Join us in Chicago on October 25^th for an update on a number of key environmental and animal law areas, including wind power, lake bed leasing, climate impact modeling, adaptation management tradeoffs, critical legal issues, and much more. Environmental and energy lawyers, animal law practitioners, land use and real estate attorneys, and lawyers advising corporations and local units of government – with all levels of experience – will gain a better understanding of: the good and bad of climate impact modeling; how Lake Michigan offshore wind energy development may impact the future of our wildlife; the ongoing work of the Midwest Habitat Conservation Plan; the potential consequences of policy/regulatory changes made to accommodate accelerated climate change; and the legal issues that may arise when Illinois regulation and strategic planning fully incorporate climate change considerations.

The seminar is presented by the ISBA Animal Law Section and the ISBA Environmental Law Section, and is co-sponsored by Chicago-Kent College of Law, Certificate Program in Energy and Environmental Law. It qualifies for 6.5 hours MCLE credit.

Click here for more information and to register.

Over the summer, stunning new tablets from Google, Amazon and others have hit the market with prices as low as $200. However, lawyers may want to wait a few weeks before actually making a purchase, argues Jason Gilbert in his article in the Huffington Post, The iPad Mini and Why Now is a Bad Time to Buy a Seven Inch Tablet. That's because Apple is scheduled to announce the iPad Mini on October 23; and Microsoft is scheduled to release its Surface tablet on October 26. He predicts that the reaction of other manufacturers to these new products will be a price reduction. The iPad mini will offer users a reduced footprint and price for a tablet that has the backing of the world's most successful company. The Surface will offer competitive tablet pricing for a device that includes the Microsoft Office software with which the legal community is comfortable.

Asked and Answered

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

Q. We are an 18-attorney firm in Wheaton. We have started the preparation of our budget for 2013 and are looking for ways to maximize the benefits from our CLE and other training and education investments. Any ideas?

A. Training and skill development is not easy. Studies reveal that 90 percent of the people who attend seminars and training sessions see no improvement because they don’t take the time to implement what they learn. Practices create habits and habits determine your future. Up to 90 percent of our normal behavior is based on habits. The key to skill learning is to get the new skill to become a habit. Once the new habit is well developed it becomes your new normal behavior. This requires practice. Unfortunately, law firms do not give employees time to practice and experiment.

Research on memory and retention shows that upon completion of a training session, there is a precipitous drop in retention during the first few hours after exposure to the new information. We forget more than 60 percent of the information in less than nine hours. After seven days only 10 percent of the material is retained. Most memory loss occurs very rapidly after learning new information. Your attorneys and staff can improve their memories by:

ISBA President John E. Thies discusses the upcoming special committee hearings on the increasing debt load facing law students. The hearing schedule is below the video

Hearing Schedule

The hearings will held from 2 to 4 p.m. at the following locations:

• Tuesday, Oct. 23 at DuPage County Court House, Wheaton
• Wednesday, Oct. 24 at Four Points by Sheraton, Peoria
• Thursday, Nov. 15 at Four Points by Sheraton, Fairview Heights
• Friday, Nov. 16 at Hilton Garden Inn & Suites, Champaign
• Wednesday, Dec. 12 at the ISBA Chicago Regional Office

Additional info is available at iln.isba.org/blog/2012/10/08/special-committee-law-school-debt-hold-statewide-hearings

Gain a better understanding of Illinois Evidence-Based Sentencing principles with this informative full-day seminar!

Whether your case ends with a plea by the defendant or goes to a full-fledged trial, it is likely that some form of sentencing will be involved. For this reason, it is imperative that attorneys stay up-to-date on the principles of evidence-based sentencing in Illinois. Attorneys attending this seminar will gain a better understanding of: the full-implementation of Illinois’ evidence-based sentencing pilot project; how Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R) can effect sentencing; Hardcore Drunk Driving (HCDD) and Adult Substance Use and Driving Survey-Revised for Illinois (ASUDS-RI); how “The Containment Model” is used in the treatment of sex offenders; Illinois’ Mandatory Minimums and Determinate Sentencing; how to reduce recidivism; and the ethical issues that can arise in criminal justice cases.

The program will be available in Normal on October 25^th and again in Chicago on October 26^th. It qualifies for 6.5 hours MCLE credit, including 1.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit (subject to approval) and is presented by the ISBA Standing Committee on Corrections and Sentencing, and co-sponsored by the ISBA Criminal Justice Section, the State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor, the Illinois Public Defender Association, and the Illinois State University Criminal Justice Sciences Department.

The ISBA Young Lawyers hosted "Taking Charge of Your Legal Career" on Oct. 9 as the second in its four-part series of Professional Development Luncheons. This segment was moderated by Jessica Durkin with ISBA President-elect Paula H. Holderman, Shawn Kasserman of Corboy & Demetrio and Mary Sabatino of Wiedner & McAuliffe as panelists.

Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride and the Illinois Supreme Court announced Thursday formation of a long-range planning committee to serve as a "think tank" to better adapt Illinois courts to future trends in economic, technological, scientific and social changes.

The Committee on Strategic Planning of the Illinois Judicial Conference is composed of judges, lawyers and will include other stakeholders in the justice system. It is charged with identifying emerging trends and issues that may impact the courts and the delivery of justice, and proposing specific strategies and tactics to address them.

"Instead of being reactive to change—sometimes years late—the judicial branch needs to be more proactive, more anticipatory," said Chief Justice Kilbride. "The committee will take a close look at larger issues before they require immediate attention. We need to develop strategies and prepare to adapt to Illinois' changing needs.

"I thank my colleagues on the Supreme Court for supporting this new structure within the Judicial Conference; I thank the members of the new committee for their energy and enthusiasm in embarking on this new endeavor; and I especially thank Judge Michael Hyman for his leadership in preparing and presenting the planning proposal."

The 13-person committee will be made up partly of members of the Executive Committee of the Illinois Judicial Conference and six appointees of the Chief Justice. The Illinois Judicial Conference is a vehicle mandated by the Illinois Constitution to suggest improvements in the administration of justice. Hence, the committee formalizes a new structure for strategic planning within the model of the Judicial Conference.

Because small business owners turn to you for advice when the family business fails, it is important that you understand the basics of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy with a small business debtor. Join us for a full-day seminar in Chicago on October 19^th

The Illinois Supreme Court announced Thursday the appointment of John B. Simon to the Illinois Appellate Court. Mr. Simon is a well known attorney with the Chicago firm of Jenner & Block and has a long record of public service. He is a former U.S. Assistant Attorney, former member of the Illinois Racing Board and has broad corporate and litigation experience with Jenner & Block. He will serve as the co-chair of the Illinois Bar Foundation's Gala on Oct. 19.

Mr. Simon will fill the vacancy created by the death of Appellate Justice Michael J. Murphy who passed away Oct. 1.

Supreme Court Justice Charles E. Freeman recommended the appointment of Mr. Simon to the Supreme Court and will administer the judicial oath of office to Mr. Simon on November 1. The appointment will terminate December 1, 2014 when the position will be filled by the November 2014 General Election.

"It's an honor to have been appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court as a justice of the Illinois Appellate Court to succeed the late Justice Michael J. Murphy," said Mr. Simon. "He was a respected jurist who is greatly admired by me and all who knew him.

"I thank the Supreme Court for the confidence they have placed in me and I am humbled by the honor."

Mr. Simon is the son of the late Justice Seymour F. Simon, who served as a Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court for eight years and as an Appellate Justice for six years.

The ISBA Young Lawyers hosted “Taking Charge of Your Legal Career,” the second of a four-part series of Professional Development Luncheons on Oct. 9. Participants included (from left) Speaker and ISBA President-elect Paula H. Holderman of Winston & Strawn; speaker Shawn Kasserman of Corboy & Demetrio, speaker Mary Sabatino of Wiedner & McAuliffe and moderator Jessica Durkin of Miroballi, Durkin & Rudin.

Full video of the luncheon is available at http://youtu.be/Dt5yns76wns. The next luncheon will be held on Jan. 9, 2013.