Chances are good you already know someone using an alternative desk. Today we're taking a look at some of those options along with the health and productivity benefits they may provide.

Reasons to Consider Making a Change. It's no surprise to hear that sitting for the majority of the day is unhealthy. Factoring in the number of hours spent sitting at a desk with commute and couch potato time, Americans spend about 58 percent of their waking hours in a sitting position.

There's even a name for this sedentary lifestyle — sitting disease — and it carries with it numerous health implications including a higher risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and blood clots. For some, all this sitting is also a pain in the neck...and back, literally.

Which is why so many people are turning to creative ways to spend less time sitting at their desk.

Top 5 Alternatives to Sitting in Your Desk Chair. Interested in making a change? Here are a few options to consider...

The 10th Judicial Circuit judges announce an opening for the position of Peoria County Public Defender. The individual will plan, organize, and supervise the activities of the office and will participate as trial counsel. Applicants must be licensed to practice law in Illinois, have extensive felony trial experience, and have demonstrated a reputation for integrity and equal justice under the law. Annual salary is set by statute and anticipated to be $150,000.00.

Whether emailed, mailed or hand delivered, all applications must be received in Court Administration by 5:00 p.m. on June 30,2017. A form for may obtained from the court's website. Please forward all applications to:

Rena' Parker, Court Administrator
Tenth Judicial Circuit
324 Main Street, Room 215
Peoria. Illinois 61602
Telephone: (309) 672-6066
rparker@peoriacounty.org

Applicants will also be required to make themselves available for an interview and screening process with the circuit judges of the Tenth Judicial Circuit. Applicants will be notified of the date, time, and location of the interview and details of the screening process at the close of the application phase. Applicants or their designees are to refrain from contacting individually any Circuit Judge concerning his or her candidacy or the selection process.

Erica C. Minchella discusses how to help clients with distressed real estate. 

Today we're talking about the germs living on your computer and mobile hardware, a potential health hazard that can easily be remedied. You'll definitely want to complete this D4S Challenge to clean your hardware, because by some accounts, your keyboard likely contains more germs than your toilet seat.

The Dirty Lowdown. When it comes to bugs and computers, your first thought may be addressing cyber security issues to protect your client files and data. But when was the last time you concerned yourself with the bacteria-type of bugs lurking on the outside of your hardware?

A whole host of harmful bacteria and viruses — from e.coli to staph — have been found growing on computer keyboards and mice. Shared hardware between colleagues or family members carries an even greater danger of passing along diseases.

The good news is that by cleaning your hands and your hardware on a regular basis, you can limit your exposure. And, by ridding your hardware of dirt, dust and crumbs in the process, you'll also help your computer to run better.

Spring Clean Your Hardware. Cleaning the outside of a computer or mobile device requires extreme care; the components inside your hardware can become damaged if done incorrectly.

Michael J. Tardy, director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, announced his retirement effective August 1, 2017, following a sterling 40-plus year career with the Judicial Branch. Tardy was named acting director in September 2011 and was officially appointed as director in January 2012.

"Throughout his long career, Mike has been an invaluable asset to the Supreme Court. An innovative administrator, a gifted leader, and a skillful diplomat, Mike has helped steer the Third Branch of Illinois government through some of its most difficult challenges. During a period of budgetary uncertainty, social change and rapid technological innovation, Mike has been instrumental in insuring that the judicial system remains available to all who need its protections," said Chief Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier. "He has overseen the implementation of statewide electronic filing and the introduction of new measures to improve pretrial release practices. He has helped place Illinois at the forefront of initiatives to improve access to justice, and his contributions have been critical to our implementation of new measures to insure that Illinois judges receive the best possible training and education."

Director Tardy served in both clinical and administrative positions within the Illinois judicial branch for the past 41 years. He initially worked for the Circuit Court of Cook County Social Service Department, a court agency charged with providing community-based supervision for adult misdemeanor and DUI offenders in Cook County. In his 13 years with the Cook County department, he started as a case worker and worked his way to district supervisor, managing three offices and a staff of 40.

E-Day is approaching for the Illinois court system. The deadline days for statewide mandatory e-filing, that is.

Asked and Answered 

By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC

Q. I am a sole practitioner in Peoria, Illinois. My firm is a general practice firm that services clients throughout central Illinois. I have four staff members. I am 58. While I have enjoyed having my own practice for the past 20 years, I am concerned – what if something were to happen to me today or tomorrow? What is my backup plan in the event of short-term illness, disability, death, and even vacations? How would the firm keep operating? Who would take care of the client’s needs? How would my staff be taken care of?

A. Sound practice continuation arrangements can solve this dilemma, preserve practice value, and help prevent a lawyer’s spouse or immediate heirs from facing a hasty sale or disposition of the practice in an emergency. A practice continuation arrangement can also give lawyer practitioners, staff, and families peace of mind.

A practice continuation arrangement is an arrangement, typically in the form of an agreement or contract made between an individual lawyer or a small law firm and another lawyer or law firm. The arrangement describes a course of action to transfer a lawyer’s practice and sets payment for its value. In the event of vacation, temporary or permanent disability, or death, a practice continuation arrangement protects the practice, the business interests of the lawyer or law firm’s clients, and the financial interests of the lawyer.

Approaches

Enter the ISBA Caption Contest for a chance to be published in IBJ and win a pair of wireless Beats by Dr. Dre headphones.

Welcome to the first-ever ISBA Member Appreciation Month Caption Contest. Simply write a clever or humorous caption for the image above and go here to enter. We've even included a sample caption above to get your creative juices flowing.

The winning entry will appear in the Illinois Bar Journal, and the winning author gets a pair of Beats by Dr. Dre - Beats Studio Wireless On-Ear Headphones (valued at $200).

Best of luck to all Caption Contest entrants!

The contest is open through May 31. Submit as many entries as you like.

Let's face it, some work days are just harder to get through than others. Whether due to an overwhelming to-do list or just finding it hard to focus — everyone needs an assist now and then.

Today we're exploring using music in the workplace to improve concentration and productivity. And we'll also check out the flip side, using complete silence to aid performance.

The Power of Music. Music has the power to do for the workday what a white noise machine does for sleep, that is, block out distractions. Studies have shown that melodic music also improves your mood by releasing dopamine in the reward area of your brain, which in turn bring about additional positive outcomes from productivity to creativity.

When deciding if listening to music at work will work for you, consider what type of task you'll be doing and whether music will help or hinder you in that task. New research has shown that music can increase your attention span when working on things that are repetitive but may be a distraction when you're tasked with critical-thinking. Each person is different, though, so find out what is right for you.

Join the Fellows of the Illinois Bar Foundation for the McHenry County Fellows Reception on Tuesday, June 27 from 5 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Woodstock Country Club, 10310 Country Club Rd., Bull Valley, IL 60098. The event will honor Herbert H. Franks (Franks Gerkin McKenna) and posthumously honor H. Joseph Gitlin (The Gitlin Law Firm) for their leadership and dedication to the law.

Tickets are $50 per person. Tickets and sponsorships are available here or can be purchased by calling the Foundation at 312-726-6072.

The proceeds from this event will help the Foundation further its mission to ensure meaningful access to the justice system, especially for those with limited means; assist lawyers who have fallen on hard times; and provide legal Fellowships to recent law school graduates. For more information, please call 312-726-6072 or visit https://www.illinoisbarfoundation.org/mchenry-county-fellows-reception.

Thank you to the McHenry County Fellows Reception Committee

Hon. Michael J. Chmiel

Sandra Crawford

Susan M. Goldberg

Paulette M. Gray

Lisa M. Nyuli

Mary F. Petruchius

Thank you to our generous sponsors!

Benefactor Sponsors

Perry J. Browder

Paulette Gitlin

The Gitlin Law Firm & Michael C. Poper

Simmons Hanly Conroy

Friend Sponsors