Divorce Basics for Pro Bono Attorneys

Presented by the ISBA Delivery of Legal Services Committee

Collinsville (and webinar)
Friday, October 31, 2008
Gateway Center
1 Gateway Dr. (map and directions)
1:00 – 4:45 p.m.
Register Now!

Available live or as a live webcast at no cost to attorneys who agree to take a pro bono case within the next year or who are legal services attorneys. *

3.5 MCLE credit hours

There is a large unmet need for pro bono attorneys to handle basic divorces and this training will provide attorneys the basics for handling a divorce.  There is such a need for this that CLE credit will be given at no cost to those attorneys willing to provide their services for at least one pro bono divorce. Topics for this program include the nuts and bolts of divorce, handling a pro bono divorce, a judicial perspective of pro bono divorces, and the logistics of pro bono divorces. This program is for those attorneys who are interested in pro bono divorce for their legal services program, but it is also directed at those attorneys who may not handle divorce on a regular basis.

Program Coordinator/Moderator:
Richard Chase, Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, Inc., East St. Louis

1:00 – 2:00 p.m.  Nuts and Bolts of Divorce
Basic substantive law of divorce using representative pleadings as a framework will be discussed in this session.
Julie Keehner Katz , Keehner, Cannady & Katz, Belleville

2:00 – 2:45 p.m. Handling a Pro Bono Divorce
The speaker will explain how to handle a simple pro bono divorce from beginning to end using a Microsoft Word document creation system.
Lola Maddox, Retired Circuit Judge, Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, Inc., Alton

2:45 – 3:00 p.m. Break

3:00 – 4:00 p.m.  Pro Bono Divorces: A Judicial Perspective
This presentation will provide insight on what judges expect in simple uncontested divorces. Also, prove-up of grounds, assignment of debts, division of property, jurisdiction, service of process, notice of hearing or default will all be discussed.
Janet Heflin, Associate Circuit Judge, Madison County Courthouse, Edwardsville

4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Logistics of Pro Bono Divorce
During this session, the speaker will address filing fee waivers, service of process in another county or state, publication of notice, Children First, and sources of support in handling a pro bono divorce.
Joan Spiegel, Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, Inc., Alton

*Upon your registration and attendance at or viewing of the program for no cost, your name and contact information will be forwarded from ISBA to either Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance, Inc., Prairie State Legal Services or Chicago Volunteer Legal Services.  They will contact you to arrange your pro bono work.

(Legal Service Agency Attorneys may also attend the program at no cost.)

If you do not wish to volunteer for a pro bono case, registration for the live program is available at regular ISBA pricing, as space permits.