Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis has announced two judicial vacancies in the Cook County Circuit Court.

At-Large Vacancy

The At-Large vacancy is created by the retirement of Circuit Judge Michelle D. Jordan, who was elected a judge in November 2004. Judge Jordan's retirement took effect January 1, 2016.

Under the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies are filled on an interim basis by Supreme Court appointment. Justice Theis will make a recommendation to the Supreme Court after applicants for the position undergo a screening and evaluation process.

That process will include an evaluation by the Alliance of Bar Associations, which is made up of 11 bar groups in the Cook County area, and the Chicago Bar Association. Further review will be conducted by a special judicial screening committee that Justice Theis established in 2013 and is co-chaired by retired U.S. District Court Judge Wayne R. Andersen and retired Illinois Appellate Court Judge Michael J. Gallagher.

To be eligible for consideration for appointment, the applicant must be a lawyer in good standing licensed to practice law in Illinois and a resident of Cook County.

The deadline for submission of applications is 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 31, 2016.

Notice of the vacancy and details of the application process are posted on the Illinois Supreme Court's website at www.illinoiscourts.gov. From there, follow the instructions on the "Latest News" scroller announcing the At-Large vacancy.

People v. Boston

By Kerry J. Bryson, Office of the State Appellate Defender

In 1997, Tonya Pipes was found stabbed to death in her bathtub. A bloody palm print, in Pipes’ blood, was recovered from the wall above the tub.

The print was not immediately matched to anyone.

Please join us on Friday, April 8 for the Joseph R. Bartylak Dinner benefiting the Lawyers Assistance Program. The event will be held at the Sangamo Club at 227 E. Adams Street in Springfield. 

The event will consist of a reception beginning at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. Cheif Justice Rita B. Garman will be the keynote speaker. Judge John Gorman will receive the Joseph R. Bartylak Award and Matthew Hutmacher will receive the President's Award.

The 2016 Illinois Pollution Control Board: The Chairman's View

Wednesday, April 13, 2016,
Noon to 1:00 p.m.
ISBA Chicago Office (map and directions)
20 S. Clark, Suite 900
Chicago, IL 60603
312-726-8775

The ISBA Environmental Law Section Council is pleased to invite you to join us to hear Mr. Gerald M. Keenan, Chairman of the Illinois Pollution Control Board (Board), speak at our April 13, 2016, Professional Development Luncheon, on the initiatives of and challenges facing the Board in 2016 and beyond.

Get the tips and advice you need to successfully conduct your next labor and employment trial with this full day seminar in Chicago or via live webcast on March 18, 2016! Attorneys with intermediate practice experience working in the areas of labor/employment, racial and ethnic minorities, disability law, women’s rights, civil practice, corporate law, administrative law, local government, and sexual orientation and gender identity who attend this seminar will leave with a better understanding of: how fine-tuning your voir dire skills can help you make an impression on jurors during your next trial; why you should strike or keep a juror during the voir dire process; why the opening statement is one of the most important steps throughout a trial; how to present your evidence during your direct examination – even when the subject matter is sensitive in nature; how to handle objections during cross-examination; what the judge is thinking and why they rule accordingly during arguments on objections; how to use the cross-examination process to your advantage during a trial; how to make an impression on the jury during your closing argument; why performance, showmanship, and the art of persuasion is so important during a trial; and much more! Each segment of the seminar is presented as a mock-trial demonstration followed by an explanation showing what was done right or wrong, as well as tips for how to enhance your trial skills.

ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers Illinois Vehicle Code (Senate Bill 2980), Illinois Administrative Procedure Act (House Bill 4372), The Parentage Act of 2015 (House Bill 4447), Income shares and child support (House Bill 3982), Six-person juries and increased fees (House Bill 3256) and Limited Liability Company Act (House Bill 4361). More information on each bill is available below the video.

An ISBA proposal would allow qualified students to practice under the supervision of an attorney in the private sector, not just in legal aid or other governmental settings.

Law students and recent, unlicensed graduates can gain practical experience as attorneys before they graduate and pass the bar exam. Illinois Supreme Court Rule 711 currently allows senior law students and recent grads to counsel clients, appear in court, and otherwise engage in legal practice under attorney supervision in public interest or service areas such as legal aid clinics, the public defender's office, or a law office of the state of Illinois or its subdivisions.

An ISBA-championed amendment to Rule 711 would expand its scope to allow senior students and recent graduates to practice in the private sector as well. The ISBA Assembly approved the proposal in December for submission to the Illinois Supreme Court.

The ISBA Special Committee on Rule 711 was created by ISBA President Umberto S. Davi and chaired by Judge Michael Chmiel, who sits on the Circuit Court for the Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit in McHenry County. The committee consisted of Judge Chmiel, a law professor, two law students, and eight practicing attorneys. Find out more in the March Illinois Bar Journal.

Asked and Answered

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

Q. Our firm is an 18 attorney firm in Chicago that was formed by the existing four equity partners 10 years ago. We have four equity partners (founders), eight income (non-equity partners), and six associates. The income partners are not required to contribute capital. We are considering admitting a couple of the income partners as equity partners and also approaching possible laterals. What should we require in the form of buy-in or capital contribution?