The U.S. Attorney's Office Central District of Illinois is accepting applications for an assistant United States attorney opening in its Criminal Division to be located in Springfield or Urbana.

Applicants must be United States citizens or nationals; submit to a background investigation, credit and tax checks, and drug test; be registered for selective service, if applicable; and have a J.D. degree and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction).

The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) is hosting an online town hall event from 11 a.m. until noon on Monday, July 20, to discuss its Intermediary Connecting Services Proposal.

The proposal, which was published in February, is aimed to increase opportunities for lawyers to connect with clients and market their services to the Illinois public, while also fashioning a regulatory framework for connecting services. 

The Illinois Supreme Court today amended Rules 11 and 131.

Rule 11 was amended to explicitly provide that "[a] self-represented litigant who has an e-mail address must also include the e-mail address on the appearance and on all pleadings filed in court to which documents and notices will be served in conformance with Rule 131(d)." Prior to the amendment, self-represented litigants were allowed, but not required, to provide e-mail addresses on appearances and pleadings.​ Rule 131 was simply updated to reflect the changes to Rule 11.

In the ISBA’s latest Quick Takes for Your Practice video, attorney Sivonnia DeBarros provides six quick tips to keep in mind when representing business clients.

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.