Please join us at the 18th Annual ISBA YLD Holiday Party. Not only will there be warm appetizers, an open bar, dancing, and an opportunity to meet young lawyers from across the state, the event benefits a great cause: the Children’s Assistance Fund. Initially created to assist with the opening of children's waiting rooms in courthouses across the State of Illinois, the IBF/YLD Children's Assistance Fund has since grown, and now provides funding to organizations across the State of Illinois that provide legal assistance to children, maintain children's waiting rooms in courthouses, work to reduce recidivism of juveniles, and/or work to reduce the incidents of domestic violence in families with children. The YLD has distributed nearly $300,000 in grants through the Children's Assistance Fund over the past sixteen years, due, in large part, to the widespread support and participation in our annual Holiday Party. We hope that you will help us continue this worthy tradition by joining us in person or, if you cannot attend, by contributing to the cause. WHEN: Friday, December 4, 2015, 7:00pm-11:00pm WHERE: Duffy's Tavern and Grille, 420½ W. Diversey, Chicago WHAT: Open Bar, Warm Appetizers, and Dancing!! COST: $40.00 per person for tickets purchased at the door the evening of the event. The deadline for online registration was Sunday, November 22.

A one-of-a-kind adoption proceeding will take place in a Cook County courtroom on Friday as a brother and sister become cousins when they are separately adopted by two adult sisters.The 5-year-old boy and 8-year-old girl are two of the seven children whose adoptions will be finalized at 10 a.m. on Friday in Courtroom 1707 of the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 W. Washington St.

The Illinois State Bar Association honored the Distinguished Counsellors Class of 1965 on Thursday at the Standard Club in Chicago. The Hon. Roger Fein delivered remarks for the class.

Chief Judge Kathryn E. Creswell and Circuit Court Clerk Chris Kachiroubas are pleased to announce that the 18th Judicial Circuit (DuPage County) has received permission to implement mandatory e-filing of authorized civil cases. Starting on Jan. 1, 2016, new civil cases, as well as pleadings in existing matters, will be required to be filed electronically. In order to assist self-represented parties, work stations in the Circuit Clerk's Office and assistance through the DuPage Law Library will be made available.DuPage County is the first county in Illinois to be approved for mandatory e-filing of civil cases. Chief Judge Creswell stated, "Electronic filing provides advantages in time, labor and convenience to the Court, the Clerk and the litigants.""DuPage County has been e-filing since 2004 and this would be the next natural progression. Mandatory e-filing will move the State Court system into a new level of efficiency and accuracy while reducing paper and court/government overhead," Circuit Clerk Kachiroubas added. "The process is simple, but meets the high standard of the Illinois Statutes. Both the first-time filer and the seasoned legal professional will find the system accomodating and competent."There are no additional fees to e-file in DuPage County. E-file documents are immediately availabed on the Court record upon acceptance by the Circuit Clerk's Office. E-File in DuPage County in online at www.i2file.net.