Q. I want to send an email announcement of my new office address to all the businesses in my community. Do I need to include the words “Advertising Material” on the email?A. Rule 7.3, governing “Direct Contact with Prospective Clients,” includes a requirement to include the words “Advertising Material” on envelopes or recorded or electronic communications soliciting professional employment from a prospective client known to be in need of legal services in a particular matter. Comment [7] to that Rule provides that “General announcements by lawyers, including changes in personnel or office location, do not constitute communications soliciting professional employment from a client known to be in need of legal services within the meaning of this Rule.” See also ISBA Professional Conduct Advisory Opinion 12-04.ISBA members can browse past ISBA Ethics Opinions at www.isba.org/ethics

ISBA 3rd Vice President Vincent F. Cornelius was honored by the Black Bar Association of Will County at the group’s Annual Barrister’s Ball on Feb. 15 at the Bolingbrook Golf Club. On hand for the event were (from left) President-elect Richard D. Felice, President Paula H. Holderman, Cornelius and 2nd Vice President Umberto S. Davi.

Remaining 10th Circuit counties will join in 60 daysThe Illinois Supreme Court announced on Friday that news cameras and microphones will be allowed in trial courtrooms in Peoria County in the 10th Judicial Circuit. Peoria County becomes the 36th county in Illinois to participate in the pilot project allowing cameras in trial courtrooms.Under Local Rule 15, the remaining four counties in the Circuit will also join the pilot project in 60 days, bringing the grand total of participating counties in Illinois to 40 and the total number of participating circuits to 14. The 10th Judicial Circuit consists of Marshall, Peoria, Putnam, Stark and Tazewell counties in central Illinois.

Angela J. Rollins of Benton, a law clerk to the Honorable J. Phil Gilbert of the Southern District Illinois, U.S. District Court, is the first place winner in the ISBA’s 2014 Lincoln Award Legal Writing Contest. Angela received a cash award of $2,000, and her article, "Collateral Consequence Considerations for Illinois Practitioners after Padilla v. Kentucky," appears in the February Illinois Bar Journal. The contest is sponsored by the ISBA Young Lawyers Division and open to YLD members. Second place winner is Richard J. VanSwol, of Purcell & Wardrope Chtd. in Chicago, who wrote "Playing with Fire: Limitations on Insurance Coverage for Expected or Intended Harm." Third place goes to Jill Ausdenmoore, a law clerk to Honorable Lisa Holder White of the Illinois Fourth District Appellate Court, Decatur, for "A Practitioner's Guide to Illinois' Speedy-Trial Statute." The second place winner gets $1,000 cash prize, and the third place winner received $500.Twenty-three manuscripts were submitted in the 2014 contest. The contest judges were Justice John W. Turner, of the Illinois Appellate Court, Fourth District; Hon. Pamela E. Loza, supervising judge in the Paternity/Child Support Department of the Cook County Circuit Court Domestic Relations Division; Mary D. Cascinio, Senior Counsel at Handler Thayer, LLP in Chicago; Mark D. DeBofsky, with DeBofsky & Associates, P.C. in Chicago; and L. Dominic Kujawa, a sole practitioner in Belleville.Look for an announcement about next year's contest in a few weeks.