Panels of federal judges will discuss civil litigation of employment law matters in two ISBA Law Ed seminars that will be conducted next month by the Labor and Employment Law Section.

Titled “View from the Bench: Tips for Lawyers in the Civil Practice of Employment Law Cases,” the first seminar will be presented from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, at the Holiday Inn, Collinsville.

Section council vice chair Lorna K. Geiler of Meyer Capel, Champaign, is coordinator and moderator for this program, which is co-sponsored by the Bar Association of the Central and Southern Federal Districts of Illinois.

The speakers are Chief Judge Michael P. McCuskey of the Central District, Urbana, a member of the Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council, and Judges Michael J. Reagan and David N. Herndon of the Southern District, East St. Louis.

Three topics will be discussed: Fed-eral Practice in General, Employment Discrimination Litigation Specifically, and Other Issues.

Federal practice issues include effective use of discovery versus abuse of discovery; whether motions for summary judgment are always appropriate; various approaches to the complaint and possible repercussions for over-pleading.

Discrimination litigation issues include how a court decides to appoint an attorney to assist a pro se litigant, and recommendations for handling pro se from the defense perspective.

Among other issues are litigation efficiency and calendars, costs of litigation, ethical consid-erations, and practical advice from the bench.

The second seminar will take place from 12 noon to 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, in the ISBA Chicago Regional Office. Luncheon will be provided.

Speakers are Judges Matthew F. Kennelly and Rebecca R. Pallmeyer of U.S. District Court for the Northern District, Chicago, and Magistrate Judge Arlander Keys.

Labor and Employment Law Section Council member Kathryn M. Woodward of Greene & Letts, Chicago, is program coordinator and moderator. Discussion topics follow.

Motions for Summary Judgment: In what cases should they not be filed, and how many statements of fact are too many?

Requests to Admit: How many are appropriate, and what are proper objections?

Over-pleading: It is appropriate to include any possible claim in a complaint, and are sanctions awarded, or should they be, for excessive or frivolous counts to a complaint?

Broad Issues Raised by These Questions: Efficiency of litigation, cost of litigation, ethical considerations, and the difference between federal and state practice in these areas.