On July 20, 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit held in United States v. Ruth that Illinois defines cocaine more broadly than the federal government. Because the Illinois definition of cocaine covers more than the corresponding federal definition, prior Illinois cocaine convictions can no longer be used to enhance a federal drug defendant’s mandatory minimum sentence. In his September Illinois Bar Journal article, “Cocaine Isn’t What It Used to Be,” Thomas Drysdale explores how sentencing enhancements are built into federal drug laws, how and when those enhancements can be applied, why Illinois cocaine convictions are no longer predicate offenses after United States v. Ruth, and what the potential consequences of Ruth will be going forward.
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September 13, 2021 | Practice News
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September 9, 2021 | Practice News
The names of 22 new associate judges, selected in a vote of Cook County Circuit Court judges, were announced today by Marcia M. Meis, Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. Ballots listing the names of 44 finalists, chosen from 225 candidates, were distributed to 249 circuit judges. Ballots were due September 7, 2021.1 comment (Most recent September 10, 2021) -
September 9, 2021 | Practice NewsThe Illinois Supreme Court will ride the circuit, virtually, this month in conjunction with schools in the 2nd Judicial District. The Supreme Court will hear arguments in two cases starting at 10:15 a.m., on Thursday, September 23, 2021. Students and teachers have been invited to watch the proceedings online at https://livestream.com/blueroomstream/events/9824391.
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September 9, 2021 |
Practice News
The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Illinois is currently accepting applications from attorneys who have a strong civil litigation background for the position of Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in our Civil Division in the Fairview Heights Office.
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September 9, 2021 | CLE
The COVID-19 variants are again on the rampage and employers, government officials, doctors, and other health care officials are trying to determine what to do. Don’t miss this hot topic discussion regarding the legal issues, risk management concerns, and the best ways to limit liability when it comes to encouraging and mandating vaccinations of both the public and employees. -
September 7, 2021 | People
Royal Oak, Mich.-based Howard & Howard is pleased to welcome Ryan W. Gardner to the firm. He joins a thriving Trust and Estate Planning Group and will continue his practice out of the firm’s Chicago office. -
September 7, 2021 |
Member Services | ISBA News
The Illinois State Bar Association’s Lawyer Finder Service provides referrals to local lawyers Mondays through Fridays. The Service makes referrals in a number of areas of law. For the month of August, 2021, ISBA helped 1,284 people in need of legal services find lawyers. This numbers does not include additional referrals made through the online Illinois Lawyer Finder service. Want to be part of the ISBA Lawyer Finder Service? Call (800) 252-8908 and ask for the Legal Department, or visit www.illinoislawyerfinder.com
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September 7, 2021 | Practice News
Yes, it can be challenging for smaller law firms and solo attorneys lacking a tech staff to keep on top of the latest in everything from videoconferencing, to social media, to running a practice virtually. But lawyers don’t need a lot of technological expertise to expand their digital toolkits. The cover article in September’s Illinois Bar Journal discusses how practitioners and smaller law firms can better serve clients by staying abreast of the latest technology. Technology is one of the themes of the ISBA’s annual Solo & Small Firm Conference (SSFC) on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 and the IBJ interviewed several of the conference’s presenters for this article. -
September 7, 2021 | People
Royal Oak, Mich.-based Howard & Howard is proud to congratulate Tiffany L. Carpenter on her selection to the 22nd annual edition of 40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch. Since 2000, 40 Under Forty has recognized more than 700 attorneys for their accomplishments and giving back to the community through civic or pro bono efforts. This year, over 1,000 nominations were received. Nominees are recommended by their peers and chosen for the honor by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer selection committee. -
September 2, 2021 | CLE
Discover the issues that have arisen in telehealth and the use of genetic information with this informative online program.