“Technology keeps changing, except when it doesn’t,” writes Ed Finkel in the November Bar Journal’s cover story, “26 Tech Tips for Saving Money, Time, and Sanity.” It’s important, Finkel continues, to keep up with the changes that do take place and according to attorneys who participated in an ISBA CLE session held on June 24 called 60 Virtual Tips in 60 Minutes. The Illinois Bar Journal took in the session and curated 26 great tips from the program for November’s article.

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 October, 2021, ISBA helped 771 people in need of legal services find lawyers. 

On September 20, 2021, this United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued notice of its intent to rescind Circuit Rule 57. No comments were received. The court hereby rescinds Circuit Rule 57 effective immediately.  

The Illinois Supreme Court announced a new order which modifies the Court-Based Rental Assistance Program (CBRAP) in order to grant the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) access to information in sealed eviction court files. CBRAP is available in all Illinois counties outside Cook and the City of Chicago. Both Cook County and the City of Chicago received separate federal funding and have their own court-based rental assistance program as part of Cook’s Early Resolution Program.

Join us for this comprehensive overview of legislation, case law, and protections for your long-term care clients. 

Illinois Supreme Court Clerk Carolyn Taft Grosboll, who led the transformation of the office from paper to digital and other important efforts since January 3, 2011, has announced her retirement effective November 30, 2021. Cynthia A. Grant has been appointed as the new Clerk of the Supreme Court effective December 1, 2021.

By Michael Bergmann, Executive Director of the Public Interest Law Initiative

Save the date for another Pro Bono Week celebration! Coordinated by the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service, Pro Bono Week is intended to inspire even greater pro bono participation by lawyers throughout the nation. This initiative provides an opportunity for legal organizations across the country to collaboratively commemorate the vitally important contributions of America’s lawyers and to recruit and train the many additional volunteers required to meet the growing demand. 

How might Illinois take more seriously its Constitution’s directive of returning offenders of all ages to useful citizenship. In their October Illinois Bar Journal article, “Useful Sentencing,” Andrea D. Lyon and Hannah J. Brooks show how Illinois courts have interpreted this part of the state’s constitution in lockstep with the U.S. Supreme Court’s interpretations of the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition against “cruel and unusual” punishment—and how Illinois has seriously reassessed its position on sentencing in light of the major decisions on that subject from both the U.S. Supreme Court and the Illinois Supreme Court.

Our panel of leading appellate attorneys reviews the seven Illinois Supreme Court opinions handed down Thursday, October 21. 

Am Law 100 firm Polsinelli welcomes Benjamin Jacobi as Counsel to the firm’s national Energy Law Practice Group. He is based out of the Chicago office.

Jacobi represents developers of renewable energy projects in zoning, permitting, regulatory, administrative, and litigation matters, counseling them on all issues related to complex energy project development, including state and local permitting, road use agreements, NWS agreements, and other related matters.