By Judge Barb Crowder, Edwardsville

There is now a book entirely of “selfies” (photographs one takes of oneself). The concept has been around since the 1800s, yet has taken over as a new term that everyone understands. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” (Romeo and Juliet). William Shakespeare may have been among those who first pointed out that the names of things do not affect what they are but even he recognized that a turn of phrase can make a concept instantly understandable. 

The Illinois State Bar Association's Board of Governors elected a new secretary and treasurer at its meeting June 20 in Lake Geneva. For the first time in many years, President Umberto S. Davi held the Board's organizational meeting in conjunction with the Annual Meeting.

David Sosin, of Orland Park, was named treasurer. He is the founding partner in the Orland Park firm of Sosin & Arnold, Ltd. He has served on the Board of Governors since 2013 and is a past president of the Illinois Bar Foundation. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the ISBA Mutual Insurance Company. Sosin has been honored as a 2011 Laureate of the ISBA Academy of Illinois Lawyers and has received an ISBA Board of Governors Award.

Sonni Choi Williams, of Peoria, will serve as secretary. She is Deputy Corporation Counsel for the City of Peoria. Williams has served on the Board of Governors since 2012 and the Assembly since 2004. She received the ISBA Diversity Leadership Award in 2015.

The Board welcomed new members Dennis J. Orsey of Granite City, Daniel R. Saeddi of Chicago, Kent A. Gaertner of Wheaton and Rory T. Weiler of St. Charles.

President Davi appointed Williams and Chantelle Porter to the Board of the Illinois Bar Foundation.

Initiatives on law school debt, solo and small-firm CLE, and programs to provide legal forms to attorneys and civics education to non-attorneys will top the agenda of incoming ISBA President Umberto Davi, a solo matrimonial and real estate practitioner in Western Springs who took the helm on June 19.

Davi also would like to explore the possibility of extending to the private sector the 711 license that currently allows third-year law students to practice in court but only under the supervision of public sector legal offices like state's attorneys and public defenders. It's a move he figures might help to address the debt issue in addition to providing practical experience for young lawyers.

It's an "ambitious plate," he says. But ambitious plates are nothing new for Umberto Davi, whose accomplishments in law and life defy easy description for many who have known him. Davi arrived in Illinois from Sicily at age 14 with a recently widowed mother, two younger brothers, no knowledge of the English language, and little more than the clothing he wore and the change in his pocket. Find out more in the July Illinois Bar Journal.

Read Jan Davi's biographical tribute at www.isba.org/davibio

Q. I know I can’t take a proprietary interest in the subject matter of litigation but does that prevent me from using a lien to secure my fees?

A. IRPC 1.8(i)(1) states that a lawyer “shall not acquire a proprietary interest in the cause of action or subject matter of litigation the lawyer is conducting for a client, except that the lawyer may: acquire a lien authorized by law to secure the lawyer’s fee or expenses.”  Comment [16] to that rule reminds a lawyer to check which liens are authorized by law in their jurisdiction. 

ISBA members can browse past ISBA Ethics Opinions, access our Ethics Hotline, and other resources on the ISBA Ethics Page.

[Disclaimer. These questions are representative of calls received on the ISBA’s ethics hotline. The information provided below is meant as an educational tool to highlight potentially applicable Illinois RPC or other ethics resources that might help the lawyer answer the question posed. The information provided isn’t legal advice. Because every situation is different, often complex, and the law is constantly evolving, you shouldn’t rely upon this general information without conducting your own research.]

Asked and Answered

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

Q. I am a new law firm administrator for a 16-attorney firm in Chicago. This is my first law firm and after attending a few partner meetings I am concerned about how and where to start getting some ideas and projects implemented. I have a lot of ideas and would appreciate your suggestions.

A. Lack of focus and accountability is one of the major problems facing law firms. Many times, the problem is having too many ideas, alternatives and options. The result, often, is no decision or action at all. Ideas, recommendations, suggestions, etc., are of no value unless implemented.

Look for ways to insure that all time spent on management is spent wisely. At first identify a few (maybe three) management initiatives that you can move forward fairly quickly and get implemented. Then build upon these successes.

Don’t hide behind strategy, planning, and endless debate. Attorneys love to postpone implementation. Find ways to focus the firm and foster accountability from all.

• Keep strategy and planning simple.
• Undertake a few projects at a time that can be realistically accomplished.
• Delegate tasks across the firm.
• Build upon initial successes and move to more complex strategies, which will require more difficult degrees of change.
• Adopt management structures that enable the firm to act decisively and quickly. Replace structures that do not support such a culture.

Don't attempt to initially, in the short term, take on management projects that the firm is unwilling or unable to implement.

Three judges have been appointed to terms on the Judicial Conference of Illinois Committee on Education.

• Circuit Judge Robert J. Anderson of DuPage County, a member of the Judicial Conference, was reappointed to the Committee on Education for a term expiring June 30, 2021 or until he is no longer a member of the Judicial Conference.
• Circuit Judge Colleen F. Sheehan of Cook County was appointed as an advisor of the Committee on Education for a term expiring June 30, 2022.
• Chief Circuit Judge Craig H. DeArmond of Cumberland County was reappointed as an advisor of the Committee on Education for a term expiring June 30, 2022.

ISBA Mutual Insurance Company provided tote bags as part of a giveaway during ISBA Member Appreciation Month. The winners are:

• Gina Fabian, Law Office of Gina Fabian, Chicago
• Tammy Paquette, Hennessy & Roach PC, Chicago 
• Deborah Schaefer, Law Office of Deborah L. Schaefer, Elmhurst
• Thomas Carlisle, Ostling & Associates, New Berlin
• Daniel Janowski, Shaw & Martin, P.C., Mount Vernon  
• Michael Logan, Michael J. Logan, Springfield 

Thank you to everyone who participated!