Partner at Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen, P.C.
Mr. Kokal has wide-ranging experience in professional liability, products liability, commercial litigation, and intellectual property. He is licensed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and is a certified information privacy professional (CIPP/US). Mr. Kokal is chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice and Cyber Security and Data Privacy Practice. He has presented for the Illinois CPA Society and Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education on topics such as blockchains, e-discovery, social media, cyber security, and smart contracts. He has also authored various articles published in the Missouri Law Review (where he was managing editor), Springfield Business Journal and InterBusiness Issues. Mr. Kokal received his bachelor of science degree in electrical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, and he worked as an electrical engineer at Ralston Purina in St. Louis prior to attending law school. He received his J.D. degree (Order of the Coif) from the University of Missouri School of Law.

Member at Karball, Cohen, Economou, Silk & Dunne, LLC
Mr. Marshall has a diverse litigation practice representing design professionals, condominium associations, real estate and insurance brokers, attorneys, and other licensed professionals in contract, tort, compliance, and fraud-based litigation. Mr. Marshall represents a variety of design professionals, including architects, professional and structural engineers, land surveyors, and design-builders. His representation of those professionals includes the areas of breach of contract, construction delay, professional negligence, pre-suit resolution, and arbitrations. Mr. Marshall has tried numerous bench and jury cases and arbitrations and has negotiated hundreds of settlements through formal mediation and informal negotiation. He also drafts and negotiates design and construction contracts for his clients.Mr. Marshall often lectures to real estate, construction, design, and condominium associations and their members on contract negotiation, litigation techniques, risk management, and professional liability.

Tina Paries is an income member at Bryce Downey & Lenkov LLC. She focuses her practice on all aspects of construction law, representing a wide variety of clients in connection with both public and private projects. She drafts and negotiates construction contracts and joint venture agreements. Ms. Paries also handles disputes related to mechanic’s liens, construction defect claims, acceleration and delay claims, contract claims and insurance coverage issues. She has also authored a number of construction-related publications and is a branding committee member of the Society of Illinois Construction Attorneys. 

Scott W.  Smilie is a partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group of the firm. Mr. Smilie’s experience includes the prosecution, licensing, and litigation of patents, trademarks and copyrights.  As a member of the Patent Bar, he has prepared and prosecuted patents before the Patent and Trademark Office concerning diverse technologies including GPS-related systems, business methods, electrical connectors, coupler members for heavy-duty machinery, mechanical tools, and medical devices.  Mr. Smilie was admitted to the Illinois State Bar and the Bar of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in 1997, and he is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.  He is a member of the Chicago Bar Association and the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago.

Matthew A. Walker is an associate attorney at Lathrop GPM whose practice includes all areas of environmental law, including litigation, regulatory compliance, and due diligence in corporate transactions. Prior to joining Lathrop, he served as an assistant attorney general with the Environmental Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. Mr. Walker graduated from the joint degree program at the University of Illinois earning his J.D. and M.S. degrees in Natural Resources and Environmental Science.