Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis has begun an application process for a judicial vacancy in the Second Judicial Subcircuit of Cook County.

The vacancy will be created by the upcoming retirement of the Hon. Camille E. Willis, effective January 29, 2017.

Under the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies are filled on an interim basis by Supreme Court appointment. Justice Theis will make a recommendation to the Supreme Court after applicants undergo a screening and evaluation process.

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 December 2016, there were 594 referrals. ISBA helped people in need of legal services find lawyers in the following areas:

Registration is now open for the ISBA Young Lawyers Division Wine Tasting Networking event. Join your peers for an evening of socializing and wine tasting! This year, there will be select French wines from Que Syrah and hor d’oeuvres. To complete the experience, the YLD will be hosting a Speed Networking event beforehand at the ISBA Chicago office (20 S. Clark St, Suite 900) scheduled from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm. Please sign up for the networking event separately.

When: Friday, February 10, 2017, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Where: ISBA Mutual Space, 20 S. Clark Street, Suite 800 (map and directions)

Michael J. Tardy, Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, announced today that the Ninth Judicial Circuit judges voted to select James G. Baber and Anthony W. Vaupel as associate judges of the Ninth Judicial Circuit.

Mr. Baber received his undergraduate degree in 1983 from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL and his Juris Doctor in 1986 from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL. Mr. Baber is currently affiliated with Whitman & Baber in Monmouth, IL.

Advancing technology has often raised ethical issues for attorneys. Not so long ago, email was suspect. Could lawyers use it to communicate securely with clients?

In response, the ISBA issued an ethics opinion - in 1996, which was confirmed in 1997. Opinion No. 96-10 states that lawyers can use email, without encryption, to communicate with clients unless enhanced security measures are required by the circumstances.

We've come a long way since CompuServ, which was cited as an email/internet provider in the opinion. Virtual law offices now enable attorneys to provide unbundled legal services to clients all over Illinois. Practice management software may be entirely managed and hosted in the cloud. Services like Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, and Google Drive allow for easy file storage and sharing - all based in the cloud. Practice management solutions like Clio are hosted entirely in the cloud. Others, like TrialWorks, offer users the ability to have their data hosted in the cloud.

Clinical Professor of Law Mark Heyrman of the University of Chicago Law School discusses recent changes in Illinois mental health law.

Improve your trial skills in this "learn-by-doing" program that covers all phases of trial work from both a plaintiff and defendant's viewpoint. Through this course, you will learn and practice new trial techniques that are most effective and consistent with the Federal Rules of Evidence and the new Illinois Rules of Evidence. Each session is audio-video taped so you can see and hear the improvements in your voice, manner and trial technique. The program has been proven to be of value whether your practice includes trying jury and non-jury cases, administrative hearings, arbitrations, or mediations. The course is taught and coordinated by Fred Lane and Scott Lane. Please Note: Scott Lane will assume a more active role in teaching during the Spring semester along with several celebrity guest lecturers.

Get the updates you need on statutory, regulatory, case law, and policies concerning Illinois state and local taxes! Tax attorneys, CPA’s practicing state tax, and attorneys with an interest in state and local tax practicing at law firms, industry, or governmental agencies – with intermediate practice experience – who attend this seminar in Chicago or via live webcast on January 27, 2017 will better understand: the legislative items affecting members of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the Taxpayers’ of Illinois; which legislative items will impact all Illinois residents; the recent policy changes at the Illinois Department of Revenue; the tax changes in Chicago and Cook County, including Chicago’s lease tax and amusement tax; the policy issues and court decisions regarding Illinois property tax; and much more!

Justice Rita B. Garman and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Charles C. Hall as a Circuit Judge in the Fifth Judicial Circuit.

Mr. Hall has been appointed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Claudia Anderson. His appointment takes effect on March 1, 2017, and concludes on December 3, 2018, when the position will be filled by the 2018 General Election.

Happy New Year and Best Wishes for a Personal and Professional 2017

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

As 2016 comes to an end we begin with a clean slate for 2017. As with anything new - the uncertain future can be scary and exciting at the same time. Year-end provides an opportune time for reflection on the past year and setting goals for the next year - both personal and professional. Goal setting can improve your personal life and your practice.