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

Being conscious of our own bias matters. Most of us are not aware that we harbor subconscious associations towards others based on characteristics such as gender, race, ethnicity, age, and appearance. Such attitudes and stereotypes find their way into law offices and courtrooms every day, often resulting in disparate treatment toward others, as well as to oneself. Only by becoming more aware of these “hidden” biases can we begin to correct them. Attorneys with all levels of practice experience who attend this online seminar on June 14, 2017 will be better prepared to: recognize implicit bias in themselves, their workplace, and the courtroom; learn how to ensure that one’s personal biases do not unfairly impact the outcome of the representation of clients; recognize the psychological dynamics in areas that affect lawyers in their everyday practices; learn from specific examples of how implicit bias and cultural awareness can be used to the advantage of clients, especially in  litigation; and much more!

The seminar is presented by the ISBA Standing Committee on Racial & Ethnic Minorities and the Law. It qualifies for 2.0 hours MCLE credit, including 2.0 hours Professional Responsibility MCLE credit.

Click here for more information and to register.

The winners of our May Member Appreciation Month Custom Consultation Contest met with Jeff Krause and Jennifer Ramovs of Affinity Consulting Group last week to get some expert advice on the practice management and technology areas with which they most needed help.

We sat down with Jeff and Jenn during a break between consultations to record their recap of the most commonly asked questions during the consultations and their corresponding advice.

Click to listen to the podcast.

Topics covered include:

• Business Development
• Efficiency (How To Do More With Less)
• What Software to Use for 'X'
• Mobility
• Document Management, Storage and Sharing

We'll be back with our final post tomorrow, recapping our month of Desk4Success challenges and a special bonus!

At ISBA Mutual, we love lawyers — and we're recognizing YOU throughout ISBA Member Appreciation Month. To show our appreciation, we are giving away 25 Goody Bags which includes a brief bag with supplies for when you are on the road. Make sure you enter to win!

Here is what you can expect to discover in your Goody Bag:

• Power Bank to Charge Your Phone
• USB Drive to Save Files
• The Fundamentals of Loss Prevention Handbook
• Supplies: Notepad, Pen & Post-It Cube

30 years ago, ISBA Mutual was created with a simple mission: to be a benefit to the members of the ISBA. In keeping with that mission ISBA Mutual is proud to sponsor Free Online CLE for all ISBA members, the ISBA Solo & Small Firm Institute Series, and much more. Learn more about ISBA Mutual.

Chances are good you already know someone using an alternative desk. Today we're taking a look at some of those options along with the health and productivity benefits they may provide.

Reasons to Consider Making a Change. It's no surprise to hear that sitting for the majority of the day is unhealthy. Factoring in the number of hours spent sitting at a desk with commute and couch potato time, Americans spend about 58 percent of their waking hours in a sitting position.

There's even a name for this sedentary lifestyle — sitting disease — and it carries with it numerous health implications including a higher risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and blood clots. For some, all this sitting is also a pain in the neck...and back, literally.

Which is why so many people are turning to creative ways to spend less time sitting at their desk.

Top 5 Alternatives to Sitting in Your Desk Chair. Interested in making a change? Here are a few options to consider...

The 10th Judicial Circuit judges announce an opening for the position of Peoria County Public Defender. The individual will plan, organize, and supervise the activities of the office and will participate as trial counsel. Applicants must be licensed to practice law in Illinois, have extensive felony trial experience, and have demonstrated a reputation for integrity and equal justice under the law. Annual salary is set by statute and anticipated to be $150,000.00.

Whether emailed, mailed or hand delivered, all applications must be received in Court Administration by 5:00 p.m. on June 30,2017. A form for may obtained from the court's website. Please forward all applications to:

Rena' Parker, Court Administrator
Tenth Judicial Circuit
324 Main Street, Room 215
Peoria. Illinois 61602
Telephone: (309) 672-6066
rparker@peoriacounty.org

Applicants will also be required to make themselves available for an interview and screening process with the circuit judges of the Tenth Judicial Circuit. Applicants will be notified of the date, time, and location of the interview and details of the screening process at the close of the application phase. Applicants or their designees are to refrain from contacting individually any Circuit Judge concerning his or her candidacy or the selection process.

Erica C. Minchella discusses how to help clients with distressed real estate. 

Today we're talking about the germs living on your computer and mobile hardware, a potential health hazard that can easily be remedied. You'll definitely want to complete this D4S Challenge to clean your hardware, because by some accounts, your keyboard likely contains more germs than your toilet seat.

The Dirty Lowdown. When it comes to bugs and computers, your first thought may be addressing cyber security issues to protect your client files and data. But when was the last time you concerned yourself with the bacteria-type of bugs lurking on the outside of your hardware?

A whole host of harmful bacteria and viruses — from e.coli to staph — have been found growing on computer keyboards and mice. Shared hardware between colleagues or family members carries an even greater danger of passing along diseases.

The good news is that by cleaning your hands and your hardware on a regular basis, you can limit your exposure. And, by ridding your hardware of dirt, dust and crumbs in the process, you'll also help your computer to run better.

Spring Clean Your Hardware. Cleaning the outside of a computer or mobile device requires extreme care; the components inside your hardware can become damaged if done incorrectly.

Michael J. Tardy, director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, announced his retirement effective August 1, 2017, following a sterling 40-plus year career with the Judicial Branch. Tardy was named acting director in September 2011 and was officially appointed as director in January 2012.

"Throughout his long career, Mike has been an invaluable asset to the Supreme Court. An innovative administrator, a gifted leader, and a skillful diplomat, Mike has helped steer the Third Branch of Illinois government through some of its most difficult challenges. During a period of budgetary uncertainty, social change and rapid technological innovation, Mike has been instrumental in insuring that the judicial system remains available to all who need its protections," said Chief Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier. "He has overseen the implementation of statewide electronic filing and the introduction of new measures to improve pretrial release practices. He has helped place Illinois at the forefront of initiatives to improve access to justice, and his contributions have been critical to our implementation of new measures to insure that Illinois judges receive the best possible training and education."

Director Tardy served in both clinical and administrative positions within the Illinois judicial branch for the past 41 years. He initially worked for the Circuit Court of Cook County Social Service Department, a court agency charged with providing community-based supervision for adult misdemeanor and DUI offenders in Cook County. In his 13 years with the Cook County department, he started as a case worker and worked his way to district supervisor, managing three offices and a staff of 40.