Associations

As an adjunct to the American Bar Association's midyear meeting next month in Chicago, the National Association of Bar Executives (NABE) and National Conference of Bar Foundations (NCBF) will conduct meetings.

When Robert A. Glaves, executive director of the Chicago Bar Foundation, calls the NCBF meeting to order, he will be the third president of the organization within the past year.

Jerome J. Shestack of Philadelphia concluded his term as president during the annual meeting on Aug. 6, and he was succeeded pro forma by President-elect Doris Huffman of Lincoln, Neb.

During the ensuing election of other officers and board members, however, nominations were made from the floor in addition to the slate reported by the nominating committee. Proxies were produced. Members of each group were elected.

Questions about the procedure let to the resignation en masse of the entire board in October. Staff solicited nominations, and a fresh ballot was circulated to the NCBF membership.

When the votes were counted last month, Glaves became president and Susan M. Lewers, executive director of the Illinois Bar Foundation, was elected secretary. They will officiate at meetings and events from Feb. 7 to 11, some in conjunction with the NABE.

About half of NCBF members also belong to the NABE, its president, Thomas A. Edmonds of Richmond, Va., reported in NABE-News on Dec. 14.

“We obviously have an interest in seeing NCBF return to good health,” Edmonds said in the newsletter, in his account of the leadership turmoil. He encouraged NCBF members to show support and get involved to “help restore the organization to vitality.”

Mark S. Mathewson of Springfield, ISBA director of legal publishing and caregiver of www.isba.org, is helping the NABE redesign and improve its Web site.

The seven-member Web committee will change the look, organization and utility of the site, and monitor response from a small focus group for member reaction to the changes.

“Our thanks to these communications professionals for lending their expertise to help our vendor get things like we want them in the redesign process,” said NABE President Thomas Edmonds.

The Illinois Real Estate Lawyers As-sociation has issued an appeal for financial support in pending high-profile litigation with a title service firm it believes is involved in the unauthorized practice of law.

“Our opponents are well-financed, and they are eager to establish precedent for their position that a real estate broker” may provide certain services in a transaction, said IRELA President Aurora Abella-Austriaco of Chicago in a letter to members last month.

The firm excludes a seller's lawyer “from exercising any professional judgment on behalf of the client concerning the choice of title service providers,” said Abella-Austriaco, a member of the ISBA Real Estate Law Section Council.

An IRELA member who refused to accept the choice of title service provider without legal counsel was sued by the firm. She recently settled without admitting liability but paid “a significant amount of money as a nuisance,” Abella-Austriaco pointed out.

“We cannot afford to sit back and do nothing while the proliferation of the unauthorized practice of law eliminates the lawful role of the attorney in real estate transactions to the detriment of Illinois citizens,” she wrote.

IRELA suggests contributions of funds equivalent to legal fees in two real estate transactions. For more information, call (847) 593-5750 or access the Web site, www.reallaw.org.

The association, founded by ISBA board member John G. O'Brien of Arlington Heights, conducts monthly breakfast programs, usually on the second Wednesday in a suburban location.

During the Jan. 11 meeting in Wheaton, Chicago attorney and certified public accountant Mark Rosenbloom discussed requirements for Internal Revenue Service Circular 230 disclosure regarding tax advice.

The DuPage Association of Women Law-yers will start the new year with a marketing and professional development program, “Networking, Self Promotion, Support, Inspiration,” at 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at the Bloomingdale Golf Course, Lake Street and Glen Ellyn Road.

The two-part program will begin with Speed Networking: Self Promotion and Support, with tables of five or six members each during an hors d'oeuvres buffet.

Participants will share business cards and promotional materials, information for mutual referrals, and sources of reference for legal questions that arise beyond their areas of expertise.

The second part, Inspiration and Self Promotion, will feature a presentation by Georgia Dudley, founder and president of Empowering Women Network Inc.

During dessert, Dudley will discuss applying the basic elements of sales to the law practice, such as identifying and developing ideal clients and addressing related time management issues.

For reservations or additional information, call Alycia Fitz at (630) 221-0305 by Jan. 23. Payments ($30 for members, $45 for non-members) may be mailed to Fitz at Suite 209, 1751 S. Naperville Road, Wheaton 60187.

Slated as 2006-07 officers of the Advocates Society are Holly Petrik for president; Bert Sillins, Esther Tryban-Telser and Joanna Kielczewski Kellogg for vice presidents; Robert Groszek for secretary, Marek Loza for treasurer, and Steve Raminiak for historian.

A tribute to former justice Allen Hartman, who died last year, will take place during an Appellate Lawyers Association reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, in the Walnut Room of the Hotel Allegro, Chicago.

Justices of the Appellate Court, 1st District, will be guests of honor. Call (312) 554-2090 for reservations.

The CBA Law and Literature Committee will discuss the novel, “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, in the chambers of Judge Richard Elrod, 2501 Richard J. Daley Center. Call Awilda Reyes, (312) 554-2134.

Martha Reis, vice president for ethics and business conduct at Boeing World Head-quarters, will deliver a professionalism lecture to the Cook County Bar Association at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, in the 6th floor conference room at 188 W. Randolph. Call (312) 368-0213.

The 31st annual DuPage County Bar Association Judges' Nite performance of “Apocalypse How???” will take place Friday, Feb. 24, at The Abbington in Glen Ellyn. ISBA Assembly member Kevin H. Millon is director, and Susan Alvarado is producer.

A 6:30 reception and 7:30 p.m. dinner will precede the 8:30 p.m. curtain. Call (630) 653-7779.

Champaign attorneys Traci E. Nally and Deborah Frank Feinen will discuss “Lessons Learned on the Campaign Trail” during the next monthly luncheon meeting of the East Central Illinois Women Attorneys Association.

The presentation will take place Tuesday, Feb. 21, at Biaggi's Ristorante, Champaign. Call Laurie Mikva, (217) 356-1351.

New officers of the Illinois Judicial Council are Chair Sybil C. Thomas, Chair-elect Marjorie C. Laws, Secretaries Valarie E. Turner and David B. Atkins, and Treasurer Theodore Sherrod. Call (312) 523-5415.

The Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel is host sponsor of the North Central Region Trial Academy on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 27-28, at the Oak Brook Hills Hotel. Defense lawyers from Wisconsin, Indiana and Minnesota will participate. Call (217) 636-7690.

New officers of the Jackson County Bar Association are President Carey C. Gill, Vice President Rhett T. Barke, Secretary Sarah Taylor and Treasurer Rebecca O'Neill, all of Carbondale. Call Gill at (618) 457-0437.

The annual Bocce Tournament of the Justinian Society will be conducted Thursday, Feb. 16, at Mazzini Verdi, Elmwood Park, preceded by 6 p.m. reception and dinner. Call President Lisa A. Marino at (773) 804-9100.

Details haven't been announced, but the Kane County Bar Association has asked its members to save the date of Saturday, March 4, for a gala Mardi Gras event in the Rainbow Room of the Hotel Baker, St. Charles. Call (630) 762-1915.

The Lake County Bar Association will present its semi-annual Gridiron Musical Show on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24-25, at The Arboretum Club in Buffalo Grove. The evening will begin with a 5:30 reception and 6:30 p.m. dinner. Call (847) 244-3143.

Sharon Doney of the Lake County Health Department and Ellen Goldman, founder of PAGES, will discuss teenage pregnancy during the monthly luncheon meeting of the Association of Women Attorneys of Lake County.

It will take place Wednesday, Feb. 1, at Potesta's Restaurant in Waukegan. Call President Marjorie Sher at (847) 249-2830.

The Illinois Institute for Local Gov-ernment Law will hold its annual conference on Monday, Feb. 20, at McDonald's Hamburger University, Oak Brook. A Mu-nicipal Prosecutors Group seminar will take place concurrently. Call (800) 722-6864.

John G. O'Brien of Arlington Heights, a member of the ISBA Board of Governors and founder of the Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association, will speak to the North Suburban bar Association during a dinner meeting Tuesday, Feb. 21, at Jack's Restaurant in Skokie. Call President Deidre Baumann at (312) 558-3119.

Luncheon meetings and programs of the Vermilion County Bar Association are scheduled Tuesdays, Jan. 31 and Feb. 28, at Old National Bank, Denville. Call President Charles J. Devens, (217) 446-3889.

The West Suburban Bar Association will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, at Molly Malone's in Forest Park. Call (708) 366-1122. The annual installation dinner is scheduled Saturday, Feb. 25.

Chief Judge Stephen White of the 12th Circuit will give his State of the Courthouse message to the Will County Bar Association during a luncheon Wednesday, Jan. 25, at Al's Steakhouse, Joliet. Call Sharyl Mathews, (815) 726-0383.

The 100th anniversary gala of the Win-nebago County Bar Association is scheduled Saturday, March 18, at Giovanni's Restaurant in Rockford. Black tie is optional for the dinner dance. Call Holly Nash at (815) 964-4992.

The Women's Bar Association of Illinois is a co-sponsor of “Speak Out for Reproductive Justice,” an observance of the 33rd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade opinion. It will take place at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22, at Roosevelt University, Chicago.

For information, call the Chicago Found-ation for Women at (312) 836-0126, ext. 229, or access the Web site, www.cfw.org.