Real-estate practitioners should be sure to read a trio of recent decisions on 1) the duty of title insurers, 2) the content of mortgage documents, and 3) the recording of deeds and mortgages. Read summaries of all three in the September Illinois Bar Journal.
United States Bankruptcy Judge Carol A. Doyle of the Northern District of Illinois has
applied to be reappointed by the United States Court of Appeals to a new 14-year term when her current term expires on July 25, 2013. A United States Bankruptcy Judge is a judicial officer of the United States District Court who exercises the authority of the district court with respect to any action, suit, or proceeding under Chapter 6 of Title 28 of the United States Code. 28 U.S.C. § 151. Comments are invited from the public and the bar as to whether Judge Doyle should be reappointed. Those comments should be in writing and sent by November 15, 2012 to:
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. I am managing partner with a 12 attorney general practice firm in St. Louis. As part of our marketing program we recently completed an informal client survey and were surprised at some of the feedback. The feedback was less positive than expected. Our clients advised us that our services took longer than expected and fees were also higher than expected. We work hard for our clients and I don't see how we can improve turnaround or reduce legal fees. I would appreciate any thoughts that you have.
A. Based upon client satisfaction surveys (telephone interviews) that we do for law firms we find that one of the biggest problems is that the attorneys are doing a poor job of managing client expectations. Your clients get frustrated when you promise one thing (timeline or fees) and the result is very different - especially when the work takes longer than promised or the fees are higher. Even though you don't structure it as a promise your clients take it that way. The key is to under promise and over deliver. I suspect that upon the initial client meeting you are under estimating the timeline and low balling the fee range. Reduce the promise - increase the - timeline and fee range and then shoot to deliver under that range. This will do wonders for improving the client relationship.
Click here for our blog on client service
Click here for our article on the topic
The Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois Judges Association and Women’s Bar Association of Illinois are teaming up for three times the fun at Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CVLS) 19th annual Race Judicata Sprint for Justice 5K Run/Walk. This fundraising event takes place on Sept. 13 at Upper Hutchinson Field in Chicago’s Grant Park.
T-shirts will be provided for team members. All proceeds from Race Judicata go to the general operating costs of CVLS, which works to provide legal services to the poor and working poor of Chicago. The three associations will host a tent that will serve as the main gathering point for ISBA, IJA and WBAI members. Food and water will be available at the tent. The entry fee is $33 through Sept. 7. Register under the team name IJA.WBAI.ISBA at www.cvls.org/judicata
E-mail is a persistent and annoying issue in every lawyer's professional and personal life. To help lawyers manage e-mail, Jim Callaway, the Director of Oklahoma Bar Association's Management Assistance Program, has posted EMail Issues for Lawyers Today. In it, he explores the ethical ramifications, security risks, benefits, and best practices associated with using web based e-mail services such as GMail and Outlook.com. He also gives advice about guarding against security breaches from the client's e-mail service; and considers the potential of insisting that clients set up a new e-mail account dedicated exclusively to communication between the client and lawyer. In addition, he reviews the current debate about encrypting e-mail. Finally, he suggests making up false answers to security questions in 2 step verification systems and the use of password managers.
Along the same lines, Kashmir Hill at Forbes Magazine posted, 10 Incredibly Simple Things You Should be Doing to Protect Your Privacy. It includes such basic security tips as password protecting your mobile devices, such as your smart phone, iPad, and other tablets. She also suggests creating a Google Alerts with your name, being careful about giving out your email address and identifying information in public, encrypting your computer, clearing out your browsing history, and turning on 2 step verification in Gmail.
ISBA President John E. Thies urges members to attend the upcoming Solo & Small Firm Conference being held Sept. 13-15 in Itasca.
Mediation is designed to resolve differences both in and out of the courts. It requires a very different mindset than courtroom litigation. Join us in Chicago on September 10th for this week-long mediation training and learn how to resolve conflicts in a non-adversarial, non-confrontational manner, allowing peaceful resolutions between parties.
The program is taught by Richard Calkins and Fred Lane—two nationally recognized mediators, authors and educators. Until 20 years ago, both Mr. Calkins and Mr. Lane were well-known and highly regarded litigators. Since then, however, they have successfully mediated over 5,000 cases.
The program qualifies for 40.0 hours MCLE credit, including 40.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit (PMCLE subject to approval).
Chief Judge John T. Elsner has announced that following the Aug. 23 meeting of the Circuit Judges of the 18th Judicial Circuit, Robert G. Gibson and Jeffrey S. MacKay have been selected as finalists for associate judge. This vacancy was created by the retirement of Associate Judge Cary B. Pierce.
Gibson graduated from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1983. Judge Gibson was appointed a Circuit Judge by the Illinois Supreme Court effective Aug. 2, 2010 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Circuit Judge Perry R. Thompson.
MacKay graduated from IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1992. He is currently an associate with the law firm of Ekl, Williams and Provenzale. MacKay is an active member of the DuPage County Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association.
ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews bills in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. In this episode he covers the Health Care Services Lien Act, Personal property exemptions and trusts, Child-support enforcement (Public Act 97-994 and Public Act 97-1029), Sanctions for visitation violations, Domestic violence form, Adoption and Article 9 of the UCC. More information on each bill is available below the video.
The Fall Semester of Fred Lane's ISBA Trial Technique Institute begins Sept. 4 at the ISBA's Chicago Regional Office. Listen to Fred discuss the class and find out more below the video.
More information is available at www.isba.org/cle/trial
Register online at www.isba.org/cle/trial/registration