More clients prefer to pay fees by credit card these days, and more lawyers are accommodating them, a practice that is typically good for client and lawyer alike. But credit-card transactions raise a few special ethics issues, one of which - payment for retainer fees - is the subject of ISBA Ethics Opinion 14-01, issued earlier this year.As the opinion notes, lawyers must take care that the agreement they sign with the credit card processing company doesn't conflict with various ethical obligations to clients, notably the duty under Rule of Professional Conduct 1.15 to "hold property of clients or third persons that is in a lawyer's possession in connection with a representation separate from the lawyer's own property" - i.e., to avoid commingling.Commingling isn't an issue when the payment is for services already performed. That money belongs to the lawyer, not the client. But when the client pays a security retainer fee "to secure payment for future services and expenses," he or she is paying for services that haven't yet been rendered. Those payments are the property of the client until the work is done, and as such must be deposited in the lawyer's trust account, not the lawyer's business account. Find out more in the September Illinois Bar Journal.

The Illinois Supreme Court Building officially re-opened to the public Wednesday after a 13-month restoration. View our photo gallery of the restoration at iln.isba.org/galleryThe Court building has been closed since June 2013 when major work began on the historic building for the first time in nearly a century.The building was constructed in 1906 and is eligible for inclusion on the National Historic Register. While the building was closed, the Supreme Court met during its regular terms in Chicago. It returns to begin its September 2014 term on Monday, Sept. 8.The year-long project included restoration and preservation of the public spaces, courtrooms, library and support spaces. Offices, storage and work areas were updated for improved efficiencies in the digital and electronic age.Major mechanical, heating, cooling, plumbing, and ventilation systems were replaced with installations to provide consistent humidification levels for the long-term maintenance of the historic ele-ments within the building. Technology enhancements included three new High Definition cameras permanently installed in the Supreme Court Courtroom and connected to a commercial grad production video switcher. The new video recording system will allow the Court's oral arguments and courtroom events to be recorded in a standard HD format and usable via download by the commer-cial media. As well as viewed by the public.

Asked and AnsweredBy John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMCQ. I am the managing partner of a 16 attorney insurance defense firm in Chicago Southwest Suburbs. We have 4 partners and the balance of our attorneys are associates - many of which have been with us for several years. We are on a growth spree and need to hire more associates to handle client assignments. Associate hiring, mentoring, and training has always been a challenge for us and our clients are restricting us in the way we use associates on their files. I would appreciate your thoughts.

Join us in Chicago on Friday, September 12th for this in-depth look at the natural outgrowth and unintended consequences of the Affordable Care Act. Topics include: Medicaid expansion and the future of Medicaid HMOs; the employer’s role in covering contraceptives; the movement of employers from defined benefits to defined contributions; the Illinois insurance market and changes in the insurance market across the country; the impact of narrow networks on insureds and providers; and potential problems for physicians who have contracts with payment based on the risk adjustment. Health care lawyers, employee benefits attorneys, health care professionals/administrators, and those interacting with healthcare payors and providers with intermediate practice experience who attend this seminar will gain a better understanding of: changes to the Affordable Care Act; how the Act is being implemented; the prospect for future changes to the Affordable Care Act through the courts; the changing nature of the current and future Illinois insurance market; changes in the employer mandate; and private insurance exchanges as a direct response to the Affordable Care Act.This program will broadcast via live webcast for those unable to attend the seminar in Chicago.The program qualifies for 2.0 hours MCLE credit and is presented by the ISBA Health Care Section.Click here for more information and to register.