A message from the incoming ISBA president

With this issue of the ISBA Bar News, a publishing tradition comes to an end and a new one begins.

For the past 49 years, the Bar News has informed the members of ISBA about official actions and positions of the association, the benefits of membership, developments in the practice of law, and news of interest about members.

We will continue to inform our members about these things, not missing a beat, with new publications in both electronic and print format.

Beginning this month, Illinois Lawyer Now debuts as an online source of news about ISBA and developments in the practice of law, both near and far. The use of what’s coming to be known as “new media” will permit us to bring fresh news of interest to our members on a daily basis – news you can use as it happens.

You can check it out at IllinoisLawyerNow.com, and be sure to bookmark it so you can check for new postings frequently.

Our goal will be to scan the world of legal information each day. We will select the matters of greatest interest to ISBA members and use technology to make that information available in the most usable format.

Illinois Lawyer Now will include some of the same information currently covered in the Bar News, organized under the headings of Practice News, CLE, People, Events, Member Services, and ISBA News. The site also will contain a Photo Gallery and, soon to be introduced, a Poll.

Daily postings will be archived by date and can be sorted by geographic region of the state. In short time, as the site is developed, ISBA members will be able to post their own comments and photos.

In addition to this online news source, Illinois Lawyer Now Quarterly, a new print publication, will be mailed to all members beginning in the fall. Quarterly will concentrate on news of ISBA elections, CLE offerings, the range of member benefits, and feature stories about ISBA members and events.

These changes in the way we communicate with our members coincide with the retirement of Stephen Anderson who has served, admirably, as editor of the Bar News since 1988. We join many others in thanking Steve for his service and wishing him and his wife Sally the best.