Portage law firm gaining clout
Rhame & Elwood adds county's biggest city to client list
NWI Times
Jan 21, 2008
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/portage-law-firm-gaining-clout/article_c933836c-fb77-5190-ad38-e80fde03ac80.html
PORTAGE | When Olga Velazquez set out earlier this month for her first day as mayor, local attorney Ken Elwood was among those by her side.
Elwood, who was part of the team that helped Velazquez squeeze out a close victory over Republican challenger James Snyder, went on to accept a seat in her administration as the new city attorney. His associate, Scott McClure, was named assistant city attorney.
The appointment represented not only a change of the old guard, with the ouster of longtime City Attorney Gregg Sobkowski, but also a boost in influence for Elwood's firm, Rhame & Elwood.
As attorneys for the county's largest city, as well as the county Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals, Rhame & Elwood has more firmly planted itself among the few local firms representing government entities.
What distinguishes these firms is that they don't tend to focus on just a few areas of the law, Elwood said. He said his firm brings a background not only in municipal law, but also litigation and contractual work.
The firm has represented the Portage Township trustee's office, New Chicago and Hobart, he said, in addition to 13 years of experience under the two prior administrations representing various boards in Portage city government. The firm also handles criminal defense, personal injury, family law and business cases.
A few other law firms have been retained to help handle the needs of the 12 or 13 boards in the city, Elwood said. This is nothing new, he said, and is done in part to avoid conflicts or at least the appearance of conflicts between city entities that at times can be at odds with one another.
Elwood said his appointment as city attorney was not a payback for the checks he wrote and the doors he knocked on in helping Velazquez win her seat. He said he would do it all again if he was not named city attorney.
"I'm very excited about the vision she has for the city," said Elwood, who is a longtime resident and co-owner of two new business buildings his firm built along Willowcreek Road.
He also dismissed the idea the city job is a lucrative boon for his firm. He said he receives $225 an hour in his private practice and $140 an hour for the city work.
Elwood believes he was tapped for the city job because his firm is based in Portage and can handle the diverse type of work required. He also is a friend of Velazquez and a loyal supporter of her as mayor.
"I like to be involved in government," he said.
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