Illinois Bar Journal

Last December, Illinois attorneys and judges gathered in Chicago to reflect on the pressure the Trump administration has placed on law firms during his second term. They met as part of a continuing legal education program sponsored by the ISBA titled, “The Legal Profession: Caretakers of Democracy,” during the ISBA/Illinois Judges Association Joint Midyear Meeting on Dec. 9 at the JW Marriott Chicago. Panelists discussed President Trump’s executive orders directed at law firms, the need to rebuild public trust in the legal system, and tips for public appearances as legal professionals.

“Compatible rules of evidence would certainly make life easier for lawyers who try cases in both federal and state courts,” writes Gino L.

Still looking for holiday gift ideas for colleagues? Check out the Illinois Bar Journal’s “Holiday Gift Guide 2025,” written by Pointers From Practice HQ columnists Jeffrey S. Krause and Jeffrey S. Schoenberger. The list includes productivity products, apps, gadgets, and other items that will bring value, efficiency, and perhaps even a bit of fun to your working day.

New Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr., grew up in the Chicago Bronzeville neighborhood under challenging circumstances. As recounted in “Ready To Serve,” the Illinois Bar Journal’s December profile of the chief justice, those years “were challenging for his family and especially his mother, a schoolteacher,” Chief Justice Neville says. “But I maintain that those very difficult times made me the kind of person I am. I often say I grew up on the rough side of the mountain,” he says. “But it is pressure that turns coal into diamonds.