The purchase of a home with hidden defects has a body of law of its own. At its center is the Residential Real Property Disclosure Act. While it is commonly known that sellers must disclose certain defects, the nuances may be less known. What type of defects must be disclosed? Can a seller give an example of the problem, as opposed to an exhaustive list? Can a seller rely on the real estate agent’s advice about what to disclose? What if the sellers deny that they were aware of the defects? What if the sellers claim they believed the issue had been repaired? In his October Illinois Bar Journal article, “Full Disclosure,” Joseph Rubas answers these questions so that you can help your new-homeowner clients.

The Illinois Judicial Ethics Committee (IJEC), a joint committee of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, and the Illinois Judges Association, has released answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) as a resource for judges and attorneys seeking election or retention to judicial positions in Illinois. 

The resource provides answers to common practical and ethical questions asked by judicial candidates. Recognizing that many candidates may be unfamiliar with the provisions of the Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct and Illinois Election Code that govern judicial elections, the FAQs are designed to help those who plan to run for judicial office conform with the applicable requirements.

Attorney Adam Stivers discusses the problematic rate of attorney suicide and mental health issues, and what lawyers can do to feel healthier.

Learn how to help combat the problems facing Illinois girls with this half-day seminar from noon until 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25 at DePaul University that explores human trafficking, abuse and neglect, and the juvenile justice system. Attorneys with a basic level of practice experience in criminal law, child law, family law, or immigration law who have an interest in assisting girls in crisis and who attend this seminar will better understand: the roles played by different entities within the child welfare and juvenile justice system; the unique problems facing girls within these systems; how to improve these systems in an effort to better protect the interests of girls; the challenges facing society in combating human trafficking; how to help victims of human trafficking and the services available; and what we can do moving forward to help girls in crisis.

The ISBA recently launched an updated website designed to improve the user experience. It features a streamlined and simplified navigation structure to help you find the resources you need. Now we want to hear from you. Tell us what you think about the redesign by taking a brief survey.

Survey responses from ISBA members received before October 17 with a name and email will be entered in a drawing for a $100 Visa gift card!*

Take the survey!

Minors have no common-law or constitutional right to be tried in juvenile court. Accordingly, there are a number of statutory options the state has under the Adult Code of Corrections to either try or sentence minors as adults. But all is not lost, according to veteran Cook County Public Defender Kathy Roller. In her October Illinois Bar Journal article, “Transfers, EJJs, and Defense Attorneys, Oh My!,” Roller leads a master class in fighting for a juvenile client who is facing the possibility of adult prison.

"There is a lot of work to be done in a short period of time and a child’s life hangs in the balance,” Roller writes. “The pressure and stress can be significant. Give this work the respect it deserves. So, panic once. And then let it go. Focus all of your energy on winning the case.”

By Michael G. Bergmann

Coordinated by the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service, Pro Bono Week is intended to inspire even greater pro bono participation by lawyers throughout the nation. This initiative provides an opportunity for legal organizations across the country to collaboratively commemorate the vitally important contributions of America’s lawyers and to recruit and train the many additional volunteers required to meet the growing demand. The Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service undertook this initiative to provide a format for showcasing the incredible difference that pro bono lawyers make to our nation, to our system of justice, to our communities and, most of all, to the clients they serve. For more information, visit www.celebrateprobono.org.

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 September 2019 there were more than 700 referrals given.

Here are the results for September 2019:

Join us from 1 until 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, for a live webcast focused on mediation. Most cases settle and many settle through mediation. But it's not always easy and, at times, the parties can be very far apart—so far apart that it feels like an impasse. Don’t give up hope. A skilled mediator can often bridge that chasm between the parties. What are the strategies for bridging that chasm? Hear from two highly successful professional mediators as they discuss their strategies for closing the divide between parties. And consider settling the next case you think is at an impasse.

The Illinois Judicial Conference (IJC) has announced its three-year strategic agenda for the Illinois judicial branch.

The IJC has created a mission statement, vision statement, and core values for the branch, along with strategic goals and strategies designed to achieve them. The agenda will serve as a guide for the future of the branch as it begins the implementation phase.