Spring is for Cirque
Celebrate the start of spring with a new Cirque production. Inspired by James Cameron's AVATAR, TORUK - the First Flight is a live experience that takes audiences thousands of years before the events in the film. TORUK is now playing nationwide and TicketsatWork.com is offering 30% savings on tickets! Meanwhile, you can head to Vegas this April and watch the visually stunning modern acrobatic spectacular Zarkana . When you do you'll get 2 tickets for just $99. Don't miss the show's grand finale on April 30! For more ways to enjoy a Cirque spring visit TicketsatWork.com.

New! Student Loan Refinancing Partnership with SoFi

Part of the Member Marketplace. Make the most of your membership.

  With the high cost of education, we understand that many of our members are burdened with large amounts of student debt. The ISBA is proud to announce a new partnership with SoFi, the market leader in student loan refinancing, to help our members tackle these issues.

$300 Welcome Bonus* via SoFi.com/ISBA

Through this partnership, you (and your friends and family) are eligible for a

$300 welcome bonus* upon refinancing a student loan through SoFi.com/ISBA.

SoFi has originated over $8 billion of loans for over 130,000 borrowers and refinances federal and/or private student loans at low rates. Benefits include:

Visitors to the Leighton Criminal Court Building will once again be able to store their cellphones in lockers starting on Monday.

Chief Cook County Circuit Judge Timothy C. Evans announced the news Friday after he requested a meeting and reached an afternoon agreement with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office and the Cook County Department of Facilities Management, which reports to the County Board President.

Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Rita B. Garman announced today the formation of a judicial screening committee for the Sixth Judicial Circuit.

The screening committee was formed for the purpose of assessing the qualifications of those persons who have applied for appointment to the Office of Judge of the Circuit Court for the Sixth Judicial Circuit created by the upcoming retirement of Judge Arnold F. Blockman on September 16, 2016. Under the Illinois Constitution, the vacancy will be filled by Supreme Court appointment.

On March 31st, ISBA co-sponsored the First Chair Society at SLU Law’s Inaugural Annual Fundraiser at iTap Soulard, the goal of which was the formation of a scholarship fund for first-generation law students at SLU Law. The First Chair Society is a student organization dedicated to creating mentoring, support, and networking opportunities for first-generation law students. About 30 students, friends, family and alumni were in attendance for a fun-filled craft beer and dessert pairing, with available appetizers and a 50/50 raffle. Thanks to our wonderful sponsors, including ISBA, the First Chair Society will be able to give out a substantial scholarship to a SLU Law student next year!

All of the ISBA's client pamphlets and booklets have been fully updated to reflect the current state of the law. These easy-to-read materials provide an efficient way to give your clients general information about common legal questions that they might have.
 
Placing the pamphlets and booklets in your office and allowing clients to take the materials that interest them is a great way to plant the seeds for future business

Order 2 or more packages and get a FREE display rack for your office*!

Browse our Client Brochures

* While supplies last

Discover what’s new in the tort law arena with this informative half-day seminar in Champaign on April 22, 2016! Tort law attorneys with intermediate practice experience who attend this seminar will better understand: the do’s and don’ts of medical expert testimony preparation; the current trends and issues with medical malpractice; the vocational expert’s role in determining key factors to your next case; how workers’ compensation issues intersect with Section 5 liens; the Illinois Lien Act and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act; how to make the most out of the mediation process; and the relationship between Medicare and tort law.

ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers Trust law (Senate Bill 2842), Personal guardian (House Bill 5924), The Tenants Radon Protection Act (House Bill 4528), Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (House Bill 4648) and Land Trust Beneficiary Rights Act (House Bill 4697). More information on each bill is available below the video.

The 1970 Illinois Constitution allows the General Assembly to exempt properties that are "used exclusively for…charitable purposes" from property taxes. Ill. Const. 1970, art. IX, § 6. How those exemptions work for not-for-profit hospitals has been contentious for a while. Cash-strapped counties want to collect property taxes; not-for-profit hospitals want to claim an exemption.

In Carle Foundation v. Cunningham Township, 2016 IL App (4th) 140795, the Illinois Appellate Court, Fourth District, raises this issue again, holding that a 2012 statute designed to clarify the definition of "charitable purposes" is unconstitutional and the hospital is thus liable for property taxes. On March 14, the Illinois Supreme Court stayed enforcement of the fourth district ruling "pending disposition of the petition for leave to appeal" to the high court. Find out more in the April Illinois Bar Journal.

Attorney Shawn Kasserman discusses 4 things you must do when filing a complaint for personal injury or wrongful death.