Justice Thomas L. Kilbride of the Illinois Supreme Court announced Monday an innovative mediation program to help ease the financial and emotional burden of homeowners, lenders and taxpayers caused by residential mortgage foreclosures.
Justice Kilbride, appearing with Chief Judge Gerald R. Kinney of the Circuit Court of Will County, said the foreclosure mediation program also is aimed at keeping families in homes to prevent vacant and abandoned houses that drive down property values and destabilize neighborhoods.
The Illinois Supreme Court approved the program which will operate with no additional expense to taxpayers and be sustained by an increase in filing fees paid by lenders and other plaintiffs seeking to foreclose.
“This is an important step forward for those in Will County suffering the effects of our nation’s economic crisis,” said Justice Kilbride. “The Supreme Court has a keen interest in programs with the strong promise of achieving timely and lasting resolution to tough problems.
“We are grateful to Chief Judge Kinney and those in the community who helped formulate the details from concept to a working model. We are hopeful it will help families cope with some of the emotional and financial burdens brought on by the current economic difficulties, and help give them a new start on their way to better times.”
Chief Judge Kinney first brought the proposal to Justice Kilbride, and worked with the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, the administrative arm of the Supreme Court, to refine and finalize details. He also has discussed the plan with lawyers for lenders and debtors in the community. He expects the program to be up and running within a month.
“Obviously, this is an attempt to begin to solve a serious societal problem,” Chief Judge Kinney said. “Foreclosures are tearing up our neighborhoods and our communities. This is an effort to lend some stability to what could be a financially and emotionally chaotic process. It’s a way for the courts to help address some of these community problems.”
Judge Kinney believes that Will County has a rate of foreclosure as high as any other area in the state. From June 2008 to June 2009, there were 5,541 foreclosures filed in Will County, and that number is increasing.
Judge Kinney estimates that between 2,700 and 3,000 cases would be screened annually for mediation.
Chicago Area
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June 7, 2010 |
Practice News
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June 7, 2010
Central Illinois
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Chicago area
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June 7, 2010 |
Events
“Batter Up for Justice,” the second annual Illinois Judges Foundation benefit for a summer judicial internship program for qualified law students, will take place on Monday, July 19, in Chicago. The venue is the Sheffield Baseball Club, 3619 N. Sheffield, across from Wrigley Field where the Chicago Cubs will play the Houston Astros. Game time is 7:05 p.m., but the rooftop event will begin at 6:05 p.m. The Lawyers’ Auxiliary Committee of the Foundation is the sponsor. Proceeds will help provide full-time, minimum six-week internships and stipends to first- and second-year law students who qualify because of minority status or financial need. The Judges Foundation has secured the participation of federal and state judges who preside in courtrooms around the state. The admission fee of $150 per person includes food and an open bar throughout the game. The event is open to the public, but space is limited. Reservations may be made by calling (312) 554-2008 or (773) 780-9991, or by e-mailing ijf@chicagobar.org. Sponsorships at various levels are available. A portion of each contribution is tax-deductible.
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June 4, 2010 |
People
Todd McLawhorn, after practicing law for over 18 years in three of the country’s largest law firms, both in Chicago and New York, has started his own law firm. Mr. McLawhorn has tried cases and appeared before courts in a variety of jurisdictions, literally spanning the country from coast to coast. Mr. McLawhorn has significant experience with complex business litigation, including matters involving contracts, consumer fraud allegations, trade secret issues, deceptive trade practices claims, antitrust issues, merger and acquisition issues and business disputes. He has represented assorted clients in a wide array of industries, including those in the financial services, banking, computer hardware and software, membership services, manufacturing and professional sports fields. In addition, Mr. McLawhorn has devoted a substantial portion of his practice to class action litigation, particularly with respect to antitrust and consumer fraud claims. Most recently, Mr. McLawhorn was a partner at Howrey LLP, where he was the Hiring Partner and on the Chicago office’s management committee. Mr. McLawhorn received his law degree, with honors, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a member of both the University of North Carolina Law Review and the Holderness Moot Court Bench. He graduated magna cum laude from East Carolina University in three years with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Mr.
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June 4, 2010
Chicago area
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Southern Illinois
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June 3, 2010
Chicago area
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June 2, 2010 |
People
[caption id="attachment_11892" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Michelle Lawless"][/caption] Michelle Lawless has been named partner at Schiller DuCanto & Fleck after distinguishing herself as an associate since 2002. Ms. Lawless came to Schiller DuCanto and Fleck LLP following two years as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Moshe Jacobius, Presiding Judge of the Domestic Relations Division, Circuit Court of Cook County. During that time, she also served as Division Attorney and Administrator of the Cook County Child Representative Program. Ms. Lawless received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and English from Indiana University and her Juris Doctorate degree from St. Louis University School of Law. In 2009, Michelle was recognized as one of 40 attorneys to watch who were under 40 years of age by the Chicago Law Bulletin Publishing Company.
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June 2, 2010
Chicago area
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Southern Illinois
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Nation
This post is updated with breaking news throughout the day. -
June 1, 2010 |
People
[caption id="attachment_11865" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Edward Rickert"][/caption] Krieg DeVault is proud to announce that Edward D. Rickert has joined the firm's growing Health Care Practice as Partner. Mr. Rickert, an attorney and pharmacist, joins Krieg DeVault after 14 years in practice at Smith, Rickert & Smith where his health care practice focused on regulatory compliance for clients in the pharmaceutical and medical device supply chain, including manufacturers, drug wholesalers, pharmacies and pharmacists. Mr. Rickert will continue to focus on pharmacy law matters at Krieg DeVault. Mr. Rickert brings over 22 years of legal experience to Krieg DeVault. He has counseled independent, national/chain and mail service pharmacies, pharmacy benefit management companies, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, drug and device wholesale distributors, and health care technology vendors. Mr. Rickert, a graduate of the University of Iowa with a B.S. in Pharmacy, obtained his law degree from Chicago Kent College of Law at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. He is licensed to practice in the state of Illinois and will assist clients from the firm's Chicago office. Krieg DeVault LLP is a 140-professional, diversified law firm representing a wide variety of local, regional and national clients.
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June 1, 2010
Chicago area
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Southern Illinois
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SCOTUS
- Supreme Court weakens Miranda, Chicago Tribune
Nation
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