The topic of immigration in the U.S. has always been controversial, including during Abraham Lincoln’s time. In his February Illinois Bar Journal column, “Lincoln, Immigrants, and the American Dream,” retired judge and Lincoln historian Ron Spears revisits Lincoln’s views on immigration, formed as the country, not yet 100 years old, continued to experience wave after wave of population growth due to people from all over the world seeking a better life here.
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The Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee will hear comments on six proposals on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at a public hearing beginning at 10 a.m. at the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, 222 N. LaSalle Street, 13th Floor, in Chicago. All proposals must be approved by the Illinois Supreme Court before they can take effect. The hearing will be livestreamed.
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The Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) stands in support of the Rule of Law and an impartial and independent judiciary. Embodied in the U.S. Constitution, for 236 years these foundational principles have contributed significantly to an ordered society, the preservation of individual rights, checks and balances on excessive government actions, and a firm confidence by the public that access to equal justice is available to all.16 comments (Most recent March 10, 2025)
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The Illinois Supreme Court will leave the Illinois Supreme Court Building in Springfield behind for a day and “ride the circuit” to hear oral arguments at Southern Illinois University (SIU) in Carbondale on March 18, 2025. The Supreme Court will hear arguments in two cases starting at 10 a.m. (all guests are asked to be seated by 9:30 a.m.), on Tuesday, March 18, at the SIU Student Center, located at 1255 Lincoln Dr. in Carbondale. The cases before the court will be People v. Hoffman and Hulsh v. Hulsh.
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Don’t miss this in-depth discussion on the definition and prevalence of hate crimes, as well as recent changes to Illinois’ hate crimes statute.
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Generative artificial intelligence (AI) software can produce apparently quality legal work, leading some to wonder whether an attorney’s work will become streamlined and efficient at best or redundant at worst. The good news? Although generative AI technology appears to be changing the legal industry rapidly (or is at least marketed as doing so), the obligations for being an attorney are changing at a decidedly slower pace. In his February 2025 Illinois Bar Journal article, “Prompt Service,” Joshua L.
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Teams from 52 Illinois high schools will participate in the 42nd annual Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) High School Mock Trial Invitational on March 15 and 16, 2025, at Lincoln Land Community College – Main Campus in Springfield. The top ten teams will compete in the final round on March 16th for the state championship. The winner will represent Illinois at the National High School Mock Trial Championship in Phoenix, Arizona.
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On Monday, February 10, 2025, Illinois State Bar Association President Sonni Choi Williams (2024-2025) was sworn in as a Circuit Judge in the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, Third Subcircuit.
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The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed attorney Ashley N. Shambley of Chicago to serve as a member of the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) Review Board effective on January 1, 2025, and expiring on December 31, 2027. The ARDC is the Supreme Court agency that investigates allegations of lawyer wrongdoing in Illinois.
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In today’s digital economy, companies of all sizes are doing business globally, which necessarily entails the risk of cross-border disputes with contractual counterparts. While companies are generally comfortable managing their domestic litigation risks, managing cross-border risk is more challenging because they are often impacted by political, regulatory, economic, and procedural risks that your client might not encounter at home. Don’t miss this in-depth look at how you can help your clients manage their cross-border litigation risks with this informative seminar!