Join us via the Internet on March 5, 2018 for this informative program that provides a roadmap for attorneys working in DUI litigation involving blood draw evidence.

The Illinois Supreme Court handed down two opinions today, Friday, Feb. 16. The court considered whether the Cook County Circuit Court erroneously entered a finding of a good-faith settlement agreement under the Joint Tortfeasor Act in a personal injury action arising out of a car accident in Antonicelli v. Rodriguez. In People ex rel. Hartrich v. 2010 Harley-Davidson, the court addresses the application of the excessive fines clause of the Eighth Amendment to the civil forfeiture of personal property. Leading appellate attorneys Karen DeGrand and Joanne Driscoll summarize the cases below.

The 2018 ISBA High School Mock Trial Invitational, which is co-administered by the ISBA and the Illinois Trial Team of the University of Illinois, will be held March 24-25 at the University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign, Illinois.

This program provides an opportunity for students to learn what it is like to prepare and present a legal case before the Illinois Courts. Participating students gain a better understanding of the justice system and improve their knowledge, skills, and ability to articulate in a reasoned, thoughtful manner.

We welcome new volunteers and send a huge thank you to those who have donated their time in the past! The Mock Trial Invitational would not happen without volunteers like you, who have made this program a success for over 30 years.

If you are interested in volunteering, fill out the online volunteer form by March 9. Additional mock trial information and resources are available on the ISBA website. 

Recently, there have been many changes to the rules governing the legal profession and judiciary in Illinois.

PILI seeks a program manager who will report to the executive director and be based in central Illinois. The program manager will serve as a member of PILI’s Programs Team, with primary responsibility for overseeing PILI’s statewide efforts to expand and enhance pro bono. The ability to do regular statewide and limited national travel is required.

In much of Illinois outside of Cook County, there is only one legal service agency serving low-income people with civil (non-criminal) legal needs. Due to ethics rules, these organizations sometimes have to turn a potential client away due to a conflict of interest. Hundreds of potential clients are denied services in Illinois every year for this reason.

There are a number of scenarios in which a conflict of interest may arise that would prevent the local legal aid office from providing assistance. One example would be where that office is already providing representation to another party in the same legal matter.

Asked and Answered

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

Q. I am the firm administrator with a ten attorney firm in Long Beach, California. I really enjoyed reading your blog post Law Firm Compensation – Bonuses for Staff, which discussed how to measure performance for bonuses. I really like the approach of establishing goals at the beginning of each year — two for the firm, and two that are personal — and tying bonuses to measurable outcomes. Have you used other approaches other than percentage of salary? Can you give additional examples of specific goals that would be appropriate for a bookkeeper, office manager, or firm administrator?

It's likely you have attended a "webinar" recently for a remote CLE seminar or training program. While webinars have introduced us to attending a seminar from the comfort of our own office (or couch, for that matter), you can use the same technology for meetings with clients, co-workers, and colleagues.

A web meeting is displayed on a computer screen (maybe with a shared PowerPoint or other presentation). The audio portion is either transmitted simultaneously over the telephone or by using the computer's microphone and speakers.

While social media provides new ways for attorneys to communicate and collaborate, it also presents ethical challenges that may result in an attorney or judge being LinkedIn with the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission or the Judicial Inquiry Board.