The 2017 Illinois Juvenile Court Act calls for extra diligence by attorneys who represent juvenile delinquents and attorneys who prosecute them or represent law enforcement agencies. These changes better protect minors' constitutional rights, but also place additional burdens on law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and defense attorneys. In their June Illinois Bar Journal article, “What Did You Say?! The Changing Landscape of Juvenile Custodial Interrogations,” Emily Fitch and Brenda Mathis examine the standards that apply when attempting to interrogate juveniles charged with crimes and the nine exceptions that exist in the new Act.

The age-old idiom “hope for the best and prepare for the worst” can be applied to assessing risks to a law firm.

To plan for recovery, attorneys should understand what risks threaten their practice, and how to determine their potential impact in order to mitigate risks.

The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Pretrial Practices is hosting a series of public hearings as it works toward its final report and recommendations.

The commission would like to gather input from Illinois stakeholders regarding pretrial reform. An additional hearing has been added for Monday, June 24, at the Freeport Public Library, 100. E. Douglas Street, in Freeport from 5 until 6:30 p.m.

ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers involuntary commitment, advance directives, special interrogatory, the Mechanics Lien Act, the Home Repair and Remodeling Act, indigent fees and costs, judicial admonishment in sentencing, and the LLC Act cleanup.

Discover the pros and cons, risks and rewards related to the inclusion of dispute resolution and ADR provisions in construction contracts with this live webinar on June 25. Litigation attorneys and transactional lawyers with intermediate practice experience in the construction law realm who attend this online seminar will better understand: how dispute resolution is used in the construction context; what to consider when choosing dispute resolution clauses in construction contracts; the major distinctions between litigation and arbitration in construction disputes; the commonly used language in construction contracts (and the consequences of using this language); the differences between neutrals and judges in relation to the parties analysis of who will be deciding a dispute; the concerns with multiple dispute resolution proceedings; and the interplay of contract language with real world problems.

As interest rates rise, more sellers are financing the sale of their real estate at lower-than-market rates and with less money down. Transactional attorneys are therefore being asked with some regularity to prepare installment agreements by which the client is either purchasing property from a seller on an installment basis or selling property and self-financing the purchase over time. For more than 30 years, real estate attorney Gary Gehlbach has routinely refused to structure transactions using installment contracts. To learn why he recommends an outright sale structured on purchase-money notes and mortgages (or trust deeds), read his article, “A Better Approach to Installment Contracts,” in June’s Illinois Bar Journal. 

The Illinois Supreme Court issued three opinions on Thursday, May 23. The ISBA's panel of leading civil attorneys reviewed the opinions and provided summaries. In LMP Services, Inc. v. City of Chicago, the court ruled that Chicago’s food truck regulations are constitutional. In Roberts v. Board of Trustees of Community College District No. 508, the court dismissed retaliatory discharge and whistleblower claims brought by a former Malcolm X College employee against City Colleges of Chicago. In Doe v. Coe, the court weighed in on the elements of torts of negligent and willful and wanton hiring, retention, and supervision.

The Illinois Supreme Court on May 23 announced amendments to Rules 767 and 773, which are effective July 1.

Amendments to both rules pertain to costs associated with attorney reinstatement following disbarment or suspension.

Don’t miss this in-depth review of the basic technology tools that lawyers use every day! Join us June 20 in Chicago or via live webcast for this full-day seminar that addresses the technology tools that lawyers use on a daily basis, particularly the core Microsoft Office applications, PDF files, cloud applications, and the ethics of technology. Any attorney who uses Microsoft and PDF technology, has concerns about the using cloud-based applications, or needs information on legal technology ethics issues who attends this program will better understand: the essentials of Microsoft Word – from page numbering to metadata; the basics and benefits of document assembly software; uses, risks, and benefits of PDF files; what cloud technology means and how it works; how to get the most out of Microsoft Outlook to efficiently manage email; the intersection of ethics and technology, and how to best interpret the standard of “reasonability” under the Rules of Professional Conduct; and why PowerPoint and Excel may be two of the most useful Microsoft Office suite applications.

Congratulations to Kenneth Baker for winning a Visa gift card in the ISBA's 2019 Member Appreciation Month Instagram Contest! 

As part of Member Appreciation Month, we asked members to post photographs of something that represents how they reduce stress and stay healthy on their Instagram accounts. 

Kenneth's post included the caption, “Great way to relieve stress - picking mushrooms with man's best friend!"