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

‘People can recover’: Documentary at Bloomington Public Library catalyzes post-prison success

A film screening this week at Bloomington Public Library aims to raise awareness about barriers that continue to punish people who've served their time in prison.

From: 
WGLT

Illinois parents' lawyers seek to drop murder charges in daughter's death

The parents of a 2-year-old girl who died late last year are seeking to have first-degree murder charges dropped, even as their release under Illinois’ SAFE-T Act has sparked outrage among lawmakers.

From: 
Fox 32

Gov. Pritzker signs 'Squatter Bill' into law, making it easier for police to remove trespassers

Gov. JB Pritzker has officially signed the Illinois "Squatter Bill" into law on Monday. The law will make it easier for police to remove squatters from someone's home, bypassing a possibly months-long eviction process.

From: 
ABC 7

Local GOP lawmakers join challenge to civil procedure bill, business community urges Pritzker to veto plan

A growing number of organizations are calling on Gov. JB Pritzker to veto a controversial bill regarding lawsuits while the same legislation faces a legal battle in Sangamon County.

From: 
WAND

Authorities probe threats against judge who released man charged with concealing death of Antioch woman

Threatening social media posts and harassing correspondence was found, directed at a judge connected with Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, who was arrested by ICE.

From: 
Chicago Sun-Times

Registration Opens for the 17th Annual Alton Miles for Meso 5K Race & 3K Fun Run/Walk

Posted on July 21, 2025 by Marybeth Stanziola

ALTON, Ill. (July 21, 2025) – The 17th Annual Alton Miles for Meso 5K Run and 3K Fun Run/Walk benefiting the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) will take place Saturday, Sept. 20. Registration is now open for the in-person and virtual event, which is hosted and produced by Simmons Hanly Conroy and Metro Tri Club of Edwardsville, Illinois.

The event falls just prior to National Mesothelioma Awareness Day, which is commemorated annually on Sept. 26. 

23rd Annual Environmental and Natural Resources Law Conference - Part 4

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 Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section, The Chicago Bar Association Environmental Law Committee, and The Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Environmental Committee


4.0 hours MCLE credit, including 1.25 hours Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Professionalism, Civility, Legal Ethics, or Sexual Harassment Prevention credit


Original Program Date: May 23, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­July 30, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


This program gives you the updates you need on recent federal and state cases, as well as recent Illinois regulations, rulemakings, and legislation; the challenges facing the environmental insurance industry; and the rules and developments impacting the Carbon Dioxide Transportation and Sequestration Act of 2024. The program closes with a look at hypothetical scenarios and possible solutions to each ethical dilemma.


Program Coordinators:
Jane E. McBride, Attorney at Law, Springfield
Michael P. Murphy, HeplerBroom LLC, Springfield


The Year in Review: Case Law and Statutory Update
Join us for a comprehensive look at recent federal and state cases, as well as recent Illinois regulations, rulemakings, and legislation.
Moderator: Alex Garel-Frantzen, ArentFox Schiff, Chicago
Elizabeth Dubats, Supervising Attorney, Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Chicago
Sarah L. Lode, ArentFox Schiff, Chicago
Theodore Motz, Taft Law, Chicago

The Environmental Insurance Industry: Big Challenges Now and in the Future
The environmental insurance industry is undergoing a significant transformation, having matured after more than 25 years of development. Challenges include the frequency and severity of natural catastrophes, such as floods and earthquakes, which damage infrastructure for transportation, mining, water, and energy, and elevate concerns of environmental risk exposure. Additionally, claims activity is increasing in many states due to the presence of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in groundwater. Moreover, the industry is still faced with historic contamination or operational issues, such as mold, lead paint, asbestos, and poor indoor air quality. Environmental insurance policies are designed to protect mortgage lenders as well as real estate agents, managers, and developers in the event the properties they handle are contaminated. This comprehensive overview explores the industry as a whole, while giving you the information you need when helping your clients in this regulated community.
Moderator: James L. Morgan, Attorney at Law, Springfield
Corinne Dougherty, Marsh USA Inc., Chicago
Richard P. Reich, Aon Risk Services Central, Inc., Chicago

Update: Carbon Sequestration in Illinois
Don’t miss this update on the rulemaking and other developments occurring relative to the Carbon Dioxide Transportation and Sequestration Act of 2024 (PA 103-651, eff 7-18-24), including the recent attempts to exclude the vicinity of the Mahomet Aquifer as a site for sequestration. Additionally, this session covers the legal issues relevant to the federal permitting process, including Class VI UIC permit applications for Geological Sequestration wells in Illinois that have been submitted to EPA and discusses the technical requirements and considerations you need to know.
Moderator: John “Wes” Brooke, Pioneer Oil Co., Indiana
Jennifer Cassel, Earthjustice, Chicago
Mohammad Khadhrawi, Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign
Amanda Urban, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region V, Chicago

Identifying and Resolving Ethical Issues Arising in Environmental Law*
This lively presentation examines all new hypothetical scenarios familiar to environmental practitioners. Among the ethical issue presented will be scenarios that focus on the unique issues faced by environmental lawyers in balancing client confidentiality, avoiding and managing potential conflicts while representing multiple clients, advising on clients’ legal obligations to report environmental issues, and more. Using the polling software, the audience will respond to a set of multiple-choice questions, followed by a discussion weighing the various analyses and possible solutions with the aid and advice of our esteemed ARDC speaker.
Moderator/Speaker: Karen Kavanagh Mack, Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C., Chicago
William J. Anaya, UBGreensfelder LLP, Chicago



*Originally presented as part of the 23rd Annual Environmental and Natural Resources Law Conference. Find more sessions in this series in the ISBA On-Demand CLE catalog.



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 $140 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $280
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $50
    • Law Students – Free