Everything A Lawyer Needs To Know About Unemployment Benefits

Presented by the ISBA Administrative Law Section and ISBA Labor & Employment Law Section

2.25 hours MCLE credit


Original Program Date: April 23, 2021
MCLE Accreditation Extension Period: ­­­­­­­June 15, 2023 - June 14, 2025 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


In response to COVID-19, Congress passed enhanced unemployment benefits, including benefits for gig workers and others not normally eligible for unemployment. Attorneys are now receiving calls from both employees and employers with questions about unemployment law. Get the information you need to effectively advise your next client with this informative online program. Administrative law attorneys, civil practice lawyers, corporate law counsel, labor and employment law attorneys, and general practitioners with basic to intermediate practice experience who attend this seminar will better understand:
  • How enhanced unemployment benefits differ from traditional benefits;
  • How the Illinois Department of Employment Security processes unemployment claims;
  • How hearings before the ALJ/referee are conducted;
  • What you need to know before appealing to the Board of Review and circuit courts;
  • Whether or not employers should state in severance agreements that they will not contest unemployment claims; and
  • Why fraudulent claims have increased since the pandemic.

Program Coordinators:
Barbara J. Bell, BJ Bell Law, LLC, Arlington Heights
Alan M. Kaplan, Masuda, Funai, Eifert & Mitchell, Ltd., Schaumburg

Program Moderator:
Barbara J. Bell, BJ Bell Law, LLC, Arlington Heights

Program Speakers:
Karen J. Doran, Karen J. Doran Attorney at Law LLC, Wheaton
Samuel P. Nedeau, Law Offices of Samuel P. Nedeau, Northfield
David Prosnitz, Personnel Planners, Chicago
Gregory J. Ramel, Illinois Department of Employment Services, Chicago


Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $67.50 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit
    • Non-Member Price $112.50
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students - Free

Environmental Law for the General Practitioner Series: Underground Storage Tanks

Presented by the ISBA Environmental Law Section

1.0 hour MCLE credit

Original Program Date: June 2, 2023
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­June 14, 2025 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


The Illinois State Fire Marshall’s Division of Petroleum & Chemical Safety was created to regulate the numerous underground storage tanks found throughout Illinois. Don’t miss this in-depth look at the laws impacting underground storage tanks, what to do if your client’s tank is leaking, and the obligations and responsibilities relating to the maintenance of these tanks.

Program Coordinator/Moderator:
Eugene P. Schmittgens, Rouse Frets Gentile Rhodes LLC, Missouri

Program Speaker:
Emily N. Masalski, Eaton Corporation, Oak Park

Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $30 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit
    • Non-Member Price $50
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students - Free

Environmental Law for the General Practitioner Series: Understanding Phase I Reports

Presented by the ISBA Environmental Law Section

1.0 hour MCLE credit

Original Program Date: June 2, 2023
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­June 14, 2025 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


All commercial real estate transactions should include a Phase I study of the site, making it imperative that attorneys understand what should go into the report. Commercial banking lawyers, corporate law counsel, environmental law attorneys, and real estate practitioners with basic practice experience who attend this seminar will learn the most common errors (or omissions) in a Phase I report, what is required in a Phase I report in order to protect your client, and the recent case law impacting this issue.

Program Coordinator/Moderator:
Eugene P. Schmittgens, Rouse Frets Gentile Rhodes LLC, Missouri

Program Speaker:
Raymond T. Reott, Reott Law Offices LLC, Chicago


Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $30 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit
    • Non-Member Price $50
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students - Free

The Illinois Prevailing Wage Act: Compliance in Public Works Contracts

Presented by the ISBA Labor & Employment Law Section
Co-sponsored by the ISBA Local Government Section, ISBA Corporate Law Section, and ISBA Construction Law Section

1.0 hour MCLE credit

Original Program Date: June 2, 2023
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­June 14, 2025 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Contractors and subcontractors that perform construction projects for Illinois state and municipalities have special responsibilities to comply with the provisions of the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act. As an attorney, it is important that you know which projects are subject to the Act, what the prevailing wages are, whether or not the prevailing wages for a state project are the same as for projects in each county, municipality, library, and fire districts throughout the state, the documentation employers should create and maintain to show their compliance with the Act, and much more. Don't miss this online seminar that explores the provisions of the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, as well as how the provisions are enforced. By examining real-world Prevailing Wage Act situations, this seminar offers warnings about some of the common pitfalls your clients might face, and gives you tips for drama-free compliance with the Act. Labor and employment lawyers, construction law attorneys, corporate law counsel, general practitioners, and business advice attorneys with intermediate practice experience who attend this program will better understand
  • The provisions of the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act;
  • How the Illinois' Prevailing Wage Act interacts with the Federal Davis-Bacon Act;
  • How Illinois’ Prevailing Wage Act is enforced; and
  • How employers must comply with the Act.

Program Moderator:
Alan M. Kaplan, Union and Employment Advisory, LLC, Deerfield

Program Speaker:
Craig W. Colbrook, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Springfield


Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $30 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit
    • Non-Member Price $50
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students - Free

Congratulations to the Winner of the ISBA’s 2023 Facebook Contest

Posted on June 6, 2023 by Celeste Antoinette Niemann

Congratulations to Bob Horwitz for winning a $100 Visa gift card in the ISBA's 2023 Member Appreciation Month Facebook Contest! 

As part of Member Appreciation Month, we asked members to like and comment on our Facebook Contest post, telling us why they value their ISBA membership. We then selected a winner at random.