Amy Cheng and Fredric "Ric" Cohen today announced the formation of Cheng Cohen, LLP, a Chicago-based firm specializing in corporate, franchise, technology and business litigation.

With more than 30 years of combined experience, the lawyers at Cheng Cohen work with companies of all sizes as dedicated outside general counsel or corporate counsel. Cheng Cohen creates legal strategies that protect clients without losing sight of the company's business objectives. The firm also handles all types of business and commercial litigation from simple contract disputes to complex class actions.

In addition, Amy Cheng and Ric Cohen's extensive franchise experience positions Cheng Cohen as one of the best franchise law firms in the Country. Both Cheng and Cohen have been named "legal eagles" by Franchise Times.

Amy Cheng concentrates her practice in domestic and international commercial transactions, general corporate, and franchise, licensing and distribution law.

Before forming Cheng Cohen, Cheng was a partner with DLA Piper US LLP and its predecessor firms for her entire career. She was a member of DLA's Commercial, Corporate and Franchise & Distribution Practice Groups.

Cheng currently co-chairs the Chicago Chapter of the International Franchise Association's (IFA) Women's Franchise Network and previously co- chaired the Chicago Chapter of the IFA's Franchise Business Network. She has also spoken at and moderated roundtables for conferences and seminars sponsored by the American Bar Association Forum on Franchising and the International Franchise Association.

Ric Cohen is a seasoned litigator, trial lawyer and appellate advocate, who represents clients in state and federal trial and appellate courts across the country and in alternative dispute resolution forums such as arbitration and mediation. Cohen has extensive commercial litigation experience in areas that include contract disputes, antitrust, technology, intellectual property, valuation, and securities actions.

For nearly two decades, Cohen has represented many of the nation's most prominent franchise, licensing and distribution companies in a wide variety of lawsuits from complex multi-forum class action litigation to standard enforcement actions and everything in between.

Before forming Cheng Cohen, Cohen was a partner with DLA Piper US LLP and its predecessor firms for nearly his entire career. He was a member of DLA Piper's Litigation and Franchise & Distribution practice groups, co-chaired the firm's Franchise Litigation practice group, and was the firm's hiring partner.

Cohen has been named to The Best Lawyers in America(R) and The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers and has been selected as a Super Lawyer(R) by "Law & Politics" and "Chicago" magazines, and by his peers as an Illinois Leading Lawyer(R). Cohen is a member of the bars of the United States Supreme Court, the Courts of Appeals for the First, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth and Tenth Circuits, and numerous federal district courts across the country, as well as of the Illinois Supreme Court.

The law firm practices in several areas, with a focus on federal criminal defense, environmental and regulatory law and civil litigation, according to a news release.

Callaghan has been mentioned in political circles across the state as a potential candidate for West Virginia Attorney General or state Supreme Court justice in 2008.

Regarding these rumors, Callaghan commented, "It's flattering to have people holding you in high enough regard to be considered as a potential candidate for those positions. Truth be told, my focus right now is just building my law practice. So, that's what I see in my future for the time being."

Neely and Callaghan have both been media fixtures throughout their careers, given their histories of public service. They hope to capitalize on their experience with civil and criminal cases and plan on working on a deliberately small caseload to help give their clients a very high level of personal attention.

"I look forward to this new phase of my life," Neely said. "Mike and I plan to organize our practice around a small number of difficult cases that clients believe justify the personal attention of senior, experienced lawyers from start to finish."

One of Northern Kentucky's most active community leaders is leaving his law firm for an executive position. A.J. Schaeffer will become principal of Union-based Drug Enhancement Co. of America (DECA) July 31, according to a news release from Greenebaum, Doll & McDonald PLLC.

Schaeffer has been a member of the Covington-based law firm since graduating from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1999. Among his civic activities, he serves as co-chairman of Northern Kentucky's Vision 2015 community planning process.

DECA, a client of Greenebaum, develops health care technologies for treatment of various diseases and disorders. It was founded by Roger Griggs, an entrepreneur who has started several Northern Kentucky-based firms, including Richwood Pharmaceuticals and Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals.

Jeffrey McKenzie, chairman and CEO of Greenebaum, said that although the firm is saddened by Schaeffer's departure, "his extensive participation in the community, coupled with his enthusiasm for serving his clients, is a combination which emulates the Greenebaum culture."

A Business Courier Forty Under 40 winner, Schaeffer is past president of Legacy, a Northern Kentucky civic group for young professionals, and is a frequent public speaker.

Greenebaum, Doll & McDonald operates offices in Covington; Cincinnati; Frankfort; Lexington; Louisville; Washington, D.C.; and Nashville, Tenn.

As an attorney in private practice, White said he intends to reach out to people in the black community.

"One of my goals will be to use the experience and resources of this firm to ensure access to high-quality legal representation to people with serious cases who otherwise might not be able to afford it," White said in a statement appearing on the firm’s Web site.

The law firm said White will focus on civil trials, appeals and business litigation representing investors, shareholders and small-business owners.

Former Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronnie White said Monday that he is joining the law firm of Holloran, White & Schwartz LLP as a partner.

The Missouri Supreme Court announced in May that White planned to retire from the bench July 6.

White served from 2003 to 2005 as the state's first African-American chief justice. He was appointed to the court in October 1995. He previously served as a judge on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District.

Partner Thomas Schwartz said in a statement, "Judge White will focus his practice on civil trials, appeals, and business litigation representing investors, shareholders and small business owners. As a former judge on both the Missouri Court of Appeals and the Missouri Supreme Court, his experience will make him a formidable advocate on the appellate level."

In addition to White, the firm is said it hired Justin Guerra as an associate. Guerra is a graduate of Saint Louis University School of Law and will focus on personal injury cases, including toxic tort, medical malpractice, workplace injuries and serious traffic accidents.

The firm also announced its recently moved to a new location at 2000 S. 8th in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis.

Former U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart has rejoined Pittsburgh law firm Keevican Weiss Bauerle & Hirsch LLC as a member.

Hart was defeated by Jason Altmire last November after serving three terms as the Republican representative from McCandless.

Keevican Weiss Bauerle & Hirsch launched in 1988 and has offices in Cleveland and Harrisburg. In 2003, the firm, then ranked as Pittsburgh's ninth largest and known as DKW Law Group PC, filed for protection from creditors under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy code, emerging successfully later that year. It adopted the current name in early 2006.

Hart said in a statement that she was "happy to be back in a professional capacity at a first-rate organization among long-term friends and colleagues."

During his time at Glankler Brown, and in addition to his civil litigation practice, he represented local government and private business entities as well as home health agencies and medical provider groups.