Recent News and Accomplishments of Attorneys at Coman & Anderson, P.C.

Feed My Starving Children

In an effort to give back to the community it serves, the attorneys and staff of Coman & Anderson P.C., recently volunteered at the Feed My Starving Children facility in Aurora, Illinois. Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit Christian organization committed to caring for the physical and spiritual needs of young children both in our country and abroad. Firm members and their families donned the obligatory hair nets and hand packed meals specifically formulated for malnourished children (the meals are shipped to nearly 70 countries around the world). After just two short hours, meals were packed for over 4,000 children! All volunteers enjoyed and appreciated the experience and plan to make it a regular event on the Firm’s list of annual volunteer activities.

Relocation Celebration

On Thursday, November 17th, the attorneys of Coman & Anderson, P.C. welcomed clients and business associates to join in the celebration of the firm’s new location. Having recently relocated to the Corporetum Office Complex located at 650 Warrenville Rd., Ste. 500, Lisle, Illinois, the Firm’s partners wanted to introduce guests to their new space. A cocktail and hors d’oeuvres reception was enjoyed by nearly 300 attendees, and a donation was made by the Firm to the Salvation Army Red Kettle Fund on behalf of those who attended.

Coming...

• James A. Hochman and the Firm, under the sponsorship of various parties, will be offering both core and elective courses for Continuing Education for commercial real estate salespersons, brokers, and managing brokers September, 2011. In addition, the Firm will be offering preparatory courses for licensees who plan to take the proficiency exams in an effort to become either a broker or managing broker. Schedules for the courses will be posted periodically on this page of the Firm’s website.
• In September, 2011, Coman & Anderson employees will be volunteering their time to pack food for the Feed My Starving Children organization in Aurora, Illinois.  This event is part of an organized effort on the part of the Firm to give back to western suburban communities through a series of volunteer activities staffed by its employees.  The Firm sponsors a minimum of 2-3 such events each year.
• Mark D. Anderson will be a featured speaker at the National Business Institute’s fall seminar scheduled for October 31in Chicago.  Mark’s presentation will cover planning and representation issues with respect to Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) and S-Corporations.  More information will be made available as the date of the seminar approaches.
• William J. Cotter is scheduled to speak at the February, 2011 meeting of the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association in Hollywood, Florida. His topic will be “2010 Legal Changes Affecting Small Businesses and Contractors”.

Spring, 2011

• In May, 2011, James A. Hochman spoke to the licensed professionals at National Sperry Van Ness about “Real Estate License Portability”.  His presentation was focused on how brokers can/should protect their fees and licenses.
• William J. Cotter spoke at the February, 2011 meeting of the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association in Hollywood, Florida.  His topic was “2010 Legal Changes Affecting Small Businesses and Contractors”.
• Thomas G. Oddo successfully defended a company and its two owners who were sued for allegedly stealing trade secrets in the form of customer and vendor lists and proprietary chemical formulas.  Mr. Oddo was able to settle the matter for “nuisance value”, with no restrictions on his clients’ ability to compete against the plaintiff.
• In February, 2011 Coman & Anderson employees volunteered their services to assist with food separation and packaging at the Northern Illinois Food Bank.  This event is part of an organized effort on the part of the Firm to give back to western suburban communities through a series of volunteer activities staffed by its employees.  The Firm sponsors a minimum of 2-3 such events each year.

Winter, 2010-11

• Thomas G. Oddo successfully defended one member of a closely held LLC against the claims of the other member, who was seeking $500,000 to purchase his interest in the LLC. Mr. Oddo convinced the mediation Judge that the claim was excessive, resulting in a settlement amount of just $12,500.
• William J. Cotter published a feature article (“The New Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010”) in the Winter, 2011 edition of The Surety Report, published by insurance consultants, DSP Insurance Services.
• The January, 2011 issue of Chicago Magazine, honoring the “2011 Illinois Super Lawyers”, has designated David A. Newby a 2011 Super Lawyer in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights.
• In December, 2010, James A. Hochman presented a course on “Effective Negotiating Skills for Brokers” to the Peoria Area Association of Realtors in Peoria, Illinois.
• William J. Cotter has become a member of the “Professional Services Committee” of the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association. In January, 2011 he was a featured speaker in a webinar hosted by the Association. In the webinar he analyzed the estate and gift tax changes introducted by the “New Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010”.
• Thomas G. Oddo successfully defended a corporate client against alleged violations of consumer protection statutes. Mr. Oddo convinced opposing counsel that the commonality of facts and damages necessary to ultimately certify a class did not exist, and also managed claims on the individual matter to a nominal amount.
• The Firm, represented by James A. Hochman, has been admitted to the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) as an Associate Member. SIOR is a leading professional commercial and industrial real estate association. Admission to SIOR is a symbol of the highest level of professional knowledge, production, and ethics in the real estate industry.

Fall, 2010

• In October, 2010, James A. Hochman published an article in the SIOR Professional Report (3rd Quarter) entitled “Protecting Your Right to Future Commissions”. The article is directed at commercial real estate brokers, and addresses the issues of earning and collecting lease commissions for the exercise of tenants’ options.
• In October, 2010, James A. Hochman presented a day long course on “Negotiating Commercial Leases” for the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) in Dallas, Texas.
• In October, 2010, James A. Hochman presented a course on “Avoiding Litigation, and Effective Negotiating Skills for Brokers” for the Oklahoma Association of Realtors in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
• On October 8, 2010, Mark D. Anderson spoke at the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education's seminar titled "Advanced Asset Protection". His topic will be on how to protect business assets from both business and personal claims.
• On November 4, 2010, Mark D. Anderson made a presentation at the Fox Valley Chapter of the Illinois CPA Society on the "Effective Use of Business Entities to Protect Business Assets from Creditors".
• Thomas G. Oddo successfully defended an individual against a temporary restraining order (TRO) brought by his former employer who argued that the individual could not work for his new employer as a result of a non-competition agreement. Mr. Oddo also negotiated an employment agreement with the individual's new employer.
• Mark Anderson has updated his chapter titled "LLC Operating Agreements" for the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education. The chapter is part of the IICLE's handbook titled Limited Liability Companies and S Corporations, and focuses on a discussion of legal issues present in drafting an operating agreement.

Summer, 2010

• The Firm completed a business sale for one of its clients to a NASDAQ listed publicly traded entity. The transaction involved operations both in the United States and the United Kingdom. The total consideration in stock and cash was valued at just over $90 million.
• Mark Anderson is updating his chapter on "Protecting Business Assets" for the book Asset Protection Planning, published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education. This will cover the protection of business assets from both business and personal claims. It also addresses the protection of personal assets from business claims. Publication of the new edition of this book is expected in Spring, 2011.
• Thomas G. Oddo settled severance claims initiated by several mortgage account executives who had been terminated by a national bank without severance consideration. Mr. Oddo successfully argued that the banks severance policies came under the purview of ERISA, and that commissions should fall under the definition of salary.

Spring, 2010

• David A. Newby joined Coman & Anderson, P.C. as a partner, continuing his practice in business bankruptcy and commercial litigation.
• The Martindale-Hubble Attorney Registry rates attorneys across the United States under its Peer Review Rating System. Daniel G. Coman has marked his 10^th anniversary as an "AV/Preeminent" rated attorney under the Peer Review Rating System, which is the very highest possible ranking.
• William J. Cotter has posted a new white paper to the Publications section of the Firm's website titled, "Recommended Guidelines for Estate Planning Records Retention."
• Thomas G. Oddo represented a custom home builder in default with its bank to clear title to the property, and sell it at a short sale that resulted in no personal liability for the builder. A total of eleven mechanics lien claims were either negotiated or settled in the process.

Winter, 2009-10

• William J. Cotter was one of the program presenters on "Tax Issues Facing Small Business Owners" at a breakout session of the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association at its annual convention in Hawai'i in February, 2010.
• Mark Anderson continues to serve on the Board of Finance for St. John's Lutheran Church and School, in Lombard, IL.
• James A. Hochman recently secured a favorable result in The Tideman Company v. Aircraft Gear Corporation et al, from the Appellate Court (First District). Jim represented a commercial real estate broker who was denied his commission on an industrial lease. Based on the broker's motion for summary judgment, judgments of foreclosure on the lien and money damages, including the commission, prejudgment interest, attorney fees, and costs were awarded. This is Jim's second favorable result at the Appellate Court level collecting significant real estate commissions on the legal theory of "brokers as third party beneficiaries," and it may well settle the law in Illinois in this area.

Fall, 2009

• James A. Hochman was a presenter on November 19-20, 2009 to the Quad City Area Realtor® Association in Bettendorf, IA where he spoke on "Avoiding Litigation" and "Property Management: Rights and Duties."
• On November 12, 2009, James A. Hochman lectured on a number of real estate law topics in the inaugural offering of a Real Estate Certificate Program for Lewis University, Romeoville, IL.
• In November, 2009, the Firm became an Associate Member of the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association, and William J. Cotter joined its Professional Services Committee.
• On November 5, 2009, Mark D. Anderson gave a well-received presentation to the Fox Valley Chapter of the Illinois Certified Public Accountants Society.
• In November, 2009, George Weems assisted one of the Firm's national clients in the negotiation and closing of a complex $5MM acquisition of a suburban office building.
• On November 5, 2009, James A. Hochman gave a presentation in Charleston, SC on "Getting Paid" to the Commercial and Industrial Division of the Trident Area Association of Realtors.
• On October 27, 2009, William J. Cotter and his co-panelists, as part of the Entrepreneurial Armada, shared their thoughts on business succession and related topics and strategies at the Old Town Bank & Trust, Bloomingdale, Illinois.
• Later in October, 2009, James A. Hochman was a key speaker at the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors® World Conference in Toronto, Canada. Jim presented a breakout session on AssureLease (the new solution to security deposit issues in lease negotiations), and he presented a roundtable discussion on the important topic of Getting Paid.
• On October 2, 2009, James A. Hochman presented his thoughts on "Understanding the Lease Agreement" to the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors® in Charlotte, N.C.

Summer, 2009

• In 2009, William J. Cotter became active in the "Entrepreneurial Armada," a cross-disciplinary group of professionals dedicated to providing solutions to small and medium business particularly in the area of succession planning. The group presents periodical educational programs to business owners and their advisors.
• William J. Cotter represented one of the firm's real estate clients in the successful acquisition of a significant industrial plant and 80 acre expansion site in New Castle, PA from a national REIT.

Spring, 2009

• Coman & Anderson, P.C. was honored by the Naperville, Illinois Chamber of Commerce by being nominated as the Naperville Area "Small Business of the Year" award for excellence in providing service to its clients.
• Thomas G. Oddo continues his active participation as a member of the Board of Trustees of Benet Academy, in Lisle, Illinois.
• In May, 2009, James A. Hochman presented two topics to the NAR/Reno Association of Realtors® in Reno, NV – one on "Broker Lien Rights & What a Lawyer Expects of a Broker, and What a Broker Wants From a Lawyer" and "The Anatomy of a Purchase and Sale Agreement."
• In the Friday, May 1, 2009 edition of REJournals.com – Commercial Real Estate News, William J. Cotter published an article titled "Enhancing Credit Through Master Leases," concerning strategies being used by some commercial landlords to provide some additional financial backbone to their projects.
• James A. Hochman was well received by the Lafayette, LA based NAR/REALTOR® Association of Acadiana in May, 2009 where he addressed the group on "Getting Paid and Avoiding Litigation."