Bring the Law to Everyone: Making PDFs Accessible

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
ISBA’s Practice Toolbox Series
Presented by the Illinois State Bar Association


1.0 hour MCLE credit, including 1.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Diversity & Inclusion credit


Original Program Date: June 24, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­August 14, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Lawyers live and die by words, written and spoken, but mostly written. But, of course, not everyone literally reads; perhaps a disability prevents it. 2020 marked the 30th anniversary of President Bush signing the Americans with Disabilities Act into law. In the same way that much of our public physical spaces are shaped by this law (think ramps versus stairs or brick-colored bumps at the edge of a crosswalk), our legal technologies can accommodate disparate needs too. But you have to learn how to make documents accessible. In this seminar, learn the core techniques to produce accessibility-friendly PDFs utilizing heading structures, alternative text descriptions, hyperlinks, text colors, tags, and tables.


Program Speaker:
Jeffrey Schoenberger, Affinity Consulting, Ohio
About the Speaker: Jeff’s unique role at Affinity involves managing our Practice Management Advisory program. Prior to joining the Affinity family, Jeff practiced law with Legal Aid in Cincinnati, Ohio. He learned about Affinity and consulting as a career path through some of partners Paul Unger’s and Barron Henley’s CLE courses. Jeff’s describes his superpower as his ability to “get the podcast done.” His favorite part of his job is discovering new tech and techniques to help attorneys.
Pricing Information
  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $35 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

It's Just a Plant, Man: Regulating Cannabis, Intoxicating Hemp, and CBD

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Local Government Law Section
Co-presented by ISBA’s Standing Committee on Government Lawyers


1.0 hour MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­August 25, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Due to Farm Bill loopholes, Illinois has seen a rise in intoxicating hemp products. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the history behind the legislative attempts to regulate cannabis and industrial hemp at both the state and federal levels. Government lawyers, civil practice attorneys, agricultural law practitioners, and environmental law counsel with all levels of practice experience who attend this program will better understand:
  • The state and local regulatory responses to intoxicating hemp;
  • How the 2018 Federal Farm Bill created legal gray areas for the sale of industrial hemp;
  • The botanical, chemical, and legal differences between regulated substances;
  • The authority of local municipalities to impose regulations on intoxicating hemp products; and
  • The efforts that have been made to create clarifying regulations that cover both cannabis and intoxicating hemp.

Program Coordinator:
Patrick J. Collins, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Moderator:
Deborah Lang, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Chat Moderator:
Patrick J. Collins, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Speaker:
Stewart J. Weiss, Elrod Friedman, LLP, Chicago



Program Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $35 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $70
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

Problem Properties and Effective Solutions

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Local Government Law Section
Co-presented by ISBA’s Standing Committee on Government Lawyers


1.0 hour MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Friday, June 13, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­August 25, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Get the information you need to advise your clients on municipal solutions to abandoned, dilapidated, horded, or nuisance properties. Government lawyers, real estate attorneys, general practitioners, and administrative law counsel with basic practice experience who attend this online program will learn the holistic and legal approaches to managing problem properties, review the state statutes and local municipal codes that may impact your case, and explore the injunctive relief options available to your client.

Program Coordinator:
Patrick J. Collins, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Moderator:
Deborah Lang, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Chat Moderator:
Patrick J. Collins, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Speaker:
Kelley A. Gandurski, Elrod Friedman LLP, Chicago



Program Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $35 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $70
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

Understanding the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Local Government Law Section
Co-presented by ISBA’s Standing Committee on Government Lawyers and ISBA Real Estate Law Section


1.0 hour MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­August 25, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) is a federal law that was designed to protect religious institutions against discriminatory regulations and ensure that these groups are treated the same as non-religious entities. Join us for a comprehensive overview of RLUIPA, including how this Act helps religious institutions purchase or build without undue burdens from state or local municipalities, as well as giving prisoners and inmates the right to worship and practice their faith while incarcerated.

Program Coordinator:
Patrick J. Collins, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Moderator:
Deborah Lang, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Chat Moderator:
Patrick J. Collins, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Speaker:
Azam Nizamuddin, Abear Law Offices, Wheaton



Program Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $35 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $70
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

Use Microsoft's Copilot to Keep Your Firm Flying High

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
ISBA’s Practice Toolbox Series
Presented by the Illinois State Bar Association


1.0 hour MCLE credit, including 1.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Professionalism, Civility, Legal Ethics, or Sexual Harassment Prevention credit


Original Program Date: June 10, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­August 14, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


This seminar introduces solo and small firm attorneys to Microsoft Copilot, a powerful AI assistant integrated into Microsoft 365. Learn how Copilot can streamline tasks across applications like Word, Excel, and Outlook, helping you draft documents, analyze data, and manage communications more efficiently. The session covers practical ways Copilot can reduce administrative workload and boost productivity, enabling you to focus more on client work. Join us to discover how this AI tool can enhance daily workflows and improve the efficiency of your practice.


Program Speaker:
Jeff Krause, Affinity Consulting, Ohio
About the Speaker: Jeff is part of Affinity’s document management team. He specializes in corporate legal department deployments and workflow design and efficiency. Jeff practiced law for two years after finishing law school in 1996, but decided technology was a better path for him. He began working for a pioneering legal technology consultancy called MicroLaw in 1998. In 2003, Jeff started his own legal technology consultancy, which he ran until 2016, when he joined Affinity. Jeff was recently named as the recipient of the John Lederer Distinguished Service Award from the Wisconsin Bar Association. This honor, named in memory of John Lederer, is awarded to those who, like John, have made it their mission to help solo and small-firm lawyers master the skills and technology needed to build successful practices. Jeff’s superpower is patience, and his favorite part of his job is the satisfaction of helping someone solve one of their business problems.


Pricing Information
  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $35 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

Increasing Lawyer Health & Wellness: Programs, Remedies, and Strategies for Success in the Law

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois Bar Foundation, Lawyers’ Assistance Program, and the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission


1.0 hour MCLE credit, including 1.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Mental Health & Substance Abuse credit


Original Program Date: June 6, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­August 14, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Join us for a comprehensive look at how to increase the health and wellness of you and your colleagues with this informative presentation. Attorneys with all levels of practice experience who attend this onside program will better understand:
  • The interactive and complementary nature of programs offered by the Illinois Bar Foundation (IBF), the Lawyers’ Assistance Program (LAP) and the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) to assist with mental health/substance abuse issues and wellness for Illinois attorneys;
  • The process for requesting services through LAP and IBF’s Lawyers Care Program; and
  • How a complaint that’s filed with the ARDC may lead to a referral for assistance from LAP and/or IBF.

Program Coordinator/Moderator:
Stacey Meehan, Executive Director and Chief Development Officer, Illinois Bar Foundation, Chicago

Roles of ARDC, LAP, and IBF in Lawyer Wellness
This segment explains the roles each entity plays in developing and improving lawyer wellness, the specific programs that each organization offers, and how to reach out or be referred for their assistance.
Christine P. Anderson, Intake Group Manager and Director of Probation and Lawyer Deferral Services, Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois, Chicago
Stacey Meehan, Executive Director and Chief Development Officer, Illinois Bar Foundation, Chicago
Jessie Reeves, Director of Events & Administration, Illinois Bar Foundation, Chicago
Dr. Diana Uchiyama, J.D., Psy.D., CAADC, Executive Director, Lawyers’ Assistance Program, Chicago

Interacting and Assisting
Learn how the ARDC, LAP, and IBF interact with one another while assisting and caring for a lawyer who comes to them or is referred due to a complaint. The need for releases to be signed by all participating parties for the purposes of sharing information is also discussed.
Christine P. Anderson, Intake Group Manager and Director of Probation and Lawyer Deferral Services, Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois, Chicago
Stacey Meehan, Executive Director and Chief Development Officer, Illinois Bar Foundation, Chicago
Jessie Reeves, Director of Events & Administration, Illinois Bar Foundation, Chicago
Dr. Diana Uchiyama, J.D., Psy.D., CAADC, Executive Director, Lawyers’ Assistance Program, Chicago



Program Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $35 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $70
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

Hot Topics in U.S. Immigration Law and the Road Ahead

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA International & Immigration Law Section


1.50 hours MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Friday, June 6, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­August 25, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Join us for an in-depth look at how the political landscape has impacted immigration law, the litigation developments surrounding the current policies, and an update on the issues that have arisen since the ISBA International & Immigration Law Section’s last CLE program in mid-April. A discussion on how these developments are effecting employment law, family law, education law, the sports industry, and more is also included.

Program Coordinator:
Angela Peters, Buffalo Grove Law Offices, Arlington Heights

Program Moderator:
Natalia Evangelina Curto, Cipolla Law Group, Chicago

Program Speakers:
William B. Schiller, Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, Chicago
Ian D. Wagreich, Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, Chicago

Program Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $52.50 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $105
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

The Rainmaker's 17 Secrets to Marketing & Advertising

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Standing Committee on Law Office Management and Economics


1.0 hour MCLE credit


Original Program Date: June 6, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­August 21, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Are you an associate attorney looking to branch out and build your own book of business? Are you a solo practitioner needing to generate a larger client base? Do you dream of creating a successful practice or want to become a highly regarded rainmaker within your law firm? Then don’t miss this opportunity to hear from our speaker, Robert Schaller, as he explains why referrals are so important, how to successfully promote yourself through networking, the advantages of direct mail marketing, how you can personalize your email marketing messages, and why social media is the marketing and advertising tool you never knew you needed.


Program Coordinators/Moderators:
Amber L. Mikula , Quinn, Meadowcroft & Mikula, LLC, Bolingbrook
Nicole R. Sartori , McAdams & Sartori, LLC, Yorkville

Program Speaker:
Robert Schaller , Schaller Law Firm, P.C., Oak Brook

About the Speaker: Robert Schaller has practiced law for more than 34 years and is a Registered Certified Public Accountant (CPA). He is authorized to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Tax Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and the Illinois Supreme Court. Mr. Schaller is the president of Schaller Law Firm, P.C. where he concentrates his practice on clients needing bankruptcy and IRS back-tax relief. Additionally, he has written over 10 books on bankruptcy law and IRS tax law, as well as The Rainmaker’s 17 Secrets to Legal Marketing & Advertising.
    Pricing Information
    • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
    • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
    • Fees:
      • ISBA Member Price of $35 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
      • Non-Member Price $70
      • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
      • Law Students – Free

John Wayne Gacy: Defending a Monster

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the Illinois State Bar Association and Illinois Judges’ Association


1.50 hours MCLE credit, including 1.50 hours Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Professionalism, Civility, Legal Ethics, or Sexual Harassment Prevention credit


Original Program Date: May 15, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­August 14, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from Hon. Sam Amirante as he discusses his experiences (and the ethical dilemmas he faced) throughout his defense of John Wayne Gacy. Topics include: the psychological factors impacting Gacy’s crimes, the concept of an insanity defense (and the scrutiny it received), the specific legal criteria used in Gacy’s case (including the argument that Gacy suffered from a dissociative disorder), the role witness and expert testimony played throughout the case, how this case impacted changes in the practices and protocols of law enforcement, and the prosecutor’s perspective on the defense’s strategy.


Program Coordinator:
Hon. Donald D. Bernardi (ret.), Normal

Program Moderator:
Terrence J. Sheahan, Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP, Chicago

Program Speaker:
Hon. Sam L. Amirante (ret.), Sam L. Amirante & Associates P.C., Oakbrook Terrace




Pricing Information
  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $52.50 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $105
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

Legendary lawyer and Chicagoan Tom Durkin dies at 78 after very short illness

Venerable and lauded Chicago lawyer Thomas Durkin has died after a very brief illness at age 78. Durkin was an advocate for constitutional justice and worked on behalf of thousands of criminal defendants who were charged with terrorism, drug violations, fraud and myriad crimes in cases filed by state and federal authorities in Chicago and around the world.

From: 
NBC 5 Chicago