The Illinois Supreme Court is urging ISBA members to participate in a pilot program utilizing volunteer pro bono attorneys to reduce the backlog of criminal appeals that are currently pending with the Office of the State Appellate Defender (OSAD) across the state. 

In this six-month pilot program, pro bono attorneys will help reduce the backlog by substituting for OSAD in certain criminal appeals. 

Now through July 21, you can save 20% on all orders placed through the ISBA webstore. The offer includes ISBA books, client brochures, and merchandise.

Take advantage of the bookstore summer sale by visiting the ISBA Storefront and entering the coupon code "SUMMER20" at checkout.

Join us from 1 until 2 p.m. Tuesday, August 11, for the ISBA's hot-topic seminar that offers a basic overview of how COVID-19 has impacted the construction industry. Topics include: force majeure case law, force majeure clauses in construction contracts, coverage for potential COVID-19 personal injury claims, and the impact the pandemic has had on employment related policies and procedures.

There is no question that the speed of the legal acceptance of cannabis has outpaced the progress of scientific research into its use and the beneficial or harmful effects on the human body. The lack of conclusive research into the use of cannabis is illustrated by pseudoscientific claims made about the benefits of cannabis derivatives such as cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychoactive substance marketed as CBD oil that can be readily sourced at your local mall, convenience store, or health food store. Also, as Larry A. Davis shows in his July Illinois Bar Journal article, “Too High to Drive?”: The lack of science-based guidance on the safe use and proper regulation of cannabis is apparent in the inconsistent cannabis-based DUI laws that have been enacted in the course of the Illinois General Assembly’s legalization of medical and recreational cannabis. In his article, Davis explores these inconsistencies and their implications on DUI matters.

Attorney Lisa M. Nyuli of Ariano, Hardy, Ritt, Nyuli, Richmond, Lytle & Goettel, P.C. (AHR) in South Elgin was installed as president of the Illinois Bar Foundation Board of Directors.

A partner at AHR since 2000, Lisa focuses her practice primarily in family law. Prior to joining AHR, she worked as an attorney in Aurora and Geneva for 10 years. In 2008, she became a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and currently serves on its board. She is active in the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) as a member of various committees and sections and has served on the Board of Governors.

In June 2020, the ISBA joined several other Illinois bar associations and non-governmental organizations in supporting the state of Illinois’ lawsuit seeking certification and publication of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and opposing the U.S. government’s argument that Illinois (and two other states) lacked Article III standing to bring the action.  The case is Virginia v. Ferriero, 1:20-cv-00242 (U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia).

• Read the ISBA’s brief.

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 June 2020 there were more than 300 referrals given.

Here are the results for June 2020:

From humble beginnings as a child working in his parents’ grocery store in southern Illinois to his well-earned reputation as the region’s preeminent pension law attorney, Dennis Orsey will bring a wealth of experience to his term as the 144th president of the Illinois State Bar Association. Orsey assumes his role as president during historic turmoil resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn it has created.  “There are going to be lots of firsts as we try to move forward and find our way through this maze,” Orsey says. To learn more about Orsey and his vision for the ISBA, read his featured profile in the Illinois Bar Journal’s July issue.

Chief Justice Anne M. Burke and the Illinois Supreme Court announced today the amendment of Rule 711(g), which will temporarily expand the class of employers eligible to supervise new law school graduates to include private law firms and other for-profit entities.

The Illinois Supreme Court order temporarily amending Rule 711 to add paragraph (g) can be found here and the Application for Authorization to Perform Legal Services under Illinois Supreme Court Rules 711(g) is available here.  

The Illinois Judicial Conference (IJC) is pleased to announce the creation of a task force to address the ongoing challenges with resuming court operations through the next phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Court Operations During COVID-19 Task Force (Task Force) is charged with analyzing and making recommendations regarding the continuing challenges for the administration of justice resultant from the pandemic.