Red Mass to be held on October 4

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Chris Bonjean

The Catholic Lawyers Guild of Chicago cordially invites you, your family and other guests to attend the 82nd Annual Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit, traditionally known as the Red Mass.

  • Time/Date: 5:15 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016
  • Place: Holy Name Cathedral, 730 N. Wabash, Chicago,
  • Principal Celebrant and Homilist: Archbishop Blase J. Cupich

A reception following the Red Mass will be held at Loyola University, 111 E. Pearson, 16th Floor. Judge Virginia M. Kendall will be honored as the 2016 Catholic Lawyer of the Year and James J. Convery will receive the Catholic Lawyers Guild Special Service Award. Cost for the reception is $75. RSVP at www.chicagoredmass.org.

September Family Fun offers from TicketsatWork

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Morgan Yingst

These offers are provided to you by Illinois State Bar Association.
There's so much to enjoy – look for great deals on hotels, shows, events, tours and attractions nationwide! Planning a long weekend getaway with the family or friends? Check out offers from Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando, Six Flags and more.

Don't forget, TicketsatWork members have access to great local deals, discounted movie tickets, rental cars and much, much more!

Champaign County's state's attorney explains her approach to last summer's flag burning arrest

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Mark S. Mathewson

On July 4, 2016, the Urbana police arrested Bryton Mellott for burning the American flag. The day before, Mellott had posted a picture of himself burning the flag on Facebook, adding the hashtag #ArrestMe.

The post received attention across social media, including some threats directed at Mellott. In a statement to the News-Gazette, the Urbana police said that because some of the threatening comments mentioned Mellott's employer, Mellott was taken into custody for his own protection and that of others (see http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2016-07-05/update-urbana-flag-burner-wont-be-charged.html).

The decision was made to arrest him under Illinois's flag desecration statute (720 ILCS 5/49-1). But flag burning is protected speech under the First Amendment. In Texas v. Johnson491 U.S. 397 (1989), the Supreme Court held that Texas' similar flag desecration law was an unconstitutional prior restraint on speech, albeit potentially unpopular speech.

ISBA network to be down starting at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Chris Bonjean

All ISBA systems will be down beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15. During this downtime the ISBA website and email lists will not be available. You will also not be able to log into Fastcase or online CLE. The systems are expected to return to normal operation by 8 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 16. If you will need to access Fastcase during this time, please follow the instructions below.

SALT and John Marshall Law School to host Breaking In and Staying in Legal Academia

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Morgan Yingst

Join the Society of American Law Teachers and the John Marshall Law School for Breaking In and Staying In Legal Academia. 

Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 │ 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. │ Reception to Follow

The John Marshall Law School

315 S. Plymouth Court 

Chicago, Illinois 60604

Event: Room 409 | Reception: 3 East

CLE: Solo & Small Firm Practice Institute Series: A Balancing Act: Technology and Practice Management Solutions

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Morgan Yingst

As any solo or small firm lawyer can attest, there are two parts to running a practice: the client part and the practice management part. Paying more attention to one part over the other creates an imbalance that can cost you a reference, ruin your reputation, or worse, land you in hot-water. Join us in Springfield for this full day seminar on September 30, 2016 that offers you the information and advice you need to successfully run the practice management part of your career, including: what you need to know to use technology in the litigation environment; how to manage the life of your practice from start to finish; how to avoid buying new software by using what you already have; whether or not practice management software is right for you; how to ensure the success of your practice through regular maintenance; how to deal with the stresses of the profession; how to keep good clients and avoid bad ones; how to successfully use Excel, Adobe, and geographical information systems in your practice; how to handle the intergenerational workplace; and much more!

Attend the Delivery of Legal Services Committee’s free CLE on October 13

Posted on September 13, 2016 by Morgan Yingst

By Marisa Wiesman, Director of Volunteer Services, Prairie State Legal Services

Are you looking for something to do on October 13? I thought so. The ISBA Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services is pleased to invite you to its annual CLE in honor of Celebrate Pro Bono Week. This year’s CLE, Limited Scope Representation: When Less is More, will be held on October 13, 2016 from 12:50 pm - 4:45 pm. Participants may attend in person at the ISBA regional office in Chicago or via live webinar from the comfort of your desk. Registration is free to attorneys who agree to accept one pro bono matter in the next year.