Recruiter Biographies | Chicago Legal Search, Ltd.

Gary A. D’Alessio, Esq.

President

Gary has been involved with the legal profession for more than twenty years. After receiving his B.S.B.A. cum laude from Villanova University in 1976 and J.D. from Tulane University School of Law in 1980, Gary practiced law for five and one-half years at McKenna, Storer, Rowe, White & Farrug. For the past eighteen years, he has been a legal search consultant. Gary was the Co-Chair of the Careers Committee of The Young Lawyers Section of the Chicago Bar Association for two years. He is also a Certified Professional Consultant with the Academy of Professional Consultants and Advisors. His in-depth legal experience and knowledge of the Chicago legal market is well known in the legal recruiting industry. He has been extensively quoted on a variety of issues regarding the legal profession in the Sun Times, Chicago Lawyer, Crain’s Chicago Business, and Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Gary also has been published in the American Bar Association’s Changing Jobs: A Handbook for Lawyers for the 1990’s and the Young Lawyers Section of The Chicago Bar Association’s Lawyers’ Guide to the Chicago Job Market. Gary is a member of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago and the Chicago Area Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he is a world traveler, an Eagle Scout and an avid moviegoer.

Testimonials

Alan J. Rubenstein, Esq.

Executive Vice President

Alan joined Chicago Legal Search as a consultant in 1995. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1986, Alan received his J.D. in 1990 from DePaul University College of Law where he was a Law Review member and the Executive Editor of the DePaul Business Law Journal. Alan spent five years as a commercial litigation and intellectual property associate with Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon in Chicago. He has been widely quoted as an authority on issues pertaining to the legal search profession in numerous national and local publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The American Lawyer, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Lawyer Magazine and Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Alan has spoken before the Chicago Association of Legal Personnel (“CALPA”), the Chicago Bar Association and law schools nationally on legal recruiting matters, and has testified as an expert witness on attorney placement and career matters. Alan has placed hundreds of prominent attorneys in Chicago and throughout the country. He is one of a very limited number of legal recruiters nationally that has personally generated in excess of six million dollars in placement fees. Alan has a passionate commitment to diversity hiring that is well recognized in the industry and he is an active member of the Cook County Bar Association.

Testimonials

Katherine E. Hagman

Consultant

Katherine joined Chicago Legal Search, Ltd. in 2008. Ms. Hagman received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts, where she was an Associate Note Editor of the Journal of High Technology Law. Before law school, Katherine graduated magna cum laude from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a B.S. in Psychology and Sociology, and with distinction in Sociology. Prior to joining Chicago Legal Search, Katherine recruited engineers and accountants for placement in the Chicagoland area. Katherine is an avid pug-lover and enjoys photography, scrapbooking, and snowboarding.

Christine M. Reilly

Consultant

Christine received her J.D. from The John Marshall Law School in 2006, where she served as the Candidacy Editor of The John Marshall Law Review and received a CALI award. Before joining Chicago Legal Search, Ltd., Christine practiced conservation easements, trusts & estates and land use at a Northern Virginia firm. She received her B.A. in Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs with a minor in Spanish from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. During the second semester of Christine's sophomore year, she also lived and studied in Seville, Spain. Christine enjoys playing volleyball, traveling and rooting for her favorite Chicago sports teams.

Testimonial

Shelly Remen Sibul

Senior Consultant

Shelly first joined Chicago Legal Search, Ltd. in 1996, where she spent eight years recruiting and placing attorneys with prominent national and regional law firms and corporations. In 2004, Shelly took a leave-of-absence to raise her two small children and then re-joined the firm in 2008. She received her B.A. from the University of Michigan in 1986 and J.D. from The American University, Washington College of Law in 1989. After practicing law for two and one-half years at the U.S. Office of Special Counsel in Washington, D.C., Shelly spent three years as Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago handling employment matters before federal and state courts, and administrative agencies. Shelly enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.

B. Simone Green

Legal Staffing Director

Simone received her B.A. in Sociology from the University of Iowa, with a minor in Spanish. She is a sustaining member of the Illinois Paralegal Association, National Association of Legal Assistants and National Federation of Paralegal Associations, Inc., and a member of the Northwestern Business College Paralegal Advisory Board. Prior to joining Chicago Legal Search in 1997, Simone interned for President Bill Clinton during his tenure as governor of Arkansas and interned for U.S. Senator David Pryor. Simone is an active member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). She has lent her voice to several award winning television commercials for Wal-Mart and has done projects for Charmin, Toyota and the Illinois Lottery.

Testimonials

Rodney L. Abstone II

Legal Executive and Staffing Consultant

Mr. Abstone received his B.S. in Psychology and B.A in Journalism from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. He then attended Pepperdine University School of Law in Malibu, California. Afterwards, Mr. Abstone returned to Butler University where he received his Master’s Degree in Journalism. Rodney has worked as an editor and general manager for several major publications. Before joining CLS Legal Staffing, he was an administrator for a Chicago-based law firm specializing in child welfare, labor and employment law. As a former law firm administrator, Mr. Abstone also focuses his recruitment on Legal Administrators, Executive Directors, Chief Executive Officers, Chief Operating Officers and other senior-level management. Mr. Abstone is frequently invited to speak at local universities and is often touted by high profile legal executives for his keen knowledge of Chicago’s legal market. He is a Professional Member of the Institute of Management Consultants USA. Rodney serves on the Board of Directors for many different philanthropic and social service organizations throughout Chicago focusing on HIV/AIDS, adolescent homelessness, LGBT issues and the fine arts. He is an active member and Master Mason with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He is also a violist.

Testimonials

Nora Novak

Manager of Client Development and Consultant

Nora has been establishing and expanding client and candidate relationships at Chicago Legal Search since 2004. She received her undergraduate degree with honors from Florida State University and spent several years working in the southeastern U.S. before finally landing in Chicago. Nora is a proud member of SAG and AFTRA.

	Gary A. D’Alessio, Esq. President Gary has been involved with the legal profession for more than twenty years. After receiving his B.S.B.A. cum laude from Villanova University in 1976 and J.D. from Tulane University School of Law in 1980, Gary practiced law for five and one-half years at McKenna, Storer, Rowe, White & Farrug. For the past eighteen years, he has been a legal search consultant. Gary was the Co-Chair of the Careers Committee of The Young Lawyers Section of the Chicago Bar Association for two years. He is also a Certified Professional Consultant with the Academy of Professional Consultants and Advisors. His in-depth legal experience and knowledge of the Chicago legal market is well known in the legal recruiting industry. He has been extensively quoted on a variety of issues regarding the legal profession in the Sun Times, Chicago Lawyer, Crain’s Chicago Business, and Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Gary also has been published in the American Bar Association’s Changing Jobs: A Handbook for Lawyers for the 1990’s and the Young Lawyers Section of The Chicago Bar Association’s Lawyers’ Guide to the Chicago Job Market. Gary is a member of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago and the Chicago Area Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he is a world traveler, an Eagle Scout and an avid moviegoer. Testimonials
	Alan J. Rubenstein, Esq. Executive Vice President Alan joined Chicago Legal Search as a consultant in 1995. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1986, Alan received his J.D. in 1990 from DePaul University College of Law where he was a Law Review member and the Executive Editor of the DePaul Business Law Journal. Alan spent five years as a commercial litigation and intellectual property associate with Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon in Chicago. He has been widely quoted as an authority on issues pertaining to the legal search profession in numerous national and local publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The American Lawyer, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Lawyer Magazine and Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Alan has spoken before the Chicago Association of Legal Personnel (“CALPA”), the Chicago Bar Association and law schools nationally on legal recruiting matters, and has testified as an expert witness on attorney placement and career matters. Alan has placed hundreds of prominent attorneys in Chicago and throughout the country. He is one of a very limited number of legal recruiters nationally that has personally generated in excess of six million dollars in placement fees. Alan has a passionate commitment to diversity hiring that is well recognized in the industry and he is an active member of the Cook County Bar Association. Testimonials
	Katherine E. Hagman Consultant Katherine joined Chicago Legal Search, Ltd. in 2008. Ms. Hagman received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts, where she was an Associate Note Editor of the Journal of High Technology Law. Before law school, Katherine graduated magna cum laude from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a B.S. in Psychology and Sociology, and with distinction in Sociology. Prior to joining Chicago Legal Search, Katherine recruited engineers and accountants for placement in the Chicagoland area. Katherine is an avid pug-lover and enjoys photography, scrapbooking, and snowboarding.
	Christine M. Reilly Consultant Christine received her J.D. from The John Marshall Law School in 2006, where she served as the Candidacy Editor of The John Marshall Law Review and received a CALI award. Before joining Chicago Legal Search, Ltd., Christine practiced conservation easements, trusts & estates and land use at a Northern Virginia firm. She received her B.A. in Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs with a minor in Spanish from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. During the second semester of Christine's sophomore year, she also lived and studied in Seville, Spain. Christine enjoys playing volleyball, traveling and rooting for her favorite Chicago sports teams. Testimonial
	Shelly Remen Sibul Senior Consultant Shelly first joined Chicago Legal Search, Ltd. in 1996, where she spent eight years recruiting and placing attorneys with prominent national and regional law firms and corporations. In 2004, Shelly took a leave-of-absence to raise her two small children and then re-joined the firm in 2008. She received her B.A. from the University of Michigan in 1986 and J.D. from The American University, Washington College of Law in 1989. After practicing law for two and one-half years at the U.S. Office of Special Counsel in Washington, D.C., Shelly spent three years as Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago handling employment matters before federal and state courts, and administrative agencies. Shelly enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.
	B. Simone Green Legal Staffing Director Simone received her B.A. in Sociology from the University of Iowa, with a minor in Spanish. She is a sustaining member of the Illinois Paralegal Association, National Association of Legal Assistants and National Federation of Paralegal Associations, Inc., and a member of the Northwestern Business College Paralegal Advisory Board. Prior to joining Chicago Legal Search in 1997, Simone interned for President Bill Clinton during his tenure as governor of Arkansas and interned for U.S. Senator David Pryor. Simone is an active member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). She has lent her voice to several award winning television commercials for Wal-Mart and has done projects for Charmin, Toyota and the Illinois Lottery. Testimonials
	Rodney L. Abstone II Legal Executive and Staffing Consultant Mr. Abstone received his B.S. in Psychology and B.A in Journalism from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. He then attended Pepperdine University School of Law in Malibu, California. Afterwards, Mr. Abstone returned to Butler University where he received his Master’s Degree in Journalism. Rodney has worked as an editor and general manager for several major publications. Before joining CLS Legal Staffing, he was an administrator for a Chicago-based law firm specializing in child welfare, labor and employment law. As a former law firm administrator, Mr. Abstone also focuses his recruitment on Legal Administrators, Executive Directors, Chief Executive Officers, Chief Operating Officers and other senior-level management. Mr. Abstone is frequently invited to speak at local universities and is often touted by high profile legal executives for his keen knowledge of Chicago’s legal market. He is a Professional Member of the Institute of Management Consultants USA. Rodney serves on the Board of Directors for many different philanthropic and social service organizations throughout Chicago focusing on HIV/AIDS, adolescent homelessness, LGBT issues and the fine arts. He is an active member and Master Mason with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He is also a violist. Testimonials
	Nora Novak Manager of Client Development and Consultant Nora has been establishing and expanding client and candidate relationships at Chicago Legal Search since 2004. She received her undergraduate degree with honors from Florida State University and spent several years working in the southeastern U.S. before finally landing in Chicago. Nora is a proud member of SAG and AFTRA.