The filing period began Jan. 17 for candidates for election to ISBA leadership positions this spring. The deadline is Feb. 15.

Nominating petitions may be obtained by calling the executive director's office at (800) 252-8908, sending a facsimile request to (217) 525-0712, or an e-mail to jhibbs@isba.org.

ISBA members in good standing will elect a third vice president, seven members of the Board of Governors and 23 Assembly members from Cook County.

Third vice president candidates must have primary legal office addresses in Cook County. The winner of the election will become ISBA president in 2009.

Three open board seats are now filled by incumbents: Richard D. Felice of Wheaton in Area 1 (18th Circuit), Kim E. Presbrey of Aurora in Area 3 (12th, 13th, 16th and 21st Circuits), and Dennis J. Orsey of Granite City in Area 8 (3rd and 20th Circuits.

Board members who may not seek re-election are William J. Quinlan of Chicago, under age 37 (Cook County); Stephen I. Lane of Chicago (Cook County), Richard W. Zuckerman of Peoria in Area 4 (10th, 14th and 15th Circuits), and Howard W. Feldman of Springfield in Area 6 (7th, 8th and 9th Circuits).

Of the 23 open Cook County Assembly seats, all but eight are held by incumbents.

Petitions must be submitted at the Illinois Bar Center in Springfield or the Chicago Regional Office, no later than 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15. They may not be submitted by facsimile or e-mail.

Petitions must contain original signatures of ISBA members in the appropriate geographical areas. All candidates and signers must have paid ISBA dues for the period ending June 30, 2006.

Election ballots will be mailed by April 1 and must be returned by the close of business on May 10.