IA.NewCover.qxd 9/8/08 1:30 PM Page 1 THE LEGAL 100: A CELEBRATION OF IRISH LAWYERS AND JUDGES IRISHIRISHOctober / November 2008 AMERICA AMERICACan. $4.95 U.S. $3.95 Stars of the South Southerners with Irish roots The Battle Over Ulysses How James Joyce changed the way Americans read Broadway’s Irish Colleen Kelli O’Hara talks about her Irish roots in Oklahoma Among Other Things, I've Taken Up Smoking A coming of age novel by Aoibheann Sweeney The White- Tailed Eagle Returns Last seen in Ireland in 1910, the birds are BillBill nesting in Kerry MaherMaher TalksTalks aboutabout America,America, hishis IrishIrish father,father, andand hishis newnew moviemovie onon religionreligion InterviewInterview byby KellyKelly Carlin-McCallCarlin-McCall UNTIL NOVEMBER 30 DISPLAY 11> 0874470 73334 37 Wylie/Linklaters 9/5/08 10:07 AM Page 1 42 CullenDykman 8/31/08 3:17 PM Page 1 43 Quinnipiac 8/31/08 3:20 PM Page 1 40 Cuny 8/31/08 3:15 PM Page 1 57 Keenan Lawfirm 8/31/08 3:24 PM Page 1 Montana Ad Spread 1 9/5/08 10:00 AM Page 1 Montana Ad Spread 1 9/5/08 10:01 AM Page 2 Waterford 8/21/08 6:12 PM Page 1 Waterford Abstract, Inc. would like to congratulate JOHN PHELAN as part of the inaugural Irish Legal 100 and all the other distinguished honorees in 2008. 71 Drexel 8/31/08 3:26 PM Page 1 72 AIG-Kelly 8/31/08 3:53 PM Page 1 IA.73.qxd 9/9/08 5:07 PM Page 73 The Legal Irish America100is proud to present its inaugural Legal 100 feature. The following list is comprised of lawyers from all around the country who share a passion for the law and pride in their heritage. OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2008 IRISH AMERICA 73 Montana Ad Spread 2 9/5/08 10:02 AM Page 1 Montana Ad Spread 2 9/5/08 10:03 AM Page 2 IA.76-86.qxd 9/9/08 1:13 PM Page 76 THE100 LEGAL Wylie Aitken Maureen Bateman Trial lawyer Wylie A. Aitken, founding partner Maureen Scannell Bateman is counsel for the Butzel Long firm in and CEO of the California law firm Aitken, New York City, executive vice president and general counsel of State Aitken and Cohn, was the youngest ever president Street Corporation and partner of Holland & Knight. She sits on sever- in the history of the State Trial Bar and served on al boards, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and serves as a the Federal Judicial Advisory Committee which director of the Catholic Schools’ Foundation of Boston and the Boston recommends the appointment of federal district Bar Foundation. judges. All four of Bateman’s grandparents were born in Ireland. On her Aitken graduated from law school at Marquette mother’s side they hailed from Dublin and Longford, University in 1965 and was recently appointed to the university’s and on her father’s side from Cork and Kerry. Her Law School Advisory Board. He was the recipient of Marquette’s grandfather served on the New York police force, retir- Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. His recent court victories ing as a lieutenant, and her father, David T. Scannell, include a wrongful-death action against Disneyland, after a dislodged graduated from Fordham University, served as a detec- metal cleat on a Disney sailing ship killed a man and disfigured his tive, attended Fordham Law School at night and ulti- wife. The case led California to strengthen theme park safety regula- mately became vice chairman of the Metropolitan tions. Aitken has also worked as a consumer advocate, developing Transit Authority. Bateman also graduated from bilingual consumer protection brochures. Fordham Law School, served on its board of trustees A second-generation Irish-American whose mother’s family hails for twelve years, was vice chairman and is presently trustee fellow. from County Cork, Aitken is married and has three children. He is a Her son, Dan, is a sophomore at Fordham. founding member and the current president of the Celtic Bar Scannell Bateman serves as vice president in the American Irish Association. Historical Society, and is a member of its board of directors. Robert Bennett Aidan Browne Robert S. Bennett, a partner at Aidan F. Browne focuses on the Washington D.C. law firm foreign investment matters in the Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher U.S., Europe and, most recently, and Flom, specializes in civil China. He and criminal enforcement brings over two matters and complex civil litiga- decades of tion. He has represented numer- experience as a ous high-profile corporations corporate and and individuals including commercial real President Clinton in the Paula estate attorney in Jones case and journalist Judith Europe, and a Miller in the CIA leak investiga- foreign legal tion. He also served on the consultant in the U.S., to his National Review Board of the position as Director of Business Catholic Church, which investi- Development for the gated sexual abuse claims. Massachusetts law firm of A member of the Friendly Sullivan & Worcestor. Sons of St. In addition to his work with Patrick, Bennett Sullivan & Worcestor, Browne traces his Irish is the U.S. representative partner heritage to his for Ireland’s largest law firm, maternal grand- A&L Goodbody, and has assist- father who ed Irish companies now located hailed from in the United States with corpo- Limerick. A rate partnerships and market graduate of a development. Susan Bryant Catholic high school in Born in Dublin, with degrees Susan Bryant is the Director of Clinical Programs and a professor of Brooklyn, he attended from Boston’s Suffolk law at the City University of New York School of Law. She designed Georgetown University, the University Law School, the the experiential learning component of the school’s curriculum in the University of Virginia Law Incorporated Law Society of 1980s and, prior to that, directed clinical programs at Hofstra School, and received his Master Ireland, Dublin, and University University’s Law School. of Laws from Harvard. College, Dublin, Browne now Bryant, whose ancestors on both sides emigrated from County Clare Bennett, who is the author of resides in Boston, where he is a in the mid-1850s, received her undergraduate degree from St. Xavier in the recently published book, In member of numerous Irish Chicago and her law degrees from Georgetown University, where she the Ring: Trials of a Washington organizations including the was a Prettyman Fellow. Married with two children, she has served on Lawyer, lives in Washington, Friends of Irish Progressive New York’s Board of Legal Services since 2004 and on the New York D.C., with his wife, Ellen Gilbert Democrats and the Friends of State Diversity Coalition of Legal Services since 2002, and received Bennett, who is also Irish- Irish Labour in North America. the Bill Pincus Award from the Association of American Law Schools American. They have three for her “significant contributions to clinical legal education.” grown daughters. 76 IRISH AMERICA OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2008 IA.Buttimer.qxd 9/10/08 6:09 PM Page 77 THE100 LEGAL Anne Burke Edward D. Burke Edward M. Burke Anne M. Burke is a Justice of Edward D. Burke, Jr. was born Chicago alderman Edward M. Burke has worked the Supreme Court of Illinois. in Brooklyn. He is a graduate of in civic and community affairs for over 25 years. She graduated with a B.A. in Providence College and St. His law firm, Klafter & Burke, has provided legal education from DePaul John’s University Law School services to businesses such as American Airlines, University in 1976 and received (Juris Doctorate). After gradua- Ameritech, Bank One and Harris Bank. her J.D. degree from tion, Burke spent seven years as He is a lifelong resident of Chicago, where his IIT/Chicago-Kent College of a prosecutor with the Suffolk father, Joseph P. Burke, was a Cook County police- Law in 1983. County District Attorney’s man. After graduating in 1968 from DePaul She was elected office. He entered private law in University’s College of Law, Burke served with the Illinois Municipal in 1996 to the 1996 with his father Edward, Sr. Problems Commission, the Chicago Plan Commission and the Chicago First District, In 2005 he opened his own prac- Commission on Economic Development. Alderman Burke became a Appellate Court tice and has been involved in member of the Chicago City Council in 1969 and represents the 14th for a full term. several high-profile cases ward of Chicago. He is Chicago’s longest-serving alderman. Admitted to (Daniel Pelosi; Lizzie Grubman) He is a second generation Irish-American whose grandparents on his the Federal as well as several high-verdict father’s side came from Kerry while his mother’s family hails from Court, Northern negligence cases. Clare. A prominent figure in Chicago’s Irish-American political scene, District of Illinois in 1983, As an active member of the Burke is the chairman of the Irish-American partnership in Chicago Burke served in the United community, Burke was honored and a member of the Irish Fellowship Club. Burke and his wife, Justice States Court of Appeals for the in 2004 by the Independent Anne Burke, live in Chicago. They have three adult children, Jennifer, 7th Circuit in 1985, and in 1987 Group Housing League of Edward and Sarah. certified for the Federal District Suffolk County, which assists Court Trial Bar. Also in 1987, developmentally handicapped Governor James Thompson children. He is a member of the Patrick Burns Edward Buttimer appointed her Judge to the Court New York State Bar Association, Patrick Burns has served as Carrying on his family’s legal of Claims.