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ISBA members, sign up to receive The Bar News' biweekly e-newsletter by emailing emailpreferences@isba.org

CLE: ADR 2019–Using Alternative Dispute Resolution to Navigate Rights

Posted on May 6, 2019 by Rhys Saunders

Don’t miss this full-day seminar on May 29 in Springfield that helps you navigate your client’s rights through peaceful resolution. Learn how its use is evolving in Illinois, how the Illinois Supreme Court views it, and how court-annexed arbitration programs are working throughout the state. Additional topics include: how the Illinois Supreme Court Rule 310 provides an alternative means of resolving certain civil appeals through their Appellate Settlement Conferences; who governs commercial dispute arbitrations; how to use technology to accomplish alternative dispute resolutions remotely; the judicial perspective on court-annexed mediation, including which cases should be referred to mediation; the ethical considerations of handling alternative dispute resolution cases; and the best practices mediations should use when engaging in a dispute.

Over 300 New Illinois Lawyers to Be Admitted on Thursday

Posted on May 6, 2019 by Rhys Saunders

New attorneys will be admitted to practice in Illinois on Thursday, May 9, with Illinois Supreme Court justices presiding and administering the attorney's oath to 335 new attorneys across the state. 

All of the candidates set to be sworn in have passed the Illinois State Bar Examination and a required ethics examination and were certified by the Supreme Court Committee on Character and Fitness. They will bring the total number of licensed attorneys in Illinois to approximately 96,300.

The largest group, 245, will be admitted in the First Judicial District during three ceremonies at the James R. Thompson Center Assembly Hall, located at 100 W. Randolph St., in Chicago. The ceremonies will be at 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 2 p.m. Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne M. Burke will preside over the 9 a.m. ceremony, Illinois Supreme Court Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr. will preside over the 11:30 a.m. ceremony, and Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis will preside over the 2 p.m. ceremony.  

Pay Your Dues by 5/31 for a Chance to Win One of Three Fitness Bundles or $500 VISA Gift Cards

Posted on May 6, 2019 by Rhys Saunders

For Member Appreciation Month, we're giving three lucky members their choice of fitness bundles or $500 VISA gift cards. All you need to do to enter is renew your ISBA membership by May 31, 2019. 

You can renew online or by phone at (800) 252-8908. All major credit cards accepted. Invoices will be mailed this week.

(Why) I Object!

Posted on May 6, 2019 by Rhys Saunders

Trial practice is a fast-moving endeavor; practitioners must make frequent decisions, often without access to all the facts. At the end of all that preparation and hard work, a judge or jury inevitably anoints a winner and a loser. But the trial outcome need not be the final word on the matter. In her May 2019 Illinois Bar Journal article, “(Why) I Object!,” Ruth Masters, who has practiced appellate law for the past 20 years and is the principle attorney at MastersLaw, provides 10 tips to preserve some commonly occurring issues for appeal in Illinois courts. One takeaway: Parties often get into trouble on appeal because they didn't specify the basis of an objection during trial or they raise new arguments for exclusion on appeal.

Enter the ISBA's 2019 Member Appreciation Month Instagram Contest

Posted on May 6, 2019 by Rhys Saunders

Show us how you reduce stress and stay healthy by entering the ISBA's 2019 Member Appreciation Month Instagram Contest for a chance to win a S'well bottle set or a $100 Visa gift card.

The winning Instagram post and account will be featured on the ISBA's social media channels and in The Bar News. 

Lawyer Referral Service Makes More than 1,000 Referrals in April

Posted on May 3, 2019 by Rhys Saunders

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 April 2019 there were more than 1,000 referrals given.

Here are the results for April 2019:

Public Interest Law Initiative Seeks Managing Attorney

Posted on May 2, 2019 by Rhys Saunders

PILI seeks a managing attorney, who will serve as a member of PILI’s Programs Team, with primary responsibility for overseeing PILI’s statewide efforts to expand and enhance pro bono outside of the Chicago metropolitan area. This is a dynamic position that requires both the ability to organize and manage at a high level, while also being actively engaged in administration and implementation. The ability to do regular and significant statewide travel, and limited national travel, is required.  

ISBA Launches Legal Blog Aggregation Site

Posted on May 1, 2019 by Rhys Saunders

Revamped “Illinois Lawyer Now” to highlight member blogs, ISBA content

The ISBA is excited to announce the launch of a new blog aggregation site, the newly minted Illinois Lawyer Now. Powered by LexBlog, the site hosts original ISBA substantive legal news, as well as content from members’ legal blogs. By aggregating ISBA and members’ legal blogs, Illinois Lawyer Now will be the preeminent site for up-to-date, Illinois-specific legal content.

Free Live CLE Webinar for Member Appreciation Month

Posted on May 1, 2019 by Rhys Saunders

This May, we're celebrating you during Member Appreciation Month. To help you meet your MCLE requirements, we're offering a free live CLE webinar for the first 600 member registrants on May 14 from noon to 1:00 p.m.

The business of law isn't what it used to be. Competition is up and margins are down. Clients demand value from their lawyers and are willing to shop around to find it. Lawyers face increasing competition from customary rivals as well as emerging online DIY companies that have commoditized many legal services. These pressures are forcing lawyers to re-examine their practices and processes. Lean Six Sigma is a managerial approach that relies on a collaborative team effort to improve performance by eliminating the waste of physical resources, time, effort, and talent while assuring that the work is done right the first time. Waste is defined as anything that doesn't add value in your client's eyes (your perception is irrelevant). In this seminar, you'll learn how to identify and remove the eight most common types of waste from your practice.

ARDC Releases 2018 Annual Report

Posted on May 1, 2019 by Rhys Saunders

The Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC), the administrative agency that regulates licensed Illinois lawyers, has filed its year 2018 Annual Report with the Supreme Court of Illinois. The report was released to the public this morning when a copy was posted on the ARDC website.

A summary of the annual report is available at Highlights of the 2018 Annual Report.  

The ARDC annually evaluates the effectiveness of the disciplinary system.  Complete and comprehensive statistics concerning the disciplinary caseload are submitted to the Illinois Supreme Court and are published in the Annual Report. Few professions account for their regulatory activity in such detail.

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