The following state and local bar associations have expressed unified and strong opposition to the American Bar Association’s Law Connect pilot program which was launched by the ABA in partnership with Rocket Lawyer on October 1, 2015. The ABA’s Law Connect Rocket Lawyer program provides online legal advice to small businesses operating in Pennsylvania, Illinois and California at a cost of $4.95 along with free advice for online follow-up questions. In its October 1 press release announcing the program the ABA stated, “The new ABA service called Law Connect, will be an affordable way for small businesses in those states to get answers to fundamental legal questions. For $4.95 a small business owner or representative can ask a question online of an ABA-member lawyer as well as a follow-up question. Those interested in additional legal advice can discuss legal matters further in a lawyer-client relationship.” ABA President Paulette Brown stated, “ABA Law Connect is an exciting opportunity for the ABA and Rocket Lawyer to assist small businesses, connecting them with ABA members, and represents one of many efforts by the ABA to improve access to legal services.”

Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Rita B. Garman (left) swore-in Springfield attorney Jennifer M. Ascher as a Sangamon County Associate Judge on Monday. Ms. Ascher was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the impending retirement of Associate Judge Steven H. Nardulli. Ascher received her undergraduate degree in 1999 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her Juris Doctor in 2003 from Saint Louis University School of Law. She is currently a partner at Sorling Northrup, where she has practiced family law nearly exclusively for the past 12 years. During her tenure, she represented clients in Sangamon County and surrounding counties. She is a Springfield native where she resides with her family. Ms. Ascher previously served as president of the Central Illinois Women’s Bar Association and the Sangamon County Bar Association.

Get the Illinois legislation updates you need to effectively advise your clients on important state tax issues with this three-hour seminar on January 29, 2016! Tax attorneys, CPA’s practicing state tax, and attorneys with clients that are subject to or exempt from Illinois state and local income, sales, or property tax – with intermediate practice experience – who attend this seminar will better understand: the sales, income and property tax issues still being considered by the State, Cook County, and the City of Chicago to address preexisting fiscal problems; the legislative items that state businesses support; the recent Illinois court decisions that address state and local tax issues; the property tax issues currently being considered by the Illinois General Assembly; and the income, franchise, and sales tax changes enacted during the 2015-2016 legislative session. The program – which will be held at the ISBA Chicago Office and via Live Webcast – is presented by the ISBA State & Local Tax Section and qualifies for 3.0 hours MCLE credit. Click here for more information and to register.

The Nominating Committee of the Cook County Circuit Court decided today to postpone the Associate Judge selection process until after the March 15 primary election. The Nominating Committee took this action to avoid the potential appearance of impropriety because several applicants for Associate Judge are also running for Circuit Judge in the March primary.