Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis, Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr. and First District Appellate Court Justice Rina Van Tine will administer the attorney’s oath to 222 new lawyers over two bar admission ceremony sessions on Wednesday, May 7, in the First Judicial District at the Harris Theater located at 205 East Randolph in Chicago.

The group is among 282 individuals who will be sworn in and admitted to the practice of law in Illinois during bar admission ceremonies held in the state’s five Supreme Court judicial districts.

Heather McPherson has been elected Third Vice-President of the Illinois State Bar Association. Michael G. Bergmann, Sandra Crawford, Jameika W. Mangum, Emily N. Masalski, and Ashonta C. Rice won Cook County and Courtney A. Berlin won Under Age 37 on the Board of Governors.

This May, we're celebrating you during Member Appreciation Month. We have a full calendar of prizes, discounts, and giveaways, so stay tuned to ISBA communications for detailed announcements with instructions for how you can get in on the fun. You can look forward to a bookstore sale, free live CLE webcasts, member renewal incentives, social media contests, and more. View our Member Appreciation Month page for additional details. 

The Illinois State Bar Association’s Lawyer Finder Service provides referrals to local lawyers Mondays through Fridays. The Service makes referrals in a number of areas of law. For the month of April, 2025, the ISBA helped 1,564 people in need of legal services find lawyers. 

 As the world changes, so does the practice of law. Each generation of lawyers brings to the profession its own values, priorities, and ideas, but not without influence from older lawyers and not without impact on future ones. In the May issue of the Illinois Bar Journal, we asked several members of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division to reflect on their work ethic and work-life balance; their use of technology and preferred sources of news; and the value they place on mentorships, career growth, and bar association involvement.

The Illinois State Bar Association would like to congratulate the award recipients and others honored for their work during the 2024-2025 bar year.

As we celebrate Law Day 2025 on May 1, 2025, we remind ourselves of the importance of the Rule of Law in Illinois, in the United States of America, and throughout the world.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is accepting applications for four attorney positions.

Leading appellate attorneys review the Illinois Supreme Court opinions handed down Thursday, April 24. 

On April 23, 2025, Ronald L. Hanna was appointed as United States Magistrate Judge upon the recommendation of a duly appointed Merit Selection Panel and with the concurrence of the District Judges of the Court. Judge Hanna fills the seat recently vacated by now District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley.