Bridging Chicago

Disclaimer: Please be advised that this podcast covers sensitive topics, including discussion of child sexual abuse, violence, and sexual assault.

As the next guest to join our “Women Championing Change” podcast series, we have Dr. Maria Nanos, the Executive Director of the Center for Law and Social Work. Passionate about her career, Dr. Nanos believes that her daring personality, desire to help others, and dynamic life experiences all led her to pursue social work.

With these interests in mind, Dr. Nanos worked towards receiving her Ph.D. in Clinical Social Work from the Institute for Clinical Social Work in Chicago, and also obtained her masters in social work from Jane Addams, University of Illinois. She was hired as the youngest member to work with children who had been sexually abused in the Special Services Unit at Juvenile Court in Chicago’s Cook County. Starting her clinical career in 1987, Dr. Nanos’ primary focus was to work with children and families dealing with sexual abuse and neglect. With her involvement, she was able to gain a strong understanding in how to provide investigation, therapy, counseling, and other aiding services for the protection and safety of children, and the stabilization of families.

As the Executive Director for Center for Law and Social work, Dr. Nanos also works with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and specializes in adoption and guardianship for numerous families in Chicago. As a program of CLSW, Dr. Nanos also manages Porchlight Counseling Services, which offers free therapy sessions for students who have been sexually assaulted. In addition to this work, Dr. Nanos is also a professor at Loyola University, in the Masters of Social Work program. Dr. Nanos and CLSW consistently work towards their goal of “Promoting Families | Providing Hope | Protecting Lives”

In this fast paced and technologically driven society, it is important for businesses to know how to deliver and portray information to their audiences using concise and effective strategies. In this podcast we dive further into the topic of strategic marketing with Jocelyn Brumbaugh, the founder of “The Brumbaugh Group.” Having more than 20 years of experience in legal marketing and communication, Jocelyn successfully developed strategic and process driven plans that help law firms and other professionals market and promote their services. In addition, Jocelyn is also the founder of the nonprofit trade group, “Legal & Professional Services Council”, where she conducts programming for over 500 members, covering topics in business development, marketing, and communications for law firms and other professional service firms. Her main goal is to help individuals focus on developing their professional skills in marketing, while also creating a networking environment in which to build connections and expand growth for new opportunities. To learn more about how to get involved with this organization, visit thelpsc.com

Betsy Marsala of NEAT Method by SATC Solution Center

An announcement of our Women's History Month series.

Mike Smith of Termax Corporation by SATC Solution Center

Students aren’t the only ones back from holiday break. Joining us for our Back to School podcast special is our host Savannah’s own law professor, Spencer Waller. In the episode, Professor Waller describes his winding trajectory with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (as a staff law clerk), to the U.S. Department of Justice (first as a trial attorney in the Foreign Commerce Section of the Antitrust Division and later as a special attorney in the Chicago Strike Force of the Criminal Division), to Freeborn and Peters in private practice. Years into his career, he caught the ‘teaching bug’ and decided to embark on the lengthy process of becoming a law professor. For those interested in teaching law, Professor Waller breaks down his process of getting there. He taught at Brooklyn Law School for 10 years before finally transitioning to Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where he’s been at since 2000. Professor Waller also serves as the Faculty Director of the Institute for Consumer Antitrust Studies. His passion for teaching and researching antitrust law really shines through.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Bridging Chicago!!

In this episode, we will be exploring the murky waters of the unlicensed practice of law and the minefield it presents to the unwary.  Our featured guest, Scott A. Kozlov, is a lawyer who investigates other lawyers (and those pretending to be lawyers) to promote and protect the integrity of the legal profession. You will hear how, in 2011, Scott assisted in writing a Supreme Court rule that effectively gave the Illinois Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (ARDC)  the power to safeguard against the unlicensed practice of law. Scott also discusses how, as Senior Counsel and the Director of Unauthorized Practice of Law Litigation for the ARDC, he examines, investigates, and when necessary prosecutes the misconduct of attorneys and attorney imposters. 

A graduate of Valparaiso University School of Law and Eastern Illinois University, Scott’s career has taken him from being an investigator with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, to a court coordinator with the Circuit Court of Cook County, to an associate with general practice law firm in Arlington Heights, to an Assistant Public Guardian in Cook County, and finally to the ARDC.  Scott is also an Adjunct Professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law  and teaches professional responsibility.

Scott has also served and continues to serve the legal community and the public by volunteering his time and knowledge with several legal organizations.  In 2004, he chaired the Chicago Bar Association’s Government Service Committee.  Since 2007, he has been the Chair of its Unauthorized Practice and Multidisciplinary Practice Committee.  Since 2009, Scott has been appointed to the Illinois State Bar Association’s Task Force on the Unauthorized Practice of Law. In 2015 and in 2017, he was the Chair of the American Bar Association’s Unauthorized Practice of Law School, which trains attorneys on various aspects of investigating and prosecuting unauthorized practice of law.  He also currently serves on the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Client Protection and is the Chair of the Northwest Suburban Bar Association’s Ethics Committee. 

In addition to his involvement in the legal community, Scott was a nationally ranked competitive figure skater, and he still finds the time and energy to be a professional skating instructor, which he has done for over two decades for several suburban park districts.

Miranda Parker is on the acquisitions team of Syndicated Equities where she seeks out new investment deals for syndicated cash as well as 1031 exchanges. Her passion for sustainability and green energy has led to her participation as an active member of the Urban Land Institute, ICSC International Council of Shopping Centers, and U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

In this episode, Miranda discusses her career and what it means to work with Syndicated Equities. She also examines her experience as a woman in a male dominated field and describes how to better adapt buildings for greater sustainability.

Stan Nitzberg is Principal and the Executive Vice President of Mid-America Real Estate Corporation, the Midwest’s leading full-service retail real estate organization. He also serves on the Board of Directors for many philanthropic organizations, including the Metropolitan YMCA of Chicago, the Magnificent Mile Association, and the Chicago Loop Alliance. Mr. Nitzberg is also a past Director of the Chicago Police Foundation and the past President of The Magnificent Mile Charitable Foundation. In 2016, Stan was the recipient of Holsten Human Capital Development’s Community Sustainability Award for his two decades of support of affordable housing as a viable way of ending homelessness. He is also a six-time recipient of the Chicago Retail Broker of the Year Award.

Stan’s focus is on urban retail projects, having transacted leases for more than two million square feet of retail on North Michigan Avenue, Oak Street, State Street and North/Clybourn markets. He has also been directly involved in the closing of more than $2 billion of retail investment sale transactions, including properties on North Michigan Avenue and Oak Street.

In this podcast, Stan reflects upon his wildly vast experience and shares his thoughts on the evolution of the Chicago real estate market.