The Illinois State Bar Association's Special Committee on Judicial Disqualification Standards met Tuesday at the Chicago Regional Office. The committee is discussing ways to increase public and professional attention to campaign contributions in judicial elections and the perception that such contributions may influence judicial decision making.
On hand for the meeting were (clockwise from left): Diane F. Klotnia of Miller Shakman & Beem, Chicago; Hon. Raymond J. McKoski, Lindenhurst; ISBA Board liaison Christopher Hurley of Hurley McKenna & Mertz, Chicago; co-chair Warren Lupel of Much Shelist, Chicago; Stephen L. Corn of Craig & Craig, Mattoon; Hon. Michael B. Hyman, Circuit Court of Cook County, Skokie and co-chair Hon. Gino L. DiVito, Tabet DiVito & Rothstein LLC, Chicago.
President John E. Thies appointed this special committee as one of his presidential initiatives. More information on the committee and those serving on it can be found at www.isba.org/committees/judicialdisqualificationstandards.
ISBA News
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July 11, 2012 |
ISBA News
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July 10, 2012 |
ISBA News | Practice News
"The Business Buying Process" and "How to Find a Business to Buy" aired on Illinois Law in July and August, 2012. These programs were moderated by John Theis and featured panelists William Price, Marcus May, Jeff Gonyo and Todd Cushing. "How to Find a Business to Buy" begins at 27:19 in the video.
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July 9, 2012 |
ISBA News | Events
The Illinois State Bar Association's 8th Annual Solo & Small Firm Conference returns to Chicagoland Sept. 13-15 at the Westin Northwest Chicago in Itasca. Register by Aug. 20 for the Early Bird discount -- a savings of $75. Earn up to 15 hours of MCLE credit, including all 6 hours of PMCLE credit.
Top 10 Reasons To Attend This Year’s Conference
- Networking with like-minded peers from across the state!
- Crowd favorite program Gizmos & Gadgets returns
- Basic and advanced Fastcase legal research training
- New location in Itasca, just northwest of Chicago
- Individual counseling on how to market your firm
- Mobile Device App to put Conference info you need at your fingertips
- Comedians-at-Law at Friday night social event
- Plenary speaker Todd Winegar's Trials of the Century Overview program
- New 4th track of programming – Practice Fundamentals
- 15 HRS MCLE/ 6 HRS PMCLE credit available
Learn more and register today at www.isba.org/soloconference
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July 6, 2012 |
ISBA News
Melinda Bentley, ISBA's First Assistant Counsel and Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs, has accepted a position as Legal Ethics Counsel with the Advisory Committee of the Supreme Court of Missouri.
Bentley joined ISBA out of law school in 2001. She graduated from the Valparaiso University School of Law and is a native of Alton.
"It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the ISBA for almost 11 years," Bentley said. "It is a wonderful organization committed to serving the lawyers of Illinois and I will miss my many friends within the ISBA."
3 comments (Most recent July 9, 2012) -
July 6, 2012 |
ISBA News | Member Services
The Illinois State Bar Association’s Lawyer Finder Service provides referrals to local lawyers Mondays through Fridays. The service makes referrals in a number of areas of law for the month of June 2012. ISBA helped people in need of legal services find lawyers in the following areas:
- Administrative Law - 4
- Animal Law - 1
- Bankruptcy - 11
- Business Law - 17
- Civil Disputes - 53
- Civil Rights - 19
- Collection - 14
- Consumer Protection - 13
- Contracts – 14
- Criminal Law - 79
- Education Law - 15
- Elder law - 7
- Employment Law - 78
- Estate/Probate Law - 36
- Family - 129
- Government Benefits -19
- Health Law - 11
- Immigration - 1
- Insurance Disputes - 8
- Intellectual Property - 2
- Miscellaneous - 2
- Municipal Law - 7
- Personal Injury - 84
- Real Estate - 57
- Social Security - 13
- Tax - 3
- Workers Compensation - 15
These numbers do not include additional referrals made through the online Lawyer Finder service.
Want to be part of the ISBA Lawyer Finder Service? Call (800) 252-8908 and ask for the Legal Department, or visit www.illinoislawyerfinder.com
Clients should call (800) 922-8757.
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July 5, 2012 |
ISBA News
Illinois State Bar Association President John E. Thies (front row, center) gave a speech to representatives of the Chinese Ministry of Justice, including Zhao Jianji (front row, second from left), the Director of the Ministry's Department of Legislative Affairs. The delages were on a two week trip to the U.S., coordinated by the University of Illinois. President Thies discussed the various bar associations in the United States (including their respective activities, and how such associations benefit various members of the legal profession and public); lawyer regulation; legal ethics; legal education; and legal aid (among other topics).
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July 5, 2012 |
ISBA News
The Illinois Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the Illinois State Bar Association, has announced a change to its bylaws that will shorten the term length of its officers from two years to one year, as of June 2014. The change was approved at the IBF’s board meeting on June 14.
During the transition, Cook County Judge Debra B. Walker, of Chicago, will become president at the IBF’s board meeting in October and will hold the office for 18 months through June 2014. Other officers, who will hold their terms during the same time, are James M. Lestikow, of Hinshaw & Culbertson, Springfield, first vice president; Shawn S. Kasserman, of Corboy & Demetrio, Chicago, second vice president; and Elizabeth Kaveny, of Burke, Wise, Morrissey & Kaveny, Chicago, third vice president. The remaining positions of secretary and treasurer will be appointed prior to the October meeting.
"By adopting the terms and officer structure of our partner, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Illinois Bar Foundation Board now gives more of its members the opportunity to bring their zeal, passion and enthusiasm for the foundation to its leadership,” said IBF Board President George F. Mahoney, III, of Joliet.
The mission of the Illinois Bar Foundation is to ensure meaningful access to the justice system, especially for those with limited means, and to assist lawyers who can no longer support themselves due to incapacity. This year, the Foundation will distribute more than $425,000 in grants to legal aid organizations across the state of Illinois, and in Lawyers Care Fund support to attorneys and their families in need.
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June 21, 2012 |
ISBA News | Events
The ISBA/JTBF Law and Leadership Institute (LLI) will kick off its first residential program this Sunday at the Southern Illinois University School of Law in Carbondale. The downstate program is a one week residential program running from Sunday, June 24 through Saturday, June 30.
The LLI is a statewide initiative to assist students from minority, ethnic, and other groups who are currently underrepresented in the legal professions achieve academic success and aspire to a career in the law.
The two current programs in Illinois were spearheaded by the ISBA Diversity Pipeline committee and will be hosted by the Southern Illinois University School of Law in Carbondale and the John Marshall Law School in Chicago. The Chicago commuter program will be held from Monday, July 23 through Friday, August 10.
The LLI involves a combination of classroom lectures, logic and critical thinking exercises, writing and oral advocacy instruction, guest speakers, and field trips to area law firms, government offices and courthouses. Many ISBA members participate as program speakers and activity sponsors. Students who participate in the LLI will:
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June 20, 2012 |
ISBA News | Practice News
The Illinois State Bar Association, in partnership with the American Bar Association’s Senior Lawyers Division, has filed a resolution for action by the ABA’s House of Delegates at the upcoming ABA Annual Meeting in August.
The resolution reaffirms the ABA policy – adopted in 2000 – that law firms shall not be owned by non-lawyers and legal fees shall not be shared with non-lawyers. Proposals that would change this policy have been circulated in connection with the work of the ABA’s Commission on Ethics 20/20.
President John E. Thies briefed the ISBA Assembly on the proposed changes, and the need for the ISBA’s action. “Ethics 20/20 has been tasked with looking at the impact of technology and globalization on the legal profession – these are not bad subjects to consider. However, this inquiry is being used directly or indirectly as a means of advancing proposals which seek to do some of the very same things which were defeated during the battle over Multi-Disciplinary Practice,” Thies said.
A number of states have already indicated their support for the ISBA/Senior Lawyers Division resolution, including Arizona, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Thies added: “this is about defending the core values of our profession against the encroachment of non-lawyers – to the detriment of clients. It’s gratifying that so many other states are lining up behind us, and I expect this to continue as we approach the ABA meeting in August.”
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June 20, 2012 |
ISBA News | People
Illinois State Bar Association 2nd Vice President Paula Hudson Holderman has been named as one of the "100 Women Making a Difference” by Today's Chicago Woman. She will be featured in the July 2012 issue.
Holderman, who will become ISBA President-elect at the Annual Meeting in June, is the chief attorney development officer for Winston & Strawn LLP. In 2011, she took the lead to establish the ISBA's Law and Leadership Institute to expose diverse young women and men to the profession of law.
Holderman, Winston & Strawn’s chief attorney development officer, has global responsibility for the firm’s professional development and all facets of education and training. She also teaches as the James C. Wood Distinguished Co-Lecturer in Intellectual Property Law at the University of Illinois College of Law.