Lake County Circuit Clerk Keith S. Brin announced Tuesday that his office will offer a series of in-person and online training courses and seminars in advance of the Electronic Filing Systems much-anticipated live release. The training courses and seminars will be offered free of charge.

Interested parties can register to receive immediate notification when training dates are announced by going to the Circuit Clerk’s web site at  www.lakecountyil.gov/CircuitClerk/Pages/default.aspx

Asked and Answered

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

Q. I am a 64-year-old solo practitioner in Arlington, Va. There are no other attorneys in the firm - I have one legal assistant. My practice is concentrated in estate planning and estate administration. I have just started giving thought to retirement and what to do with my practice. I want to provide continuity for my clients, security for my employee, and salvage any sweat equity from my practice if there is even such a thing? Personally, I question whether there is any potential for receiving any value from the practice - I think when you are done you are done. What are your thoughts?

"[The case of Des Moines lawyer Robert Wright, Jr.,] is a good reminder to be vigilant about scams and to discern glitter from gold when evaluating legal matters," Karen Erger writes in the February Illinois Bar Journal. "But is also stands as a stark reminder of the perils of doing business with clients and the importance of compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct -- whether the transaction takes place in Nigeria or Naperville." Read the amazing but true story.

Join us from the comfort of your home or office on Friday, Feb. 21 for this live webcast that offers you the insights you need to select/present your own expert and successfully attack the expert of opposing counsel. Get the bench's perspective on expert practice, including the most common mistakes litigators make in expert practice. Attorneys practicing law in the federal court – with all levels of practice experience – who attend this live webcast will better understand: what's required to qualify your expert to testify; the scope of expert discovery; attacking opposing counsel's expert testimony during the deposition, in a Daubert motion, and at trial; and ways to improve the comprehension of your expert's testimony.

The program is presented by the ISBA Federal Civil Practice Section and qualifies for 1.5 hours MCLE credit.

Click here for more information and to register.

Ruby_® Receptionists makes stellar impressions and sets your practice apart – at a fraction of the cost of an on-site employee. From their offices in Portland, Oregon, Ruby’s live virtual receptionists handle your calls with care – using your custom greeting, transferring calls to you wherever you are, and answering basic FAQs about your firm. You’ll have the peace of mind that your clients will each be treated warmly and professionally by a smart, highly-trained, cheerful receptionist. Best of all, callers think Ruby works in your office.

Your first 14 days are free, and as a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, you’ll receive free activation and 5% off your monthly service! To get started, call 866-611-7829 or visit www.callruby.com/isba.

Please save the date for the Illinois State Bar Association's "Celebrating Women in the Profession Luncheon" on Thursday, March 13 at the Union League Club in Chicago.

Special Keynote Speaker: Professor Joan Williams is described by The New York Times as having “something approaching rock star status” in her field.

Host committee in formation; Sponsorships available. For more information regarding sponsorships or program details, please contact Kim Weaver at kweaver@isba.org.

ISBA President Paula H. Holderman speaks with ISBA Secretary James F. McCluskey, Chair of the ISBA Facilities and Technology Committee. They speak about the upcoming expansion of the ISBA's Chicago Regional Office and how ISBA members can reserve meeting space once it is finished.

The matrimonial bar has been raising concerns about the privacy provisions of newly amended Supreme Court Rule 138 for some time. Central to their criticism is that the rule, though well-intentioned, seems to conflict with key statutory provisions and could put lawyers between a rock and a very hard place.

Turns out it isn't just divorce lawyers who are feeling the squeeze. Northbrook attorney and ISBA member Julie Kolodzieg described a pressure point for estate planners. She noted that 755 ILCS 5/6-1 “says an original Will cannot be altered (alteration is a felony) and also requires the original Will to be filed with the Circuit Court clerk (failure to do so is also a felony)….Therefore we have a statute which requires a Will … to be filed with the court in unredacted form while at the same time having a duty under [Rule 138] to NOT file it unless under impoundment [because it contains personal identity information that must be omitted from the public record].”

Fortunately, Chicago lawyer and former Trusts and Estates Section chair Mary Cascino has some constructive suggestions for lawyers caught in the middle. Read her article in the latest ISBA Trusts and Estates newsletter.

Please join us at the 7th Annual Bean Bag Tournament and show your support for the IBF/ YLD Children’s Assistance Fund. Initially created to assist with the opening of children’s waiting rooms in courthouses across the State of Illinois, the IBF/YLD Children’s Assistance Fund has since grown to provide funding to organizations across the State of Illinois that provide legal assistance to children, maintain children’s waiting rooms in courthouses, work to reduce recidivism of juveniles, and/or work to reduce the incidents of domestic violence in families with children. The Children’s Assistance Fund has distributed grants in excess of $285,000 over the past fifteen years, due to the widespread support of our donors and participation in events like the Bean Bag Tournament.

ISBA President Paula H. Holderman attended the Indian American Bar Association Installation Ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 23. On hand for the installation were (from left) President Holderman, Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride, new president of the Indian American Bar Association Tejas Shah, a member of the ISBA New Lawyer Task Force, Aurora N. Abella-Austriaco and speaker 1st District Appellate Justice Jesse Reyes.