2025 Joint Midyear Meeting PhotosFebruary 2026The Illinois State Bar Association and the Illinois Judges Association proudly co-hosted the 2025 Joint Midyear Meeting on December 11–12 at the JW Marriott Chicago, bringing members of the legal community together for two days of connection and collaboration.
Call to Action: Build a Bridge From Courthouse to CommunityBy Margie Komes Putzler & Avery TenEcykFebruary 2026Illinois Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Rochford is excited to unveil a forward and public-facing initiative: Build a Bridge from Courthouse to Community, founded on the premise that there is diminished confidence in our legal system, and it is the responsibility of lawyers and judges to make information about the operation of the courts more accessible and transparent to the people we serve.
Safety, Stigma, and the State: Savanna’s Law and Domestic Violence RegistriesBy Judge Megan GoldishFebruary 2026Savanna’s Law raises questions of whether other states, including Illinois, could adopt a similar framework. Tennessee is the first state to implement a statewide public registry specifically for repeat DV offenders. While other jurisdictions maintain law-enforcement-only databases or protective-order registries, these differ significantly from a public criminal offender registry.
When a Private Home Becomes a Regulated Workplace: Employment Law Considerations for Hiring Nannies in IllinoisBy Kat GaineyFebruary 2026For many families juggling careers and children, hiring an in-home nanny often feels like a practical solution to an everyday problem. The arrangement appears personal, private, and even informal; however, unlike traditional employment relationships, in-home childcare frequently begins through word-of-mouth referrals, casual interviews, and handshake agreements. Yet few families pause to consider the legal implications that accompany recurring childcare.
Women at the Center: Community Responses to Federal Immigration Activity in Chicago and the Surrounding SuburbsBy Kat DelgadoFebruary 2026Over the past several months, many Chicagoland residents have observed an increased federal presence in the city and surrounding suburbs. These temporary operations, largely related to immigration enforcement, have been visible and disruptive and have prompted widespread community responses. For women living in Illinois and practicing law, these events do not exist in an abstract or theoretical space, but rather intersect directly with the lived realities of local families and with the legal systems designed to protect them.
