The 142nd Annual Meeting was held last week, June 14-16, at The Abbey Resort in Fontana, Wisconsin. Attendees celebrated the accomplishments of the past year, planned for the year ahead, expanded their professional networks, and earned CLE credit. During section meetings and at the Assembly meeting, various members of the ISBA community were recognized with awards. At the Friday reception and program, James McCluskey was installed as ISBA president for 2018-19.
The Honorable P. Scott Neville, Jr. was sworn in to the Illinois Supreme Court today during an installation ceremony at the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago.
He is filling the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice Charles E. Freeman. Justice Neville’s appointment is effective today through Dec. 7, 2020. He said he plans to seek reelection.
A graduate of Washington University’s School of Law, Justice Neville has practiced law in Illinois since 1974, when he became a law clerk for Illinois Appellate Court Justice Glenn T. Johnson. Throughout his career as an attorney, Justice Neville has specialized in appellate, employment, civil rights issues, and complex litigation.
Lockport Police Chief Terry Lemming received the ISBA Law Enforcement Award on June 6 during a Lockport City Council meeting. ISBA Board member Sonni Choi Williams and Lockport Mayor Steven Streit presented the award.
The ISBA 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 recognizes those who excel in law enforcement.
Chief Lemming, who was nominated by Williams, was recognized for co-creating Lockport Love, a non-profit organization that raises money for families in need.
Illinois became the 30th state to adopt the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) June 8 when the Illinois Supreme Court approved it to be the main component for bar admission.
The UBE is a nationwide test that allows test takers to transfer scores between states, which improves mobility of Illinois attorneys. It will be given for the first time in Illinois in July 2019.
The Illinois Board of Admission to the Bar held public hearings in Springfield, Carbondale, and Chicago in 2016 to provide information on the UBE and to seek comments regarding its potential adoption. The comments received were overwhelmingly supportive of the change. That same year, the Illinois State Bar Association Board and Assembly issued recommendations that the supreme court should adopt the UBE.
The Illinois State Bar Association will present several awards recognizing individuals for their commitment and service to the profession and their communities at the organization’s 142nd Annual Meeting at The Abbey Resort in Fontana, Wis. Award recipients are:
ISBA Board of Governors Award: Barry Hines, John Phipps, Evan Schanerberger, and Janette Strzalka.
(L-R) IJA Board Member Hon. Judge Sarah Smith; IJA President Hon. John Coady; ISBA 3rd Vice President Dennis Orsey; Third Circuit Chief Judge David Hylla; IJA Treasurer Hon. Barbara Crowder.
A high-quality reproduction of a famous Abraham Lincoln photograph was presented during a ceremony Monday at the Madison County Courthouse.
The photograph was taken in Springfield by well-known photographer Alexander Hesler on June 3, 1860, for Lincoln’s 1860 presidential campaign. Printed on canvas, the image of the beardless Lincoln is encased in a richly stained wood frame and measures 30-inches wide by 40-inches tall.
The permanent installation is made possible by donations from the Illinois Judges Association (IJA), the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) and their respective foundations – the Illinois Judges Foundation and the Illinois Bar Foundation.
Justice Charles FreemanJustice P. Scott Neville, Jr.
Justice Charles E. Freeman, the first African-American to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court and as Chief Justice, will retire June 14.
Justice Freeman, 84, is the fifth-longest serving justice in Illinois Supreme Court history at 27 years, six months.
The Supreme Court has constitutional authority to fill interim judicial vacancies and has appointed Appellate Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr., to fill Justice Freeman's seat, effective June 15 through Dec. 7, 2020. Justice Neville has been a member of the First District Appellate Court since 2004, and a judge since 2000. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Carl Anthony Walker has been assigned to the First District Appellate Court until further order of the Court. Appellate Court Justice Michael B. Hyman was also reassigned to an Appellate Court seat effective until Dec. 7, 2020.
Born in Richmond, Va., Justice Freeman descended from slaves freed by Quakers before the American Civil War. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Union University in 1954 and a law degree from the John Marshall Law School in 1962.
He also served as an Illinois assistant attorney general, Cook County assistant state's attorney, and assistant attorney for the County Board of Election Commissioners. He was an arbitrator with the Illinois Industrial Commission and he later served on the Illinois Commerce Commission.
A high-quality reproduction of a famous Abraham Lincoln photograph was unveiled May 15 at a ceremony at the St. Clair County Courthouse.
The photograph was taken in Springfield by well-known photographer Alexander Hesler for Lincoln’s 1860 presidential campaign. It is considered to be one of the best taken of Lincoln during his pre-presidential years.
The permanent installation is made possible by donations from the Illinois Judges Association (IJA), the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) and their respective foundations – the Illinois Judges Foundation and the Illinois Bar Foundation.
New attorneys were admitted to practice in Illinois on May 10 at five separate locations across the state. The Fifth Judicial District ceremony was held at Gateway Center, 1 Gateway Dr., in Collinsville.
The 142nd Annual Meeting was held last week, June 14-16, at The Abbey Resort in Fontana, Wisconsin. Attendees celebrated the accomplishments of the past year, planned for the year ahead, expanded their professional networks, and earned CLE credit. During section meetings and at the Assembly meeting, various members of the ISBA community were recognized with awards. At the Friday reception and program, James McCluskey was installed as ISBA president for 2018-19. 
Lockport Police Chief Terry Lemming received the ISBA Law Enforcement Award on June 6 during a Lockport City Council meeting. ISBA Board member Sonni Choi Williams and Lockport Mayor Steven Streit presented the award.
