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  • May 1, 2015 | Practice News
    ARDC Annual Report shows steady increase in female lawyers

    The Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC), the administrative agency that regulates licensed Illinois lawyers, has filed its year 2014 Annual Report with the Supreme Court of Illinois. The report was released to the public this morning when a copy was posted on the ARDC website: www.iardc.org.

    A summary of the annual report entitled Highlights from the 2014 Annual Report is available below.

    • Lawyer Population

    The names of 92,756 lawyers appeared on the Master Roll of Attorneys as of October 31, 2014. That number does not include 1,902 attorneys who took their oath of office in late 2014. The overall lawyer population in Illinois saw a modest increase of 1.8% over 2013. The percentage of attorneys reporting a principal address outside Illinois increased 7.4% from the year before. The number of female lawyers has slowly but steadily risen over the last 20 years. Female lawyers are 38% of Illinois lawyers in 2014, a 1% increase over the prior year. Ten years ago, women lawyers made up 32% of the legal profession in 2004 and only 25% of Illinois lawyers in 1994. There are 371 Illinois lawyers who serve on active military duty.

  • April 30, 2015 | Practice News
    ISBA Statehouse Review for the week of April 30, 2015

    ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers IMDMA Rewrite (Senate Bill 57), The Parentage Act (House Bill 1531), The Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act (Senate Bill 45), The Security Deposit Interest Act (House Bill 1319), Mortgage Foreclosure (Senate Bill 735), Condominium Property Act (House Bill 2641), Common Interest Community Association Act (House Bill 2642), Condominium Property Act (House Bill 2643) and Condominium Property Act (House Bill 2644). More information on each bill is available below the video.

  • April 30, 2015 | Practice News
    Real estate bills raise concerns among ISBA section councils

    A number of real estate bills are pending before Illinois' General Assembly, and while some are noncontroversial, others have raised concerns among ISBA section council members. Several House bills would amend the Illinois Condominium Act, and the Senate bills would alter foreclosure law and, in some cases, could affect the rights of mechanics lien claimants. Find out more in the May Illinois Bar Journal.

  • April 29, 2015 | Practice News
    Best Practice: Finding law firm merger candidates

    Asked and Answered

    By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC

    Q. I am the managing partner of a 14 attorney firm in Los Angeles. We are primarily a transactional practice and we are considering looking for a litigation firm to merge with our firm. I would appreciate your thoughts on locating merger candidates.

    A. For larger firms that have a talent or book of business void or solo practitioner and sole owners’ merger is often an appropriate strategy and approach. It all comes down to the finding the right firm, the right culture, and the right fit. The search process can take time as we.Here are some suggestions to help get the search process started:

  • April 27, 2015 | Practice News
    Chief Justice Garman stresses need for legal aid, pro bono services

    Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Rita B. Garman knows the important role legal aid services and pro bono work plays in ensuring equal access to the justice system.

    Not only has she seen the need for these services in the courtroom as a longtime judge, but Chief Justice Garman told attendants of Prairie State Legal Services' annual Pro Bono Recognition luncheon earlier this month that she understands the need from their perspective too.

    The Chief Justice's first job out of law school in 1968 was making $90 a week as a legal aid attorney in Vermilion County.

    "Legal aid formed who I am today," Chief Justice Garman said after delivering the keynote address at the April 16 event in Peoria.

  • April 23, 2015 | Practice News | People
    Cozen O’Connor and Meckler Bulger Tilson vote to combine

    Cozen O’Connor and Chicago-based Meckler Bulger Tilson (MBT) are pleased to announce their respective partners have agreed to a combination of 60 attorneys from MBT with Cozen O'Connor. Upon completion of the transaction, together with Cozen O'Connor’s existing attorneys in Chicago, the firm will have 60 attorneys in Chicago and 15 attorneys in San Francisco.

  • April 23, 2015 | Practice News
    ISBA Statehouse Review for the week of April 23, 2015

    ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers Decriminalization of cannabis (House Bill 218), Per se cannabis-DUIs (House Bill 2555), Mechanics Lien Act (House Bill 2635), Disabled adults (Senate Bill 90), Guilty pleas (House Bill 2569), New criminal law procedures (House Bill 1121) and Health Care Power of Attorney. (Senate Bill 159). More information on each bill is available below the video.

    Decriminalization of cannabis. House Bill 218 (Cassidy, D-Chicago) imposes a fine of no more than $125 for possession of 15 grams or less of cannabis. (2) Makes Manufacturing Butane Hash Oil (BHO) a Class 2 felony. (3) Establishes a per se standard for Cannabis-DUI of 15 nano/decil of blood or 25 nano/decil of saliva in system. (4) Allows for alternative ways to test for cannabis DUI using “any bodily substance” (including saliva) for testing—this is an expansion from current law of breath, blood, and urine. (5) Keeps juvenile ordinance and civil violation dispositions confidential to reflect the intent of the Juvenile Court Act and limit collateral damage to minors. (6) Provides for part of the fine to defray costs to go to the circuit clerk, local law enforcement, and local state’s attorneys and to the appellate prosecutor for training and local drug treatment. To be voted on in the House today.

    1 comment (Most recent April 24, 2015)
  • April 22, 2015 | Practice News
    Best Practice: How many billable hours should an associate produce?

    Asked and Answered

    By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC

    Q. I am a solo attorney in upstate New York. My practice is limited to estate planning, estate administration, and elder law. I have just hired my first associate and am trying to get a sense of the number of billable hours I should expect her to produce. Your comments would be appreciated.

    4 comments (Most recent April 25, 2015)
  • April 17, 2015 | Practice News
    Village of Chatham seeks outside counsel to serve as Village Attorney

    The Village of Chatham, Illinois, is seeking outside counsel to serve as its Village Attorney. Interested attorneys/law firms should submit a letter of interest, resume(s) and firm brochure outlining the candidates municipal law experience and retainer/fee  proposal. Please send 10 copies of requested documents. Responses should be sent to Jill Butler at the Village of Chatham, 116 Mulberry, Chatham, IL 62629. The submission deadline is May 12, 2015.

  • April 16, 2015 | Practice News
    Quick takes on Thursday's Illinois Supreme Court opinions

    Our panel of leading appellate attorneys review Thursday's Illinois Supreme Court opinions in the civil cases Leetaru v. The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois and Illinois State Treasurer v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission and the criminal case People v. Barner. 

    CIVIL

    Leetaru v. The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

    By Alyssa M. Reiter, Williams, Montgomery & John Ltd.

    Issues of sovereign immunity divided the Court in this suit by a doctoral student against the University of Illinois and one of its associate vice chancellors (Guenther). Leetaru filed a circuit court action to enjoin further action in connection with an investigation defendants were pursuing against him regarding allegations that he engaged in academic misconduct. Leetaru contended that defendants violated University rules and regulations in conducting the investigation, exceeded their authority, and deprived him of due process.

    The circuit court dismissed the action, finding that the Court of Claims had exclusive jurisdiction. After the appellate court affirmed, the Supreme Court reversed and remanded.