The Bar News

Bar News Sections

Northern Illinois

  • July 6, 2009 | Member Services
    ISBA Membership Mondays, July 6

    The Power of Peer Discussion

    Got substantive law or practice management questions?  Get answers, maybe in minutes. All ISBA members are eligible to join ISBA e-mail discussion groups, where you can pose questions and share information with lawyers from Chicago to Cairo (Illinois that is.)  Available discussion groups include “general discussion” (open to all law-related topics), “ISBAcafe”, “litigation”, “transactional law”, “family law”, and “criminal-DUI-traffic”. Members who sign up for one or more discussion groups can also search those groups’ archived posts. Here’s what your fellow members are saying about the ISBA e-mail discussion groups … “It's like having all the benefits of a partnership without the office politics." Melissa Maye, Yorkville "Thanks for all your quick responses. WOW!!! This list is so great!" Peggy Raddatz, La Grange Click here to join the discussion
  • July 2, 2009
    Breaking legal news for Thursday, July 2

    Nation

    Central Illinois

    Chicago area

    Southern Illinois

    This post is updated with breaking news throughout the day.
  • July 2, 2009 | Member Services | ISBA News
    Lincoln mosaic poster available for purchase - and get your photo in the next one

    The Illinois State Bar Association's Lincoln mosaic poster that includes the faces of ISBA members is available for purchase. ISBA members can also submit their photo to danderson@isba.org to be seen in the next edition of the poster.

  • July 1, 2009 | ISBA News
    6 ISBA members become Fellows of the Illinois Bar Foundation
    [caption id="attachment_1673" align="alignright" width="225" caption="ISBA Immediate Past President Jack Carey (right) thanks Gary Cline of Springfield for his donation to the Illinois Bar Foundation. "][/caption] Six Illinois State Bar Association members joined The Fellows of the Illinois Bar Foundation during the ISBA Annual Meeting last week. Additionally, eight Fellows increased their pledges to IBF. The weekend raised $31,000 for the Illinois Bar Foundation. New Fellows
    • Gary Cline, Springfield
    • Kenya Jenkins-Wright, Chicago
    • Julie Matoesian, Edwardsville
    • Daniel O'Brien, Carlinville
    • Marian E. Perkins, Chicago
    • Michael T. Reagan, Ottawa
    Upgrades
    • William Anaya, Chicago
    • Perry Browder, East Alton
    • Thomas A. Else, Wheaton
    • Philip E. Koenig, Rock Island
    • Raquel G. Martinez, Chicago
    • Christine M. Ory, Wheaton
    • Perry Smith, Waukegan
    • Douglas B. Warlick, Geneva
    As the charitable affiliate of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Illinois Bar Foundation’s mission 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.
  • July 1, 2009 | Practice News
    ISBA General Counsel Charles Northrup on the New Rules for Lawyers
    Illinois State Bar Association General Counsel Charles Northrup highlights two of what he thinks are the most important changes from today's Illinois Supreme Court adoption of the New Rules of Professional Conduct for Lawyers:
    • "One of the most significant, if not the most significant, aspect of the adopted Rules is that they contain official comments. The comments give attorneys a readily accessible interpretation and explanation of the intent of the Rules. It will be an additional and important guide for lawyers when they are determining what their ethical obligations are."
    • "Another important aspect of the new Rules is the treatment of the Dowling case and the issue of flat or fixed fees. Many practioners were concerned about the treatment of these types of fees under Dowling and whether they fell within the definition of 'advanced payment retainers.' The new Rules clarify that flat or fixed fees are not advanced payment retainers, a position that was advocated by the ISBA."
    More highlights from the Supreme Court's New Rules of Professional Conduct for Lawyers Announcement for the New Rules of Professional Conduct
  • July 1, 2009 | Practice News
    Highlights from the New Rules of Professional Conduct
    A press release from the Illinois Supreme Court highlights some of the most important changes wrought by the new Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct. For example, the new rules "clarif[y] the earlier law and eliminate certain restrictions on the reasons for sale" of a law practice, "prohibit a lawyer from having sexual relations with a client unless a prior sexual relationship existed," and "[f]or the first time ... explicitly govern electronic [lawyer advertising] communications such as e-mail and websites." Here are the full highlights from the Illinois Supreme Court: 1. New Rules The Supreme Court of Illinois has adopted a number of ethics rules that have not appeared in any previously enacted conduct code. The new rules include, but are not limited to, the following:
    • a) New Rule 1.18. Describes important duties that lawyers owe to a prospective client arising from preliminary discussions before the creation of a formal lawyer-client relationship;
    • b) New Rule 2.4. Defines the duties of a lawyer who serves as a third-party neutral, such as a mediator or arbitrator;
    • c) New Rule 3.9. Articulates the duties of an advocate in a nonadjudicative proceeding, such as before a legislative body or an administrative agency;
    • d) New Rule 4.4(b). Addresses how a lawyer should respond when the lawyer receives a document that was inadvertently submitted to the lawyer;
    2. Comments to the New Rules The new ethics rules contain comments that attempt to explain the rules, refer to court decisions relating to the rules and assist the lawyer in complying with the rules. The rules are authoritative; the comments serve as a guide.
  • June 29, 2009 | ISBA News
    ISBA Assembly meets at 2009 Annual Meeting
    The ISBA Assembly convened on Saturday, June 27, at the Abbey in Lake Geneva. Key debate was over the ISBA's 2009-2010 budget, which the Assembly passed. The new budget includes a change in reimbursement policy. These changes are:
    • The creation of a 75-mile radius threshold for the reimbursement of travel and lodging related to council and committee meetings. Those traveling from within that radius will not be reimbursed, those outside that radius will receive a 90% reimbursement. The Annual and Midyear meetings are excluded from this change.
    • Section council and committee members attending their meetings at the Annual and Midyear Meetings will receive a 90% reimbursement of their travel and lodging expenses.
    • Board of Governors members attending Board Meetings will be reimbursed at the rate of 90% of actual expenditures.
    The Assembly also approved a number of election bylaw changes originally presented at the May 22, 2009, Board of Governors Meeting.

    Para. 2.12

    Candidates and persons supporting or endorsing candidates shall not use ISBA titles, or local or specialized bar association titles in ISBA mailings or publications or promotional materials developed by, or at the special request of, candidates. This exclusion includes affiliation, firm name, office, or title (including Honorable, Judge, or Past President and similar titles) of such candidate's committee or list of supporters.
  • June 29, 2009 | ISBA News
    John W. Damisch's take on the 2009 Annual Meeting
    It is tradition that longtime ISBA member John W. Damisch (John the Farmer) provides his personal recap from annual meetings. Here's hist take of the 2009 Annual Meeting at The Abbey in Lake Geneva. A preview: Again everyone at the party were dressed fit too kill....especially our leaders...all in tuxes. As I said I put my 53 year old tux on in the men's room....I had to spend about 10 minutes "sucking it in" and finally got the pants buttoned at the top. I had skipped lunch hoping that would help but it didn't.
  • June 29, 2009 | Events | ISBA News | Practice News
    Breaking legal news for Monday, June 29

    Central Illinois

    Southern Illinois

    Nation

    SCOTUS

    This post is updated with breaking news throughout the day.
  • June 29, 2009 | Member Services
    ISBA Membership Mondays, June 29

    15% discount on ABA books for ISBA members

    If you’re an ISBA member, you’re entitled to a 15% discount on ABA books, including their great titles like How to Start and Build a Law Practice, 5th Ed; The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law; A Manual of Style for Contract Drafting, 2nd Ed; How to Build and Manage an Estates Practice, 2nd Ed; Letters for Divorce Lawyers: Essential Communications for Clients, Opposing Counsel, and Others; The Criminal Lawyer's Job: A Survival Guide Visit the ISBA store for details. ISBA Membership Mondays is a regular feature on Illinois Lawyer Now.