Attorney Kenneth Matuszewski discusses the basics of utility and design patents, and how the two differ.

The Illinois Supreme Court announced the filing of lawyer disciplinary orders on May 21, 2019. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.

Join us June 20 in Chicago from 5 - 7:45 p.m. for ISBA’s fourth installment of the Practice Ready Series, which is designed for new lawyers working in the family law arena who are looking for a primer on evidence, best practice tips, and the latest case law updates. Complimentary pizza is offered prior to the program, giving attendees the opportunity to network with colleagues and speakers.

The Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee will hear comments June 19 at a public hearing in Chicago on six proposals, including a proposal to establish a protective order for the release of medical information and a proposal involving the use of deposition testimony by a party.

The committee will also consider proposed changes to Supreme Court rules involving petitions for leave to appeal, amicus curiae briefs, and an appendix to briefs filed by appellants.

A hot topic in Illinois, legalized sports gambling is a possibility now that the U.S. Supreme Court has declared that the federal ban on the activity is unconstitutional. While Congress has yet to act, states are free to legalize sports gambling on their own. In Zachary Bock’s May 2019 Illinois Bar Journal article, “Sports Gambling: Will Illinois Bet on It?,” Bock provides an overview of recent efforts to legislate gambling in Illinois and elsewhere. He also summarizes the wide range of decisions that need to be made before bets are placed in Illinois. Among his takeaways: Illinois should monitor states such as Pennsylvania, where high sports-gambling fees and taxes have been imposed.

Enter the ISBA Caption Contest for a chance to be published in the Illinois Bar Journal and win a Seagate portable external 4 TB hard drive or a $100 Visa gift card.

The Illinois Supreme Court on May 17 announced amendments to Rules 68, 472, and 558. The changes are effective immediately.

Supreme Court Rule 68 requires judges to file a written statement of economic interests and relationships of the judge and members of the judge’s immediate family with the Supreme Court’s clerk. The amendment requires the clerk to redact the judge’s email address contained in any statement filed pursuant to the Rule.

The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Thomas M. Cushing as an at-large Cook County circuit judge.

Cushing was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Nicholas R. Ford on April 12. The appointment is effective June 19 and will conclude Dec. 7, 2020, when the position will be filled by the November 2020 General Election.

The Secretary of State’s office receives many types of civil documents/orders from courts and attorneys regarding judgments arising from uninsured motor vehicle crashes. These documents need to be read, interpreted, and processed by employees of the Secretary of State (SOS) to determine what, if any, action should be taken against a person’s driver’s license. 

Because the SOS employees processing these documents are not attorneys and because these documents vary by county and by attorney, reading and understanding the content of the submitted documentation can be difficult. Understanding the documents is of utmost importance since action taken based on those documents can affect a person’s legal ability to drive.

You negotiate every day. In fact, your ability to effectively negotiate may be the most critical skill you possess, yet most negotiate instinctively or intuitively. Don’t miss this Master Series seminar on June 7 in Chicago or via live webcast that trains you to approach negotiations with a strategic mindset, allowing you to become a more effective lawyer. And make no mistake—no matter how much you’ve negotiated, you can still learn. Adding that one new tactic may be the difference between winning and walking away empty-handed. Topics include: the golden rules of negotiation; gaining leverage with alternatives; using objective criteria and timing to your advantage; techniques for gathering information; generating creative solutions; dealing with “negotiation games”; and ethical considerations.