Tax scams can hit close to home, even for tax lawyers like Kathryn Garlow of Chicago. Her sister called and said, “Kathy, someone from the IRS called and left a message. They want me to call them back. I’m worried.”

She told her sister what she tells her clients -- the call was a fake. "The IRS doesn’t contact you by telephone, only through written correspondence,” Garlow writes in the March ISBA Federal Taxation newsletter. She goes on to share advice from the IRS that you can give to your clients, to community groups -- even to siblings.

"1. The IRS will only ask for payment with a written, mailed bill. They will not ask for payment over the telephone.

2. In the written correspondence, the IRS will give you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount due.

3. The IRS does not require taxpayers to pay only by a prepaid debit card.

4. The IRS will not ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

5. The IRS will not threaten to bring in law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying the amount due."

Read her article for more about how to avoid tax scams, including what to tell a client who gave a social security number to scammers.

ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers Condominium Property Act (Senate Bill 2359), Condominiums and common-interest communities (Senate Bill 2358), Forcible Entry and Detainer Article (Senate Bill 3166) and Illinois Human Rights Act (Senate Bill 2506). More information on each bill is available below the video.

Condominium Property Act. Senate Bill 2359 (Mulroe, D-Chicago) amends the powers and duties’ section of the current Act. Under current law, the board (by a majority vote of the entire board of managers) has the right to assign its future income from common expenses or other sources and to mortgage or pledge substantially all the remaining assets of the association unless the condominium instruments expressly provide to the contrary. Senate Bill 2356 deletes the statutory clause “unless the condominium instruments provide to the contrary.” Scheduled for hearing in Senate Judiciary Committee.

Condominiums and common-interest communities. Senate Bill 2358 (Mulroe, D-Chicago) requires an assignment of a developer’s interest in the property to be in writing and recorded for it to be effective. Scheduled for hearing in Senate Judiciary Committee.

The International Academy of Dispute Resolution will honor ISBA Past President Fred Lane and CBA Past President Joseph Stone with Lifetime Achievement Awards and the Alliance of Bar Associations and Administrator Joyce Williams with a Special Recognition at its Gala on April 13, 6 p.m. at the Standard Club in Chicago.

The International Academy of Dispute Resolution is a charitable 501C3 organization that educates college and law students and legal professionals worldwide concerning the best mediation practices.

Asked and Answered

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

Q. We are an 18-attorney firm based in Tucson, Arizona. Our practice is a boutique general liability defense firm. Our clients tend to be self-insured large corporations and smaller business firms. Currently all of our clients are billed by the hour. Recently, we have been discussing whether we should propose an alternative billing approach to our clients. We would be interested in your thoughts.

Still wondering what IllinoisBarDocs is and how it will help you practice more efficiently? Then follow the instructions below to view a complimentary program at your convenience and earn 1 hour of CLE credit. Presented by law practice management expert Barron Henley, the program not only explains what IllinoisBarDocs is and how it works, but also covers a number of other time-saving document drafting techniques.

And don’t forget that IllinoisBarDocs’ promotional pricing ends on March 31, 2016!

Order now and get an annual subscription for $150/year or a monthly subscription for $20/month.  On April 1, the price of an annual subscription will increase to $199/year.

To access your complimentary recording of IllinoisBarDocs: The Ultimate Efficiency Tool - Introduction to ISBA's New Document Assembly System follow the below steps:

Join us from the comfort of your home or office on April 7, 2016 for two live webcasts that were developed for general practitioners who do not ordinarily advise clients on issues involving environmental law, but who need an introductory look at these topics.

Part One - A Thumbnail Sketch of Environmental Law | 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Don’t miss Part One of the Environmental Law for the General Practitioner Series, which offers a basic overview of the general principles on the application of environmental law and the interplay between state and federal agencies.

View Illinois State Bar Associations' judicial ratings by county for Tuesday's primary election.

Chief Justice Rita B. Garman of the Supreme Court of Illinois has begun an application process for an At-Large Circuit Court vacancy in the Sixth Judicial Circuit.

The vacancy will be created by the retirement of Judge Arnold F. Blockman on September 16, 2016. Judge Blockman has been an At-Large Circuit Judge in the Sixth Judicial Circuit since 1996.

Under the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies are filled by Supreme Court appointment. The application process will lead to the final Court approval. Applicants will undergo an evaluation and screening process.

Notice of the vacancy has been posted in the courthouses throughout the Circuit. The application form and instructions may be obtained by visiting the Illinois Supreme Court’s website at www.illinoiscourts.gov and following the instructions in the “Latest News” scroller announcing the Sixth Judicial Circuit vacancy.

Deadline for submission of an application is Friday, April 1, 2016.

ISBA is excited to announce a free Resume Critique service. Job seekers have the option to request a free, confidential resume evaluation from a professional resume expert and writer from TopResume.

Job seekers can opt-in to the Resume Critique feature during the resume upload process and within the resume management section of the Job Seeker’s account. Within 48 hours of opt-in, a detailed, custom email will be sent outlining his or her resume’s specific strengths, weaknesses, and suggestions to ensure the job seeker has the best chance of getting interviewed!