Orthodox Christian Attorney Network
"Law, Calling, & Renewal of the Soul"
April 24-26, 2026
St. Iakovos Retreat Center, Kansasville, WI
Continue celebrating the joy of the resurrection with fellow Orthodox attorneys for a post-Paschal weekend of rest, fellowship, and rejuvenation! Come to the peaceful St. Iakovos Retreat Center to learn together and reflect on our calling as attorneys and servants of Christ. Expand your pan-Orthodox network by meeting attorneys from different jurisdictions around the country. Through thought-provoking sessions, worship, and time connecting with colleagues who share your faith and vocation, this retreat offers an opportunity to (re)discover peace and joy in your work and career.
Sessions
Friday, April 24
"Putting First Things First: Developing an Ascetically-Minded Vocation"
In the business world, professional success is often measured in terms of what I can gain: power, property, and prestige. But what about my responsibility to give? In this talk, Steven Christoforou suggests a vision of professional service that's developed with an ascetic eye, a vocation grounded in self-emptying rather than self-aggrandizement.
- Steven Christoforou, J.D.| Executive Director FOCUS North America
Updates from the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops
- Fr. Nicholas Anton | Director of Operations, Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops
- Eric S. Namee, J.D. | Member, Hinkle Law Firm LLC
Saturday, April 25
"Remember, Reveal, Renew: Toward a Sacramental Understanding of Our Calling"
What is a calling? Where does it come from? How do we find it? How do we get it back? As Orthodox Christians each of us called by and to Christ, to be in communion with Him, in all that we see and do. This calling is most clearly expressed through the sacraments, The Holy Mysteries of the Church, but it extends to how we conduct our lives personally and professionally. Life lived broadly in this sacramental way is a life lived fully for and with Christ.
- Fr. David Khorey, J.D.| Retired Partner, Varnum Law Firm | Associate Pastor, St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church, Grand Rapids, MI
This CLE seminar will discuss common church-affiliated organizations and how and why to form them. Such entities include ministry organizations, foundations, schools, daycares, property-holding entities, cemetery and burial entities, and others. The legal discussion will be framed around corporate, tax, and liability shielding considerations.
- Jesse Roberts, J.D.| Of Counsel, Michael Best & Friedrich
Fireside Chat: Stories from the Trenches
Join us for a cozy evening (in front of a real fireplace!) with veteran Orthodox attorneys as they share stories, wisdom, and encouragement drawn from decades of legal practice and faithful service to the Church.
Joan Berg - Joan maintains a multi-faceted practice spanning corporate and commercial real estate matters. She advises clients on corporate acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, and governance, providing strategic counsel aligned with their financial and investment objectives. Joan also advises non-profit and religious organizations, including serving as counsel to a Christian denomination in the administration of its seminary and supporting the development of online seminary and missions programs. Joan is also Co-Legal Advisor for the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago and a member of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Legal Committee.
Louis Milicich - Louis Milicich spent almost 40 years at international and national law firms and is presently the General Counsel of The Zaf Group, a private equity firm in Chicagoland. The son of Serbian immigrants from Montenegro, Louis was born in Gary, Indiana and was baptized at the local Serbian Orthodox Church there, where he was also tonsured a Reader. He has served the Serbian Orthodox Church in numerous capacities and is presently an advisor to the Serbian Orthodox Metropolitan of Midwestern America, the Most Reverend Longin (Krco). He also serves as a consultant to the Legal Committee of the Assembly of Bishops of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA.
George A. Tsougarakis - George serves as the full time General Counsel of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, where he provides strategic legal guidance on governance, compliance, risk management, and complex ecclesiastical and civil matters affecting the Church and its affiliated institutions nationwide. He brings more than three decades of experience from his distinguished career at Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, where he was a partner advising clients on high-stakes litigation, regulatory issues, and investigation matters. Since joining the Archdiocese in 2020 at the invitation of Archbishop Elpidophoros, Mr. Tsougarakis has played a central role in addressing sensitive legal, policy, and governance issues, helping to strengthen institutional integrity while supporting the mission and traditions of the Orthodox Church.
