Section Newsletters

Articles From John T. Phipps

Editor’s column: Identity theft—How well do we protect private personal information? By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, January 2006 Law offices and courts should take a closer look at how private personal information is handled.
Editor’s Column: unbundling services–A way lawyers can meet unmet legal needs and a create a source of fees! By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, August 2005 How often do we turn down cases because the time they would take and the fees would exceed the amount of the claim?
Editor’s column: ISBA responds to bottom line issues with “Don’t Just Survive-Thrive” conference By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, May 2005 The practice of law is constantly changing and some of those changes are resulting in more and more demands on lawyers.
Editor’s column: Computers-Is it time to upgrade? By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, April 2005 Lately I have been amazed to learn in personal computer magazines, newspaper ads and trips to various computer stores at how excellent computers, flat-panel monitors, printers and accessories can be obtained at incredibly low prices.
Editor’s column: GP Solo & Small Firm Section Council responds to the continuing evolution of the law By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, March 2005 The legal stage is changing yet again. It is no wonder they call what we lawyers do "the practice of law" because lawyers are faced with the constant challenge to adapt to ever-changing laws.
Family law update By Anne M. Martinkus & John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, March 2005 Recent cases of interest.
Editor’s column: Indirect consequences of pleas indicates growing concern for lawyers and clients By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, February 2005 Jack Carey's article, "When is "not a conviction under this Act" a conviction?," highlights an area of growing concern for general practice lawyers as more and more indirect consequences for pleas for Court supervision or first offender probation are being created.
The future of the profession: The affordable trial— fresh perspectives needed By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, November 2004 I know "it's California," but reading in the newspaper that prospective jurors in the Robert Blake murder trial are expected to spend five months hearing evidence while reading at the same time stories about the ongoing Scott Peterson murder trial raises serious questions about the future of jury-are we going into overkill-trials.
Suggestions from the bench and from a former general practitioner By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, November 2004 The suggestions in this outline are designed to remind the experienced general practitioner of some points sometimes forgotten.
Editor’s column: We need to persuade the Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee to recommend adoption of the sale of a solo practice rule By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, September 2004 In September 10, 2004 the Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee considered the ISBA petition to adopt the sale of a solo practice rule. Clients need this rule. Lawyers need this rule.
Trends that will affect your practice By John T. Phipps Administrative Law, September 2004 General Practice Section Council member Matt Maloney raised some interesting issues at the last Section Council meeting about the trend that smaller counties are losing lawyers and the average age of the lawyers is rising because of the lack of young lawyers going to the smaller counties to practice.
Editor’s column: Trends that will affect your practice By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, June 2004 GP Section Council member Matt Maloney raised some interesting issues at the last Section Council meeting about the trend that smaller counties are losing lawyers and the average age of the lawyers is rising because of the lack of young lawyers going to the smaller counties to practice.
Editor’s column-Two important developments: The ISBA Mentor Center now open . . . & new terrorist lists that every lawyer needs to know about By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, May 2004 The ISBA mentor Center at is now open. It is one of ISBA President Terry Lavin's major projects and has been in the works for some time.
Editor’s column-ABA Tech Show Report By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, April 2004 The ABA Annual Tech Show was held at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers on March 25-27, 2004. The Exhibits section included vendors of legal software and hardware.
Editor’s column-Thoughts on “We the People,” Quicken Lawyer and pending legislation to authorize form completion business: Are we missing an opportunity and ignoring a legal need? By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, March 2004 There is a large segment of the public that is looking for people to fill out their legal forms so they can represent themselves in court on a transaction and avoid paying large lawyer fees.
Editor’s column-Thoughts on law office technology: Weigh your technology options: Even if it ain’t broke there maybe a reason to upgrade. The ABA Techshow can help decision makers By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, February 2004 The Annual ABA Technology Show at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers in Chicago is set this year for March 25-27, 2004.
Editor’s column: The petition is filed! It is now up to the Supreme Court By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, January 2004 On January 15, 2004, the ISBA filed with the Illinois Supreme Court a petition titled "In Re the Matter of Proposed Amendments to Illinois Rules for Professional Conduct to Allow and Regulate the Sale and Transfer of a Solo Practitioner's Law Practice" MR19235.
Editor’s column: Child support collection procedures need attention By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, October 2003 The practice alert article in this issue by Brian L. McPheters clearly indicates a problem that the courts and the legislature need to address.
Editor’s column: Wall Street analysts’ conflict of interest claims By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, September 2003 The following article, "Practical Considerations For Representing Your Clients Who Have Been Damaged by Wall Street Analysts' Conflicts of Interest," by Chicago attorney James J. Eccleston, would seem to be something far removed from the ordinary General Practice Solo and Small Firm newsletter.
Editor’s column: Mentors By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, August 2003 When I read "A Few Good Mentors" by ISBA President Terry Lavin in his August 2003 President's page, I thought about some of my mentors and how important they were to me.
Editor’s column By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, July 2003 The Chicago Tribune recently published an article about the growing trend of "online divorce services."
Editor’s column By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, June 2003 Several years ago I wrote a newsletter column titled "Terror by Fax" where I discussed the general acceptance of the fax machine, and how lawyers were then being asked to respond on short notice to faxes.
Editor’s column By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, April 2003 The following article, "Arbitration of disputes before the New York Stock Exchange" by James F. Dunneback, would seem to be something far removed from the ordinary General Practice, Solo and Small Firm newsletter.
Editor’s column: Sale of a solo practice update By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, January 2003 We have received a number of excellent comments and suggestions about the proposed transfer of a solo practice and made changes to the original proposed draft rules.
Editor’s column By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, December 2002 Who says you can't teach old dogs new tricks? Ever since I bought the first computer for my desk 20 years ago, I have followed the recommended pattern of buying myself an updated, faster computer about every 18 months to two years, depending on the costs and the nature of the computer advancements.
Chair’s column By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, May 2002 If memory serves me correctly, the annual attorney's registration fee we pay was to help offset the cost of the Attorneys Registration and Disciplinary Commission.
Practice reminder—ABA Techshow By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, March 2002 Don't forget the ABA Techshow which is being held March 14-16, 2002 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, Chicago, Illinois.
Practice tip—New IRS procedure to obtain employer ID numbers By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, March 2002 As of January 2, 2002 the toll free number to obtain EIN numbers is 866/816-2065.
How soon we forget! Under proposed ISBA mandatory malpractice insurance proposals, insurance companies, not Illinois Supreme Court, will determine how law is practiced. By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, November 2001 In the mid '80s the availability of reasonably priced malpractice insurance became a major crisis for Illinois lawyers.
Computer update—Windows 95 retired by Microsoft By John T. Phipps General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, June 2001 Microsoft Corporation announced in February that it was retiring Windows 95.

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