A security camera caught an employee beating a patient. It took 11 days for anyone to take action

Cameras in the common areas of Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center were supposed to make the troubled southern Illinois facility safer for the approximately 200 people with developmental disabilities who live there.

From: 
WGLT

Illinois to allow transgender residents to change birth certificates issued in another state

Transgender residents in Illinois may soon be able to change the sex or name documented on their birth certificates, even if it was issued in another state or country. House Bill 5507 passed both houses of the state legislature on Thursday.

From: 
mystateline.com

Zantac did not cause Brookfield woman's colon cancer, Cook County jury rules

Jurors deliberated for just over four hours from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday morning. The three-week trial — a first of thousands of similar cases nationwide to appear before a jury — wrapped up Wednesday.

From: 
Chicago Sun-Times

Illinois bill for custody of human remains advances

Funeral homes in Illinois are on the alert; the House passed a bill to create a chain of custody for human remains.

From: 
OurQuadCities.com

Springfield-area judge halts new state elections law. Here's what you need to know

A Sangamon County judge ruled on Wednesday to put a temporary pause on a recently passed elections law prohibiting Republicans from entering new candidates after the March primary.

From: 
The State Journal-Register

With college athletes on cusp of revenue-sharing, there are Title IX questions that must be answered

The looming athlete pay system that will upend the traditional college sports model and still-to-be-determined details about how millions of dollars will be distributed are certain to bring questions about gender equity.

From: 
WGN 9

LIVE WEB - The Conundrums of the Parentage Act

September 11, 2024
Presented by the ISBA Family Law Section

Live Webcast
Wednesday, September 11, 2024
9:00 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.

3.0 hours MCLE credit

While the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution Act concentrates on intact families who are undergoing a separation, the Illinois Parentage Act impacts all children regardless of parental separation, unmarried couples, and parents who were never couples. In a nutshell, the Illinois Parentage Act is the statute that deals with everyone. Join us for this half-day seminar that offers a clear understanding of how to operate under the Parentage Act and explores many of the issues you may encounter. Family law attorneys, general practitioners, civil practice lawyers, and judges who need a refresher or aren’t familiar with the current Parentage Act will learn:
  • How to address the jurisdictional issues that may arise in your next case;
  • The necessary protocol for establishing parentage;
  • How the Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity may impact your client;
  • What to do when an alleged parent is deceased;
  • The issues arising from DNA testing companies like 23andMe; and
  • Much more.

Program Coordinators/Chat Moderators:
Pamela J. Kuzniar, Haid and Teich, LLP, Chicago
Jessica Patchik, DuPage County’s State’s Attorney’s Office, Wheaton

9:00 – 9:45 a.m. Jurisdiction Issues
Don’t miss this opening segment as our seasoned practitioners examine the jurisdictional issues you may encounter, including the time constraints that impact available remedies, the situations that often baffle attorneys, and how to obtain both subject matter and personal jurisdiction to ensure a valid result. Emergency jurisdiction and the putative father registry is also discussed.
Marilyn F. Longwell, Marilyn Longwell & Associates, P.C., Chicago
L. Steven Rakowski, LSR Family Law Group, Wheeling

9:45 – 10:30 a.m. A Primer on Establishing Parentage
This in-depth look at established parentage offers the unique perspectives from a sitting judge and an experienced practitioner. Topics include: the necessary protocol for establishing parentage, appropriate pleadings, essential testimony, testing, and the distinctions between presumed parents and adjudicated parents, as well as the impact of the Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity.
Hon. Karen Bowes, Circuit Court of Cook County, Chicago
Liz Wakeman, Wakeman Law Group, P.C., Crystal Lake

10:30 – 10:45 a.m. Break

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Parentage Conundrum
Get the answers you need for a wide range of parentage conundrums with this informative segment, including: the complex issues that may arise (and how to deftly handle them), what to do when the alleged parent is deceased, the common mistakes to avoid (and how to undo them when they happen), how DNA testing companies like 23andMe have created a new set of issues for practitioners, how parentage can impact estate planning, and much more.
Staci Balbirer, Davis|Friedman, Chicago
Jessica Patchik, DuPage County’s State’s Attorney’s Office, Wheaton
Angel M. Traub, A. Traub & Associates, Lombard



For best practices, before attending the program using ISBA's Zoom platform, please visit our Technical Support page.

Program Information

  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member - $105
      • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
    • Non-Member - $210
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Student Members - Free
    • Special pricing is available for Legal Service Attorneys.
  • If you cannot attend the live web event, a full refund is available, if you cancel your registration up to the start of the live web event on the program page in your “My CLE Account”. 
  • Please Note: MCLE credit is available to registrants only on the day of this live event – and you must attend the entire program to earn MCLE credit. All registrants will receive access to a recording of the event a few days after the program, but credit is NOT available for the recording.

Identifying and Resolving Ethical Issues Arising in Environmental Law

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the Illinois State Bar Association Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section, The Chicago Bar Association Environmental Law Committee, and The Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Environmental Committee


1.25 hours MCLE credit, including 1.25 hours Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Professionalism, Civility, Legal Ethics, or Sexual Harassment Prevention credit


Original Program Date: Friday, May 10, 2024
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­July 15, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


This lively presentation examines all new hypothetical scenarios familiar to environmental law practitioners, including those focusing on the unique issues faced by environmental lawyers in balancing client confidentiality, avoiding and managing potential conflicts while representing multiple clients, advising on clients’ legal obligations to report environmental issues, and more. Using ISBA’s polling software, attendees can respond to a set of multiple-choice questions, followed by a discussion weighing the various analyses and possible solutions.

Moderator/Speaker: Lisle A. Stalter, Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, Waukegan
William J. Anaya, UBGreensfelder, LLP, Chicago
Karen Kavanagh Mack, Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, Chicago
Scott Renfroe, Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission, 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 $43.75 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $87.50
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free


22nd Annual Environmental Law Conference - Part 5

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!


Presented by the Illinois State Bar Association Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section, The Chicago Bar Association Environmental Law Committee, and The Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Environmental Committee


3.50 hours MCLE credit, including 1.25 hours Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Professionalism, Civility, Legal Ethics, or Sexual Harassment Prevention credit


Original Program Date: Thursday, May 9, 2024 – Friday, May 10, 2024
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­July 15, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Don’t miss this opportunity to better understand the quickly developing and evolving areas of environmental law with this informative program. Topics include: an overview of environmental justice and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act; a look at the important changes to the New ASTM Guidelines and how the unique Illinois requirements vary from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements; and how to identify and resolve the ethical issues that may arise in your environmental law practice.


Environmental Justice, Title VI, and Environmental Law
In 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency formed the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights. These quickly developing and evolving areas of law have spurred a lot of interest from citizens, nonprofit organizations, and the regulated community. This panel presentation provides a brief overview of environmental justice and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and offers a look at the speakers’ various (and fairly different) views on and experience with this fast-developing area.
Moderator/Speaker: Ariel MacMillan-Sanchez, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region V, Chicago
Chris Pressnall, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Springfield
John Petoskey, EarthJustice, Chicago
Ellis Walton, Environmental Law and Policy Center, Chicago

Phase I/Phase II: Implementation of the New ASTM Guidelines
On December 15, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency adopted a Final Rule incorporating by reference the latest iteration of the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) Standard Practice for conducting Phase I Environmental Site Assessments. This new standard replaces the prior standard – and beginning February 13, 2024, only the new standard practice will satisfy the Final Rule. Don’t miss this panel presentation that focuses on the important changes and relates them to the unique Illinois requirements that still vary from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements.
Moderator/Speaker: Phillip R. VanNess, Webber & Thies P.C., Urbana
Timothy McGahey, CHMM, LEED-AP, AKT Peerless, Chicago
Eugene P. Schmittgens, Jr., Rouse Frets White Goss Gentile Rhodes P.C., Missouri

Identifying and Resolving Ethical Issues Arising in Environmental Law
(Professionalism, Civility, Legal Ethics, and Sexual Harassment Prevention credit)
This lively presentation examines all new hypothetical scenarios familiar to environmental law practitioners, including those focusing on the unique issues faced by environmental lawyers in balancing client confidentiality, avoiding and managing potential conflicts while representing multiple clients, advising on clients’ legal obligations to report environmental issues, and more. Using ISBA’s polling software, attendees can respond to a set of multiple-choice questions, followed by a discussion weighing the various analyses and possible solutions.
Moderator/Speaker: Lisle A. Stalter, Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, Waukegan
William J. Anaya, UBGreensfelder, LLP, Chicago
Karen Kavanagh Mack, Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, Chicago
Scott Renfroe, Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission, 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 $122.50 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $245
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free