As of Jan. 1, Illinois became the 11th state to legalize recreational cannabis. Many regulations remain to be written and much caselaw no doubt will follow, ensuring that attorneys in such areas as criminal and employment law will have plentiful opportunities to advise clients on cannabis-related matters in the months and years ahead. The Illinois Bar Journal's January 2020 issue surveys several hot cannabis topics, such as the state of available drug tests, how to define under the influence, employment law, and cannabis-related expungement cases now working their way through the court system.
Practice News
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January 6, 2020 | Practice News
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December 20, 2019 | Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court handed down five opinions on Thursday, December 19. The ISBA's panel of leading civil attorneys reviewed the opinions and provided summaries. In Ammons v. Canadian National Railway Co., the court interpreted the meaning of sections 55 and 60 of the Federal Employers’ Liability Act. In Iwan Ries & Co. v. the City of Chicago, the court addressed the city of Chicago’s power to tax tobacco products other than cigarettes. In Jones v. Pneumo Abex, LLC, an asbestos-related case involving claims of civil conspiracy, the Supreme Court remanded to the appellate court for reconsideration of a summary judgment reversal. In Andrews v. Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, the court provided further clarity on discretionary immunity available under sections 2-109 and 2-201 of the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act. In Rushton v. the Department of Corrections, the court interpreted the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in deciding whether a journalist could obtain a settlement agreement between Wexford Health Sources, Inc., an entity that contracts with the Illinois Department of Corrections (DOC) to provide medical care to inmates, and the estate of an inmate who died from cancer.
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December 19, 2019 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court today announced the approval of a new Remote Access Policy (RAP) to take effect on Jan. 1, 2020. The RAP, which includes an implementation plan for expanding remote access to court information and documents, will initially be released to a subset of Illinois licensed attorneys selected by the Illinois State Bar Association Standing Committee on Legal Technology for a trial period using the statewide re:SearchIL portal for court records.
The RAP, which was developed by the e-Business Policy Advisory Board in conjunction with the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, supersedes the previous Electronic Access Policy for Circuit Court Records of the Illinois Courts. The Administrative Director of the Illinois Courts has authority to amend the RAP as is necessary and appropriate.
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December 18, 2019 |
Practice News
Antonio M. Romanucci has been appointed chairperson of the Rules Committee for the State of Illinois Supreme Court.
His term begins Jan. 1, 2020 and ends Dec. 31, 2020. In this role, he will lead the committee’s work to study and recommend new rules and modify existing rules for the State of Illinois Supreme Court.
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December 16, 2019 | Practice News
In 2016, the Illinois Supreme Court held that unconstitutionally obtained gun convictions could be used for charging and enhancement purposes unless the defendant vacated the conviction. Two years later, the court admitted it got it wrong. A rule articulated in a criminal case rippled out into a termination-of-parental rights proceeding and culminated in a call to arms. In his December 2019 Illinois Bar Journal article, “The Illinois Supreme Court’s About Face in In re N.G.,” Benjamin Lawson shows how In re N.G. challenges us as practitioners to recognize when a client’s conviction is unconstitutionally obtained and to do something about it.
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December 13, 2019 |
Practice News
The U.S. Attorney's Office Northern District of Illinois is accepting applications for an assistant United States attorney opening in its Civil Division, Financial Litigation Unit.
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction), and have at least two years of post-J.D. legal experience. U.S. citizenship is required.
Preferred qualifications include excellent academics, significant litigation, bankruptcy, and collections experience, strong legal writing skills, and commitment to public service.
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December 12, 2019 |
Practice News
Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, a non-profit organization that provides free legal services to low-income individuals in central and southern Illinois, is seeking a managing attorney at the Northern Regional Office in Springfield.
The position includes managing the day-to-day operation of a regional office serving a multi-county region, including its staff, private bar programs, and multiple grants. It also includes supervising staff to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the office and the delivery of professional and high quality legal services.
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December 9, 2019 | Practice News
Are the thousands of residents leaving Illinois extricating themselves correctly from their former home state? Have they properly moved their trusts to avoid Illinois taxation? In his December Illinois Bar Journal article, “When Is a Person or Trust an Illinois Resident?,” Richard Sugar examines these questions in the context of Illinois estate and income taxes and considers a few special situations impacted by Illinois law. He also takes a look at the present state-level tax environment in light of recent U.S. Supreme Court pronouncements pertaining to states’ ability to tax their subjects.
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December 9, 2019 |
Practice News
The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) has announced the appointment of LaShana T. Jackson as an ARDC commissioner and the appointments of Bradley N. Pollock and Esther J. Seitz to the ARDC’s Review Board.
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December 5, 2019 |
Practice News
The names of 15 new associate judges, selected in a vote of Cook County Circuit Court judges, were announced today by Marcia M. Meis, Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts.
Ballots listing the names of 30 finalists, chosen from 212 candidates, were distributed to 252 circuit judges. Ballots were due Dec. 3. The Alliance of Bar Associations and the Chicago Bar Association evaluated the candidates. Each candidate was interviewed by an 11-member nominating committee, comprised of Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans of the Cook County Circuit Court and 10 presiding judges.