Asked and Answered 

By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC

Q. I am the owner of an estate planning firm in Milwaukee, Wis. I have five associates and four paralegals working in the firm. More of my time is spent on managing the practice and marketing than on servicing clients. I am trying to develop financial goals for the firm, but I am clueless as to what financial indicators or ratios I should be looking at and what constitutes good or bad performance. Anything that you are willing to share would be appreciated.

Mediation is designed to resolve differences both in and out of the courts. It requires a very different mindset than courtroom litigation. Join us Oct. 22 – Oct. 26 in Chicago for this Master Series seminar that trains practitioners to resolve conflicts in a non-adversarial, non-confrontational manner, allowing peaceful resolutions between parties.

In response to the growing need for Lawyers’ Assistance Program (LAP) services in the collar counties and beyond, the non-profit organization has opened an office in Kane County.

People seeking assistance can schedule an appointment to meet with Dr. Diana Uchiyama, a licensed psychologist and lawyer.

LAP is an organization that helps Illinois lawyers, judges, law students, and their families concerned about alcohol abuse, drug dependency, or stress-related issues like anxiety, burnout, depression, and many others. Services include individual and group therapy, assessments, education, peer support, and intervention.

The Illinois Supreme Court updated the Illinois Rules of Evidence on Sept. 28, including provisions that provide guidance for evidence derived from electronic sources.

Amendments to Rules 803(6), 803(7), and 803(8) clarify that the burden of showing “lack of trustworthiness” is on the party-opponent.

Chicago Police Commander Thomas Lemmer received a Law Enforcement Award from the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) on September 28 at the Chicago Police Department Headquarters. ISBA President James McCluskey presented the award.

The Law Enforcement Award recognizes sworn law enforcement officers for conduct that promotes justice and to distinguish those individuals whose service to the public brings honor and respect to the entire criminal justice system. 

While attorneys and law firms need to be focused on, and aware of, cybersecurity, they often must turn to specialists to ensure their devices, storage, and communication tools are adequately locked down.

Read the Illinois Bar Journal’s October 2018 cover story to learn how tech-savvy Illinois attorneys are setting up their devices, servers, cloud storage services, email, and other client communication tools to ensure they’re cyber-secure and safe from hackers. Several technology experts also provide lots of recommendations and advice.

Campaign season for the 2019 Illinois State Bar Association election begins today, October 1, for open leadership seats of third vice president and one seat each for the following Board of Governors seats: Area 2 (Circuits 17, 19 and 22), Area 4 (Circuits 10, 14 and 15), Area 5 (Circuits 5, 6 and 11), Area 7 (Circuits 1, 2 and 4), Under Age 37 – Cook County, and Under Age 37 Outside Cook County (Circuits 1-23). There are also 45 open seat

Every litigator should understand the basic principles of appellate practice. Join us on Oct. 18 in Chicago or via live webcast for a full-day seminar that focuses on the key points in the appellate process, where making the right decisions can mean the difference between winning and losing an appeal.

The seminar is presented by justices of the Illinois Supreme Court and the Illinois Appellate Court, along with leading Illinois appellate practitioners.

The Illinois Supreme Court announced today the approval of amendments to Supreme Court Rule 41, which in 1971 established an Illinois Judicial Conference (IJC) "to consider the work of the courts, to suggest improvements in the administration of justice, and to make recommendations for the improvement of the courts.” 

The amendments are designed to create a smaller, more active and engaged IJC, which will be tasked with creating and implementing a long-term statewide strategic agenda for the judicial branch.

Join us online Oct. 11 to learn how to develop the theory of your case, the Illinois Supreme Court Rules that pertain to depositions, and how to prepare your next witness with this informative online seminar that’s designed for litigators with basic practice experience. Topics include appreciating your witness’ story and the rules that apply, knowing the mechanics of a deposition, and maxims for witness preparation.