Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. I am the chair of the marketing committee for our 22-attorney insurance defense firm located in the Chicago suburbs. We are considering conducting structured interviews with our top 10 insurance company clients. This would be the first time that we have done this so I would appreciate your thoughts.
By Michele Miller
Attorneys throughout Illinois will commemorate National Pro Bono week from Oct. 21-25, 2013 in a variety of ways -- from CLE opportunities to social events to a new online system for attorneys to find volunteer legal assignments.
The Illinois Bar Foundation has added two members to its Board of Directors.
Newly-elected members are Deane B. Brown, of Highland Park, a partner in the Chicago law firm of Beermann, Pritikin, Mirabelli, Swerdlove LLP; and Karen McNulty Enright, of Elmhurst, an attorney with McNabola Law Group, in Chicago.
The mission of the Illinois Bar Foundation is to ensure meaningful access to the justice system, especially for those with limited means, and to assist lawyers who can no longer support themselves due to incapacity. The Illinois Bar Foundation is located at 20 S. Clark St., Suite 910, Chicago, IL 60603, and the phone number is (312) 726-6072.
Learn how to successfully navigate the expert testimony process during a civil litigation proceeding with this informative full-day seminar in Chicago on Nov. 8! Expert witnesses are an integral part of the civil litigation process. Because of their training, education and experience, expert witnesses are allowed to testify about the facts, as well as give expert/professional opinions regarding those facts. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from some of Illinois’ top speakers on expert testimony, as well as from experts in specific fields, including OSHA construction safety and orthopedics.
Please join us at the 16th Annual Holiday Party 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, and now provides 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 YLD has raised more than $350,000.00 for the Children's Assistance Fund over the past fifteen years, due, in large part, to the widespread support and participation in our annual Holiday Party. We hope that you will help us continue this worthy tradition by joining us in person or, if you cannot attend, by contributing to the cause.
WHEN: Friday, December 6, 2013, 6:00pm-10:00pm
WHERE: Cubby Bear Lounge, 1059 W. Addison, Chicago, Illinois
WHAT: Open Bar, Warm Appetizers, and Live Music by Stache!
COST: $35 per person, for tickets purchased on or before November 22, 2013 Discount rate: $30 for law students, for tickets purchased on or before November 22, 2013.
$40 per person, for tickets purchased after November 22, 2013
Register at www.isba.org/sections/yld/holidayparty/registration
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and the Illinois Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission will partner to educate and inform the public about the extradition hearings of Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet, and issues of modern day personal liberties.
The "Joseph Smith Reenactment & Discussion" will be held on Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. at the Logal Center for the Arts, University of Chicago, 915 E. 60th, Chicago. Cost of the event is $15 and valet parking is available.
Panelists include: Hon. Sue Myerscough, U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois; Michael Scodro, Illinois Solicitor General; Jeffrey Colman, Jenner & Block; and Jeffrey Walker, J. Reuben Clark Law School.
Visit JosephSmithCaptured.com for more information.
The ISBA Senior Lawyers Section Council will present "Computer Basics for Senior Lawyers" on Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at National Louis University, 122 S. Michigan, Rm. 4024, Chicago. Join the Senior Lawyers with assistance from Young Lawyers at this basic workshop on becoming familiar with your computer. You will become familiar with the computer workstation, using the keyboard and the mouse, menus; Basic typing/word processing; accessing the Internet-how to do searches, “google-ing” and links; and basics of e-mail and email use.
Find out more and register at www.isba.org/sections/seniorlawyers/computerbasics
For many lawyers, sending an income withholding notice after winning a child support order is routine stuff. "Secretaries or legal assistants often prepare the documents from forms that have been in use for many years," Jennifer A. Shaw and Barry T. Underwood write in the latest ISBA Family Law newsletter.
Big mistake. Things have changed in the last 18 months or so, and "[f]ailure to recognize the latest protocols could result in complaints to the ARDC or charges of malpractice as the penalties attributable to employers who fail to withhold are substantial," Shaw and Underwood continue. Ouch.
Fortunately, their excellent article recites key federal and state statutory provisions and cases and points lawyers in the right direction. Read it.
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. I have just been elected as the firm's first managing partner. We are a 9-attorney firm in El Paso, Texas. After a month, I am already frustrated and wish I had declined the role. I have two partners that are simply not producing, do as they please, and I am powerless. I would appreciate your thoughts.
A. Non-productive partners always pose a challenge. They are usually the “nice – easy to get along with folks” which makes it difficult to confront and deal with them as well. However, the longer that you let such problems fester the harder these situations will be to deal with in the long term. Layout performance expectations and deal with them in real time.
Consider:
