Here are brief summaries of the 18 new Illinois laws that will go into effect on January 1, 2022. 

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, 2021, ISBA helped 826 people in need of legal services find lawyers. 

The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Kate L. McCracken of St. Charles to serve as a Commissioner of the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (A.R.D.C.) effective on January 1, 2022, and expiring on December 31, 2024. The A.R.D.C. is the Supreme Court agency that investigates allegations of lawyer wrongdoing in Illinois.

The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed attorney Michael T. Reagan of Ottawa to serve as a member of the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (A.R.D.C.) Review Board effective on January 1, 2022, and expiring on December 31, 2024. The A.R.D.C. is the Supreme Court agency that investigates allegations of lawyer wrongdoing in Illinois.  

Our panel of leading appellate attorneys reviews the eight Illinois Supreme Court opinions handed down Thursday, December 16. 

The Illinois Supreme Court has made several appointments to the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (A.R.D.C.), the Supreme Court agency that investigates allegations of lawyer wrongdoing in Illinois, and the A.R.D.C. Review Board, which decides appeals in attorney discipline cases. 

The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts announced today it was awarded a $550,000 grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance as part of the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP). The JMHCP is a competitive grant program that supports innovative cross-system collaboration for individuals with mental illnesses or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders who encounter the justice system. 

eFileIL will be unavailable statewide for filing on Thursday, December 30, beginning at 12:00 p.m., through Sunday, January 2, at 1:00 p.m. CDT, in preparation for the changes required by the new Recordkeeping Manual that goes into effect on January 1. Filers will be unable to submit documents to the court through eFileIL during this time, but you can file paper documents locally at the appropriate clerk’s office during regular business hours without submitting a Certificate of Exemption from e-Filing form.

Trust and estate planning has come of age with the recent proliferation of electronic wills, trusts, and power of attorneys, remote witnessing, and notarial act legislation. The impact on executors and trustees is evolving, and it is important that you stay abreast of these changes. Don’t miss this in-depth look at the areas being impacted, as well as the potential pitfalls to avoid in the new age. 

The ISBA offices will be closed for the holidays from Thursday, December 23, to Sunday, January 2. The offices will reopen on Monday, January 3. During this time, members can expect the following:

• E-Clips will not be delivered for the duration of this period.
• The Bar News will not be delivered on Thursday, December 23.
• Illinois Lawyer Now will not be delivered on Thursday, December 30.

All business and e-newsletter distribution will resume as usual on January 3, 2022.