Coordinators of a new foreclosure-mediation program in McLean County hope to expedite foreclosure litigation, clear up the court's docket, and help make the process a little more user-friendly for people at risk of losing their homes. Find out more in the April Illinois Bar Journal.
Practice News
-
April 5, 2012 |
Practice News
-
April 4, 2012 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that it has adopted a new rule to facilitate the delivery of legal services in an emergency resulting from a major disaster.
In the case of an Illinois disaster, new Supreme Court Rule 718 would allow attorneys who are licensed in another state to provide pro bono publico legal services to residents of Illinois. In the event of a disaster in another state, the rule would allow attorneys licensed outside of Illinois to provide pro bono legal services to residents of the stricken state who have been displaced to Illinois because of the disaster.
The rule also would allow attorneys licensed in a stricken state to provide legal services in Illinois as long as those legal services arise out of and are reasonably related to the lawyers’ practice of law where the major disaster occurred.
The rule has come to be known as the "Katrina Rule" because it was developed by the American Bar Association in response to the hurricane by that name which wreaked tragedy across New Orleans. The rule, however, is intended to address both natural and man-made disasters such as earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, public health emergencies, and acts of terrorism or war.
Application of the rule would be triggered by the Illinois Supreme Court’s determination that an emergency or other major disaster affecting the justice system had occurred. Attorneys practicing in Illinois pursuant to the new rule would not be allowed to make court appearances in Illinois unless that permission was generally granted by the Illinois Supreme Court in the aftermath of the disaster or pro hac vice admission was obtained in an individual lawsuit.
-
April 4, 2012 |
Practice News
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. I am the managing partner of a 16 attorney firm in Santa Monica, California. We represent large energy companies located on the west coast. We are contemplating developing our first strategic plan. We would like to obtain insight from our clients, receive their feedback, and use this information to assess our level of client satisfaction and our competitive profile. However, we are not sure whether we should conduct a random survey involving selecting a percentage of our clients or a census involving surveying all clients rather than taking a sample. Please advise as to your thoughts.
A. Rather than doing a random survey of your client base, you may want a more targeted and focused survey of a particular client group. For example, if 80 to 90 percent of your business comes from 10 clients, you may want to create a survey that is specifically targeted to them. The advantage of a targeted key client survey is that it is limited in scope and precisely focused. Before you commit time and resources to a client survey identify your purpose and establish specific goals and objectives.
Develop a survey plan. Insure that a follow-up strategy is incorporated into the plan.Click here for our blog on client service
Click here for our article on the topic -
April 3, 2012 |
Practice News
Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride and the Illinois Supreme Court announced Tuesday a new rule that will allow jurors in civil cases to pose their own questions to a witness.
The rule has undergone extensive study since it was received by the Supreme Court Rules Committee in August 2010, and was discussed at a public hearing where it received the support of the Chief Judge of the Northern District of Illinois, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association and others.
It will go into effect July 1, 2012 as Supreme Court Rule 243.
"This proposal was the subject of much discussion – both internally by the Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee at several of its meetings and at a public hearing in May 2011," said Chief Justice Kilbride. "Based on the comments of those who have used or seen the procedure at trials, such a rule enhances juror engagement, juror comprehension and attention to the proceeding and gives jurors a better appreciation for our system of justice. The rule is written so that its implementation rests with the discretion of the trial judge and with safeguards so that the testimony it elicits complies with the rules of evidence."
John B. Simon, chair of the Rules Committee, believes the scrutiny given the proposal before its adoption will benefit not only jurors, but lawyers, judges and the entire system of justice.
2 comments (Most recent April 6, 2012) -
March 29, 2012 |
Practice News
ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews bills in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers Senate Bill 3101 (Property tax collection), Senate Bill 2569 (Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act), House Bill 4028 (Adoption) and House Bill 4081 (Eavesdropping) and Senate Bill 3204 (Power of Attorney Act for Property). More information on each bill is available below the video.
-
March 28, 2012 |
Practice News
Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride of the Illinois Supreme Court and Chief Judge Val Gunnarsson of the 15th Judicial Circuit in northwestern Illinois announced on Wednesday that news cameras will be allowed in trial courts in five additional Illinois counties under a pilot program approved by the Supreme Court earlier this year.
The counties that make up the 15th circuit are Carroll, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle and Stephenson. They join Madison County in the Third Judicial Circuit, Kankakee County in the 21st Judicial Circuit and Henry, Mercer, Rock Island and Whiteside counties in the 14th Judicial Circuit where extended media coverage was approved earlier by the Supreme Court.
“Chief Judge Gunnarsson’s application and approval by the Supreme Court to allow cameras in the trial courtrooms in the 15th Circuit bring more geographical diversity to the pilot project for electronic coverage approved earlier this year,” said Chief Justice Kilbride. “The 15th Circuit is a more rural area, and will provide a host of smaller newspaper and radio stations with the opportunity to provide their readers and listeners with picture and audio coverage.
“As the pilot project goes forward, I am confident that Chief Judge Gunnarsson and all the judges in the 15th Circuit will carefully balance the goals of greater openness and access to the courts while ensuring the constitutional guarantees of a fair trial and a fair proceeding.”
Approval of the 15th Circuit extends the pilot project to the Second Judicial District.
-
March 28, 2012 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court announced Monday that the Hon. Robert T. Hanson has been appointed as Circuit Judge for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, at Large. The position was previously held by the Hon. Stephen C. Pemberton, who is retiring from judicial office on July 3, 2012.
-
March 28, 2012 |
Practice News
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. Our firm was started 20 years ago by four partners. We now have the original four partners as well as six associate attorneys. Originally, each of the four partners contributed $25,000 to their capital accounts. We are considering extending partnership to a couple of the associates. We have talked with other law firms and some require buy-ins (capital contributions) and others do not. What are your thoughts?
A. My first question is whether you are planning on creating a non-equity partnership tier. If so, then the associates would initially be brought into that tier first.
-
March 22, 2012 |
Practice News
Our panel of leading appellate attorneys review Thursday's Illinois Supreme Court opinions in the civil cases Simpkins v. CSX Transportation and Wisnasky-Bettorf v. Pierce and criminal cases People v. Chapman and People v. Cathey.
-
March 22, 2012 |
Practice News
ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews bills in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers House Bill 3944 (Eavesdropping), Senate Bill 3763 (Victim impact statement), House Bill 5214 (SCRAM devices and DUIs), House Bill 5262 (Video interrogations) and House Bill 5434 (Post-judgement procedures). More information on each bill is available below the video.
1 comment (Most recent March 22, 2012)