The Illinois Bar Foundation has launched a fellowship program to benefit both new law school graduates and low-income residents who need access to the civil justice system.
During this initial year, the Foundation will partner with three Illinois Law Schools and share the cost of salary and benefits with participating law schools so each can hire a recent graduate to work in that school’s civil legal aid clinic. The law school will select and employ the student and the IBF hopes to match selected graduates with mentors that can help the young attorneys develop.
Practice News
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December 19, 2013 |
ISBA News | Practice News
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December 19, 2013 |
Practice News
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. Our Chicago law firm of 17 attorneys - 12 partners - 5 associates - is entering its second decade. While we were extremely successful during our early years, the last few years have been a challenge. Since 2008 we have been holding our own and doing okay. We have not laid off any attorneys but the partners are making less money than they made three or four years ago. Billable hours and production seems to be down? Do we have a work ethic or motivation problem? What can we do to get the attorneys producing more billable hours? I would appreciate your thoughts and any suggestions that you may have.
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December 17, 2013 |
ISBA News | Practice News
Paula H. Holderman, president of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), has been named Illinois Delegate to the American Bar Association (ABA) for a three-year term beginning with the adjournment of the 2014 ABA annual meeting in August. She will succeed Robert A. Clifford, of Clifford Law Offices, in Chicago.
Ms. Holderman, chief attorney development officer at Winston & Strawn, LLP, in Chicago, is the 137th president of the Illinois State Bar Association.
The ABA, with nearly 400,000 members, is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world. It works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding of the importance of the rule of law.
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December 17, 2013 |
Practice News
Chief Judge Diane P. Wood announced that the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has reappointed Central Illinois Bankruptcy Judge Thomas L. Perkins to another 14-year term when his current term expires next summer. Chief Judge Wood commented that the bar and the public were extensively surveyed and the results were that Judge Perkins is rated an excellent judge. Bankruptcy Judge Perkins’s office is located in the Federal Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
Judge Perkins was initially sworn in as a bankruptcy judge in 2000. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and his law degree from Indiana University Maurer School of Law. Prior to his appointment as a bankruptcy judge, he was a partner in the law firms of Vonachen, Lawless, Trager & Slevin; Quinn, Johnston, Henderson & Pretorius; and Kavanagh, Scully, Sudow, White & Frederick, all located in Peoria, Illinois.
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December 12, 2013 |
Practice News
Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Rita B. Garman outlined several priorities for her three-year term, and urged the organized bar to become more involved in educating the public about legal principles and procedures.
She also called on Illinois lawyers, through their bar associations, to participate more in the administrative rule-making and other activities of the Supreme Court and its committees.
Chief Justice Garman became the second woman to head Illinois' third branch of government when she was installed as Chief on October 28. She said that during her tenure as Chief Justice she will continue the Supreme Court's emphasis on civility and professionalism in the legal profession; will work to ensure "prompt judicial decision-making" at all levels of the court system; tailor judicial education programs to include the complexities of today's litigation; and support increased use of technology in courthouses and courtrooms to make the system more efficient and more transparent.
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December 12, 2013 |
Practice News
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. We are a 16-attorney insurance defense firm in Nashville, Tenn. We have 3 equity partners, 4 non-equity partners and nine associates. The three equity partners (who bring in all the business) are nearing retirement and the remainder of the attorneys have completely failed to develop rainmaking skills and develop business. We hired lawyers to "bill hours" and failed to consider the long-range implications of hiring lawyers without business-getting skills. Do you have any suggestions?
1 comment (Most recent December 12, 2013) -
December 4, 2013 |
Practice News
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. I am a non-equity partner in a small law firm in Washington D.C. I have been with the firm for 15 years and there is no opportunity to become an equity partner. I am thinking about going out on my own. If there were one first step that I should take what would it be?
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December 3, 2013 |
Practice News
By Emily Vock and Eric Bulman, Land of Lincoln Assistance Foundation, Champaign
As our nation takes time to reflect on the sacrifices of veterans and celebrate their heroism, the legal community would be remiss if they did not stop to consider what we can do to give back to the men and women who have selflessly served our country.
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November 27, 2013 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has announced that, for a limited time, Illinois-based corporate counsel who failed to obtain a required limited law license will now be able to obtain that limited license without the risk of discipline. The program is effective January 1, 2014 and will expire one year later.
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November 27, 2013 |
Practice News
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. Our law firm is a New Orleans 14-attorney firm that focuses its practice on business representation in both litigation and transactional matters. We have four equity partners. The other ten attorneys are associates. We have been discussing implementing a non-equity partnership tier and how we should handle compensation and other perks. We would appreciate your thoughts and suggestions.
A. I believe that the non-equity partnership tier should be meaningful and distinctive - both internally and externally. Consider the following:
- List non-equity partners as partners on the firm's website and other firm marketing collateral material. If you feel you must make a distinction list the equity members as managing partners.
- Allow non-equity partners to attend some partner meetings and have input as non-voting partners into management decisions.
- Allow one non-equity partner to be elected to the Executive Committee as a non-voting partner.
- Allow non-equity partners to serve on firm committees.
- Pay dues to a Country or other similar club for the non-equity partner.
- Tie a portion of the non-equity partner's compensation to a bonus based upon firm performance.
While you want to create incentives - status and economic - for the non-equity partnership tier be careful that you don't diminish the desire for future equity partnership.