ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews bills in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers Senate Bill 3349 (prosecutor consent for first offenders), House Bill 5544 (attorney's fees in Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act), House Bill 4994 (BAIID device), Senate Bill 2953 (provisions concerning the effect of recording deeds, mortgages, and other instruments) and Senate Bill 2952 (attorney malpractice). More information on each bill is available below the video.
Practice News
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February 24, 2012 |
Practice News
1 comment (Most recent February 25, 2012)
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February 22, 2012 |
Practice News
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. I am the managing partner of a 12 attorney firm in Chicago. We have been considering whether we should develop a strategic plan for the firm. We have problems even having partner meetings on a consistent basis and those often yield questionable results. What are firms doing? Does a strategic plan make sense for a firm like ours?
A. According to recent surveys, 70+% of the responding law firms (ranging in size from the largest to 45 attorney firms) have formal written strategic plans. Smaller firms have a much lower experience. In our experiences with smaller law firms we are finding that fewer than 15% have formal written strategic plans. I consider success to be achievement of measurable results as evidenced by achievement of the goals and objectives outlined in the plan and actual implementation of action items. Lawyers and law firms seem to do better at planning than they do at implementation. Larger firms usually are more successful in implementation due to availability of management resources, leadership and functional governance. Smaller firms tend to have problems with implementation. In fact, we frequently recommend that a firm address other management issues prior to engaging in strategic planning. If a firm is having problems implementing day-to-day operational decisions the firm will not be effective in implementing strategic planning initiatives.
You might want to get your operational house in order first and resolve day-to-day operational management issues first and then move on to the future. -
February 17, 2012 |
Practice News
Our panel of leading appellate attorneys review Friday's Illinois Supreme Court opinions in the civil cases Chicago Teachers Union v. The Board of Education of the City of Chicago and Gaffney v. Board of Trustees of the Orland Fire Protection District and criminal cases People v. Washington, People v. Guerrero and People v. Baskerville.
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February 17, 2012 |
ISBA News | Practice News
"Legal Issues with Single Family Home Construction" and "Dealing with Foreclosures" will air on Chicago Access Network Television, Channel 21 in Chicago, at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays in February and March. These half-hour programs are presented by “Illinois Law,” a cable production of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA). Both programs are available for online viewing below.
"Legal Issues with Single Family Home Construction" will air at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays, Feb. 28 and March 13. Program moderator Martin A. Dolan, of Dolan Law Offices, Chicago, discusses the topic with guests Adam B. Whiteman, of Whiteman Law Offices, Chicago; Jennifer Nielsen, of Lyman & Nielsen, LLC, Oak Brook; and Myles L. Jacobs, a partner in Brumund, Jacobs, Hammel, Davidson & Andreano, LLC, with offices in Joliet, Channahon and Yorkville. -
February 16, 2012 |
Practice News | ISBA News
ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews bills in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers House Bill 4676 (consumer contracts), House Bill 4665 (radon and home construction), Senate Bill 3757 (admissibility of photographs), House Bill 5198 (contractual litigation) and Senate Bill 2953 (conveyances act). More information on each bill is available below the video.
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February 16, 2012 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has announced that Robert E. Douglas has been appointed associate judge in DuPage County (18th Circuit). This appointement fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Associate Judge C. Stanley Austin.
Mr. Douglas graduated from the DePaul University College of Law in 1982. He currently serves as an assistant with the DuPage County State's Attorneys Office. He previously served as Assistant Counsel with the Illinois State Tollway Authority (1987-2001) and was a Senior Associate with the Chicago firm of French, Rogers, Kezelis & Kominiarek (1983-1987).
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February 16, 2012 |
Practice News
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. Our firm of 16 attorneys is trying to make major strides this year in helping our firm design and implement personal business and client development plans. Should we consider hiring coaches? When should a firm consider coaching for attorneys?
A. The day-to-day stress of practicing law and serving clients leaves little time for focusing and investing in the future of the firm. When attorneys exhibit the following it may be time for a coach:
- Stuck and unable to move forward on new initiatives
- Indecision paralysis
- Lack of commitment, inertia, self-accountability or follow-up
- Poor implementation skills
- Lack of management, leadership, interpersonal, or other needed skills.
Training and skill development is not easy. Studies reveal that 90 percent of the people who attend seminars and training sessions see no improvement because they don't take the time to implement what they learn. Practice creates habits and habits determine your future. Up to 90 percent of our normal behavior is based on habits. The key to skill learning is to get the new skill to become a habit. Once the new habit is well developed it becomes your new normal behavior. This requires practice. Unfortunately, attorneys do not have time to practice and experiment.
The coach's role is that of steward, facilitative leader and teacher. Law firms retain coaches to work with attorneys and staff, mostly on a personal level, to address problems involving lack of commitment, inertia, implementation, self-accountability and follow-up. Firms are using coaching in the following areas: -
February 9, 2012 |
Practice News
ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews bills in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers HJRCA 29 (Victims' Rights Constitutional Amendment) and House Bill 3944 (Eavesdropping). More information on each bill is available below the video.
Victims’ Rights Constitutional Amendment. HJRCA 29 (Lang, D-Chicago) gives crime victims a constitutional right to enforce the current constitutional protections already granted to them under Section 8.1. It essentially gives them standing as a party to in criminal prosecutions to participate in all proceedings. Passed the House 116-2 and sent to the Senate.
Eavesdropping. House Bill 3944 (Nekritz, D-Des Plaines) creates an exemption from prosecution for eavesdropping to allow a citizen to record a law enforcement officer performing public duties in a public place. To do so now is a Class 1 felony. Passed out of House Judiciary Committee I on a 9-2 vote. The “No” votes were Rep. Michael Zalewski (D-Chicago) and Michael Connelly (R-Lisle). -
February 9, 2012 |
ISBA News | Practice News
House Bill 3944, which was drafted by the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), advanced out of a House committee on Wednesday by a vote of 9-2. The bill would allow citizens to record audio of police officers in public places. Video recording is already allowed in Illinois.
State law currently requires the consent of all parties before a conversation can be legally recorded. Violators face a Class 1 felony and up to a 15-year prison sentence.
ISBA members Bob Loeb of Chicago and John Rekowski of Edwardsville and ISBA first assistant counsel Melinda Bentley testified before the committee in favor of the bill.
The bill is being sponsored by Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-Northbrook).
2 comments (Most recent March 15, 2012) -
February 8, 2012 |
Practice News
More and more hospitals and doctors are trying to get a piece of your p.i. client's recovery under the Health Care Services Lien Act instead of seeking payment from his or her health insurer. Why? Because they know the insurer is likely to discount their bill.
But often your client would be better off "having his or her medical expenses paid by health insurance rather than out of the tort recovery," Dennis L. Berkbigler writes in the latest ISBA Tort Trends newsletter.
What to do? Threaten to sue.