From humble beginnings as a child working in his parents’ grocery store in southern Illinois to his well-earned reputation as the region’s preeminent pension law attorney, Dennis Orsey will bring a wealth of experience to his term as the 144th president of the Illinois State Bar Association. Orsey assumes his role as president during historic turmoil resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn it has created. “There are going to be lots of firsts as we try to move forward and find our way through this maze,” Orsey says. To learn more about Orsey and his vision for the ISBA, read his featured profile in the Illinois Bar Journal’s July issue.
Practice News
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Chief Justice Anne M. Burke and the Illinois Supreme Court announced today the amendment of Rule 711(g), which will temporarily expand the class of employers eligible to supervise new law school graduates to include private law firms and other for-profit entities.
The Illinois Supreme Court order temporarily amending Rule 711 to add paragraph (g) can be found here and the Application for Authorization to Perform Legal Services under Illinois Supreme Court Rules 711(g) is available here.
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The Illinois Judicial Conference (IJC) is pleased to announce the creation of a task force to address the ongoing challenges with resuming court operations through the next phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Court Operations During COVID-19 Task Force (Task Force) is charged with analyzing and making recommendations regarding the continuing challenges for the administration of justice resultant from the pandemic.
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June 29, 2020 |
Practice News
The following is a statement from the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission:
The Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission has a unique and significant responsibility for assuring that the legal system achieves its goal of equal justice for all citizens. Given the ARDC’s role and responsibility in the legal system, it is important for us to reinforce our commitment to addressing injustice by actively combatting the evils of racism and social inequity. These times of racial and civil unrest have caused us to think deeply and differently about how we may more effectively meet our obligation to combat racism and support justice for all, which we publicly share with hope and commitment.
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In October 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to grant certiorari to a case out of the Ninth Circuit, where the appellate court ruled that the Americans With Disabilities Act’s definition of “places of public accommodation” includes websites. In the Pointers From Practice HQ column in June’s Illinois Bar Journal, Affinity Consulting Group’s Jeff Schoenberger provides practical, easy-to-adopt tips for making your website more ADA compliant, even though federal guidance on the matter is far from clear.
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June 25, 2020 |
Practice News
The following is a statement from the Illinois Judges Association:
Recent unrest and protests across the nation resulting from the mistreatment of African Americans serve as stark reminders that racial injustice, inequity and discrimination endure throughout our society.
The Illinois Judges Association stands firmly against racism, oppression and hate. The court system not only plays a vital role in ensuring justice and upholding the law, but it is essential in guaranteeing the civil and constitutional rights of all people, regardless of color.
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The following is a statement from the Illinois Supreme Court:
The events of recent days and weeks have exposed frailties in our public institutions and brought to the forefront the disproportionate impact the application of certain laws, rules, policies and practices have had on the African American population, the Latinx community, and other people of color in Illinois and nationally.
1 comment (Most recent August 18, 2020) -
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests are giving consumers unprecedented, inexpensive access to their genetic predispositions. As a result, state and federal governments have had to grapple with consumer-protection laws and private companies with airtight contracts and clear, conspicuous disclosures. Governments have an interest in robust privacy protections for consumers, yet companies that offer DTC genetic-testing services want to protect their brand and the integrity of their products. The general public stands to benefit significantly from the scientific advancements based on the study of genetic material. But in light of this rapidly growing landscape, what do our client patients, providers, and companies need to know? In her June Illinois Bar Journal article, “Inconclusive Results,” Haley J. Guion provides a history of DTC genetic testing, identifies key stakeholders in the genetic testing market, and outlines corresponding legal principles at issue for these players.
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The Illinois Supreme Court handed down six opinions on Thursday, June 18. In People v. Legoo, the court affirmed a man’s conviction of being a child sex offender in a public park. In People v. Robinson, the court granted a defendant’s leave to file a successive post-conviction petition asserting a claim of actual innocence in a murder trial. In People v. Swenson, the court upheld a man’s conviction for disorderly conduct after he called a school administrator and made extensive comments about shootings and violence during a phone conversation, causing the school to go on lockdown. In People v. Radford, the Supreme Court found that a trial court did not violate a defendant’s right to a public trial by partially closing the courtroom during jury selection and that no error occurred when the jury was instructed. In City of Chicago v. Fraternal Order of Police, Chicago Lodge No. 7, the court ruled that state public information laws require Chicago to preserve decades-old police misconduct records despite a provision in the police union’s collective bargaining agreement. In Hernandez v. Lifeline Ambulance, LLC , the court ruled that section 3.150 of the EMS Act provides no immunity from civil liability to an ambulance owner and its driver where the driver, allegedly speeding, collided with another vehicle en route to pick up a patient for nonemergency transportation.
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June 17, 2020 |
Practice News
One of the most mystifying complexities of the civil legal system is its procedure. A lawyer helps demystify the experience for her clients. But how about the thousands of people who must face the system unrepresented when their money, homes, safety, and families may be on the line? For them, Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) offers indispensable tools that diminish the bewilderment and stress a pro se defendant feels when walking into a courtroom. ILAO simplifies the law into understandable terms by providing accessible tools and resources online.