Join us online on June 27, 2017 to learn how non-competition agreements are being overused for low-level employees who are not exposed to the employer’s trade secrets and confidential information, as well as what the local and national conversation has to say about these unfair practices. Employment attorneys, litigators, attorneys representing corporate employers, and others interested in the labor practices who are at a basic or intermediate level of experience and who attend this seminar will better understand: current statutory and regulatory initiatives; the legal framework that currently exists in the law regarding non-competition agreements; employer best practices regarding the use of non-competition agreements; and much more!  

The seminar is presented by the ISBA Standing Committee on Racial & Ethnic Minorities and the Law and co-sponsored by the ISBA Labor & Employment Section, ISBA Corporate Law Departments Section, and ISBA Business and Securities Law Section. It qualifies for 1.0 hour MCLE credit.

Click here for more information and to register.

Congratulations to our Member Appreciation Month IllinoisLawyerFinder Giveaway Contest winners! Chelsea Hubbard is the grand prize winner of the iPad Pro 12.9". Alan Klein, Judy Steele, and Cheryl Rayner were also randomly chosen as runner-up winners, each taking home a $100 Visa Gift Card. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Hon. Russell W. Hartigan, of Western Springs, arbitrator, lawyer, and retired Cook County judge, will be installed as president of the Illinois State Bar Association at the organization’s 141^st Annual Meeting on Friday, June 16 at The Abbey Resort in Fontana, Wis.

During his year as president, Judge Hartigan will concentrate on several initiatives. He is dedicated to helping lawyers manage their practices. He will assist solo practitioners and small firms with succession planning through programming aimed at lawyers nearing retirement age to help them think about what’s next for their practices and clients. In addition, he plans to expand the association’s law firm management programming and resources, which includes launching the ISBA’s management and technology web portal, PracticeHQ.

To help the legal profession combat gun violence, Judge Hartigan will establish a blue-ribbon committee to recommend an appropriate role for the ISBA in educating others on and addressing the issue.

A third initiative will focus on new and young lawyers. He plans to address law student debt and practice-oriented training in law school by working with the ISBA Council of Illinois Law School Deans. He is also committed to recruiting young attorneys to ISBA membership.

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Chicago area immigration attorneys have reportedly seen an uptick in both demand for their services and immigration scams (http://bit.ly/2pw699g). Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan issued a press release warning immigrant communities about potential fraud (http://bit.ly/2qzEDev). Her office recently sued southwest suburb-based Norma Bonilla, who is accused of immigration fraud (http://cbsloc.al/2r18JYe). Bonilla has allegedly defrauded at least four people who were seeking immigration law services. Bonilla is not an attorney.

How do people fall prey to these scams? In some cases, their misunderstanding based on the legal conventions of their native cultures may lead them to fall victim to the unauthorized practice of law.

In some countries, for example, notaries ("notarios") are authorized to provide some basic legal services, while in the U.S. they are merely authorized to witness signatures. As such, it is understandable that some immigrants may assume that a notary can assist them with legal services, including immigration services. According to an FAQ published by the ISBA Task Force on Unauthorized Practice of Law, in addition to licensed attorneys, not-for-profit entities registered with the Board of Immigration Appeals can provide immigration law services (http://bit.ly/2ps85mA).

Find out more in the June Illinois Bar Journal.