Wood River law firm changes name to LakinChapman

The former Lakin Law Firm of Wood River has been reorganized and renamed LakinChapman LLC.

Charles Chapman has become a minority partner, the firm’s managing partner, Brad Lakin, said Wednesday.

Chapman is a former appellate judge who has been “of counsel” with the firm since his retirement from the bench in 2001,

Lakin said the restructuring reflected the firm’s growing national presence in certain of its key practice areas. He said the firm has been reorganized into seven practice areas, each overseen by a senior attorney, and those attorneys would serve on a case management council headed by Chapman.

The firm focuses on personal-injury and complex litigation, including class actions. It opened an office in Chicago in 2008 and may soon open another in Phoenix, Lakin said.

Chapman, 66, lives in rural Madison County near Edwardsville. He was a Madison County circuit judge from 1979 to 1988, when he has elected to the 5th District Appellate Court in Mount Vernon. He served there until 2001.

The firm’s offices are at 300 Evans Avenue in Wood River.