Are you an attorney, architect, engineer, contractor, or professional working in the construction field? Then don’t miss this informative, full-day seminar in Chicago on October 11th that’s designed to help you better represent your client’s increasingly complex construction projects! Attendees with basic practice experience who join us for this seminar will better understand: the different types of risks associated with construction projects; the insurance policy coverages and exclusions that apply to construction defect cases; the common commercial general liability insuring issues for personal injury claims; Builders Risk policies; using wrap-up insurance products for construction projects; the insurance requirements and issues for design professionals, including architects and engineers; the concept and enforcement of performance and payment bonds on private and public construction projects; and recognizing the ethical issues and concerns that may arise throughout your construction law practice.The program qualifies for 6.5 hours MCLE credit, including 1.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit (subject to approval) and is presented by the ISBA Commercial Banking, Collections & Bankruptcy Section, the ISBA Construction Law Section, and the ISBA Insurance Law Section.
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September 11, 2013 |
CLE
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September 11, 2013 |
Practice News
Asked and AnsweredBy John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMCQ. I am the managing partner in an eight attorney firm in Chicago. We are having problems with office staff members getting along. Office conflict is rampant. Any suggestions?A. You should begin by identifying some of the causes. Poor communications often can be the root cause of such problems. Interview each of your staff members individually and probe. What do they think? Is communications a problem? Are roles, duties, and responsibilities clarified? Lack of clarity can in these areas can lead to turf wars. You may want to design job descriptions for each employee and clarify roles, duties, and responsibilities for each employee. Conduct short weekly staff meetings to enhance communications. Use agendas. Take and publish notes of the meetings. Advise every one of your expectations including all members working together as team members. Let them know that working together as a team is a performance factor that will be considered in performance evaluations and reviews. Conduct periodic performance reviews. Counsel and take action against problem employees.Maybe it is time to hire a firm administrator or business manager and let them deal with it.Click here for our blog on career managementClick here for articles on other topics
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September 10, 2013 |
Practice News
Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans was elected to a fifth term as chief judge Tuesday by an overwhelming majority of circuit judges voting. His new three year term will begin December 2, 2013.The results were announced by Judge Raymond L. Jagielski , chair of the Judicial Election Committee, who said Chief Judge Evans ran for re-election unopposed. Other committee members included: Judge Mary Ellen Coghlan, Judge Lynn M. Egan, Judge Marya Nega, Judge Leida J. Gonzalez Santiago, Judge Jane Louise Stuart, Judge Shelley Sutker-Dermer, and Judge E. Kenneth Wright, Jr.According to Jagielski, the election was held today, September 10, 2013, in the Richard J. Daley Center’s Jury Assembly Room. Jagielski said 239 votes were cast; of those, seven were spoiled and the remaining 232 were cast for Chief Judge Evans.
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The ISBA Young Lawyers Division hosted at Day at the races on Sept. 7 at Arlington Park Racecourse.
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September 9, 2013 |
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 2013 ISBA helped people in need of legal services find lawyers in the following areas:Here are the results for August 2013:433 phone referrals made by Lawyer Finder staffMost requested areas of law: Family (85), Personal Injury (49), Employment Law (43), Criminal Law (34), Real Estate (31), Civil Disputes (29)22,465 visits to IllinoisLawyerFinder.com (19,846 unique visitors)Want to be part of the ISBA Lawyer Finder Service? Call (800) 252-8908 and ask for the Legal Department, or visit www.illinoislawyerfinder.comClients should call (800) 922-8757.
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September 9, 2013 |
Practice News
Other initiatives for non-English speaking persons include website now available in 71 foreign languages; bi-lingual signageIn an effort to bridge the gap between language barriers, the Circuit Court of Cook County is installing an over-the-phone interpretation service for persons who speak little or no English as part of its new Court Access Initiative (CAI). The service will help people navigate through the Circuit Court in a variety of ways: helping people without lawyers find courtrooms or linking them with a court-based legal self-help desk are just two examples. In conjunction with the Access to Justice Commission of the Illinois Supreme Court, the Circuit Court’s goal of the CAI is to improve the overall experience for non-English speaking people attending court.Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced starting today, the CAI will begin at the Richard J. Daley Center information desks and then will ultimately be installed in all courthouses in the coming months. Illinois JusticeCorps volunteers already are stationed at the Daely Center information desks and over-the-phone interpretation services will be provided by LanguageLine Solutions which was selected through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process.1 comment (Most recent September 10, 2013)
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September 7, 2013 |
Events
This is the first luncheon in a three-part luncheon series aimed at teaching law students and young attorneys practical steps in developing their legal careers. Each luncheon will feature esteemed panelists discussing a variety of topics, while also taking questions from the audience. The first luncheon program will feature two panelists with financial planning backgrounds discussing investing in your future while also paying off your student loans.When/Where:Monday, September 30, 2013, Noon-1ISBA Chicago Office, 20 S. Clark, Suite 900Speakers:Kevin C. Koney, CFP®, CRPC®, CMFC®, Certified Financial Planner™ Patricia A. Koney & Associates, Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.Kurt Winiecki, CPA, J.D., President, CEO & Founder, Winiecki Wealth ManagementModerator:George Schoenbeck, Co-Chair of YLD’s Professional Development Committee, Associate, Sosin & Arnold LTDRegister at www.isba.org/sections/yld/pdl/09-30-2013Cost: $10 includes lunchNo MCLE credit is available for this program.
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September 5, 2013 |
Practice News
Governor Quinn has signed a bill that requires defendants in most civil actions to provide plaintiffs with an executed release within 14 days of a written settlement agreement.The law requires such a defendant to pay all sums due under the settlement agreement to the plaintiff within 30 days of when the defendant tendered its release to the opposing party. If a defendant fails to timely pay the money damages, the plaintiff may obtain a judgment against the defendant in the amount set forth in the executed release, plus costs and interest. Find out more in the September IBJ.1 comment (Most recent September 7, 2013)
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September 4, 2013 |
CLE
Update your knowledge on Social Security and SSI Disability law with this informative full-day seminar in Collinsville on September 27th! Get the information you need to better represent your clients in Social Security and Supplemental Security Income cases. Attorneys with basic to intermediate experience practicing in family law, disability law, mental health, or the general practice arena who attend this seminar will better understand: the eligibility requirements for Social Security and SSI disability; how to prove a disability and determine an onset date; how to represent clients with mental and/or behavioral health issues; the ethical issues and concerns that can arise during a Social Security and SSI case; how Social Security and SSI can impact workers’ compensation claims, veteran’s benefits, and unemployment insurance benefits; how Social Security and SSI can impact child support, maintenance, property distribution, and other family law matters; and much more!The program is presented by the ISBA Standing Committee on Disability Law and qualifies for 8.0 hours MCLE credit, including 1.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit (subject to approval).Click here for more information and to register.
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September 4, 2013 |
Practice News
The Judicial Conference of the United States has authorized the appointment of a full-time United States magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. The official location for the position will be Springfield, Illinois. Full-time magistrate judges are appointed to eight-year terms of office by the judges of each respective United States district court.The duties of the position are demanding and wide-ranging, such as: 1) conducting most preliminary proceedings in criminal cases; 2) trial and disposition of misdemeanor cases; 3) conducting various pretrial matters and evidentiary proceedings on delegation from a district judge; and 4) trial and disposition of civil cases upon consent of the litigants. The basic authority of the United States magistrate judge is specified in 28 U.S.C. § 636.To be qualified for appointment as a U.S. magistrate judge, an applicant must: