Practice News

On Tuesday, August 30, 2016 Judge Kevin P. Fitzgerald, Chief Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Illinois, issued a groundbreaking court order when he appointed four attorneys as “Eleventh Judicial Circuit Assistance Attorneys.” The individuals honored with this cutting edge role are: Erin Donaldson, Mike McElvain, Todd Miller, and Judge Rebecca Foley. The Chief Judge’s Court Order, Administrative Order 2016 – 8, is a critical step in a pilot program spearheaded by Lawyers’ Assistance Program (LAP) Volunteer and Board member, Mike McElvain. 

The pilot program aims to make it easier for attorneys beyond the Chicagoland area, an often underserved population, to access LAP’s free and confidential services such as peer support, assessments, interventions, and referrals. The four newly appointed Court Assistance Attorneys serve as local extensions of the Lawyers’ Assistance Program. As such, they receive the same immunity and are bound by the same confidentiality as LAP employees and volunteers, as provided in the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Interveners and Reporters Immunity Act, 745 ILCS 35/1 et. al., and the provisions of Rule 1.6(d) of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct of 2010.  These Court Assistance Attorneys have committed themselves to confidentially accepting “information about Eleventh Judicial Circuit attorneys and judges in need of assistance for the sole purpose of relaying that information to the professional staff at LAP.”

CARPLS Legal Hotline in Chicago seeks volunteer hotline attorneys to give advice to low-income clients in the areas of landlord/tenant, consumer debt, and family law. A three-part training course is provided for volunteers.

Training Part One*: September 14 at 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.; 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.; or 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at CARPLS, 17 N. State, Suite 1850, Chicago.

*Training Part Two and Three will occur the week of September 19. 

As of Friday, August 26, 2016, Rhonda Crawford is no longer employed as a law clerk/staff attorney assigned to the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Markham courthouse.

On August 17, 2016, Crawford was suspended without pay by Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans following allegations that she adjudicated two cases from the bench in a Markham courtroom while wearing a judicial robe. On August 26, 2016, Chief Judge Evans terminated her employment.

Rules governing judicial conduct, specifically Illinois Supreme Court Rule 63 (A) (6), prevent Chief Judge Evans from commenting further on the matter. The rule states: “A judge should abstain from public comment about a pending or impending proceeding in any court, and should require similar abstention on the part of court personnel subject to the judge’s direction and control.”

ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers Access to a lawyer Public Act 99-882, Expungement Public Act 99-835, Juvenile probation. Public Act 99-879, Mechanics Lien Act Public Act 99-852, Condominium Property Act Public Act 99- 849, Guilty pleas Public Act 99-871 and Toxicology results Public Act 99-801.

More information on each bill is available below the video.