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

Prompt Service

Posted on February 18, 2025 by Timothy A. Slating

 Generative artificial intelligence (AI) software can produce apparently quality legal work, leading some to wonder whether an attorney’s work will become streamlined and efficient at best or redundant at worst. The good news? Although generative AI technology appears to be changing the legal industry rapidly (or is at least marketed as doing so), the obligations for being an attorney are changing at a decidedly slower pace. In his February 2025 Illinois Bar Journal article, “Prompt Service,” Joshua L.

Illinois State Bar Association’s High School Mock Trial Invitational To Take Place March 15th and 16th in Springfield

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Timothy A. Slating

Teams from 52 Illinois high schools will participate in the 42nd annual Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) High School Mock Trial Invitational on March 15 and 16, 2025, at Lincoln Land Community College – Main Campus in Springfield. 

The top ten teams will compete in the final round on March 16th for the state championship. The winner will represent Illinois at the National High School Mock Trial Championship in Phoenix, Arizona. 

Illinois Supreme Court Appoints Ashley N. Shambley as ARDC Review Board Member

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Timothy A. Slating

The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed attorney Ashley N. Shambley of Chicago to serve as a member of the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) Review Board effective on January 1, 2025, and expiring on December 31, 2027. The ARDC is the Supreme Court agency that investigates allegations of lawyer wrongdoing in Illinois. 

Strategically Managing Cross-Border Litigation Risk

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Timothy A. Slating

In today’s digital economy, companies of all sizes are doing business globally, which necessarily entails the risk of cross-border disputes with contractual counterparts. While companies are generally comfortable managing their domestic litigation risks, managing cross-border risk is more challenging because they are often impacted by political, regulatory, economic, and procedural risks that your client might not encounter at home. Don’t miss this in-depth look at how you can help your clients manage their cross-border litigation risks with this informative seminar!

Protecting your Elusive Right to Vote - 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 Administrative Law Section, ISBA Standing Committees on Disability Law, ISBA Human Rights Section, ISBA Standing Committee on Racial and Ethnic Minorities and the Law, and the ISBA Standing Committee on Women and the Law; Co-sponsored by the Black Women Lawyers’ Association, Cook County Bar Association, Decalogue Society of Lawyers, Haitian American Lawyers Association, Illinois Association of Administrative Law Judges, Jewish Judges Association of Illinois, National Association of Blind Lawyers, Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois, National Association of Women Judges – District 8, Northwestern Election Law Association, and Seventh Circuit Bar Association


3.25 hours MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Thursday, February 27, 2020
MCLE Accreditation Extension Period: ­­­­­­­February 21, 2025 - February 20, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


We are approaching yet another intense election. As advocates for justice, attorneys must be fully informed on the right to vote, the barriers to exercising that right, and the ongoing efforts to counter such constraints and protect everyone’s right to vote. Attorneys who attend this seminar will better understand:
  • The historical background of the right to vote;
  • The current state of the law in the Seventh Circuit and nationwide;
  • Tactics used to deprive groups of individuals of the right to vote and how to counter those tactics;
  • How foreign countries or individuals can work to control the outcome of an election;
  • The impacts of gerrymandering and redistricting upon the electoral process;
  • Disenfranchisement of felons;
  • Pushing back voter suppression efforts;
  • Developments in cybersecurity aimed at countering potential threats; and
  • Much more!

Program Coordinators:
Hon. Yolaine Dauphin, Administrative Law Judge, City of Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings, Chicago
Hon. Patricia Jackowiak, Director and Chief Administrative Law Judge, City of Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings, Chicago

Program Moderators:
Hon. Yolaine Dauphin, Administrative Law Judge, City of Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings, Chicago
Hon. Patricia Jackowiak, Director and Chief Administrative Law Judge, City of Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings, Chicago
Chastidy Burns, Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender, Chicago

Protecting Elections from Outside Interference / Disrupting Bad Actors
Adam Lasker, General Counsel, Board of Elections Commissioners for City of Chicago, Chicago
James P. Allen, Dir. of Communications, Board of Elections Commissioners for City of Chicago, Chicago
Matt Dietrich, Public Information Officer, Illinois State Board of Elections, Springfield

Deepfakes and the Potential Impact on the Right to Vote
Georgia Logothetis, Assistant Director, common Cause Illinois, Chicago

Access to the Polls: Making Every Vote Count
Ami Gandhi, Senior Counsel, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, Chicago
Hon. Lauren Beth Gash, Former IL State Representative (Judiciary Committee Chair and Elections and Campaign Reform Vice Chair)
Trevor Gervais, Vice-Chair, Independent Voters of IL-Independent Precinct Organization, Chicago
Ben Williams, National Conference of State Legislators, Denver, CO

Gerrymandering and Redistricting
Prof. Douglas Spencer, University of Connecticut School of Law, Connecticut
Jay Young, Executive Director, Common Cause Illinois, Chicago



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 $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

Protecting your Elusive Right to Vote - 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 Administrative Law Section, ISBA Standing Committees on Disability Law, ISBA Human Rights Section, ISBA Standing Committee on Racial and Ethnic Minorities and the Law, and the ISBA Standing Committee on Women and the Law; Co-sponsored by the Black Women Lawyers’ Association, Cook County Bar Association, Decalogue Society of Lawyers, Haitian American Lawyers Association, Illinois Association of Administrative Law Judges, Jewish Judges Association of Illinois, National Association of Blind Lawyers, Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois, National Association of Women Judges – District 8, Northwestern Election Law Association, and Seventh Circuit Bar Association


2.75 hours MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Thursday, February 27, 2020
MCLE Accreditation Extension Period: ­­­­­­­February 21, 2025 - February 20, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


We are approaching yet another intense election. As advocates for justice, attorneys must be fully informed on the right to vote, the barriers to exercising that right, and the ongoing efforts to counter such constraints and protect everyone’s right to vote. Attorneys who attend this seminar will better understand:
  • The historical background of the right to vote;
  • The current state of the law in the Seventh Circuit and nationwide;
  • Tactics used to deprive groups of individuals of the right to vote and how to counter those tactics;
  • How foreign countries or individuals can work to control the outcome of an election;
  • The impacts of gerrymandering and redistricting upon the electoral process;
  • Disenfranchisement of felons;
  • Pushing back voter suppression efforts;
  • Developments in cybersecurity aimed at countering potential threats; and
  • Much more!

Program Coordinators:
Hon. Yolaine Dauphin, Administrative Law Judge, City of Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings, Chicago
Hon. Patricia Jackowiak, Director and Chief Administrative Law Judge, City of Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings, Chicago

Program Moderators:
Hon. Yolaine Dauphin, Administrative Law Judge, City of Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings, Chicago
Hon. Patricia Jackowiak, Director and Chief Administrative Law Judge, City of Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings, Chicago
Chastidy Burns, Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender, Chicago

Historical Background of the Right to Vote
Dr. Christina Rivers, Associate Professor, DePaul University, Chicago
Hon. Jeffrey I. Cummings, U. S. Magistrate Judge, Northern District of Illinois, Chicago

Felons Disenfranchisement
Those convicted of felonies or otherwise involved in the criminal justice system face unique barriers, and in some circumstances, complete prohibitions of the right to vote. This session explores the laws prohibiting or enabling this population’s access to the vote, and the impact such laws have on communities of color.
Dr. Christina Rivers, Associate Professor, DePaul University, Chicago
Michelle Mbekeani, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Chicago
John Cusick, NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc., NY

Disability Voting Rights: Recent Litigation and Barriers to Voting for Blind People and Recent Trends after the Help America Vote Act (HAVA)
Michael Nunez, Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld, San Francisco, CA (via video)
Lou Ann Blake, National Federation of the Blind, Baltimore, MD (via video)



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 $96.25 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $192.50
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free