October 2014
Volume 37 Number 10 • chicagolawyermagazine.com
Photos by Ralph Greenslade
Get accustomed to custom-made clothes
J
ames M. Quigley has practiced family law
for more than 20 years. At Beermann Pritikin Mirabelli Swerdlove, he is known for
cases involving complex financial issues, business valuations and property matters while
also representing clients in the drafting and
enforcement of prenuptial and post-nuptial
agreements.
What’s your favorite store to shop for
work clothes?
The only place that I have shopped for work
clothes throughout the entirety of my career is
Balani Custom Clothiers. I first met Peter
Balani while in law school, and because one of
my arms is 36½ inches and the other is 37
inches, I could never get shirts to fit off the
rack. Peter’s son, Sonny, has carried on the
family business and grown its presence in
Chicago and elsewhere. They have made quality custom suits and shirts for me for over 20
years.
If you are meeting with a new client or
have your first day in court, what’s your favorite power suit?
A four-button, classic navy pinstripe. Aside
from its classic look, a navy pinstripe allows for
a variety of different colored ties and pocket
silks to give a classic look a little more life or,
depending on the situation, can remain very
conservative.
What’s your favorite brand of jeans?
I wouldn’t say I have a favorite brand of
jeans. If I am going out, I might wear Lucky
(Brand) jeans, but if I am simply going to one
of my children’s sporting events, I am more
comfortable in a simple pair of Levi’s.
What is your watch?
My primary watch is a Rolex, but on occasion, I like to wear style watches with leather
bands depending on the suit and shoes that I
wear.
What do you wear on weekends?
Absent dressing up for Sunday Mass, the
majority of my time on weekends is spent in
sweatpants, hoodies, track jackets and gym
shoes. I am all about comfort and flexibility on
the weekends.
Whose style do you admire?
Living in Chicago during law school in the
glory days of the Chicago Bulls beginning in
the early 1990s, it was all Michael Jordan, all
the time. I always admired his suits and style in
his post-game interviews. I have always enjoyed
the style of the fictional characters in “The
© 2014 Law Bulletin Publishing Company. Reprinted with permission from Law Bulletin Publishing Company.
department < Lawyers
with Style
Godfather” trilogy and thought Michael Corleone wore his suits well.
What accessory are you most sentimental
about?
A sentimental accessory would be a pair of
cuff links from my grandfather, whose initials
are the same as mine and are engraved in the
cuff links.
How would you describe your style?
As “my own.” I like to wear suits that are cut
differently than conventional suits, and I don’t
particularly like a suit that may be trendy for a
short period of time and then out of style.
What was the first expensive piece of
clothing that you purchased when you became a lawyer?
The first expensive piece of clothing I
purchased when I became a lawyer was a
custom-made suit. I had already purchased
some custom-made shirts as I could never find
shirts that fit off the rack, so when I became a
lawyer, I bought two custom-made suits from
Peter Balani, and I have been buying custom
suits from him ever since.
What advice do you have for a lawyer trying to improve his or her professional style?
Always dress the part. Wearing a nice custom suit and custom shirt will give you
confidence. Your clients have an expectation
and an image of what a lawyer should look
like, so always dress the part. That, and don’t
ever wear skinny pants.
What is your main style pet peeve?
My main style pet peeve is a disheveled suit
and tie combination. What I mean by this is
when a lawyer has a wrinkled suit because
perhaps he wears his suit coat driving in the
car, has a curled up collar because he doesn’t
have a collar-stay or doesn’t button the top
button to his shirt, or when part of his shirt is
untucked on one side. When wearing a suit,
the whole presentation should look well put
together and clean.
Who is your favorite designer?
I don’t really have a favorite designer, as I
prefer my own style. The great thing about
custom clothing is that you can essentially become your own designer and create your own
style if you have a good tailor.
What is your favorite accessory?
Hands down, cuff links. I have cuff links
that have been given to me as gifts, cuff links
that are family heirlooms and cuff links that
display a particular theme, holiday, event or
even a particular location. Every lawyer should
have some French-cuffed shirts with cuff links
in his collection.
What’s your favorite brand of shoes?
Kenneth Cole, probably.
Why should lawyers care about their style?
Again, I believe that how a lawyer presents
himself or herself says something to his or
her client. If you look professional, organized,
put together, etc., that sends the message to
your client that you care about details and
how you are going to present yourself on their
behalf.
© 2014 Law Bulletin Publishing Company. Reprinted with permission from Law Bulletin Publishing Company.