO of the Attor - ting hit in the face. Mercy Home through amateur the Chicago Marriott Grand Ball - neys’ Title Guaranty Fund. “It wakes you up,” Birnbaum boxing. room on Michigan Avenue. Birnbaum said he started said as he geared up during prac - “There was a natural rivalry Mercy Home opened in 1887 training seriously in March and tice Thursday at Mercy Home’s between the companies,” he said. on Chicago’s Northwest Side for has been sparring against oppo - basement ring. Though Ringside started out the city’s homeless boys. In 1987, nents for the past month. Former Mercy Home president as a rivalry between the financial

Copyright © 2017 Law Bulletin Media. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from Law Bulletin Media. exchanges, it has grown and ex - “Back when I first started Chicago’s financial trading mar - panded to include others, like the training the guys for the event, WANT TO GO ? kets have become computerized. legal profession. At least three we used to have to train at parks Mercy Home’s fundraiser “The cause is a huge thing, and lawyers are participating in district [facilities],” he said. Ringside for Mercy’s Sake will the support for this has changed Ringside this year. So, Leonard said, he refur - take place from 6 p.m. to over the years,” he said. “It used Schmeltzer said Mercy bished the ring in the 1990s and midnight, Oct. 14, at the Chicago to be a big Board of Trade thing, Home’s boxing ring was used in also uses it for his personal train - Marriott Grand Ballroom on and now that the floors are the 1950s and 1960s by Chicago’s ing business. Michigan Avenue. For more closed they need to get new pro fighters, including Muham - “We decided to use the Mercy information, contact Jim blood, so to speak.” mad Ali. Home’s own facilities and in the Marrese at (312) -738-7578. Langer, who picked up ama - But, he said, the ring fell into meantime I could run my own teur boxing four years ago, said disrepair in the 1970s and 1980s. business,” he said. “Everybody Mercy Home is such an impor - Glenn Leonard, a former helps each other out and it works.” subsidize the resources, pro - tant part of the community. Chicago Board of Trade employ - Ringside for Mercy’s Sake is grams and support that the “It provides our youth with an ee turned personal training en - the biggest fundraising event for home offers to disadvantaged escape from poverty, abuse or trepreneur, matches up and Mercy Home. The facility exists youth in the city. neglect,” he said. “It’s a great prepares Ringside participants, on private funding alone. Birnbaum said assistance for cause, and it allows us to do what like Birnbaum and Langer, and Schmeltzer said the organiza - Mercy Home through Ringside is we like, which is boxing and con - has been involved in the event tion relies on fundraising from especially significant since sup - tributing to the Mercy Home … since its inception in 1991. Ringside and other events to port for the event has shifted as There is no greater cause.”