ISBA members can save 40% at FedEx Office!

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Chris Bonjean

As an ISBA member you are eligible to save up to 20% on the materials you need most with FedEx Office® copy and print services. And now through May 2013 you can save up to 40%.* It’s the perfect time to save big on color copies, posters, signs, banners, direct mail services, and much more.

Offer Details

Save 40%* on core print and copy. Save 30%* on signs & banners and other services. Promotional pricing will expire on May 31, 2013, but you will continue to enjoy savings of 20% on core print and copy and 10% on other services. Standard exclusions apply.**   

If you are not already enrolled, go to enrolladvantage.fedex.com/4958 and use passcode 4JHFN9, or call 1-800-MEMBERS (1.800.636.2377, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. EST, M-F). Enrollment is free and there are no minimum requirements. If you already participate in the FedEx Advantage®shipping program, simply uncheck the FedEx Express and FedEx Ground shipping options when you begin the enrollment process. Once enrolled, simply present your discount card at FedEx Office locations or enter your 10-digit FedEx Office account number online to take advantage of these savings.

If you are already enrolled with a FedEx Office account, you will need to enroll againin order to save up to 40%.* Follow the instructions above and be sure to provide your FedEx Office account number.  

*Special pricing is in effect for purchases made after 1/1/2012 and may be discontinued at any time without additional notice. Other standard Alliance contract exclusions apply.

YLD Golf Classic set for Aug. 1

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Chris Bonjean

The Illinois State Bar Association Young Lawyers Division will host a golf outing on Wednesday, Aug. 1 at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club in Lemont.

This event will benefit the IBF/YLD Children’s Assistance Fund. The $150 ticket includes golf, cart, concession stand ticket, cocktails, dinner and CLE program. Tickets to attend just the evening dinner are $50 each. Many sponsorship opportunities are available.

Deadline to register is 4:30 pm, July 27th. Register at www.isba.org/sections/yld/golf

For general inquiries, please contact George Schoenbeck, gschoenbeck@sosinarnold.com,  Michael DiNatale, mdinatale@dinatalelaw.com or Jerry Napleton, jerrynapleton@gmail.com

Liability Minute: Illinois Attorney General Providing Debt Settlement Services

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Chris Bonjean

When elephants fight, the grass trembles.
— African Folk Saying

For the past several years, Illinois Attorney General ("IAG"), Lisa Madigan, and the State of Illinois have conducted a campaign against companies that purport to assist distressed homeowners and debtors in dealing with their debt situation.1 The primary weapons in the IAG's arsenal are two statutes: the Mortgage Rescue Fraud Act, 765 ILCS 940/1 et seq. (eff. Jan. 1, 2007) ("MRFA"); and, the Debt Settlement Consumer Protection Act, 225 ILCS 429/1 et seq. (eff. Aug. 3, 2010) ("DSCPA").

Caught In The Cross-Fire Lawyers Run Afoul of The Illinois Attorney General Providing Debt Settlement Services

By Joseph R. Marconi 2

These statutes aim to address the allegation that many of these companies do not provide actual relief to debtors but rather worsen their situation through undeserved and excessive fees (while making fraudulent or misleading claims in the process). Among other restrictions and requirements, the statutes limit fees, including the taking of "up front" fees. See, 765 ILCS 940/50(1); 225 ILCS 429/125(a) and (b).3 The IAG's office is aggressively pursuing actions based on two laws.

Quick takes on Thursday's Illinois Supreme Court opinions

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Chris Bonjean

Our panel of leading appellate attorneys review Thursday's Illinois Supreme Court opinions in the Civil case Harris v. Thompson and the Criminal case People v. Hollins.

CIVIL

Harris v. Thompson

By Alyssa M. Reiter, Williams Montgomery & John Ltd.

The interplay between the Illinois Vehicle Code and the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act (“Tort Immunity Act”) divided the Court in Harris v. Thompson.

The plaintiff was injured in an automobile accident with a Massac County ambulance. He sued the County defendants for negligence. The defendants moved to dismiss and, following an adverse jury verdict, moved for judgment non obstante veredicto, asserting that they were immune from liability based on negligence pursuant to the Tort Immunity Act. That Act provides that a public employee acting within the scope of his employment is not liable for an injury caused by the negligent operation of a motor vehicle when responding to an emergency call. The trial court denied the motions and the Appellate Court (Fifth District) affirmed. Those courts found that the Illinois Vehicle Code, which imposes a duty to refrain from negligence, is the more specific statute and supersedes the Tort Immunity Act.   

Law and Leadership Institute kicks off Sunday in Carbondale

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Chris Bonjean

The ISBA/JTBF Law and Leadership Institute (LLI) will kick off its first residential program this Sunday at the Southern Illinois University School of Law in Carbondale. The downstate program is a one week residential program running from Sunday, June 24 through Saturday, June 30.

The LLI is a statewide initiative to assist students from minority, ethnic, and other groups who are currently underrepresented in the legal professions achieve academic success and aspire to a career in the law.

The two current programs in Illinois were spearheaded by the ISBA Diversity Pipeline committee and will be hosted by the Southern Illinois University School of Law in Carbondale and the John Marshall Law School in Chicago. The Chicago commuter program will be held from Monday, July 23 through Friday, August 10.

The LLI involves a combination of classroom lectures, logic and critical thinking exercises, writing and oral advocacy instruction, guest speakers, and field trips to area law firms, government offices and courthouses. Many ISBA members participate as program speakers and activity sponsors. Students who participate in the LLI will:

ISBA Statehouse Review for the week of June 21

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Chris Bonjean

ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews bills in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers Domestic violence form, Cell phones and driving, Personal property exemptions and the Open Meetings Act. More information on each bill is available below the video.

Domestic violence form. House Bill 5922 (Cunningham, D-Chicago; Kotowski, D-Park Ridge) allows a statutory short-form notification to be used to serve on respondents in the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986, the Stalking No Contact Order Act, and the Civil No Contact Order Act.

Passed both chambers; effective January 1, 2013.

Cell phones and driving. Senate Bill 2488 (Garrett, D-Lake Forest; May, D-Highland Park) allows a driver in a construction or school zone to use a cell phone in voice-operated (instead of “voice-activated”) mode or by pressing a single button to initiate or terminate a voice communication. This also includes using a headset in this manner.

Drop date August 5, 2012; effective January 1, 2013.

House Bill 5099 (Costello, D-Sparta; Haine, D-Alton) prohibits a driver from using a cell phone or video within 500 feet of an emergency scene. Exempts using a cell phone in the voice-operated mode.

CLE: Hot Topics in Labor Law: 2012 and Beyond

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Chris Bonjean

Join us in Chicago on June 29th to learn how the National Labor Relations Act can affect non-union businesses! This comprehensive overview offers a look at Illinois labor laws from the differing perspectives of seasoned labor law attorneys – including union, management and the public employer perspective – on the long-range anticipated consequences of recent case law and proposed regulations.

Updating and getting rid of estate-planning files

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Mark S. Mathewson

It doesn't take long to accumulate inactive files and begin wondering what to do with them, John Ahern observes in the latest ISBA Trusts & Estates newsletter. "Are the files any good?" he asks. "Have clients gone elsewhere? Are [they] alive?"

In his article, John looks at the supreme court rules governing disposal of old files, provides model language you can include in engagement letters to give yourself authority to destroy old files, and assembles resources on file disposition that all lawyers can use. Take a look.