ISBA News

[caption id="attachment_2790" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Justin Fitzsimmons, Marc Wolfe, Nancy Hablutzel and Richard Wistocki will appear on the Illinois Law program "Protecting Yourself and Your Children on the Internet"."][/caption] The lllinois State Bar Association's Illinois Law cable program will air two shows, "Lincoln's Race for the Senate in 1858" and "Protecting Yourself and Your Children on the Internet" during the month of August on CAN-TV Cable Channel 21. "Lincoln's Race for the Senate in 1858" will air on Aug. 4 and Aug. 18 at 10 p.m. This is a re-enactment performed by Hon. John Donald O'Shea as Abraham Lincoln and George Eaton as Stephen Douglas. "Protecting Yourself and Your Children on the Internet" will air on Aug. 11 and Aug. 25 at 10 p.m. Providing expert opinion and insight on this increasingly important topic will be: Justin T. Fitzsimmons, a senior attorney for the National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse/National District Attorney’s Association, in Alexandria, Va.; Marc Wolfe, a partner in the Woodridge law firm of Wolfe & Stec, Ltd., where he concentrates in family, criminal and civil law; program moderator Nancy Z.

[caption id="attachment_2603" align="alignright" width="300" caption="IBF Grants Committee Member Lori Levin of Chicago presents an $8,000 grant to Gail Smith, CLAIM's Executive Director."][/caption] The Illinois Bar Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce a $8,000 grant to Chicago Legal Advocacy to Incarcerated Mothers (CLAIM), one of 32 grants awarded this year totaling $304,995. CLAIM provides legal and educational services to imprisoned mothers and their children's caregivers. CLAIM's On-Site Services provide intensive individual legal advice and representation to mothers in Dwight, Lincoln, Decatur and Kankakee Correctional Centers, Fox Valley Adult Transitional Center, the Metropolitan Correctional Center and in Cook County Jail. With early legal advice, provision of short-term guardianship forms and representation for court-ordered guardianship, mothers can forge sound plans for their children and in many cases can avoid foster care placement. In 2008, CLAIM represented 450 women, up 38 percent from 2007.

[caption id="attachment_2461" align="alignright" width="300" caption="ISBA President John O'Brien and Chief Judge Timothy Evans"][/caption] The Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area honored the Illinois State Bar Association for its work with Judicial Evaluations during its Installation Ceremony Thursday night. Timothy Evans, Chief Judge of Cook County Circuit Court, presented ISBA President John O'Brien with a plaque to recognize this service. Judge Evans also presented the ISBA's Joyce Williams with an honorary sculpture for her service spearheading this massive effort. The Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening recently evaluated 264 candidates for 9 associate judge vacancies.

[caption id="attachment_2393" align="alignright" width="300" caption="IBF Grants Committee Member Judge James Wexstten of Mt. Vernon presents a $20,000 grant to Linda Zazove, Deputy Director, and Christopher Dain, Director of Development, of Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation. "][/caption] The Illinois Bar Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce a $20,000 grant to Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation in East St. Louis, one of 32 grants awarded this year totaling $304,965. Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation provides free civil legal assistance to low-income persons and senior citizens in 65 counties in central and southern Illinois through five regional offices and a centralized Legal Advice and Referral Center. The $20,000 grant was made to support the new Education Advocacy Project, a collaboration of Land of Lincoln's East St. Louis Office and the Griffin Center. The purpose of the project is to advocate for the educational rights of children in District 189 (East St. Louis) and to support and empower parents and teachers in their efforts to provide children with a quality education and strong academic foundation. Five hundred elementary age children, who participate in after school programs with Griffin Center, are represented by the program.