The ISBA is accepting nominations for committees and section councils for the 2021-2022 bar year.

The deadline for nominations is January 31.

More than 1,000 ISBA members serve on committees and section councils, which are responsible for producing newsletters and CLE programs, proposing legislation and rules, and helping the Association serve its members.

When law firms all over the U.S. began teleworking due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many did not have methods in place to share confidential information electronically. Many law firms continue to worry about storing client information in the cloud. We know that lawyers may ethically use the cloud and that technology will continue to advance. Therefore, says Victor M. Zamora in his January Illinois Bar Journal article, “Cloud Cover,” it is time for lawyers to get familiar with and learn how cloud computing works and understand the benefits and risks before choosing a cloud computing service to store data. Zamora relies on the Illinois State Bar Association’s Professional Conduct Advisory Opinion No. 16-06, which states that lawyers may use cloud-based services provided that “the lawyer takes reasonable measures to ensure that the client information remains confidential and is protected from breaches,” and other best practices for guidance on starting out in the cloud.

Nearly half of ISBA’s membership suspended operations during the COVID-19 pandemic and nearly as many experienced a decrease in client matters. When asked whether the pandemic has increased their levels of stress, roughly six out of every ten members said yes. When asked whether members perceive more stress in their colleagues and employees as a result of COVID-19, more than 80 percent said they did.

The Illinois Supreme Court today issued a new order in eviction cases. The order is a follow-up to the order the Court issued in May setting forth the requirements for any landlord seeking to evict a tenant from a dwelling unit covered by the CARES Act.