Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. Our firm is a 25-lawyer firm with 10 partners. Six of these partners are in their 60s. What should we be doing concerning planning the succession of these partners?
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!
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.
The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Stephanie Saltouros to the 10th Subcircuit vacancy created by the recent elevation of Judge Eileen O'Neill Burke to the Illinois Appellate Court.
The appointment is effective September 29 and terminates on December 3, 2018.
ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers the Illinois Wage Assignment Act, Unclaimed Life Insurance Benefits Act, E-business fee and Snow and ice removal.
More information on each bill is available below the video.
Next Tuesday evening, Fred Lane will start his final semester leading the "Trial Techniques" class he's been a part of since the 1950s. Lane, who donated the class to ISBA years ago, will continue as an occasional instructor for the course but will hand off the weekly responsibilities to others.
"It’s time to let others take it over," Lane said. "I want to spend more time with mediations and mediation activities. I'll still be doing the 40-hour mediation class for the ISBA with Dick Caulkins [a co-founder, with Lane, of the International Academy of Dispute Resolution.]"
"This will give me more time for my hobbies, especially magic. I've always done a lot of charitable magic gigs at hospitals and senior citizen homes and nursing homes."
Lane, who performs as The Great Fredini, typically ends each class with a magic trick.
Lane's involvement with ISBA started in 1958 thanks to then President Barnabas Sears. Sears approached Lane about joining the ISBA and Lane thought it was a great idea. After joining, Lane received a letter heralding him as the 10,000th member of the association.
"I got invited down to Springfield and received an award," Lane said. "What a great way to start off my time with ISBA."
Lane later served as ISBA President from 1985-86.
The Illinois General Assembly enacted changes in 2016 to the Illinois family laws. Divorce and custody cases are sent to mediation, but the changes in the law have effected how mediators and attorneys handle the mediation process. Don’t miss this opportunity on September 22, 2016 to hear from our panel of mediators as they discuss how the new laws have influenced their approach toward family law mediations, the skills they use during mediation, and their interaction with both parties involved in the mediation. Additional topics include: whether or not the new law has changed their mediation practice; the use of caucusing; how to explain the new law to your mediation clients; and previewing plans with the parties.
Illinois trial lawyer Al Durkin discusses considerations for making objections during trial, how and when to object, common legal basis's to object, and exceptions where normally inadmissible evidence may be admitted.
March 24, 2012 was a tragic day for the family of Molly Young, a Carbondale woman who died of a gunshot wound to the head. She was found in the apartment of her boyfriend, Richie Minton. The exact circumstances of her death were never determined.
Molly's father, Larry Young, tried to obtain information related to his daughter's death, but his Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests took a long time to process. By the time he filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Minton, whom Young believes shot his daughter, the two-year statute of limitations had expired. Young's case was dismissed as untimely.
As a result of his experiences trying to obtain information about the investigation into his daughter's death, Young began advocating for legislation changing how FOIA requests are processed and extending the statute of limitations to bring wrongful death actions. The bills, which were introduced in February, unanimously passed the House in April. Governor Rauner signed the bills into law on July 19, 2016.
