Practice News

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis announced on Wednesday an application process for a vacancy in the Sixth Judicial Subcircuit of Cook County.

The vacancy was created by the retirement of Circuit Judge Leida J. Gonzalez Santiago. Judge Santiago had served as a judge since 1992, when she became the first Hispanic woman elected to the judiciary in Illinois. Her retirement takes effect July 2, 2015.
Under the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies are filled on an interim basis by Supreme Court appointment until the next General Election. Justice Theis will make a recommendation to the Supreme Court after applicants for the position undergo a screening and evaluation process.

By Judge Barb Crowder, Edwardsville

There is now a book entirely of “selfies” (photographs one takes of oneself). The concept has been around since the 1800s, yet has taken over as a new term that everyone understands. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” (Romeo and Juliet). William Shakespeare may have been among those who first pointed out that the names of things do not affect what they are but even he recognized that a turn of phrase can make a concept instantly understandable. 

Asked and Answered

By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC

Q. I am a new law firm administrator for a 16-attorney firm in Chicago. This is my first law firm and after attending a few partner meetings I am concerned about how and where to start getting some ideas and projects implemented. I have a lot of ideas and would appreciate your suggestions.

A. Lack of focus and accountability is one of the major problems facing law firms. Many times, the problem is having too many ideas, alternatives and options. The result, often, is no decision or action at all. Ideas, recommendations, suggestions, etc., are of no value unless implemented.

Look for ways to insure that all time spent on management is spent wisely. At first identify a few (maybe three) management initiatives that you can move forward fairly quickly and get implemented. Then build upon these successes.

Don’t hide behind strategy, planning, and endless debate. Attorneys love to postpone implementation. Find ways to focus the firm and foster accountability from all.

• Keep strategy and planning simple.
• Undertake a few projects at a time that can be realistically accomplished.
• Delegate tasks across the firm.
• Build upon initial successes and move to more complex strategies, which will require more difficult degrees of change.
• Adopt management structures that enable the firm to act decisively and quickly. Replace structures that do not support such a culture.

Don't attempt to initially, in the short term, take on management projects that the firm is unwilling or unable to implement.

IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law has received the Illinois State Bar Association's (ISBA) first Excellence in Legal Education Award for its innovative Praxis program. Dean Harold J. Krent accepted the award on behalf of the law school at the ISBA's annual meeting June 19.

IIT Chicago-Kent is the first recipient of the award, created by the organization's Committee on Legal Education, Admissions and Competence to honor a law school program that emphasizes "real-world skills" for its students. The law school's Praxis certificate program was launched in the fall of 2014.

"The law school is honored to accept this award on behalf of so many at Chicago-Kent who have worked to make Praxis succeed," said Dean Krent. "Together we are responding to calls from the legal community for new graduates who are thoroughly trained in both the skills and the art of legal practice."

Students in the Praxis program learn to think and talk about their education in new ways, explore issues of law practice management, and learn how to build and market their own portfolios. Upon completion of all the program requirements, students earn a Praxis certificate upon graduation. Students enrolled in the Praxis program may concurrently enroll in an additional, subject-matter certificate program offered by IIT Chicago-Kent.