It’s hard to believe that lawyers have had access to online practice management programs for 15 years or more. One of the significant innovations of these web-first programs compared to their traditional, desktop-based rivals is offering client portals, where people outside the firm can see and interact with their own client file. Of course, the firm remains in control of who can see what. These portals are so popular that some traditional programs have added portals to their products as well. But, just as the word “car” means everything from an econobox to a luxury sedan, different products’ portals offer different features.

The Illinois Air National Guard is accepting letters of interest from qualified candidates for Judge Advocates in the Air National Guard. Currently, there are three vacant military Judge Advocate positions.  

The Illinois Supreme Court announced today the creation of the Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Security and Safety (the Committee). 

The Illinois Supreme Court has announced that Cook County Circuit Judge Raymond W. Mitchell has been appointed as an Appellate Court Justice in the First District, Sixth Division. 

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law on May 13, 2022, the first major overhaul of the Residential Real Property Disclosure Act (the “Act”) since its enactment in 1994. Over the span of 30-plus years since the original effective date of the Act, developments in electronic communication, new statutes, and real-world practical experience all generated the need for a thorough review. In his July Illinois Bar Journal article, “Material Defects,” Michael J. Rooney, a key drafter of the legislation, provides an in-depth walk-through of the Act’s finer points.

The Pretrial Practices Data Oversight Board (the Board) today released its preliminary report, meeting its statutorily required July 1 deadline. 

The Illinois Supreme Court announced today the adoption of a new Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct which will become effective January 1, 2023.

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 June, 2022, ISBA helped 995 people in need of legal services find lawyers. 

Veteran family law attorney Rory T. Weiler is profiled in the July Illinois Bar Journal as the 2022-23 Illinois State Bar Association president, the 146th in the association’s history. Weiler tells the IBJ about his plans for initiatives serving urban legal deserts, protecting the practice of law, and empowering members.