Cook County Courts have seen ‘mostly smooth’ transition after elimination of cash bail, new report finds

Criminal court operations have been “mostly smooth” in Cook County during the first six months since Illinois eliminated cash bail for pretrial defendants statewide, a new report found. According to findings from the Civic Federation and the League of Women Voters of Cook County, the Pretrial Fairness Act has worked as intended during the first six months of its implementation.

From: 
WTTW-TV

Wonder Lake man accused of sexually abusing child in ’90s released from jail after appeals court ruling

An appeals court has freed a Wonder Lake man who had been jailed ahead of his trial on charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child.

From: 
Shaw Local News Network

Normal tentatively agrees to $5.4 million settlement for ‘malicious prosecution’ in 1993 murder case

The Town of Normal has tentatively agreed to a $5.4 million settlement of a lawsuit accusing police of “malicious prosecution” in a 30-year-old murder case.

From: 
25 News Now

The Nuts and Bolts of Juvenile Transfer Hearings: Kids in Adult Court

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Child Law Section
Co-Sponsored by the ISBA Mental Health Law Section and the ISBA Criminal Justice Section
2.0 hours MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Tuesday, June 14, 2022
MCLE Accreditation Extension Period: ­­­­­­­March 29, 2024 - March 28, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Don’t miss this introductory look at juvenile transfer hearings and how to best represent your adolescent client throughout the process. Child law attorneys, mental health lawyers, and criminal justice practitioners with basic practice experience who attend this online seminar will better understand:
  • The strategies to address adolescent brain development and the impact of trauma on youth;
  • The 2.0 hours MCLE credit statutory and case law surrounding transfer hearings;
  • How to advocate for youth to remain under juvenile court jurisdiction;
  • How to use experts when preparing and developing arguments regarding youth transfer; and
  • The judge’s perspective in evaluating transfer decisions.

Program Coordinators:
Josette C. Allen, Smart Law LLC, Lisle
Hallie M. Bezner, Bezner Law, Oak Park
Elizabeth (Betsy) Clarke, Juvenile Justice Initiative of Illinois, Evanston
Scott F. Main, Illinois Juvenile Defender Resource Center, Chicago
Bridgett L. Schott, Lee County State's Attorney's Office, Dixon


Program Moderator:
Scott F. Main, Illinois Juvenile Defender Resource Center, Chicago


Case Law, Statutes, and Issue Preservation: An Introduction
Salome N. Kiwara-Wilson, Office of the State Appellate Defender, Springfield

Adolescent Brain Development and Impact of Trauma on Youth
Dr. Eugene Griffin(ret.), Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago

Resources for Youth in the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice
Robert Vickery, Deputy Director of Programs, Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, Chicago

Perspectives from the Bench
Hon. Stuart P. Katz, Circuit Court of Cook County, Chicago


Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $70 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit
    • Non-Member Price $140
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students - Free

Gain the Edge!® Negotiation Strategies for Lawyers

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Celeste Antoinette Niemann

Learn advanced negotiation skills from a national expert and renowned instructor! You negotiate every day. In fact, your ability to effectively negotiate may be the most critical skill you possess, yet most negotiate instinctively or intuitively. This Master Series seminar trains you to approach negotiations with a strategic mindset, allowing you to become a more effective lawyer. And make no mistake – no matter how much you’ve negotiated, you can still learn. Adding that one new tactic may be the difference between winning and walking away empty-handed.

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Basics and Update

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Commercial Banking, Collections & Bankruptcy Section


2.0 hours MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­March 28, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Don’t miss this in-depth overview of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), including the purpose of the statute and the type of debt it covers. Commercial banking and bankruptcy attorneys, general practitioners, and civil practice lawyers with basic to intermediate practice experience who attend this online program will better understand:
  • The major types of activities the FDCPA regulates;
  • The class action considerations specific to the statute;
  • The recognized defenses attorneys can use to help their clients;
  • The important cases that may have impacted regulation; and
  • The recent changes made to the statute when it was modernized with the enactment of the FDCPA’s implementing regulation.

Program Coordinator:
Samuel H. Levine, Downey & Lenkov LLC, Chicago
Margaret Manetti, Manetti Aguilera Seiler LLC, Bannockburn

Program Chat Moderator:
Margaret Manetti, Manetti Aguilera Seiler LLC, Bannockburn

Program Speakers:
Simon A. Fleischmann, Locke Lord LLP, Chicago
Louis J. Manetti Jr., Locke Lord LLP, Chicago


Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $70 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $140
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

Time Management Series: Get Organized! Fight the Paper - Organize Your Digital Matter File

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Master Series presented by the Illinois State Bar Association


1.0 hour MCLE credit, including 1.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Professionalism, Civility or Legal Ethics credit


Original Program Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­April 2, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


To efficiently process daily tasks & emails, you must be organized! In modern times, that means you must have a digital matter/case file that is complete and organized. In other words, to find answers to questions and to solve problems for clients, we must be able to efficiently find answers and information. Emails can’t be stuck in users’ inboxes. Some documents can’t be in one place, and other documents in another place. We also need effective and secure remote access when working from the road or home. In this seminar, learn how to centralize & securely maintain paperless files!

Program Speaker:
Paul Unger, Affinity Consulting, Ohio
About the Speaker:
Paul is a national speaker and author. He coaches lawyers how to be more efficient with time management by offering customized workshops. When he isn’t speaking or writing, he is usually performing technology assessments throughout the United States and Canada. Paul began his career working for the Governor of Ohio, and then went on to law school. He practiced law for six years, specializing in litigation and bankruptcy, before starting a legal technology consulting company with partner Barron Henley in 2000. Paul’s superpowers are cleaning up messes and turning digital chaos into well-organized machines. His favorite part of his job is helping people get organized and focused so they can find more enjoyment in their lives and jobs.

Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $35 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

Time Management Series: Help! My Inbox is Exploding: Email Management

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Master Series presented by the Illinois State Bar Association


1.0 hour MCLE credit, including 1.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Professionalism, Civility or Legal Ethics credit


Original Program Date: Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­April 2, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


 Legal professionals today receive between 100-150+ emails or other electronic communication (via MS Teams channel, Slack, etc.) a day, much of which contains tasks that we must act upon. In this interactive session, you will learn how to efficiently process email and get your inbox under control. We will help you process those emails & tasks in a way that those items never get lost. We will get our hands dirty and learn how to use Microsoft Outlook and other tools that your organization uses to manage emails.

Program Speaker:
Paul Unger, Affinity Consulting, Ohio
About the Speaker:
Paul is a national speaker and author. He coaches lawyers how to be more efficient with time management by offering customized workshops. When he isn’t speaking or writing, he is usually performing technology assessments throughout the United States and Canada. Paul began his career working for the Governor of Ohio, and then went on to law school. He practiced law for six years, specializing in litigation and bankruptcy, before starting a legal technology consulting company with partner Barron Henley in 2000. Paul’s superpowers are cleaning up messes and turning digital chaos into well-organized machines. His favorite part of his job is helping people get organized and focused so they can find more enjoyment in their lives and jobs.

Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $35 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free