The ISBA offices will be closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 27, and Friday, November 28. The offices will resume normal business hours on Monday, December 1, at 8:30 a.m.
On behalf of everyone at the ISBA, we wish you and your family a happy, healthy, and safe holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!
At the December 12, 2025 meeting of the ISBA Assembly, two “Under 35” Delegates to the ABA House of Delegates will be elected, one from Cook County and one from outside Cook County. The nominees for these positions must be members of the ISBA, in good standing, and from the appropriate area at the time the ABA term commences. The elected delegates will serve for two-year terms commencing June 2026 and will join the ISBA delegation in August at the ABA annual meeting in Chicago.
The Illinois State Bar Association’s Lawyer Finder Service provides referrals to local lawyers Mondays through Fridays. The Service makes referrals in a number of areas of law. For the month of October, 2025, the ISBA helped 1,376 people in need of legal services find lawyers.
The ISBA Standing Committee on Women and the Law (WATL) is excited to announce its annual charity drive. This year, the focus is on supporting Special Olympics Illinois. WATL is graciously accepting donations in the form of items from the Special Olympics Illinois' wishlist or monetary contributions. All donations will support athletes and their volunteer coaches at pools across Illinois.
The Illinois State Bar Association is pleased to share an extraordinary milestone and honor for ISBA Past President Fred Lane (1985–86), who, at 100 years old, was recently awarded the prestigious Medal of Excellence by Loyola University Chicago School of Law (JD ’50).
This esteemed award is presented to a Loyola Law alumnus whose life reflects the highest ideals of character, intellect, and social and professional responsibility.
The ISBA's Diversity Leadership Council and its International and Immigration Section Council recently partnered with the Resurrection Project’s Immigrant Justice Department to produce a webcast and resources providing information to attorneys who may witness immigrant detentions or may have clients who encounter Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during its current operations in the Chicago area. This information is intended to provide a basic understanding of the rights of individuals in the community.
The Illinois State Bar Association’s Lawyer Finder Service provides referrals to local lawyers Mondays through Fridays. The Service makes referrals in a number of areas of law. For the month of September, 2025, the ISBA helped 1,422 people in need of legal services find lawyers.
Small law firms across Illinois just scored a major win. Smokeball, the industry-leading legal practice management software platform and legal AI trailblazer, today announced an exclusive relationship with the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) to provide all members with complimentary access to Smokeball Bill, its powerful trust accounting and billing solution.
The Illinois State Bar Association is pleased to introduce the John E. Thies Excellence in Legal Education Award.
Illinois Supreme Court Justice David K. Overstreet presented Past President John E. Thies (2012-13) with a Certificate of Recognition during the first day of the NextGen Symposium 2025, which was held at the ISBA Regional Office.
The Illinois State Bar Association’s Lawyer Finder Service provides referrals to local lawyers Mondays through Fridays. The Service makes referrals in a number of areas of law. For the month of August, 2025, the ISBA helped 966 people in need of legal services find lawyers.