June is Member Appreciation Month

Posted on June 1, 2021 by Rhys Saunders

This June, we're celebrating you during Member Appreciation Month! As a result of programmatic savings due to the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020-21 bar year, the ISBA will be providing all current, regular dues-paying members with a 15% dues credit for the 2021-22 bar year.

We also have a full calendar of prizes, discounts, and giveaways, so stay tuned to ISBA communications for detailed announcements with instructions for how you can get in on the fun. You can look forward to a bookstore sale, a free live CLE webcast, member renewal incentives, social media contests, and more!

Notice of Adoption of Modifications to Circuit Rule 46(b)

Posted on May 26, 2021 by Rhys Saunders

On April 15, 2021, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued notice that it proposed modifications to Circuit Rule 46(b). No comments were received. The court hereby provides notice of the adoption of the modifications to Circuit Rule 46(b). The adoption of the modifications shall be effective immediately.

CLE: Adoption Practice—The Practitioner’s Perspective

Posted on May 24, 2021 by Rhys Saunders

Don’t miss this opportunity to listen as our seasoned adoption practitioners discuss the best practices for ensuring a successful adoption case outcome. Attorneys with all levels of practice experience will benefit from the tips and tricks provided throughout the seminar, as well as the discussion regarding the process for handling adoption cases with both DCFS adoptions and non-DCFS adoptions.

This online program will take place from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 9. 

Rule 317, Appeal as a Matter of Right

Posted on May 24, 2021 by Rhys Saunders

Getting to the Illinois Supreme Court is a long shot. In any given year, the Supreme Court receives more than a thousand petitions for leave to appeal under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 315, notes Charles Insler in his May 2021 Illinois Bar Journal article, “Rule 317, Appeal as a Matter of Right.” From those thousand-plus petitions, the Court will allow leave to appeal in roughly 50 or 60 cases—about half of which are criminal and the other half civil. During the past five years, the odds of making it to the Supreme Court have ranged from one in 20 to one in 25. But what about Rule 317? The first part Rule 317 is clear and provides for automatic review in the Supreme Court when an appellate court has invalidated a state or federal statute. The second part of Rule 317, however, is less clear; but it provides an intriguing source for an appeal, as of right, to the Supreme Court, Insler explains.

Announcing the ISBA’s COVID-19 Dues Credit

Posted on May 21, 2021 by Rhys Saunders

Valued members of the ISBA:

I thank all of you for your continued support of ISBA in these challenging times. It is truly appreciated. I am pleased to announce that the ISBA will be providing members with a 15 percent dues credit for the coming 2021-22 bar year. This COVID-19 Dues Credit is available to any current, regular dues-paying member and will be reflected on the dues invoices that will be mailed this week. The ISBA is able to provide this credit as a result of programmatic savings due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the current bar year.

Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee Sets Public Hearing on Proposals

Posted on May 21, 2021 by Rhys Saunders

The Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee will hear comments July 21, 2021, at a public hearing in Chicago on four proposals.

All the proposals, which must be approved by the Illinois Supreme Court before they could take effect, will be aired at a hearing before the Rules Committee at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 21, 2021, in Room C-500 of the Michael A. Bilandic Building, 160 N. LaSalle St. in Chicago.

Board Approves New Name for UIC Law

Posted on May 20, 2021 by Rhys Saunders

The UIC John Marshall Law School will change its name to the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law after receiving approval from the University of Illinois Board of Trustees today.

With all required approvals and agreements obtained in accordance with university processes and contractual obligations with the Legacy Law School Corporation and the Foundation Legacy Corporation (the successor legal entities that owned and operated the law school, and fund-raised for the school, before it became a part of UIC), the name change will be effective July 1, 2021.