The Illinois Bar Foundation (IBF) has partnered with the ISBA Mutual Insurance Company to create the ISBA Mutual Giving Circle.

This new and innovative initiative gives the opportunity to all ISBA Mutual policyholders to assist the IBF in furthering its mission of closing the gap in the civil justice system and assisting lawyers in need. The program allows ISBA Mutual policyholders to donate part or all of their dividend to the IBF upon annual renewal of their policy. Members who contribute a portion of their dividend will be enlisted in the ISBA Mutual Giving Circle while members who donate their entire dividend to the IBF will join the exclusive 100% Club. For their generous contributions, all members will receive recognition on the IBF and ISBA Mutual websites and on the ISBA blog Illinois Lawyer Now, in addition to a certificate of recognition. Members of the 100% Club also receive quarterly recognition in the Illinois Bar Journal as well as recognition in the 20 S. Clark Street offices.

ISBA Mutual Insurance Company is an Illinois malpractice insurance company created by lawyers, run by lawyers, for lawyers. Established in 1988 by the leadership of the Illinois State Bar Association, ISBA Mutual ensures Illinois lawyers have equal access to quality and fair malpractice insurance.

Kerry Bryson reviews People v. Sebby, handed down by the court Friday, June 2.

People v. Sebby

By Kerry Bryson, Office of the State Appellate Defender

On October 27, 2011, LaSalle County Sheriff's Deputies went to the Sebby residence to serve a custody order. They were looking for the defendant's mother, Bonnie, who they believed had current physical custody of the defendant's niece (L.S.). L.S.'s mother, Casey, was the defendant's sister. Casey died in a car accident a month prior, and the custody order directed law enforcement to assist L.S.'s biological father in obtaining custody of her.

Deputies had gone to the Sebby residence on two occasions during the week prior to October 27, but had been unsuccessful in serving Bonnie with the custody order. On the 27th, deputies arrived at 6 a.m., knocked on the door, and were met by a young woman who did not live at the home. The events that followed were recounted by both the deputies and the defendant and his family and friends, with each side giving a version which differed from the other, and with each version being plausible. The encounter ended with the defendant's arrest for resisting.

Ultimately, the case proceeded to jury trial. During jury selection, there were defects in the Rule 431(b) admonishments provided by the court (commonly known as the Zehr admonishments). Defense counsel, however, did not object to the defective admonishments. On appeal, the defendant relied on the plain error doctrine to challenge the unpreserved 431(b) error.

Gabriela O. Asrow of Hoffenberg & Block, LLC discusses the six types of difficult family law clients and how to work with them.

Congratulations to Rana Meents for winning two tickets to 'Hamilton: An American Musical' with suite service in Chicago!

As part of May Member Appreciation Month, ISBA members were given the option to sign up to receive daily Desk4Success Challenge e-mails — which covered decluttering techniques, how to polish your professional presence, technology tips, and more — and enter our grand prize drawing to win two tickets to see 'Hamilton' in Chicago or a $500 Visa Gift Card. 

Asked and Answered 

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

Q.  I am the founder, majority partner (80 percent), and managing partner of a 22-attorney firm in Phoenix, Arizona. The firm practice is focused in the area of healthcare. There are 12 equity partners, five non-equity partners, and five associates. I manage the firm as a benevolent dictator. I am becoming overwhelmed trying to manage the firm and practice law and I believe the firm is now at a size where others must become involved in managing the firm. I have been considering forming a committee of all the equity partners to manage the firm. Your thoughts are welcomed.

The ISBA Mutual Insurance Company has partnered with the Illinois Bar Foundation to create the ISBA Mutual Giving Circle. This program allows ISBA Mutual policyholders to donate all or part of their dividend to support the mission of the IBF. For more information on joining the ISBA Mutual Giving Circle, contact the Illinois Bar Foundation at (312) 726-6072 or IBFinfo@isba.org.

Congratulations on making it all the way through ISBA's Desk4Success Challenge!

We've shared a whole host of ideas this month covering everything from decluttering your office + mind to polishing your professional presence, and timesaving tech tips to office wellness. We hope you've found some new ideas to consider implementing in your own practice.

Here's the list of D4S posts from this month:

On July 1, 2017, a major change for calculating child support obligations takes effect. Last year, Public Act 99-764 was enacted. The legislation amended the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act to replace the percentage guideline formula with the income shares model for calculating child support. This is a significant change that brings Illinois in line with 39 other states and the District of Columbia, which already use the income shares model.

Since 1984, Illinois has used the percentage guideline formula to determine child support. It arrives at the child support obligation by multiplying the payor's net income by a statutorily set percentage, which increases based on the number of children. This model is now considered outdated "because it does not reflect actual child rearing costs or allocate those costs between the parents." (Find out more more in the December 2016 IBJ at http://bit.ly/2qYq8Rr). Rather, the old formula required payors to simply pay a percentage of their net income regardless of the actual child rearing costs. Oak Brook attorney Margaret A. Bennett believes the old model often caused acrimony between divorcing parents because it is not always perceived as equitable and accurate.

The Illinois Supreme Court today announced amendments to the January 22, 2016 E-filing Order, with the goal of further facilitating the Illinois courts' statewide move to an electronic filing system. The amendments address court and vendor fees, incarcerated pro se litigants, migration of counties with stand-alone e-filing systems, a statewide remote access system, and criminal e-filing. (For more about mandatory e-filing, see the June Illinois Bar Journal.)

Court and Vendor Fees. Effective July 1, 2017, for the Illinois Supreme Court and Illinois Appellate Court, and effective January 1, 2018, for the circuit courts, no court or e-filing vendor shall charge the filer a transaction or user fee to e-file. The supreme court’s Electronic Filing Standards and Principles (Standards) were created to govern stand-alone e-filing systems in those jurisdictions approved to e-file. The Standards prohibited courts from collecting a fee (beyond the statutory civil filing fees) but allowed for an e-filing vendor to charge a transaction or use fee to the e-filer.

The Kendall County State's Attorney's Office is seeking a full-time assistant state's attorney in its civil division. The position requires a civil litigation background, working knowledge of real estate closings and zoning issues, contract review experience, and excellent research and writing abilities. Minimum of two to five years of civil practice experience with prior government experience preferred.

Resumes and supporting documents should be received no later than June 15, 2017. Salary commensurate with experience.

Please send cover letter, resume, writing samples, and reference to:

The Office of State's Attorney
Kendall County
807 West John Street
Yorkville, IL 60560
Telephone number: (630) 553-4157
Fax number: (630) 553-4204
E-mail: States_Attorney_Web_Email@co.kendall.il.us

The Kendall County State's Attorney's Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer