Practice News

Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride delivered the plenary speech to a packed house on Friday morning at the Illinois State Bar Association's Solo and Small Firm Conference in Springfield. The Chief Justice detailed his rise from legal aid lawyer to solo practioner to the Supreme Court.

Kilbride detailed his start as a young lawyer making $14,000 a year in 1981 at the Legal Aid clinic in Rock Island. He represented workers laid off during the early 80s recession from local factories.

Kilbride left the clinic to join a small law firm in 1987. He did insurance defense work and made partner, but became unhappy with the long hours and lack of control. He left and went out on his own in 1993.

He applied for associate judge three times, losing out each time. He finally won a much larger seat in 2000, joining the Illinois Supreme Court.

News and notes from Chief Justice Kilbride:

1. He switched from a BlackBerry to an iPhone 4S (yesterday)
2. Yellow page ads worked great for him (though he admits this was pre-2000)
3. Make your clients happy; then ask them to refer their friends and family
4. A law office in a prominent location may not be a good thing (some people want anonymity when seeing a lawyer)
5. Some people correctly say he is "all screwed up" (he required 36 screws for injuries suffered in a biking accident)

ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews bills in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers: House Bill 1604, Senate Bill 1694, Senate Bill 1259 and House Bill 1589. Information on each bill is available below the video.

House Bill 1604 (Howard, D-Chicago; Sullivan, D-Rushville) allows a court to order the following relief for visitation abuse: (1) suspend the defendant’s driving privileges; (2) suspend the defendant’s professional license; and (3) fine the defendant for not more than $500 as a petty offense; (4) requires a finding that a party engaged in visitation abuse constitutes “a change in circumstances of the child or his custodian” under Section 610 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution Act. It is scheduled for a hearing next week in Senate Judiciary Committee.

Asked and Answered

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

Q. We are a five attorney personal injury plaintiff firm in central Missouri. In the last few years we have gone through tort reform, increased competition from other law firms doing extensive advertising, and now trying to weather the recession. From a profitability standpoint - we are holding our own. However, we are concerned about the future. What are your thoughts for firm such as ours?

A. We are hearing this question quite often and have provided some thoughts in past blogs and articles. The majority of our PI law firm clients are advising that they are having to work much harder at getting clients and investing more heavily in marketing - both time and money. PI firms were feeling the most of these challenges before the recession. However, the recession may accelerate the pace with which law firms re-evaluate existing processes and consider new business models. PI firms may want to begin by:

1. Develop a firm strategic plan and individual attorney marketing plans which include aggressive network/contact plans for past clients, attorney referral sources (non PI attorneys), attorney referral sources (other PI attorneys), and other referral sources.

2. Evaluate the feasibility of adding an additional practice segment to reduce the level of risk in the case portfolio and reduce cash flow variability.

By Hon. Barbara Crowder

Do you pro bono? If so, show you are “Pro Bono Proud” during National Pro Bono Week by attending a celebratory event. If not, why not? More opportunities abound to find a pro bono project that meets your time and abilities than ever before. And even more ways to pro bono may be coming to a circuit near you.

National Pro Bono Week is October 23 through 29, 2011. The ISBA through the Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services joins with the ABA to ask all bar associations and lawyers to participate both by performing pro bono work and by joining in the celebrations. Help showcase the efforts of the great lawyers who volunteer and the range of services available for those who need them.

How? Pass a resolution in your local bar group to join those being passed throughout the nation lauding the efforts of pro bono attorneys. Then publicize it! A sample resolution is available for use as a draft. Write letters to the editors of local newspapers to discuss the programs available and to promote the good works of the volunteers. A sample letter to the editor is also available to use as a draft to put information about local pro bono efforts before the public. Finally, host a reception thanking the lawyers who do pro bono work and urging the others to sign up for some of the new programs that are being introduced.