VAB Supports Black Futures

This month VAB Law is proud to highlight the work our team members are doing in the community to support Black women embarking on bright futures:

Our very own Deborah Imafidon is a dedicated member of the BLACK WOMEN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP FUND Board and recently co-chaired their gala, which provides vital financial support to aspiring Black women law students.

We also want to celebrate LaWanda May, MSHR’s commitment to Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., where she is a member (pictured here with her daughter, Nia, who is a youth affiliate of the Sorority). LaWanda has been dedicated to their mission of enhancing the quality of life within the community through service and education for 26 years!

Happy Black History Month and here's to Black Futures!

Congratulations to Team Members Named as 2025 Leading Lawyers!

Way to go team! VABLaw's Susan Valentine, Lydia Bueschel, Erica Byrd, Sandy Morris, Reena Sikdar and Jennifer Novoselsky were all selected this year Leading Lawyers for the year 2025 by leadinglawyers.com. Leading Lawyers are recommended by their peers to be among the TOP LAWYERS in a given practice area. Less than 5% of all lawyers licensed in each state have received this distinction. Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/eKnfWErM

VAB Celebrates Our 2026 Super Lawyers

A VABulous round of applause to Susan Valentine, Aurora Austriaco, Lydia Bueschel, Sandy Morris, Erica Byrd and Jennifer Novoselsky for being included on the "Illinois Super Lawyers" list and to Reena Sikdar, Deborah Imafidon and Preslav Mantchev for their inclusion on the "Illinois Rising Stars" list!

VAB Welcomes Preslav Mantchev

VAB Law is pleased to announce that Preslav Mantchev is joining the firm as an Associate. We’re thrilled to have Preslav on our commercial litigation team, where he litigates and arbitrates financial disputes.

Welcome Preslav!

VAB Welcomes Lance Willoughby-Hudson & William Powers

Please help us welcome Lance Willoughby-Hudson who joins us as an Associate focusing on Internal Investigations and William Powers who will be our Legal and Office Assistant. We’re thrilled both of you have joined theVAlaw team!

VAB Sends Thanks and Best Wishes to Summer Intern Noah Jackson

A big thank you to Noah Jackson for serving as our summer intern in 2025! Noah wrapped up his work with VAB on Friday and returns this week to Howard University for his Senior year, majoring in journalism with a minor in economics. Noah performed wonderful work for VAB on a number of substantive research and writing assignments, firm presentations, and administrative projects. We wish you the best this year and beyond, Noah – any law school would be lucky to have you enter as a first year student in fall 2026!

Welcome Octavia King as Billing Specialist and Bookkeeper

#VABLaw is thrilled to add Billing Specialist and Bookkeeper Octavia King to our small but mighty administrative team. She brings large law firm experience and a winning attitude, making her a VABulous fit for our practice. Welcome Octavia!

Welcome New Associate Jack Casey

#VABLaw is pleased to announce that Jack Casey is joining their growing team. Jack’s experience with the City of Chicago Department of Law will allow him to hit the ground running as he joins VAB’s commercial litigation and internal investigations practice groups. Welcome Jack!

Sandy Morris DRI 2025 Employment & Labor Law Seminar Program Chair

#VABLaw is happy to announce that we are sponsoring DRI’s 2025 Employment and Labor Law Seminar! Our very own Sandy Morris has been working hard in her role as a Program Chair.

Welcome Partner Jennifer Novoselsky

We are thrilled to announce that this powerhouse will be joining our team! Jennifer Novoselsky joins VABLaw as a Partner. Jen is an experienced litigator who handles commercial, financial, and securities litigation and arbitrations.

Jen defends financial institutions and public and private corporations in a variety of commercial litigation matters in state and federal courts, including claims for securities fraud, defamation, breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition, business torts, and violations of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act. Jen also has extensive experience representing broker-dealer firms in FINRA arbitrations, serving as lead counsel in more than 50 proceedings in the past 5 years. She handles industry and customer disputes, including those involving claims for fraud, unsuitability, churning, unauthorized trading, breach of fiduciary duty, negligent supervision, and Form U-5 expungements with claims for defamation and/or tortious interference.

Welcome Hillary Allen

VAB Law is pleased to welcome our new Associate Hilary Allen! Before joining VAB, Hilary worked as an Associate on Complex Commercial Litigation matters at Honigman LLP. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, where she served as Co-President of the Reproductive Rights and Justice Society, and on the Deans’ Advisory Committee for the Black Law Students Association. Hilary worked for the Pediatric Advocacy Clinic and the Community Enterprise Clinic while in law school.

VAB is thrilled to have you on our team, Hilary!

VAB Law is pleased to welcome our new Chief Operating Officer, LaWanda May, MSHR! LaWanda brings deep experience in managing and operating businesses and serving in human resource roles.

As VAB Law’s new COO, LaWanda will oversee the firm’s daily operations and work closely with our shareholders as we grow the firm.

We are thrilled to have you on our team, LaWanda!

Tevin Bowens Joins the VAB Team!

VAB welcomes Tevin Bowens as Valentine Austriaco & Bueschel, P.C.’s newest associate! Tevin brings broad knowledge of the bankruptcy process, honed during his time serving as a law clerk in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Tevin is poised to provide VAB’s clients with practical advice to protect creditors’ rights in a wide range of bankruptcy and commercial litigation matters.