2:25 p.m. Insurance from the Insurer's Perspective: A discussion of issues including coverage limit disputes and declaratory judgment actions, with John D. Dalton of Merlo, Kanofsky & Brinkmeier, Chicago, member of the Insurance Law Section Council.
2:40 p.m. Court-Annexed Mediation in Major Civil Cases: Practice and Strategy in State Courts, with Cook County Judge Allen S. Goldberg, member of the Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council.
3:10 p.m. Adjudicating Medicaid Liens, with Mark A. Rouleau of Rockford.
3:40 p.m. Adjudicating Multiple Liens in a Case: Statutory Health Care, Subrogation, Common Fund Doctrine Attorney Fees, Medicaid, Attorney Lien, etc., with ISBA Assembly member Kevin E. O'Reilly of Chicago, secretary of the Tort Law Section Council.
Bar Foundation Fellows program marks 20 years
The Illinois Bar Foundation will celebrate the 20th anniversary of founding of the Fellows program during a reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, June 20, at The Abbey on Lake Geneva. All lawyers and guests in attendance at the 127th ISBA Annual Meeting are invited.
The Fellows of the Illinois Bar Foundation comprise a special group of lawyers who have committed individual support of $1,000 or more toward grants for the bar association's charitable and educational initiatives.
The founding chair in 1983 was Chicago attorney Roger G. Fein. Current officers are Umberto S. Davi of Western Springs, chair; Naomi H. Schuster of Palos Heights, vice chair, and James L. Reichardt of Villa Park, secretary.
Midway through their two-year terms as officers of the Bar Foundation are Warren Lupel of Chicago, president; Russell K. Scott of Swansea, vice president; Paula H. Holderman of Chicago, secretary, and George R. Ripplinger of Belleville, treasurer.
ISBA staff members Patt Rexroad and Douglas M. Barringer of Springfield serve as assistant secretary and assistant treasurer.
SIU law student earns scholarship
The Illinois Bar Foundation has awarded a $2,000 scholarship to Andrew Weaver, a third-year student at the Southern Illinois University School of Law. This brings the total scholarship grants this year to $22,000 for 11 students (ISBA Bar News, May 15, page 2).
Weaver, who works at the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation office in Mt. Vernon, also has received the SIU law school's Public Interest Award. He is the class representative to the Student Bar Association and a member of the Sports Law Society and Environmental Law Society.
For information about applying for a Bar Foundation scholarship during the next school year, call (312) 726-6072.
10 'Hot Topics' in General Practice presentation
The ISBA General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section will conduct a 10-part "Hot Topics" seminar on Friday, June 20, during the 127th ISBA Annual Meeting at The Abbey on Lake Geneva.
Michelle M. Jochner, law clerk to Chief Justice Mary Ann G. McMorrow of the Illinois Supreme Court, is one of the program coordinators. She is vice chair of the General Practice Section Council and a member of the ISBA Board of Governors.
The other program coordinator is assistant Cook County state's attorney Julie Ann Sebastian, a member of the General Practice Section Council and associate newsletter editor for both the Administrative Law and the Bench and Bar Sections.
Moderators are General Practice Section Council members Dawn R. Hallsten of Mateer & Associates, Rockford, and Cook County Judge Edna M. Turkington, who also is newsletter co-editor and a member of the Tort Law Section Council and the Committee on Bar Publications.
The program will begin at 9 a.m. with Hot Topics in Family Law, a review of case law and legislative developments by ISBA Assembly member Julie Keehner Katz of Keehner, Cannady & Katz, Belleville, a member of the Committees on Continuing Legal Education and the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.
At 9:30 a.m., Hot Topics in the Use of Injunctive Relief in Dissolution Proceedings will be discussed by General Practice Section Council member Anne Martinkus of Erwin, Martinkus & Cole, Champaign.
At 10 a.m., Hot Topics in Real Estate Law will be presented by John G. O'Brien of Arlington Heights, a member of the ISBA Board of Governors and board chair of the Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association.
At 10:40 a.m., Michele Jochner will discuss Hot Topics in Criminal Law, including recent court decisions, legislative enactments and case law trends with Fourth Amendment implications in traffic stops and searches.
At 11:10 a.m., Hot Topics in Traffic Law will be reviewed by Larry A. Davis of DesPlaines, newsletter co-editor for the Traffic Laws and Courts Section.
At 11:40 a.m., Hot Topics in Tort Law will be explored by ISBA Assembly member Steven B. Levy of Naperville, a member of the Committee on Continuing Legal Education and the Illinois Bar Journal Editorial Board.
After a 12:10 p.m. luncheon break, the seminar will resume at 2 p.m. with Hot Topics in Probate Law and Estate Planning. The speaker will be James F. Dunneback, chair of the General Practice Section Council and member of the Real Estate Law Section Council.
At 2:30 p.m., Hot Topics in Professional Responsibility and Attorney Discipline will be discussed by Wendy Muchman, litigation group manager for the ARDC in Chicago. Issues include the American Bar Association Ethics 2000 model rules.
At 3 p.m., Hot Topics in Juvenile Delinquency Law will be covered by Kulmeet S. Galhotra of the Office of Cook County Public Defender, a member of the Child Law Section Council.
At 3:30 p.m., Hot Topics in Civil Trial Practice will be the subject of Patrick M. Kinnally of Murphy, Hupp & Kinnally, Aurora. He serves on the Committee on Supreme Court Rules, the Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council and the International and Immigration Law Section Council.
Legal writing competition open
Young lawyers and law students who expect to be admitted by the end of this year are invited to enter the ISBA Young Lawyers Division's 45th annual Lincoln Award Legal Writing Contest.
The competition provides an opportunity for the participant to enhance his or her reputation as a lawyer, to have a manuscript considered for publication in the Illinois Bar Journal, and to earn a cash prize.
ISBA lawyer members who will not reach age 36 before Dec. 31, and law student members who are admitted on or before Dec. 31, are eligible for plaques and prizes of $2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second and $500 for third.
To enter the competition, a participant must file a notice of intent by Tuesday, July 15. Entry forms and complete rules are available now. See the announcement on page 21.
Access www.isba.org and click on "Illinois Bar Journal," or contact Jean Fenski by e-mail at jfenski@isba.org or by telephone at (800) 252-8908.
Clients hold key to success in family law
The ISBA Family Law Section will confront the provocative dilemma of "How to Make a Living Practicing Family Law" during its morning seminar at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 21, at The Abbey on Lake Geneva.
The issues of screening potential clients, shepherding them through the marriage dissolution process, and collecting attorney fees and court judgments will be reviewed by experienced practitioners in this Law Ed Series presentation during the 127th ISBA Annual meeting.
Among the distinguished speakers are ISBA past president Donald C. Schiller of Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck, Chicago, and Enrico J. Mirabelli of Nadler, Pritikin & Mirabelli, Chicago, a member of the ISBA Board of Governors.
Section council member Roza B. Gossage of Belleville, who also serves on the Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, is program coordinator and moderator. The schedule follows.
9 a.m. Choosing a Client, with A. Lou Benassi of Benassi & Benassi, Peoria.
9:30 a.m. Handling of a Client, with Donald Schiller.
10 a.m. Collecting the Fee and Ethics Thereof, with James J. Grogan, chief counsel of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, Chicago.
10:30 a.m. Post-Judgment Collection of Judgments in Divorce, with Harold V. Stotland of Seyfarth Shaw, Chicago.
11 a.m. Case Law Update, with Enrico Mirabelli.
Professor to conduct pair of legal writing seminars
Prof. Gregory G. Colomb of the English department at the University of Virginia will conduct two seminars during the 127th ISBA Annual Meeting to help lawyers learn to write more concisely and effectively.
Effective Legal Writing I: Clear and Direct Prose will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, June 20, at The Abbey on Lake Geneva. The topics are clarity, focus and flow.
Effective Legal Writing II: Informative and Persuasive Documents will be presented from 9 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday, June 21, with emphasis on framing readers' expectations, finding the best order, and keeping readers on track.
A University of Virginia faculty member since 1997, Colomb received his master's degree at the school in 1974 and a doctorate in 1978, while serving as a graduate instructor.
He taught at the University of Chicago from 1978 to 1987, at the Georgia Institute of Technology from 1987 to 1991, and at the University of Illinois from 1991 to 1997.
Colomb is a founding partner in Clearlines, an international communications consulting firm that serves business, legal and governmental organizations. He serves on the visiting faculty of the National Judicial College in Nevada.
Among his consultancies have been the DePaul University College of Law, the American Bar Association, the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, the National Association of Administrative Law Judges, the City of Chicago Corporation Counsel, and several law firms.
Colomb received a Critics' Choice Award for "The Craft of Research," a University of Chicago Press work that has been translated into Portuguese, Spanish and Korean.
ISBA cable television programs scheduled this month at 10 p.m. Tuesdays, on Chicago Access Network channel 21, are "Anatomy of a Trial," June 3 and 17, and "Looking for Mr. or Ms. Good Lawyer." June 10 and 24.
Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council members who are panelists for the programs are Debra B. Walker, John C. Sciaccotta and past chair Angela Imbierowicz, the section's newsletter co-editor. The moderator is David H. Levy of the Special Committee on Cable Television Programming.
Young Lawyers Division officers plan activities
ISBA Assembly member Francesco E. "Frank" DiVito this month will begin his term as chair of the ISBA Young Lawyers Division with an agenda that includes development of a "New Lawyer Survival Guide."
General counsel to Fullerton Engineering Consultants in Rosemont, DiVito succeeds Franco A. Coladipietro of Amari & Locallo, Chicago, who also serves on the Assembly.
Other incoming officers are vice chair Robert L. Gamrath of Quarles & Brady, Chicago, and secretary Eric A. Long of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Springfield. Newsletter co-editors are John Fogarty and Gina Arquilla.
The Young Lawyers Division has invited all members and adult guests attending the ISBA Annual Meeting at The Abbey on Lake Geneva to participate in a two-hour evening cruise on Friday, June 20.
Refreshments and hors d'oeuvres will be served aboard the "Lady of the Lake" from 7 to 9 p.m., and musical entertainment will be provided by the Matthew Poisson Band.
Other events on the YLD agenda during the next 12 months include the annual benefit holiday party to raise funds for the Children's Assistance Program. It will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, at Joe's Sports Bar in Chicago.
Also planned is a morning work project Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, followed by a pizza luncheon at Home Run Inn.
In April, the YLD will join the Appellate Lawyers Association in conducting a Moot Court Competition at the Richard J. Daley Center in Chicago.
The "New Lawyer Survival Guide" project is headed by Patrick J. Morley of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. Committee members are Donald P. Shriver, Tony J. Miller, Dennis J. Beninato, Gregg A. Garofalo, Michelle M. Wiedman and ISBA staff members Selina S. Thomas and Melinda J. Bentley.
Regional meetings, which are open to all ISBA young lawyers, are scheduled tentatively on Sept. 20 in the Champaign-Urbana area, Oct. 25 in Joliet or Elgin, Dec. 6 in the ISBA Chicago Regional Office, and April 24 in Bloomington.
For more information about YLD activities, call DiVito at (847) 292-0200 or staff liaison Janet M. Sosin at (312) 726-8775.
Cook County Judges Robert W. Bertucci and Nathaniel R. Howse will speak during a 12 noon luncheon meeting of the ISBA Young Lawyers Division on Thursday, June 26, in the Chicago Regional Office.
The judges will explain how the County Division handles mental health, adoption, election and tax matters and will provide advice for young lawyers on conduct in the courtroom environment.
Judge Bertucci, a 1983 graduate of the Chicago-Kent College of Law, was elected to the bench in 1992 after nine years as an assistant state's attorney. Judge Howse graduated in 1976 from the Loyola University School of Law and was in private practice for 22 years before his election in 1998.
Although attendance at the meeting is free, space is limited so reservations should be made in advance by calling Phyllis Lester at (312) 726-8775. Participants may bring lunches or purchase box lunches in advance for $10 each. Refreshments will be provided by the ISBA.
An Illinois attorney who exemplifies commitment to the advancement of individual rights and civil liberties will receive the 2003 Elmer Gertz Award during a dinner on Thursday, Nov. 6, in Chicago.
Presented jointly by the ISBA Human Rights Section and the Blind Service Association, the award commemorates the life and legend of civil rights attorney Elmer Gertz, who died April 27, 2000.
The benefit dinner will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the Mid-Day Club at Bank One Plaza. The keynote speaker will be former senator Paul Simon, a longtime friend of the attorney.