Time to strike out on your own? Veteran practitioners help you get off to a good start - and avoid common missteps - with tips on marketing, billing, technology, retainers, client management, and more in the February Illinois Bar Journal.
Practice News
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January 22, 2014 |
Practice News
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January 22, 2014 |
Practice News
The Supreme Court of Illinois announced the filing of lawyer disciplinary orders on January 17, 2014, during the January Term of Court (unless noted). Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.
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January 21, 2014 |
Practice News
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. I am the managing partner for a 18-attorney insurance defense firm in Atlanta. We have 6 partners and 12 associates. Most of our associates have 10 years plus experience. They receive a salary plus discretionary bonus. We are having problems with six of the associates not reaching performance goals. (1,800 minimum billable hours per year.) While we have some attorneys billing 2,400+ hours per year - these six are not - some are billing 1,400 hours. What sort of incentive should we be thinking about to improve their performance?
A. The incentive is to get to continue their employment, maintain a full work schedule, progress to partnership, and to receive future pay raises and bonuses.
I know of some insurance defense firms that pay a billable hour bonus above a certain level. However, this approach often causes other problems such as milking hours in client files and overbilling often resulting in client dissatisfaction and potential loss of key clients. In addition, other factors are also important - quality of work, results obtained, teamwork, client relationships (minding) etc. that are often not considered and left out of the equation.
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January 21, 2014 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court is expected to release opinions in the following six cases on Friday, Jan. 24. Quick Takes on each case will be published in Monday's E-Clips due to ISBA network downtime.
- No. 115308 - People State of Illinois, appellant, v. David K. Elliott, appellee. Appeal, Appellate Court, Fifth District.
- No. 115310 - People State of Illinois, appellee, v. Billy McChriston, appellant. Appeal, Appellate Court, Fourth District.
- No. 115330 - Gillespie Community Unit School District No. 7, etc., appellant, v. Wight & Company, etc., appellee. Appeal, Appellate Court, Fourth District.
- No. 115424 - In re S.L., a Minor (People State of Illinois, appellant, v. Julia F., appellee). Appeal, Appellate Court, Fifth District.
- No. 115459 - People State of Illinois, appellee, v. Christopher B. Bailey, appellant. Appeal, Appellate Court, Second District.
- No. 115638 - People State of Illinois, appellee, v. Peter Hommerson, appellant. Appeal, Appellate Court, Second District.
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January 16, 2014 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Cook County Circuit Judge Laura Liu to the 1st District Appellate vacancy created by the death of Justice Patrick Quinn.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, sitting Appellate Justice Bertina Lampkin will move into Quinn's vacancy and Liu will move into Lampkin's spot.
The appointment is effective Feb. 3.
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January 15, 2014 |
Practice News
Chief Justice Rita B. Garman of the Supreme Court of Illinois has begun an application process for a Circuit Court vacancy in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit.
The Woodford County resident circuit vacancy is created by the retirement of Judge John B. Huschen on March 31, 2014. Judge Huschen has been a resident Circuit Judge since 1998.
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January 15, 2014 |
ISBA News | Practice News
The Illinois State Bar Association's Delivery of Legal Services’ Committee has updated its Disaster Legal Services Manual and the newest version is now available at www.illinoislawyerfinder.com/disastermanual
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January 15, 2014 |
Practice News
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. Our firm is an eight attorney firm located in Minneapolis. We have 5 partners and three associates. I serve as the managing partner and frankly I do not have the time or the skills to do an effective job. My performance as managing partner is marginal at best. We have recently been discussing hiring a professional legal administrator to manage the firm. What are the essential skill sets we should look for?
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January 15, 2014 |
Practice News
The Illinios Supreme Court has appointed the Hon. Mitchell L. Hoffman to Circuit Judge of the 19th Judicial Circuit, Fourth Subcircuit. This appointment is effective Feb. 3, 2014 and terminates on Dec. 5, 2016. Judge Mitchell currently serves as an associate judge in the 19th Circuit.
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January 13, 2014 |
Practice News
Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced Monday the appointment of Judge James P. Flannery, Jr. as Presiding Judge of the Law Division effective immediately. Judge Flannery, currently a trial judge in the Law Division, fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Law Division Presiding Judge William D. Maddux who retired Jan. 11, 2014.
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