Gregory A. Adamski, 62, a Chicago civil and criminal defense attorney who was co-host of the WGN-AM talk show “Legally Speaking,” died of an apparent heart attack Monday, Feb. 14, in his Chicago home, according to his wife and law partner, Karen Conti.
Mr. Adamski and Conti had hosted “Legally Speaking” on Sunday nights since 2006, discussing and debating court cases and controversial legal issues. They were also managing partners of the litigation law firm Adamski & Conti and taught at the University of Illinois College of Law.
Though Mr. Adamski enjoyed hosting the radio program, his wife said his passion was arguing cases in a courtroom.
“He was a lawyer at heart,” Conti said. “No matter what he did, you couldn’t take the lawyer out of him.”
Tom Langmyer, WGN vice president and general manager, said: “Greg was a wonderful person and a great broadcaster who truly embodied the WGN spirit of ‘people helping people’ with the expert legal advice he and Karen provided countless listeners for nearly five years.”
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During nearly 40 years as an attorney, Mr. Adamski tried hundreds of civil and criminal trials and argued more than 60 appeals. In 2001, he received the prestigious Elmer Gertz Award from the Illinois Bar Association for representing the poor and advocating civil rights.
In the 1990s, Mr. Adamski and his wife made efforts to stop the execution of serial killer John Wayne Gacy, in part because of their opposition to the death penalty.
They were roundly criticized for their work. Mr. Adamski told the Tribune that he and his wife received hate mail and death threats and that he put in more than $250,000 of time on the case.
“When we started to get hate mail and threats, he was very protective of me and the other people in the office,” his wife recalled. “But he was adamantly against the death penalty and he never had any regrets for what he did.”
Mr. Adamski was born and raised in Chicago’s Marquette Park neighborhood. He attended Xavier University, receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history. In 1973, he received his law degree from the Catholic University of America Law School in Washington, where he edited law review articles.
He was a law clerk for two years for Judge Richard B. Austin of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. He then joined Winston & Strawn as an associate and later as partner, and developed the firm’s first pro bono program.
In 1979, he formed the firm of Carponelli, Krug & Adamski, then had a solo practice for several years before joining Conti in 1990 to form Adamski & Conti.
The law partners were married in 2002.
Among Mr. Adamski’s notable pro bono cases were a class action on behalf of inmates of Joliet Correctional Center and an appellate case on behalf of two minors sentenced to prison for refusing to visit an abusive father.
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He defended Marisol Reynolds, the wife of former Congressman Mel Reynolds, against federal campaign finance fraud charges.
Mr. Adamski helped teach an intensive Chicago litigation course at the U. of I. College of Law, and for two years he taught the school’s first death penalty course as an adjunct professor.
Before starting the show on WGN, Mr. Adamski was co-producer and co-host of “Chicago Law,” a legal talk show on WJJD. He won five Achievement In Radio Awards, most notably for best public affairs program.
Further information on survivors was not available.
Services are pending.