Ali M. Summers appointed Acting U.S. Attorney for Southern Illinois

Ali M. Summers has been named the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. As Acting U.S. Attorney, she is the chief federal law enforcement official in the Southern District of Illinois.

From: 
RiverBender.com

Judge will allow victims to attend trial of Highland Park parade mass shooter set to begin on Monday

A judge ruled Thursday that victims of the Highland Park parade mass shooting can be present at the suspect’s trial that will begin on Monday with jury selection.

From: 
Lake & McHenry County Scanner

'It's a really sad moment' says immigration law clinic director

Lauren Aronson, who directs the Immigration Law Clinic at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign says the president’s series of executive orders on immigration upon taking office, shook her clients’ and students’ lives.

From: 
NPR Illinois

Trump's anti-DEI stance has Illinois companies tight-lipped or reversing diversity policies

The Sun-Times reviewed the policies of 15 major Illinois-based public companies and found some changed their policies and others won’t discuss them amid what experts blame on fears of being sued.

From: 
Chicago Sun-Times

Illinois Supreme Court to Hear Oral Arguments at Southern Illinois University on March 18

Posted on February 20, 2025 by Timothy A. Slating

The Illinois Supreme Court will leave the Illinois Supreme Court Building in Springfield behind for a day and “ride the circuit” to hear oral arguments at Southern Illinois University (SIU) in Carbondale on March 18, 2025.

The Supreme Court will hear arguments in two cases starting at 10 a.m. (all guests are asked to be seated by 9:30 a.m.), on Tuesday, March 18, at the SIU Student Center, located at 1255 Lincoln Dr. in Carbondale. The cases before the court will be People v. Hoffman and Hulsh v. Hulsh.

Real Estate Law Update - Fall 2024 - Part 2

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 Real Estate Law Section


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


Original Program Date: Thursday, November 7, 2024
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­February 25, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Get the updates you need on real estate law – from the legislative changes and recent case law that may impact your client or law practice, to the importance of having a succession plan in place in the event of your death, disability, or retirement. Lawyers with all levels of practice experience who attend this program, will better understand:
  • The basics of landlord and tenant law;
  • How to use the Partitions Act to help your client divide a parcel of land;
  • How to remove a mechanic’s lien from a title (and how to avoid them from attaching to a title in the first place);
  • What to do if your client’s post-closing agreement results in litigation;
  • And much more.

Program Coordinator/Moderator:
Laura L. Lundsgaard, Attorney & Counselor at Law, LLC, Inverness

Jungle Vines on Your Title: Mechanic’s Lien
This presentation shows you how to remove a mechanic’s lien from a title, while explaining what a mechanic’s lien is, how it takes priority, and how to avoid them from attaching to title.
Mark B. Grzymala, Grzymala Law Offices, Skokie
Samuel H. Levine, Downey and Lenkov LLC, Chicago

Partitions Act
Join us for an in-depth look at the Partitions Act, including what it is and how you can use this legislation to help your client when it’s time to split a parcel of land.
Gary R. Gehlbach, Ehrmann Gehlbach Badger & Considine, LLC, Dixon

Disagreements at the Closing Table: Post-Closing Agreements & Post-Closing Litigation
Learn how to represent your client in a post-closing agreement and how to handle if these agreements result in litigation.
Erica C. Minchella, Minchella & Associates, Ltd., Skokie

Succession Upon Death, Disability, or Retirement*
Colleagues, clients, and family are often left wondering how to deal with an attorney’s caseload upon the attorney’s death or disability. Do you have a succussion plan in place? This segment discusses the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct that guide the succession of your client files and practice upon your death, disability, or retirement.
Anisa L. Jordan, Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, 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 $113.75 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $227.50
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

Real Estate Law Update - Fall 2024 - Part 1

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 Real Estate Law Section


2.50 hours MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Thursday, November 7, 2024
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­February 24, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Get the updates you need on real estate law – from the legislative changes and recent case law that may impact your client or law practice, to the importance of having a succession plan in place in the event of your death, disability, or retirement. Lawyers with all levels of practice experience who attend this program, will better understand:
  • The basics of landlord and tenant law;
  • How to use the Partitions Act to help your client divide a parcel of land;
  • How to remove a mechanic’s lien from a title (and how to avoid them from attaching to a title in the first place);
  • What to do if your client’s post-closing agreement results in litigation;
  • And much more.

Program Coordinator/Moderator:
Laura L. Lundsgaard, Attorney & Counselor at Law, LLC, Inverness

Legislation Update
Don’t miss this comprehensive overview of the recent legislative developments that may impact your real estate clients or practice.
Bruno W. Tabis, Huck Bouma Attorneys at Law, Wheaton

Case Law Update
Keep abreast of the latest case law updates involving real estate matters with this informative presentation.
Joseph R. Fortunato, Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS®, Downers Grove

Perspectives from Landlords vs. Tenants
If you have never represented a landlord or tenant, then you won’t want to miss this segment as our speaker walks you through the basics of landlord and tenant law.
Hannah R. Lamore, Mahoney, Silverman, and Cross, LLC, Joliet


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 $87.50 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $175
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

Planning Strategies & Opportunities Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Sunsets in 2025

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 Trusts & Estates Section


1.0 hour MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Tuesday, February 11, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­February 24, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is set to expire at the end of 2025 …. will your clients be ready? And, more importantly, are you equipped with the information you need to advise them? Don’t miss this informative presentation that reviews the history of the federal estate and gift tax exemption, explores the different planning strategies and opportunities available to your clients, and shows you how to assess your clients’ circumstances when deciding whether the client is a good fit for a particular recommendation. Elder law attorneys, federal tax lawyers, and trusts and estate practitioners with intermediate practice experience who attend this online program will also learn:
  • Who should consider changing their estate planning strategies in advance of the sunset;
  • How to implement these planning strategies with your client’s team, including their wealth management advisor, accounting, and valuation expert;
  • What you need to know about annual gifting options and irrevocable life insurance trusts;
  • How spousal lifetime access trusts and the reciprocal trust doctrine may help your clients; and
  • Grantor retained annuity trust and qualified personal residence trust.


Program Coordinator:
Colleen L. Sahlas , The Law Offices of Hoy & Sahlas, LLC, Oak Brook

Program Chat Moderator:
Melissa Johnson , Generation Law, Elmhurst

Program Speakers:
Angela M. Iaria , Aronberg Goldgehn, Wheaton
Jennifer F. Kuzminski , Aronberg Goldgehn, 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

Microsoft Tips & Tricks: All the Secrets from Redmond's Flagship Products

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: Tuesday, February 11, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­February 25, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


This webinar combines the best tips and tricks from Windows and the entire Microsoft Office suite. Learn about features you never knew existed and the hottest releases for Microsoft 365 subscribers. In this jam-packed power hour, you’re sure to walk away with a trick to put into practice immediately. Ramp up your efficiency by getting your settings right and dictating emails and documents. Prevent embarrassing errors in your documents by ensuring that your Word settings are spell-checking everything you type. Process email faster with rules, quick steps, and other Outlook tips and tricks. Let Excel enter and manipulate data for you and get control over printing from Excel. Learn how to animate bullet points in PowerPoint to keep your audience (a jury, a boardroom, or your client) engaged. Present professionally with presenter view. Use One Drive to securely share files and the Microsoft app suite to schedule meetings efficiently, stay on top of your tasks, manage your matters, improve internal communication, and ramp up your client intake form.


Program Speaker:
Jeffrey 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 recent 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

It's Time for a Change: Superior Methods for Drafting Complex Legal Documents

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 credit


Original Program Date: Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: March 24, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Most lawyers draft new documents by finding old documents and modifying them to work for the next case or client (by either direct modification or dictation/transcription). While that approach might be better than starting from a blank page, it has an unacceptably high margin of error and is slower than alternative methods. It’s simply too easy to miss a required change, leave something in that should have been removed, or forget to add something missing from the original. Further, if the document one starts with was previously negotiated with opposing counsel, it will be full of compromised language that is difficult to spot. There are many superior alternatives to this approach. In this seminar, we’ll show you how to find and consolidate the best of your intellectual capital in a way that increases drafting speed and accuracy while avoiding the risks mentioned above. Finally, you’ll see the spectrum of automation tools from the fantastic things your word processor is already capable of, to document assembly applications like HotDocs. For document-intensive and transactional areas of practice, improved drafting methods directly impact the bottom line and improve client satisfaction. Prepare to be amazed at the possibilities


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