Attorneys practicing in the areas of employee benefits, federal taxation, and trusts/estate planning, as well as general practitioners and certified public accountants won’t want to miss ISBA’s 2014 Federal Tax Conference in Chicago on February 7th! As an attendee, you will gain a better understanding of: the recent legislation affecting the transfer of assets during life and at death; the latest changes in retirement and welfare benefit plans; how developments in individual income tax law has affected the determination of income, deductions, exemptions, and more; how recent rulings have affected the taxation of C and S corporations and Partnerships; current issues regarding tax-exempt not-for-profit organizations; overview of Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission process and procedures; practicum on estate administration matters; and recent Supreme Court decisions regarding same-sex marriages' affect on tax planning.The program is presented by the ISBA Federal Taxation Section and qualifies for 6.75 hours MCLE credit, including 1.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit (subject to approval).Click here for more information and to register.

The Illinois State Bar Association’s Lawyer Finder Service provides referrals to local lawyers Mondays through Fridays. The Service makes referrals in a number of areas of law. For the month of December 2013, ISBA helped people in need of legal services find lawyers in the following areas:Here are the results for December 2013:

The Illinois Supreme Court has mended a divide between appellate court decisions regarding whether certain dramshop liabilities should be reduced from a jury's award of damages or, alternatively, from a statutory liability cap that applies to the Illinois Insurance Guarantee Fund. The court ruled that the cap defines the upper limit of liability, even when that means a smaller recovery for the plaintiff. Find out more in the January Illinois Bar Journal.

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier announced Monday that an application process has begun to fill a vacancy in the Fifth District Appellate Court.The vacancy is being created by the announced resignation of Appellate Justice James M. Wexstten, effective January 29, 2014.Under the Illinois Constitution, the Supreme Court holds the authority to fill interim judicial vacancies. Justice Karmeier will use a special committee to evaluate and interview the applicants before making a recommendation to the Court to fill the vacancy.An Applicant Information Form may be obtained from Justice Karmeier at P.O. Box 266, Nashville, IL 62263. The Information Form may also be obtained from any of the Chief Judges in the Fifth Judicial District. The Chief Judges are: Judge Mark Clarke, First Judicial Circuit, Marion; Judge Thomas Tedeschi, Second Judicial Circuit, Benton; Judge David Hylla, Third Judicial Circuit, Edwardsville; Judge Gene Schwarm, Fourth Judicial Circuit, Vandalia; and Judge John Baricevic, 20th Judicial Circuit, Belleville.Applications must be received in Justice Karmeier's office no later than Friday, January 31, 2014. The person appointed to fill the vacancy will serve until the position is filled through the November 2016 General Election. The appointment will terminate December 5, 2016. To be eligible for appointment, a person must be a citizen of the United States, a licensed Illinois attorney in good standing, and a resident of the Fifth Judicial District at the time of the appointment.