Amari also serves on the State and Local Taxation Section Council and Young Lawyers Division Council; Benzing is secretary of the Workers' Compensation Law Section Council, and DeCarlo is on the section council; Blake is on the Criminal Justice Section Council; Garafalo is on the Trusts and Estates Section Council and Young Lawyers Division Council.
Other members of the delegation and any ISBA positions they held at the time of the induction are, alphabetically:
Thomas F. Arends, secretary of the Federal Taxation Section Council; William R. Austin of the Real Estate Law Section Council and Committee on Military Affairs; John T. Burke, Stephen C. Buser, William T. Cacciatore, and Kevin J. Caplis.
Sandra Crawford of the Committee on Women and the Law, Gil R. Cubia of the Committee on Minority and Women Participation, Joel T. Daly of the Committee on Cable Television Programming, and Vincent D. DeCarlo.
Barbara L. Delanois, past chair of the Child Law Section Council, secretary of the Committee on Legal Education, Admission and Competence, and member of the Committee on Continuing Legal Education; Karen L. Douglas, Thomas C. Edwards, Kathleen A. Finney, and Philip J. Fowler.
Dawn R. Hallsten, vice chair of the General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section Council; Leslie J. Hanson of the Mineral Law Section Council, David A. Harley, Michael D. Hovde Jr., and Robert J. Krupp of the Federal Taxation Section Council.
Thomas J. Krupp, Yehuda P. Lebovits, Myron F. Mackoff, Ross B. Mantell, Michael A. Nordwall, and Jill P. O'Brien, past chair of the Labor and Employment Law Section Council and member of the Committee on Women and the Law.
Timothy H. Okal, David J. E. Roe of the Insurance Law Section Council, Douglas W. Rudy, Jennifer A. Shaw of the Committee on Minority and Women Participation and Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, and Bryan M. Sims of the Committee on Legal Technology and Committee on Supreme Court Rules.
Anthony F. Spina, John D. Spina, Stephanie L. Stewart-Page, Amy L. Turnbaugh, Jacqueline T. Wallach, and Richard A. Wilson, secretary of the Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.
An ISBA Traffic Law Issues and Update seminar will be conducted from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16, at the Collinsville Holiday Inn.
Program coordinator is J. Randall Cox of Feldman, Wasser, Draper & Benson, Springfield, a member of the Committee on Continuing Legal Education. The schedule of follows.
9 a.m. - Introduction and overview.
9:05 a.m. - Case Law and Legislation Updates.
9:35 a.m. - Secretary of State Hearings and Other Collateral Consequences of DUI and Serious Traffic offenses.
10:35 a.m. - Traffic Potpourri: Non-alcohol Moving Violations, Minor Issues (graduated driver's license primer and fake IDs), and Expungement.
11:20 a.m. - Commercial Driver's License Issues: Moving Violations, Citations, and Overweight Tickets.
12 noon - Luncheon period.
1 p.m. - Search and Seizure Issues at Traffic Stops.
1:45 p.m. - DUI, Statutory Summary Suspension, and Zero Tolerance Nuts and Bolts.
2:45 p.m. - Trial and Hearing Practice Tools and Techniques: Pretrial Motions, Requests to Admit, Bills of Particulars, Directed Verdicts, and Jury Issues.
3:30 p.m. - Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, Breath Testing and Blood Testing.
Court, ISBA to resume free mediation skills seminars
A timely free continuing education series for judges, lawyers and mediators who are interested in court-annexed mediation skills and procedures will resume Sept. 8.
The Cook County Circuit Court Law Division seminars, co-sponsored by the ISBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Section Council, are conducted from 12 noon to 1:45 p.m., usually on the second Thursday of each month, in courtroom 2005 of the Richard J. Daley Center, Chicago.
The court-annexed mediation service, which began in April 2004 as a quicker and cheaper alternative to litigation, resulted reportedly in settlement of half of the cases in which parties agreed to participate during the first year.
According to the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Law Division judges referred 402 cases, and 267 of them were mediated. Of those, 133 were fully settled and 11 were partially settled.
Judge Allen S. Goldberg, who serves on the ISBA section council, supervises the court's mediation program. Section council chair Michael S. Jordan, a retired judge, is also involved in the series, which began with April, May and June seminars.
For more information or to register for attendance, call Mrs. Ferenzi at (312) 603-6078 or Kim Atz at (312) 793-0125. Participants should bring their own lunches. The schedule of future presentations follows.
Thursday, Sept. 8 - Breaking the Impasse: Moving from Stalemate to Settlement in Mediation; U.S. Magistrate Judge Morton Denlow, Stuart M. Widman of Miller, Shakman & Hamilton, and Prof. Thomas F. Gibbons of Northwestern University.
Thursday, Oct. 13 - Resolving the Complex Case; retired judges Stephen A. Schiller and Richard E. Neville. This workshop will cover guidelines on getting the right parties to the table, use of pre-hearing conferences, content of case management orders, use of experts, authority issues, and management of multi-party and intra-party negotiations.
Thursday, Nov. 10 - Creative Problem Solving for Advocates and Mediators; Clinical Associate Prof. Lynn P. Cohn of Northwestern University School of Law, Assistant Clinical Prof. Pamela A. Kentra of Chicago-Kent College of Law, and Susan Yates, executive director of the Center for Analysis of Dispute Resolution Systems.
Thursday, Jan. 12 - Effective Mediation of Employment Disputes; U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward A. Bobrick and Debra Howdy. In this workshop, employment specialists will share experiences and insights on selecting the best mediator, the role of counsel, client preparation, and development of non-monetary trade-offs.
Thursday, Feb. 9 - Serving Two Masters: The Attorney-Mediator's Dilemma; John W. "Jack" Cooley and Lynn Gaffigan. Topics include ABA/AAA Standards of Conduct for Mediators, whether they coexist or conflict with Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, what to do when a conflict arises, and confidentiality in the context of mediation.
Thursday, March 9 - Co-mediation of Medical Negligence Cases; attorneys Geoffrey L. Gifford and Richard Donohue.
Family law is focus of first fall seminar
Bankruptcy law and custody evaluation are among discussion topics for two ISBA seminars on "Hot Topics in Family Law" that head the fall Law Ed Series schedule.
Family Law Section Council member Roza B. Gossage of Belleville is moderator of the presentation on Friday, Sept. 9, at the Collinsville Holiday Inn. Council secretary Gregory A. Scott of Scott & Scott, Springfield, will conduct the Thursday, Sept. 15, program at the Chicago Athletic Association.
At 9 a.m., the seminar will open with New Bankruptcy Act and How It Affects the Family Law Practitioner. Speaker for the Chicago program is section council member Paul A. Osborn of Ward, Murray, Pace & Johnson, Sterling. The Collinsville speaker will be announced.
At 10:30 a.m., section council member Adrienne W. Albrecht of Sacks, Albrecht & Gubbins, Kankakee, will provide Legislative Updates at both programs.
At 11 a.m., the topic is How to Get Paid Practicing Family Law and Lower Your Receivables: What Can We Ethically Do? Speakers will be announced.
After the 12 noon luncheon periods, the seminars will resume at 1 p.m. with Effective Cross Examination of a Custody Evaluator and Use of Psychological Testing by the Evaluator. The speaker is section council member Rory T. Weiler of Weiler & Noble, Geneva.
At 2 p.m., Case Law Updates will be given by Julie K. Katz of Keehner, Cannady & Katz, Belleville (in Collinsville), and Enrico J. Mirabelli of Nadler, Pritikin & Mirabelli, Chicago (in Chicago).
The seminar will conclude with a 3 p.m. judicial panel discussion on Relevant Custody Evidence and Use of Custody Evaluators in the Determination of Custody Matters. Speakers will be announced.
Image problem? Lawyers can counter public perception
By Chris Ruys
"Lawyers used to be respectable. I think at some point they cared. Now they just shuffle you around like cattle."
"Lawyers should make me feel like the dollars I'm spending are worthwhile."
These quotes, from two of nearly 100 Illinois consumers who were interviewed during recent ISBA focus groups, underscore a serious problem in the legal profession: lawyer credibility.
There's no denying that consumers have negative perceptions of the legal profession. The "least reputed profession in America" is what the American Bar Association concluded in its 2002 study on lawyer image.
Yet, people know that attorneys are valuable and, in surveys, frequently indicate they are satisfied with the service their own lawyers provide.
Changing the image completely will be next to impossible as long as there are unscrupulous lawyers or losers in lawsuits. But bar associations and individual lawyers can, and will, take steps to reshape the negative image of the profession.
A Committee on Strategic Marketing for Illinois Lawyers, created by the ISBA Assembly last year, is developing a proposal for a paid advertising campaign. Its goal is to educate consumers about the value of using a lawyer and to build confidence and trust in the legal profession.
This effort is in keeping with surveys of ISBA members, showing two of their top concerns are the economics of the practice and the image of the profession.
Individual lawyers are also doing their part, and here's what they advise:
* Do a better job of communicating with clients.
When it comes to hiring lawyers, people are riddled with fear and doubt. They don't know if lawyers can really help them, how to determine if a lawyer will provide good service, or what kind of costs are involved. As a result, less than half of those who realize they have a need for legal assistance end up hiring lawyers.
When you meet with prospective clients, put yourself in their shoes. Listen carefully to their legal problems and show that you understand their needs. Explain the legal process, even if it involves common legal situations such as a real estate closing, a contract issue or drawing up an estate plan.
And return your client's calls promptly. "How hard is it to call me back within a day?" asked a participant in one of the ISBA focus groups.
* Carefully explain fees.
Many lawyers are reluctant to explain the fees and expenses involved thoroughly, and consumers are reluctant to ask about them. The result is that, even if the client is satisfied with the service performed, he or she may balk upon receiving the lawyer's bill. "They don't forget to send me their bills, that's for sure," said another focus group member.
A written statement of the financial agreement, provided in advance to each client, and updated as the scope of the service changes, can help head off the assumption that "all lawyers are greedy."
* Be mindful of the way in which you promote your services.
Many lawyers advertise, even if it's just a listing in the Yellow Pages or an ad in a program book. But focus groups conducted by the ISBA Committee on Strategic Marketing showed that people have real distaste sor heavy self-promotion.
The option is to consider publicity, sometimes referred to as "free advertising," by providing useful consumer information on your area of the law to editors and broadcasters, or writing letters to the editor that get printed on the opinion pages.
It will take a sustained effort by lawyers and the bar to successfully educate the public about the law and to alter public perception. But the battle for the hearts and minds of the public can succeed if the truth is presented credibly and repeated tirelessly.
* * *
Chris Ruys is president of Chris Ruys Communications, a Chicago-based public relations firm whose clients include the Illinois State Bar Association.
Assembly fills committee seats
The ISBA Assembly elected Angela Imbierowicz of Oak Brook (18th Circuit) and Eric P. Hanson of Joliet (12th Circuit) on June 18 to vacancies on its five-member Agenda and Program Committee.
Representing circuits outside of Cook County, They succeed committee chair James F. McCluskey of Downers Grove (18th Circuit) and member Christopher S. Haaff of Woodstock (19th Circuit), whose terms expired.
Other members of the committee are Susan M. Brazas of Rock City (15th Circuit), William R. Quinlan and Letitia Spunar-Sheats of Chicago (Cook County).
The Winnebago County Bar Association, now celebrating its centennial year, will hold its 60th annual Clambake on Friday, July 29, at the Macktown Forest Preserve course near Rockton. Call (815) 964-4992 before July 22 for availability. Only 325 tickets will be sold.
Shotgun starts for the golf outing, which is limited to lawyers, judges and elected officials, are scheduled at 7:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., but the traditional menu is as much a Clambake attraction as the Macktown fairways.
Lunch service from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. consists of clam chowder, shrimp, oysters, bratwurst, chicken wings, hamburgers and Italian sausage. Dinner fare from 6 to 7:30 p.m. is either lobster and chicken or barbecued ribs and chicken.
Listings follow for other bar-related golf outings.
JULY 18 (Monday) ST. CHARLES - Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association; St. Charles Country Club; 11:30 a.m. lunch, 1 p.m. shotgun start and 6:30 p.m. dinner; (847) 593-5750.
JULY 18 (Monday) MIDLOTHIAN - South Suburban Bar Association; Midlothian Country Club; 12 noon lunch, 1 p.m. shotgun start; Ed Burt, (708) 687-5200.
JULY 21 (Thursday) HOFFMAN ESTATES - Northwest Suburban Bar Association; Poplar Creek Country Club; 1 p.m. shotgun start, 6 p.m. dinner; (847) 259-7908.
JULY 25 (Monday) GENEVA - Kane County Bar Association; Eagle Brook Country Club; 11:30 a.m. lunch, 1 p.m. shotgun start; 5:30 p.m. reception and pig roast buffet; (630) 762-1915.
JULY 26 (Tuesday) ITASCA - ISBA Young Lawyers Division benefit for Children's Assistance Fund; Indian Lakes Resort; 9 a.m. shotgun start, 2:30 p.m. reception and dinner; Gina Arquilla, (312) 322-0701.
AUGUST 15 (Monday) EDWARDSVILLE - Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Southern Illinois; Sunset Hills Country Club; (800) 252-8501.
AUGUST 29 (Monday) PEORIA - Illinois Bar Foundation/Peoria County Bar Association Pillars of the Bar; Mt. Hawley Country Club; (312) 726-6072, ext. 233.
SEPTEMBER 9 (Friday) OLYMPIA FIELDS - South Suburban Bar Association; Olympia Fields Country Club; Ed Burt, (708) 687-5200.
Cook County circuit clerk opens Web probate access
Cook County Circuit Clerk Dorothy Brown, an attorney, has begun providing online access to cases in the Probate Division through the Web site, www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org.
The system provides general understanding of the history and disposition of probate cases, and may be used as a resource to determine the status of both closed cases and those that are in process.
By accessing the clerk's Web site and clicking on the Online Case Information box, users will find a Probate Search box on the menu. There, a case may be searched by number, name of estate or claimant, or date of filing.