Short of involving the criminal justice system, which most agree is ill-suited to the task, Illinois law possesses very few tools for responding to mental health crises, writes Austin R. Carlson in his April Illinois Bar Journal article, “Involuntary Commitments in Illinois.” One reason is that individuals who otherwise have the power to make healthcare decisions for a prospective patient may not consent to inpatient admission on their behalf.
Illinois Bar Journal
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April 7, 2025 | Practice News
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April 1, 2025 | Practice News
The contents of an attorney’s retainer agreement depend on more than the matter at hand. Developments in caselaw, Illinois Supreme Court Rules, legislation, and changes in society and technology—such as new payment methods and forms of communication—can affect the language attorneys use in their client agreements. The Illinois Bar Journal’s April cover story, “What’s in Your Retainer?,” explores why attorneys should look at their retainer agreements at least every year or two, with recommendations for what parts of a retainer might be worth reconsidering.
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March 24, 2025 | Practice News
In his most recent Feedback Loops column, “Challenge & Recovery,” in the March Illinois Bar Journal, Patrick Barry discusses the importance of balancing one’s “challenge days,” when you have to perform at a high level and “recovery days,” when rejuvenation is the goal. If you don’t get your own challenge-recovery balance right, Barry advises, the quality of the feedback you give other people can suffer, as can your ability to productively process the feedback that’s sent your way.
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March 17, 2025 | Practice News
In his March Illinois Bar Journal article, “Did You Notice,” William G. Beatty outlines the usefulness of breach of warranty actions to provide sellers the opportunity to: 1) cure defects, minimize damages, and improve products; 2) protect the seller’s ability to investigate a breach and to gather evidence; and 3) encourage negotiations and settlement. Beatty notes the absence of such notice from buyer to seller is not an affirmative defense that the seller must assert in the answer to the plaintiff’s complaint alleging breach of warranty.
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March 10, 2025 | Practice News
When your client fails to show for trial, judges can conduct one in absentia, but they are obligated to ensure that statutory requirements are met before commencing, notes Charles Golaszewski in his March Illinois Bar Journal article, “Evading Trial.” Golaszewski states prosecutors and defense attorneys must be prepared to argue whether a trial in absentia is warranted in light of the statutory requirements and the circumstances of the case. But if the judge decides to start the trial without the defendant, both parties will need to adjust their trial strategies.
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March 5, 2025 | Practice News
If one thing is clear from the Illinois Bar Journal’s March cover story, it’s that now is not the time to ignore cyber-security threats. The article, “How Cyber-Secure Are You?,” unpacks a pair of ISBA continuing legal education programs held in late 2024 that provided guidance on common cyber vulnerabilities for lawyers. The article explores various concerns, including ethics, compromised emails, hacking tactics, financial-information vulnerabilities, and what lawyers can do to safeguard their computer and network systems from cyber-criminals.
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February 24, 2025 | Practice News
The topic of immigration in the U.S. has always been controversial, including during Abraham Lincoln’s time. In his February Illinois Bar Journal column, “Lincoln, Immigrants, and the American Dream,” retired judge and Lincoln historian Ron Spears revisits Lincoln’s views on immigration, formed as the country, not yet 100 years old, continued to experience wave after wave of population growth due to people from all over the world seeking a better life here.
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February 18, 2025 | Practice News
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) software can produce apparently quality legal work, leading some to wonder whether an attorney’s work will become streamlined and efficient at best or redundant at worst. The good news? Although generative AI technology appears to be changing the legal industry rapidly (or is at least marketed as doing so), the obligations for being an attorney are changing at a decidedly slower pace. In his February 2025 Illinois Bar Journal article, “Prompt Service,” Joshua L.
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February 10, 2025 | Practice News
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 article, “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.
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February 5, 2025 | Practice News
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.