Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. Our firm is a 14-attorney general practice firm located in Dayton, Ohio. Two of our attorneys focus their practice on personal injury defense and the others are transactional attorneys. While the practice is doing well overall, our litigation work is dropping off. I would appreciate any ideas that you have pertaining to marketing a litigation defense practice.
By Susan L. DeCostanza | Director, Guardian ad litem for Adults Program
You may not have realized that you can visit an elder in your community and log pro bono hours at the same time, but you can. And the need for both is great! In Cook County, when a petition for guardianship of an adult is filed, the court will appoint a Guardian ad litem to complete an investigation in all cases in which the Respondent will not appear in court. The Guardian ad litem visits the Respondent at his or her residence, interviews the Respondent and ultimately reports back to the court regarding the results of the GAL investigation.
Illinois attorney Michael Zink of Starr, Bejgiert, Zink and Rowells, discusses the basics of landlord tenant law.
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. Our firm is a twenty two lawyer insurance defense firm in Seattle. Over the years we have told our associates that they were hired to work on firm business and there was no requirement for them to develop or bring in client business. In fact we specifically asked them not to bring in business. Now we are rethinking that policy. Many of our equity partners are retiring and we are finding we have a group of grinders - with very few minders or finders capable of either retaining existing clients or bringing in new clients. What are your thoughts?
Justice Thomas L. Kilbride and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Trish Joyce as a Resident Circuit Judge in Whiteside County in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.
Ms. Joyce was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. John L. Hauptman on December 5, 2016. Her appointment is effective December 21, 2016, and will conclude on December 3, 2018, when the position will be filled by the 2018 General Election.
Justice Kilbride recommended Ms. Joyce's appointment to the Supreme Court after an extensive application, evaluation and interview process that included the formation of a special judicial screening committee.
Justice Mary Jane Theis and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Patrick T. Stanton as a Cook County Circuit Judge in the 3rd Subcircuit.
Mr. Stanton was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Maureen Delehanty.
The appointment takes effect Jan. 1, 2017 and will conclude on Dec. 3, 2018, when the position will be filled by the 2018 General Election.
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Rita B. Garman announced today the formation of a judicial screening committee for the Fifth Judicial Circuit.
The screening committee was formed for the purpose of assessing the qualifications of those persons who have applied for appointment to the Office of Judge of the Circuit Court for the Fifth Judicial Circuit created by the resignation of Judge Claudia Anderson on November 30, 2016. Under the Illinois Constitution, the vacancy will be filled by Supreme Court appointment.
Michael J. Tardy, Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, announced today that the Fourth Judicial Circuit judges voted to select Amanda S. Ade-Harlow as associate judge of the Fourth Judicial Circuit.
Ms. Ade-Harlow received her undergraduate degree in 2001 from the University of Illinois-Springfield in Springfield, Illinois and her Juris Doctor in 2003 from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan. Ms. Ade-Harlow is currently affiliated with the Shelby County Public Defender's Office in Shelbyville, Illinois.
Our panel of leading appellate attorneys review Thursday's top Illinois Supreme Court Civil opinions in In re M.M., Bueker v. Madison County Illinois, */ Beggs v. The Board of Education of Murphysboro Community Unit School District No. 186, Blanchard v. Berrios, Murphy-Hylton v. Lieberman Management Services, Inc. and Zahn v. North American Power & Gas, LLC.
By Joanne R. Driscoll, Forde Law Offices LLP
This case raises the procedural question of whether, in the adjudication of an abuse and neglect petition, the court has the authority to appoint a guardian for the minor when there has been no finding that a parent is unfit, unable or unwilling to care for the child. Answering the question “no,” the Illinois Supreme Court, in a unanimous opinion, repudiated and overruled several cases that were in conflict.
Peter Rotskoff of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission shares tips on how to avoid fee disputes in criminal cases.