I Need My Driver’s License

Posted on October 4, 2022 by Celeste Antoinette Niemann

Whether you are a U.S. citizen, an immigrant living in Illinois, or an international visitor traveling throughout our country, having a driver’s license is an important aspect of modern life. Don’t miss this in-depth look at how immigration and traffic law intersect, as well as the post-conviction procedures and remedies related to both immigrant and non-immigrant driving offenses.

10th Annual Minority Bar CLE Conference - Day 1

10th Annual Minority Bar CLE Conference – Day 1Presented by the Illinois State Bar Association, Asian American Bar Association, Black Women Lawyers’ Association, Chinese American Bar Association, Cook County Bar Association, Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago, Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, Korean American Bar Association, The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, Puerto Rican Bar Association, South Asian Bar Association, and the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois



Original Program Date: Thursday, September 15, 2022
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­September 14, 2024 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


4.0 hours MCLE credit, including 4.0 hours approved Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following categories:
  • 3.0 hours Diversity and Inclusion MCLE credit
  • 1.0 hour Professionalism, Civility, or Legal Ethics MCLE credit

The 10th Annual Minority Bar CLE Conference is here once again.So, plan to join us – onsite or online - for this opportunity to get the guidance and information you need on a number of practice areas as we tackle a variety of hot topic issues, including:
  • The importance of having a diverse judiciary;
  • How legal communities can address systemic inequities;
  • The microaggressions facing minorities during professional networking events and other social engagements; and
  • Best practices for representing clients with little to no English speaking skills.

Program Moderators :
Jaz Park, Attorney at Law, Chicago
Jerrod L. Williams , Law Clerk, Illinois Appellate Court, First District, Chicago

Welcome and Introduction
Hon. Jesse G. Reyes, Illinois Appellate Court First District, Chicago

Barriers Broken: Challenges and Opportunities for a Diverse Judiciary in Times of Division*
Coordinated by Cook County Bar Association
(Diversity & Inclusion PMCLE credit*)
Creating and maintaining a diverse judiciary is important, in general, but even more imperative during times of division. Don’t miss this presentation in which our judicial speakers come together to discuss the value and difficulties of diversity on a divided court and a divided electorate, as well as the challenges that lie ahead for Justice Brown-Jackson and Justice Holder White.

Moderator: Jerrod L. Williams, Law Clerk, Illinois Appellate Court, First District, Chicago
Hon. Lloyd Brooks , Cook County Judicial Circuit Court, Chicago
Hon. Nathaniel R. Howse, Jr. , Illinois Appellate Court, First District, Chicago
Hon. Bertina E. Lampkin , Illinois Appellate Court, First District, Chicago


Introspection within the Legal Community: Taking Steps to Address Systemic Inequities
Coordinated by Chinese American Bar Association and South Asian Bar Association of Chicago
(Diversity & Inclusion PMCLE credit*)
This segment discusses the active steps the legal community has taken to support diversity (internally) and force change (externally), as well as racial injustice issues, how lawyers of color can obtain leadership roles in the private and public realms, and more.
Moderator: Suleen Park, Sprout Social, Chicago
Joy Monahan, AbbVie, Chicago
Elizabeth Wassef, McDonald’s Corporation, Chicago


Best Practices for Representing Non-English Speaking Clients
Coordinated by Illinois State Bar Association, Puerto Rican Bar Association, Korean American Bar Association, Chinese American Bar Association, and Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago
(Professionalism, Civility, or Legal Ethics PMCLE credit*)
Clients that speak limited or no English oftentimes come with their own set of unique understandings (or misunderstandings) of the U.S. legal system. This segment briefly discusses the fundamentals of representing non-English speaking clients and how it is more than just interpreters and translators. This segment will then focus on discussing how language impacts the client-lawyer relationship and ABA’s Formal Opinion 500; Illinois Supreme Court’s Code of Interpreter Ethics; the tools for representing non-English speaking clients; tips for oral and written communication; and how to choose and vet interpreters. A look at various issues that can arise during the litigation process is also included.
Moderator: Hope Mercado, Hope Law Firm LLC, Oak Brook
Virtual Moderator: Shannon M. Shepherd, Immigration Attorneys LLP, Chicago
Soo Yeon Lee, Mauck & Baker LLC, Chicago
Janice Dantes, The Law Office of Janice A. Dantes, Chicago
Rachel Huan Kao,Law Office of Rachel Huan Kao, Glenview


Networking and Microaggressions
Coordinated by Cook County Bar Association, Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, Chinese American Bar Association, Puerto Rican Bar Association, Korean American Bar Association, and Black Women Lawyers’ Association
(Diversity & Inclusion PMCLE credit*)
Gain a better understanding of the instances of microaggressions facing minority lawyers during professional networking events and other social interactions with this informative session. Topics include: how to break into conversations about sports or join partners on the golf course; the predominance of alcohol in work-related social events (and how that can impact certain groups of people); how to be part of the conversation while working remote; how microaggressions can impact promotions and opportunities for minorities; and much more.

Moderator: Claudia F. Badillo , Badillo Law Group, Chicago
Lauren P. Buford , Walgreens, Deerfield
Debjani Desai , Illinois Office of Comptroller, Chicago


Pricing Information
  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $120 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit
    • Non-Member Price $200
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students - Free

Public Service and the ISBA

Posted on October 3, 2022 by Celeste Antoinette Niemann

Of the many ways the Illinois State Bar Association serves the public, judicial evaluations, high school mock trial competitions, and providing the public with legal information tops them all. But as the October Illinois Bar Journal cover story (“Public Service and the ISBA”) shows, there is much, much more.

4th Annual Abraham Lincoln's Legal Legacy: Overcoming Prejudice and Racial Discrimination in the Legal Profession - Part 1

Presented by the Illinois State Bar Association
Co-sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Association


3.0 hours MCLE credit, including 3.0 hours Professionalism Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Professionalism, Civility, or Legal Ethics credit 


Original Program Date: September 9, 2022
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­October 28, 2024 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Don’t miss ISBA’s 4th Annual Abraham Lincoln’s Legal Legacy seminar as we take an in-depth look at how to overcome prejudice and racial discrimination in the legal profession. The program offers an informative, historical look at how far we’ve come as a society – and how far we have yet to go. Topics include:
  • The evolution of Lincoln’s view on racial equality – from his view of the Declaration of Independence up to his “final speech”;
  • The arguments on race that took place between Lincoln and Senator Stephen Douglas during the 1847 Debate;
  • How to represent unpopular clients or cases (and how Lincoln handled this very situation); and
  • Much more.

Program Coordinators:
J. Steven Beckett, Beckett Law Office, P.C., Urbana
Hon. Ronald D. Spears (Ret.), Spears Dispute Resolution LLC, Taylorville

Welcome and Overview

Lincoln’s Legal Cases involving Slavery
This segment examines Lincoln’s legal cases involving slavery, including Matson v. Ashmore in which Lincoln defended the slave-owner in Coles County, Illinois in 1847.
John A. Lupton, Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission, Springfield

Lincoln and Douglas: The 1847 Debate
This presentation discusses the debates and arguments on race that took place in Charleston, Illinois between Abraham Lincoln (who as the Republic Party candidate for the U.S. Senate) and Senator Stephen Douglas (the Democrat incumbent).
Hon. Ronald D. Spears (Ret.), Spears Dispute Resolution LLC, Taylorville

Lawyer Representation of Unpopular People and Causes
Join us for this informative panel presentation that discusses the representation of unpopular clients or cases, as well as the attacks in later political campaigns and judicial confirmation proceedings.
Moderator: Hon. Ronald D. Spears(Ret.), Spears Dispute Resolution LLC, Taylorville
J. Steven Beckett, Beckett Law Office, P.C., Urbana
Prof. Roger Billings, Northern Kentucky School of Law (Ret.), Kentucky
Guy C. Fraker, Attorney and Author, Bloomington

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 $90 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit
    • Non-Member Price $150
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students - Free

Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee: Notice of Public Hearing via Zoom – October 5, 2022

Posted on September 30, 2022 by Celeste Antoinette Niemann

In accordance with Supreme Court Rule 3 (Rulemaking Procedures), you are hereby notified that the Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee will hold a virtual public hearing on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, via the Zoom video conference platform, with simultaneous livestreaming (access the livestream).

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the hearing will now be conducted completely virtually, and there will be no option for in-person attendance.