News

Wiedner & McAuliffe is proud to announce Diane Dickett Smart as a new member of our firm.  Ms. Dickett Smart was a member of the Illinois Industrial Commission for nine years.  As the public member of the Commission panel, she reviewed arbitrator’s decisions in conjunction with the other Industrial Commission members representing labor and business.  She was appointed and re-appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Illinois Senate.  She read the arbitration transcript and parties’ briefs, conducted legal research as necessary, heard oral arguments, deliberated and decided cases and issued decisions and opinions.  She traveled to Springfield to hear oral arguments once a month and traveled to various sites in Illinois to conduct evidentiary hearings.  She participated in the Commission’s rule making conferences.

Prior to her service as Commissioner, Ms. Dickett Smart was an Assistant State’s Attorney for Cook County for a period of nine years.  As such, she prosecuted over twenty felony jury trials to verdict, and over one hundred bench trials to disposition.  She presented numerous oral arguments before the Illinois Appellate Court after researching and drafting the supporting briefs.  She challenged adverse Illinois Appellate Court decisions in cases pending before the Illinois Supreme Court.  She also participated in the National Institute of Trial Advocacy Program.

Ms. Dickett Smart obtained a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1985.  In addition to her legal career, she has been active in many civil community organizations.  This would include the Chicago 2016 Olympics where she has been a volunteer since January, 2009 and the International Olympic Committee Evaluation Visit Protocol Committee.  In her own community, she has been a member of the Western Springs Zoning Board of Appeals, as well as a member of the Initiative Steering Committee of Western Springs Character Counts.  She has also participated in additional Western Springs programs for educational excellence, together with the necessary fund raising for these programs.

We look forward to the availability of her services to our firm and to our many clients.  We believe that Ms. Dickett Smart is uniquely qualified in all areas of workers’ compensation law and practice.