Law Firm Overview

Law is my third career. I have almost thirty years of practical contact with people as a small business owner/entrepreneur and over fifteen years of experience as a teacher in higher education. My life-long interest in civil liberties finally led me to law school. Now I am facilitating others in forming, buying, selling, and expanding their own businesses. And I am committed to help the ordinary person who has been wronged by big business or government. Enhancing the life of "individuals-in-community" is the goal of my practice of law.

Areas of Practice

• Bankruptcy Law
• Business & Commercial Law
• Business Organizations
• Estate Planning
• Trusts
• Wills

Honors and Awards

• Whitlock Award, Calumet Chapter Indiana Civil Liberties Union , 2001
• Outstanding Program Award, Porter County Inns of Court, 1999 - 2000
• Legal Ethics Award, Valparaiso University School of Law, 1998
• Robert G. Risk Award, Indiana Civil Liberties Union, 1998
• Chapter Service Award, Indiana Civil Liberties Union, 1994

Published Works

• "Science, Religion, and the Law" , Currents in Theology and Mission, 28:3 and 4, August, 2001
• "Religion and Science in America: Populism vs. Elitism", Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science, 33:1, March, 1998
• "Black Elk Speaks in the Introductory Course" , Spotlight on Teaching, Religious Studies News, 10:1, February, 1995
• "From Belief to Unbelief and Back to Belief: A Response to Michael Ruse" , Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science, 29:1, March, 1994
• "Method and Justification in Religious Cognition: Ritschl's Epistemology in Light of Some Contemporary Issues in Science and Religion", Community, Science and Theology: Albrecht Ritschl's Significance for Twentieth Century Theology, 1994
• "Philip Hefner is Walking, Stretching and Building", Dialog: A Journal of Theology, 31.1, Winter, 1992
• Papers of the Nineteenth Century Theology Working Group, Berkeley, CA, (Co-editor), AAR Annual Meeting, 1989
• "Attorney Katz, Not Protestor, is Shouting 'Fire'" (Guest Editorial), The Times, February, 2002
• Editorials , Bulletin of the Council of Societies for the Study of Religion: 18:1, 18:2, 18:3, 18:4, 1989
• Editorials , Bulletin of the Council of Societies for the Study of Religion: 19:1, 19:2, 19:4 , 1990
• Editorials , Bulletin of the Council of Societies for the Study of Religion: 20:2, 20:4, 1991
• Editorials , Bulletin of the Council of Societies for the Study of Religion: 21:1, 21:3, 21:4, 1992
• Editorials , Bulletin of the Council of Societies for the Study of Religion: 22:1, 22:4, 1993
• Editorials , Bulletin of the Council of Societies for the Study of Religion: 23:1, 23:2, 23:4, 1994
• Editorials , Bulletin of the Council of Societies for the Study of Religion: 24:1, 24:2, 1995
• Editorial, Common Ground: A Forum for Civil Liberties Issues 1.1, May, 1995
• Editorials, Insignts, the Magazine of the Chicago Center for Religion and Science, 1:1, 1:2, 1989
• Editorials, Insignts, the Magazine of the Chicago Center for Religion and Science, 2:1, 2:2, 1990
• Editorials, Insignts, the Magazine of the Chicago Center for Religion and Science, 3:1, 1991
• Editorials, Insignts, the Magazine of the Chicago Center for Religion and Science, 4:1, 1992
• Editorials, Insignts, the Magazine of the Chicago Center for Religion and Science, 5:1, 1993
• Editorials, Insignts, the Magazine of the Chicago Center for Religion and Science, 6:1, 1994
• "1st Amendment Crafted to Benefit Religion" (Guest Editorial), Gary Post Tribune, July, 1993
• Editorial, Science and Religion News, 4:2, Summer, 1993
• "Patriotism and Civil Liberties" (Guest Editorial), Gary Post Tribune, March, 1991
• "Patriotism and Civil Liberties" (Guest Editorial), The Advocate, Indiana Civil Liberties Union, Spring, 1991

Classes and Seminars

• Visiting Lecturer in Theology and Ethics, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, 1996 - 1997
• Adjunct Assistant Professor of Political Science, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN, 2000
• Adjunct Lecturer in History and Philosophy, Indiana University Northwest, Gary, IN, 1989 - 1993
• Visiting Professor in Philosophy and Religious Studies, Indiana University Northwest, Gary, IN, 1994
• Adjunct Instructor in Philosophy, Course: Ethics and Morality, College of St. Francis, Joliet, IL, 1987 - Present
• Part-time Assistant Professor of Theology, Valparaiso University, 1985 - 1988
• Visiting Asistant Professor of Theology, Valparaiso University, 1984 - 1985
• Part-time Instructor in Philosophy, Valparaiso University, 1983
• Teaching Assistant in Systematic Theology, LSTC, 1978 - 1982

Pro Bono Activities

• ACLU
• Lake County Pro Bono Committee

Representative Cases

• Alston v. King, 231 F.3d 383 (7th Circuit 2000)

References

• Maria Elena Restaurant, Valparaiso, IN
• Laser Printer Technology, Portage, IN

Ancillary Businesses

• Owner-Operator of Dr. Vegetable Inc. (Food Concession Business)

West Practice Categories

Bankruptcy Law, Business & Commercial Law, Business Organizations, Estate Planning, Trusts, Wills