Asked and AnsweredBy John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMCQ. I am managing partner for a 16 attorney firm in Minneapolis. We have been having problems with one of our senior partners. He is our highest fee generator - both origination and generation. He operates as a "lone ranger" and refuses to work as a team member with others. He won't follow firm policy or play by the rules. We are trying to build a team based practice and this one partner is holding up our progress. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions?A. Getting and keeping the right people on the bus is a key challenge for law firm management and dealing with "maverick partners" is always a challenge. Of course they seem to always be the heavy hitters and this makes it that much more difficult as often there are major clients and large sums of money at stake - at least in the short term. This can also be major issues and large sums of money at stake in the long term if you don't deal with the maverick partner as well. In addition you won't be able to achieve the vision and goals the firm is trying to achieve.

The Illinois Bar Foundation (IBF), the grant-making arm of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), has announced the recipients of its fiscal year 2012 grants totaling $330,000 which will be awarded to 36 law-related nonprofit organizations, including:Serving Chicago & Cook CountyCabrini Green Legal Aid, $10,000CARPLS Legal Aid, $10,000Center for Disability and Elder Law, $7,500Center on Halsted, $7,500Chicago Law and Education Foundation, $10,000Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, $10,000Domestic Violence Legal Clinic, $15,000Family Rescue, $7,500Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society of Chicago, $10,000Lawndale Christian Legal Center, $15,000Lawyers Committee for Better Housing, $10,000Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services, $10,000Life Span, $10,000Serving Areas Outside of Cook CountyA Safe Place: Lake County Crisis Center, Located in Zion, $6,000Alternatives for Older Adults, Located in Moline, $10,000Immigration Project, Located in Bloomington, $7,500Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, Located in East St. Louis, $15,000Prairie State Legal Services, Located in Rockford, $15,000Riverview Center, Located in Galena, $5,000Sojourn Shelter & Services, Inc, Located in Springfield, $5,000The Parent Place, Located in Springfield, $10,000Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois, Located in Belleville, $7,000Serving Statewide

The Illinois Supreme Court announced today that the Third Judicial Circuit judges voted to select Donald M. Flack as an associate judge of the Third Judicial Circuit.Mr. Flack received his undergraduate degree in 1993 from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, IL, and his Juris Doctor in 1998 from St. Louis University in St. Louis, MO. Mr. Flack is currently affiliated with the Flack Law Office in Wood River, IL and the MadisonCounty State’s Attorney’s Office in Edwardsville, IL.

ISBA President John G. Locallo (right) presents Kane County Sheriff Patrick Perez, of Aurora, with the ISBA’s annual Law Enforcement Award. The award we presented at the Kane County Bar Association’s annual Judges Night on Tuesday, April 24, at Fox Valley Country Club in North Aurora.