Stay in touch with the recent statutory, regulatory, and case law changes concerning Illinois state and local taxes! State and local tax issues are regularly updated, and it is important that Illinois attorneys are aware of these changes. Join us in Chicago or via live webcaston May 22ndto get the information you need regarding advancements in statutory, regulatory and case law concerning Illinois state and local taxes with this informative half-day seminar. State and local tax attorneys – or any attorney with an interest in state tax practicing in law firms, industry or governmental agencies – with intermediate to advanced practice levels who attend this program will better understand: the Illinois Department of Revenue’s recent updates concerning policy, statutory and regulatory policy; the recent developments and changes in local and county taxing bodies, including rules/regulations and operations; how recent modifications and changes may affect property tax law; legislative developments in income, sales and other Illinois taxes; and a brief overview of recent Illinois tax court cases.The seminar is presented by the ISBA State and Local Tax Section and qualifies for 3.50 hours MCLE credit.Click here for more information and to register.

The Young Lawyers Task Force hosted approximately 40 third-year law students for a speed networking event on Thursday, May 1 at the Chicago Office.

Joseph Hudson, a prosecutor in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office, has received a Presidential Commendation from the Illinois State Bar Association for his extensive work on a complex case that involved a non-lawyer doing business on mechanics lien cases.The award was presented by ISBA President Paula H. Holderman during the organization’s Board of Governors meeting in Chicago on May 2.The case, which took five years to resolve, involved Steve Boucher, owner of Contractor’s Lien Services, who filed invalid liens against property owners and was charged with intimidating homeowners either to pay debts they didn’t owe or to overpay for debts incurred with contractors. Boucher hired lawyers to draft legal documents for the firm’s clients.The matter was brought to the attention of the ISBA Committee on the Unauthorized Practice of Law, which in turn worked with the State’s Attorney’s office and the Illinois Attorney General's office who brought a lawsuit against Boucher and his company, and sought a permanent injunction to prevent the defendant from engaging in selling mechanics lien filing and collections services in Illinois.A judge ruled that the case constituted the unauthorized practice of law and enjoined the plaintiff and his company from engaging in selling mechanics lien filing and collections services in Illinois.The text from Mr. Hudson's acceptance speech is available below:

ISBA President Paula H. Holderman interviews ABA Past President Laurel Bellows in Part 2 of a two-part interview. In this interview this discuss the ABAs Gender Equity Task Force and how gender bias impedes a law firm's goals of growth, talent development and profitability.