10 Years Ago, Mark Hassakis was elected 3rd Vice President of the Illinois State Bar Association6/28/2017 From the May 2007 Article:CHICAGO — Local attorney Mark Hassakis has been elected the third-vice president of the Illinois State Bar Association and by succession will work his way up to be president in 2010.
The announcement was made Friday. Hassakis beat out Springfield attorney Howard Feldman for the position. “I am truly flattered to be elected,” Hassakis said during a phone interview late Friday afternoon. “I am flattered that I had good friends who supported me in the election from everywhere in state — from Chicago, from the middle of the state and from Southern Illinois. I am thankful that all parts of the state had confidence in me to represent all parts of the state in the Illinois Bar Association.” An added honor for the attorney is the fact there hasn’t been an ISBA president from Southern Illinois for at least the last 20 years, he said. And, that attorney was from a large law firm in Carbondale. “I am not aware of any solo practitioner since the 1990s that’s been elected,” he said. Local attorney Shane Carnine said Hassakis’ election is a true honor. “The fact that an attorney from a town of about 16,000 people got over twice the number of votes as that of an attorney from Springfield speaks volumes of Mark’s character and qualifications for the job,” Carnine said. “He has been an asset to the Jefferson County Bar Association for over 30 years, and the rest of the state will now get the benefit of his service.” Campaigning for the position began in November and ever since that time it’s been nonstop work for the local attorney. “I have been traveling the state working to meet people and getting to know the different lawyers and judges,” Hassakis said. “There have been a lot of meetings, a lot of legwork and a lot of miles put on the car.” What his job will entail as third vice president is not yet known, since presidents are assigned to projects and other assignments. He is currently serving his second year of a three-year term on the board of governors and has been working on a project pertaining to the images of lawyers and judges in the state. “We are trying to make sure that people know that attorneys and judges are very active members of the community and that attorneys and judges are one of the most generous professions with their time. Lawyers and judges are good people. We are trying to share that message,” he said. He will be sworn in during the 131st annual meeting of the Illinois State Bar Association at The Abbey Resort on Lake Geneva on June 21. Hassakis first attended Northwestern University to earn a bachelor of science degree in history. He earned his law degree at St. Louis University School of Law in 1976. Soon after, he went to work for his father, Demetri “Dee” Hassakis. Dee Hassakis died in 2003, but Mark continues at the lawfirm.
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