The antidote to late-trial self-doubting may be a high-low settlement agreement with the other side before the jury reaches a verdict, suggests Cook County Circuit Court Judge John H. Ehrlich in his February 2025 Illinois Bar Journal, “The Highs & Lows of High-Low Agreements.” Yes, Judge Ehrlich notes, a high-low settlement presents unique risks because the parties typically negotiate its terms under short time constraints and a great deal of stress.
Illinois Bar Journal
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Now that the Illinois Supreme Court says lawyers should not be discouraged from using artificial intelligence (AI), attorneys may have questions about how to use, and how not to use, this rapidly advancing technology in their daily workflow. The February Illinois Bar Journal’s cover story, “It’s Time To Start Using It,” presents practical tips and recommends resources for becoming familiar with AI and how to leverage popular applications like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot.
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When filing a joint federal income tax return, both husband and wife are jointly and severally liable for the tax and any additions to the tax, interest, or penalties that arise from the joint return, even if the parties later divorce or one of them dies. But, as Richard Hirschtritt notes in his January Illinois Bar Journal article, “Tax Appeal,” many individuals are unaware of their spouse’s income or the family’s finances. This provides the knowledgeable spouse with an opportunity to expend funds without the knowledge of his or her spouse.
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In their January 2025 Illinois Bar Journal article, “Powerful or Powerless?,” Thomas Osran and Robert Held focus on amendments to the Illinois Power of Attorney Act that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. Osran and Held note the amendments will help when third parties refuse to honor validly drafted and executed POAs. But, unhelpfully (and perhaps fatally), they add, the law creates no new teeth to enforce unreasonable refusals to honor valid POAs and lists 14 new ways for banks and others to legally refuse to honor otherwise valid POAs.
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“Perhaps no professional shortcoming is more widely resented than procrastination,” states Illinois Rule of Professional Conduct 1.3, Comment [3]. As explained in the Illinois Bar Journal January cover story, “The Procrastination Puzzle,” from a physiological standpoint, procrastination pits two sections of the brain against each other: the prefrontal cortex, which handles logic, reason, and organizational skills; and the limbic system, which triggers our gratification and fight-or-flight reflexes. The problem?
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The 2025 first place winner of the Lincoln Award Legal Writing Contest is Joshua L. Gablin, a solo attorney from Chicago, who wrote “Prompt Service.” Joshua's article will appear in the February issue of the Illinois Bar Journal.
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In her December Illinois Bar Journal article, “Lonely Lawyers,” Karen Munoz notes recent studies suggesting that lawyers are an especially lonely bunch. She asks what could be driving their loneliness and distress and why minority attorneys are especially vulnerable. As she looks for answers, she also raises additional questions, such as, “Are we a lonelier profession because we bear so much weight in silence? How do the nature of the work and the environment contribute to loneliness?
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Artificial intelligence (AI) looms large, echoing the ancient Greek metallic behemoth Talos, guardian of Crete. Talos’s tragic flaw was his inability to discern friend from foe, causing him to attack Jason and the Argonauts as they sought refuge on the island. Jason’s intimate knowledge of Talos’s inner workings ultimately spared their lives. AI, too, wields immense strength and power yet grapples with distinguishing between reality and fabrication, fact and opinion, writes Illinios Appellate Court Justice Michael B.
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One out of every four Illinois lawyers recounts being bullied between 2022 and 2023, according to a survey completed by more than 6,000 attorneys.
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Earlier this fall, all ISBA members received a powerful free upgrade to vLex Fastcase.
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