The Firm’s philosophy is to provide the highest standard of professional service consistent with the greatest economy for the client. The Firm has developed and maintained a strong regional presence encompassing many practice areas within the scope of both personal and commercial transactions and litigation. Clients are provided counsel and advice on a wide range of legal concerns, ranging from acquisitions of assets, and related due diligence considerations, to insurance coverage for risk management of the construction and operation of improvements, to title to minerals for extraction, as well as risk management of employment practices.

The negotiation of the detailed terms of a sale and purchase transaction, and the drafting of the papers needed to document the agreement, are an integral part of the firm’s services for transactional clients, with timeliness combined with a thorough identification and evaluation of the risks and benefits being the hallmark of the Firm. The Firm’s litigation practice extends to administrative bodies as well as state and federal courts on these topics, in addition to the Firm’s long-standing practice in the defense of personal injury claims.

The members of the Firm have consistently been honored by their peers, from fellowship in the American College of Trial Lawyers to active participation in the Illinois State Bar Assn., and most notably an active role as officers and board members of the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel. Several members continue to publish regularly with the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, and produce other professional writings including the definitive resource on the Illinois Workers Compensation Act and the Occupational Disease Act. Many members have presented at CLE seminars and regional meetings of Human Resources professional organizations.

On December 13, 2024, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed John F. Watson as a member of the Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) Board, effective January 1, 2025, for a term expiring December 31, 2026.  In September 2005, the Illinois Supreme Court established minimum continuing legal education (“MCLE”) requirements for Illinois attorneys. The Court, as part of that undertaking, created the MCLE Board to operate as an arm of the Court and administer the MCLE program.  The MCLE Board consists of nine members appointed by the Court. The MCLE Board, Director, and staff work daily to administer the MCLE program and educate attorneys and course providers.

Julie A. Webb made a presentation regarding Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis to the Arbitrators and Commissioners of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission on September 19, 2024, as part of the Commission’s annual Judicial Training. Julie shared with the Commissioners the importance of B-readings and Pulmonary Function Tests in making a diagnosis of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis or other occupational diseases related to exposure incurred while working in the coal mine. She also shared a video with the group showing the conditions, equipment and jobs performed in the coal mine.

On August 16, 2024, John L. Barger obtained an Order from the Circuit Court for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Shelby County, Illinois, in a Chancery Division case that his clients were in substantial compliance with a prior order of the Circuit Court directing them to develop their land in a particular way. This ruling was entered after a two-day purge trial. The Order brings to a conclusion almost two decades of litigation which included several appeals to the Illinois Appellate Court and the filing of a petition for leave to appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court.

In January 2020, Julie Webb was appointed to the Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee by Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier. Julie was reappointed for a second term on the Committee in January 2023 by Justice David Overstreet. The Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee studies and recommends new Supreme Court Rules or modifications to existing Rules. The Committee receives rule proposals from the Supreme Court, Supreme Court or Judicial Conference Committees, the bench, the bar or the public. The Committee considers the merits of the proposal to determine whether it should be placed on agenda for public hearing or whether it should be referred to another Supreme Court or Judicial Conference Committee. If the proposal is returned with a favorable recommendation, it is placed on the agenda for public hearing. Following the public hearing the Rules Committee forwards the proposal to the Illinois Supreme Court with a recommendation to adopt or not adopt the proposal. Julie’s term expires on December 31, 2025.

John L. Barger was recently involved in the closing of the sale of 104 acres of Coles County farmland.  The farmland sold at an auction on December 15, 2022.

R. Sean Hocking wins two week wrongful death medical malpractice trial.  R. Sean Hocking in the Mattoon office of Craig & Craig, LLC recently secured a zero verdict for an emergency room physician resulting from a two week wrongful death, medical malpractice jury trial in Sangamon County, Illinois.

The Plaintiff made a multi-million dollar settlement demand before trial. The case was defended on the issues of both liability and causation in regard to an approximately fifty year old male who died in the emergency room of a pulmonary embolism. The trial spanned over two weeks in length and involved the examination of five medical expert witnesses in the areas of emergency medicine, urgent care, and pulmonology.

John F. Watson Elected Secretary/Treasurer of Statewide Defense Attorney Association.  John F. Watson of Craig & Craig, LLC in Mattoon was elected Secretary/Treasurer and to a position on the Executive Committee of the Illinois Defense Counsel (IDC) at the organization’s Annual Meeting, held June 24, 2022. Mr. Watson will progress through the positions in the Executive Committee to become President in June 2026.

John L. Barger made a presentation regarding basic estate planning to seniors at the Cumberland County Life Center.  They discussed ownership of bank accounts and investments, powers of attorney and general estate planning considerations.  They were joined by Susan Sowers at First Neighbor Bank for the presentation. 

John L. Barger recently closed the sale of approximately 600 acres of Coles County farmland sold at auction.

On September 13, 2018, at the invitation of Chairperson Joann Fratianni, Ken Werts provided judicial training for the Commission at its annual retreat for that purpose in Oak Park, Illinois. At the Call of the Docket of the Appellate Court Workers’ Compensation Division September 18 through September 20, 2018 Ken Werts and Julie Webb presented argument on seven occupational disease claims. The Appellate Court in each case either affirmed the denial of the claim or reversed to a denial. The cases were: Mark Johns v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, (Freeman United Coal Mining Co.) 2018 IL App (4th) 170619WC-U, Warren Spann v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, ( Tri County Coal, LLC) 2018 IL App (5th) 170359WC-U, Michael Wood v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, (Centre Crown Mining, LLC) 2018 IL App (5th) 170361WC-U, Robert Walch v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, (Freeman United Coal Mining Co.) 2018 IL App (4th) 170945WC-U, The American Coal Company v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, (Jimmie Boatright) 2018 IL App (5th) 170451WC-U, Edgar Bledsoe v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, (The American Coal Co.) 2018 IL App (5th) 180012WC-U and Lester Stevens v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, (Freeman United Coal Mining Co.) 2018 IL App (4th) 180089WC-U. On October 8, 2018 Ken also presented the Case Law Update on Workers’ Compensation for the Illinois State Bar Association at CLE it presented for downstate attorneys. The latest edition of Ken’s book, Illinois Workers’ Compensation Guidebook 2018 is now available for purchase from LexisNexis.
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