ISBA News

The Illinois State Bar Association's Lawyer Finder service connects consumers to Illinois lawyers - by phone Mondays through Fridays, and around the clock at illinoislawyerfinder.com.

Here are the results for May 2013:

• 622 phone referrals made by Lawyer Finder staff
• Most requested areas of law: Family (114), Personal Injury (89), Employment Law (77), Criminal Law (56), Real Estate (51), Civil Disputes (46)

• 24,868 visits to IllinoisLawyerFinder.com (22,253 unique visitors)
• 766 clicks to Find a Lawyer (from campaign landing pages only)
• 1,017 unique calls to Find a Lawyer
• Top 3 online topics: General/Find a Lawyer, Divorce, Estate Planning

Want to be part of the ISBA Lawyer Finder Service? Call (800) 252-8908 and ask for the Legal Department, or visit www.illinoislawyerfinder.com

Clients should call (800) 922-8757.

ISBA President John E. Thies interviews Sidley Austin Senior Counsel Newton Minow, who talks about the law student debt crisis and offers other reflections on his distinguished career in the law.

Click here to watch the entire, unedited interview.

An Illinois State Bar Association special committee has issued a 64-page report that addresses the serious funding crisis facing Illinois courts. 

“The long-term goal should be more than just alleviating the funding crisis,” said ISBA President John E. Thies, of Urbana. “Restoring courts to their proper place as a co-equal branch of government will return to the citizens of Illinois far more than the amount invested.”

In June 2012, Thies appointed a Special Committee on Fair and Impartial Courts, co-chaired by Illinois Circuit Judge Patricia P. Golden (Ret.), of West Dundee, and Illinois Appellate Court Justice James M. Wexstten, of Mt. Vernon. Their report and recommendations, which were accepted on May 17 at a meeting of the ISBA Board of Governors in Galena, will be voted on by the ISBA’s policy-making Assembly when it convenes on June 22.

According to the report, “The ability of the courts to deliver fair, timely and professional service has been degraded over the last dozen years by three trends: unpredictable budgets, cuts in real allocations, and disproportionate cuts. Funding cuts have affected all aspects of the judicial process.”

To identify the areas of special concern, the committee surveyed the chief judges of each judicial district in Illinois, as well as practicing lawyers. They then identified several problem areas and made recommendations that include the following:

Round Lake Park Police Chief George Filenko (middle) received the 2013 Law Enforcement Award from the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) at a luncheon and awards presentation held during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, on April 23, at the Gurnee Park District, Viking Park Hall, in Gurnee. ISBA Executive Director Robert Craghead (left) presented the award.The event was sponsored by the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Lake County Chiefs of Police Association.

The ISBA’s Law Enforcement Award was created to recognize sworn law enforcement officers for conduct that promotes justice and to distinguish those individuals whose service to the public brings honor and respect to the entire criminal justice system. It is given sparingly to recognize those who truly excel in the field of law enforcement. 

In addition to fulfilling his professional duties, Chief Filenko has made numerous other contributions to the community where he works and lives. As the Commander of Lake County Major Crimes Task Force, he has fostered an extraordinary level of cooperation between task force members and the 35 communities it serves. He is a past president of the Lake County Chiefs of Police and chair of its Police Gang Committee.