Public Act 102-1076, which was signed by Gov. JB Pritzker and went into effect on July 1, 2022, makes a prime contractor personally liable for unpaid lower tier wages and other employee benefits, gives a variety of remedies to unpaid employees against their employer (and, now, against prime contractors), and obligates subcontractors to indemnify general contractors under some circumstances. The Act significantly impacts the risks of general contractors and subcontractors engaged in building projects in Illinois.

The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to announce the release of a Profiles in Professionalism video featuring Justice Rita B. Garman (Ret.).  

The Commission’s Profiles in Professionalism series highlights distinguished members of the legal profession at the end of their careers. Previous videos include interviews with former Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justices Mary Ann McMorrow and Thomas R. Fitzgerald. The Commission interviewed Justice Garman on June 28, 2022, just days before her retirement. 

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 July, 2022, ISBA helped 788 people in need of legal services find lawyers. 

Working with other states and entities across the American Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) is the co-sponsor of a proposed Resolution and Report in the ABA House of Delegates that seeks to reaffirm longstanding ABA policy adopted in July 2000 that sharing legal fees with nonlawyers and the ownership or control of law practices by nonlawyers is inconsistent with the core values of the legal profession. 

Don’t miss ISBA’s 4th Annual Abraham Lincoln’s Legal Legacy seminar as we take an in-depth look at how to overcome prejudice and racial discrimination in the legal profession. The program takes place at the Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, which was where Lincoln’s father and stepmother eventually moved after their one year near Decatur, Illinois, and where they remained until their death. Just eight miles east lies Charleston, Illinois, which is where Lincoln made several statements about slavery and racial equality during one of his debates with Senator Stephen Douglas. The city also served as the backdrop for at least 24 cases Lincoln had as an attorney, one of which he famously represented a slave owner attempting to have his slaves returned to him.

The Illinois Bar Journal’s August cover story examines gender biases and stereotypes in the law and features interviews with presenters of a July 2022 ISBA CLE program titled, “Techniques to Improve Gender Communication.” Moving beyond whether gender biases exist or not, the article provides pointers and examples for checking your blind spots when working with clients, colleagues, and contexts when biases are still in play. 

Read the August Illinois Bar Journal article, "The ‘Just-Right’ Conundrum." 

Chief Bankruptcy Judge Thomas L. Perkins of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of Illinois will retire on March 31, 2023. The Judicial Council of the Seventh Circuit seeks applications from all qualified applicants to succeed Judge Perkins as bankruptcy judge for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of Illinois with a duty station in Peoria, IL. Applicants must be willing to travel to other locations in the Seventh Circuit to handle cases as need arises. The term of office is 14 years, and the current salary is $205,528.00.

The current term of office of United States Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long in Urbana, llinois expires on May 3, 2023. The United States District Court is required by law to establish a panel of citizens to consider the reappointment of the magistrate judge to a new eight-year term.

Adult Redeploy Illinois (ARI) is a performance incentive funding program at the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority that empowers local jurisdictions to divert people from prison into programs that target high-risk, high-need individuals. ARI’s goal is simple: to support local stakeholders in their goal of reducing crime by using best practices.

A pro bono opportunity sponsored by the International and Immigration Law Section Council:

Many of us looked on with horror as Russia invaded Ukraine in February. As international law and immigration lawyers, we received many calls from other lawyers, friends, and family members of Ukrainians asking what could be done to help the Ukrainians driven from their homes. In April, the U.S. government announced the Uniting For Ukraine (U4U) program, which allows U.S. sponsors to submit affidavits of support for Ukrainians, who can then apply for Humanitarian Parole to enter the United States temporarily.