SR1609 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1609 LRB098 23261 GRL 62291 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Thomas D. Nyhan of Lisle, who passed away on November 7, 2014; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Nyhan graduated from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 1958 and joined the Chicago law firm of Pope, Ballard, Shepard & Fowle, Ltd., where he became one of the premier workers' compensation defense attorneys in the State; during his 35-year career with Pope, Ballard, Shepard & Fowle, he became senior partner and created a formidable group of workers' compensation attorneys; and

WHEREAS, In 1992, Thomas Nyhan went on to become a founding shareholder of Nyhan, Pfister, Bambrick & Kinzie, P.C.; he retired in 1994 but continued to consult with members of the firm on important issues over the years; with his guidance, Nyhan, Bambrick, Kinzie & Lowry has grown from a 9-attorney workers' compensation defense firm to a premier full-service defense firm handling multi-state civil litigation and Medicare Secondary Payer compliance service in addition to workers' compensation defense and employment; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Nyhan served for many years as the workers' compensation counsel to the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, providing his expertise and guidance on the law in negotiations and representation of employers in a professional and effective manner; and

WHEREAS, In 1982, Thomas Nyhan and his late wife, Donna, created a case precedent resource called Q-Dex for the Illinois workers' compensation community and, until recently, Thomas Nyhan remained active in Q-Dex, which is now presided over by his daughter, Suzanne; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Nyhan was very proud of the fact that he had read every workers' compensation decision of the Commission, the appellate courts, and the supreme courts for over 50 years; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Nyhan was active in numerous professional organizations, serving on the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Illinois Supreme Court, as Executive Secretary of the Illinois Self-Insurers Association, and as an Officer and Director of the National Council of Self-Insurers; he also was a Fellow of the American Bar Association and a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, and the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Nyhan is survived by his wife, Joan Nyhan; his children, Thomas C. Nyhan, Esq., Larry J. Nyhan, Esq., Dennis J. Nyhan, and Suzanne M. Nyhan, Esq.; his daughters-in-law, Beth Nyhan, Esq., Yukiko Nyhan, and Melanie Murphy; his grandchildren, Lauren Nyhan Macklis, Jason Macklis, M.D., Daniel and Lisa Nyhan, and Brendan, Dylan, Nicole, Patrick, Megan, Katherine, and Kara Nyhan; his great-granddaughter, Emily Macklis; and his step-children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Thomas D. Nyhan, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Thomas Nyhan as an expression of our deepest sympathy.