The 2015 ISBA High School Mock Trial Invitational, which is co-sponsored by the ISBA and the Illinois Trial Team of the U of I College of Law, will be held on Saturday and Sunday, March 14-15, 2015 at the University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign.

Jason Hortenstine of Mattoon, an associate at Heller, Holmes & Associates, is the first place winner in the ISBA’s 2015 Lincoln Award Legal Writing Contest. Jason received a cash award of $2,000, and his winning article, “A Practitioner’s Guide to the Loss of Chance Doctrine in Illinois,” will appear in the February Illinois Bar Journal. The contest is sponsored by the Young Lawyers Division and open to YLD members.

Second place winner is Sean Brown, Bridgeview, a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney. He wrote “Post-Kladis Issues: The Evolving Illinois Discovery Laws.” Third place goes to John Painter, an associate at Ashman Law Offices, LLC in Chicago, for “Pusher Man: Lawyers Push the Legal and Ethical Limits Representing Marijuana Businesses.” The second place winner got a $1,000 cash prize and the third place winner received $500.

Asked and Answered

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

Q. I am with a 17-attorney general business firm located in Boston and chair of the firm's three-member marketing committee. At this year's planning retreat we discussed the concept of niche marketing and whether we should focus on a specific niche. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

The ISBA is accepting nominations for Young Lawyer of the Year Award & Law Student Public Service Award. The Awards will be presented at the Awards Luncheon during the ISBA Annual Meeting, Friday, June 19, 2015 at the Grand Geneva Resort, Lake Geneva, WI. Nominations for both awards are due March 20, 2015.

Every business is built on the idea that it has information that is indispensible to its success – and limiting employees' use of this information is imperative if that business wants to continuing succeeding. It is equally important that attorneys representing business clients know how to draft, review, and enforce non-competes, non-disclosures, and non-solicitation agreements for their business clients. Don't miss this live webcast on Thursday, January 29, 2015 that not only provides a basic overview of the law in Illinois regarding restrictive covenants, but also compares Illinois law with two other jurisdictions on varying ends of the enforceability spectrum! Sample forms and drafting tips are also included.

The seminar is presented by the ISBA Business & Securities Section and qualifies for 1.25 hours MCLE credit.

Click here for more information and to register.

On November 12, 2014, Sonoko Tagami sued the City of Chicago alleging that section 8-8-080 of the city's municipal code is impermissibly vague, representing an unconstitutional infringement on her First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.

Titled "Indecent Exposure or Dress," the ordinance prohibits women from exposing to public view "any portion of the breast at or below the areola." Women are required to cover their breasts with an "opaque covering." The ordinance does not prohibit men from being topless in public. Tagami was issued a notice of ordinance violation on August 24, 2014 when she was participating in "Go Topless Day," an annual event where women go topless in public to express their view that women, like men, should not be prohibited from appearing bare-chested.

The Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County has posted a notice that there are five vacancies in the office of associate judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Applications are being accepted for these vacancies, as well as additional vacancies which may occur during the nomination process, that will be filled by vote of the Circuit Judges of the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Bundled with a complimentary Fastbook PDF download!

This handy reference book conveniently brings together all of the rules governing the legal profession and judiciary in Illinois. It includes the Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct, the Illinois Supreme Court Rules on Admission and Discipline of Attorneys, the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, the Rules of the ARDC, and the Rules of the Board of Admission and Committee on Character and Fitness.

Originally published and distributed by the ARDC, this trusted compilation of official rules is now being published by the ISBA. Take advantage of our great member price and order your copy today!

Order at www.isba.org/store/books/rulesgoverninglegalprofession

Price: ISBA Member, $15; Non-member $25

The Illinois Supreme Court announced Wednesday the appointment of Alexander County State's Attorney Jeffery Blaine Farris as resident Circuit Judge in the First Judicial Circuit. He was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Stephen Spomer on November 30, 2014.

Mr. Farris' appointment is effective January 16, 2015 and will terminate December 5, 2016 when the position will be filled by the 2016 General Election.