The Assembly meeting agenda has been posted at www.isba.org/leadership/assembly/minutes. This page is password protected and available only to ISBA members. The Assembly will next meet at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12 during the Joint Midyear Meeting at the Sheraton Chicago.
Changes to the Rules of Professional Conduct adopted this fall by the Illinois Supreme Court reflect the growing importance of technology and how attorneys use it in their practices.
The changes address outsourcing attorney work, technology and attorney competence, lead generation services, communications with potential clients, and disclosure of information to prevent conflicts of interest, among other issues. The court also adopted rules allowing lawyers to advise clients about using, growing, and selling medical cannabis even though it is a federally controlled substance (see LawPulse, December 2014 Illinois Bar Journal) and requiring prosecutors to reveal post-conviction exculpatory evidence (see LawPulse, September 2015 Journal). The majority of the changes are effective January 1. They are posted on the supreme court website.
For example, comment 8 to Rule 1.1, which addresses attorney competence, now says that attorneys must remain abreast of "changes in…relevant technology," including their risks and benefits. Charles J. Northrup, ISBA general counsel, believes that staying up to date on the technology used in your practice is the "minimum threshold." But given that the rule speaks in terms of "relevant technology," it might extend further. Find out more in the December Illinois Bar Journal.
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. I am the managing partner of our six attorney civil litigation firm in Lexington, Kentucky. We are in the early stages of merger discussions with a 14 attorney firm in Lexington. My partners have asked me how other firms integrate their assets when the merger become effective. We would appreciate your thoughts?
Michael J. Tardy, Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, announced today that the 10th Judicial Circuit judges voted to select Suzanne L. Patton as an associate judge of the 10th Judicial Circuit.
Ms. Patton received her undergraduate degree in 1996 from Illinois State University in Normal and her Juris Doctor in 1999 from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Ms. Patton is currently affiliated with the Peoria County State's Attorney's Office in Peoria.
The Illinois Supreme Court has announced the creation of uniform standards and a certification and application process for problem-solving courts across the state.
Statewide standards will bring uniformity, accountability, and administrative oversight to problem-solving courts in Illinois, where there are already more than 100 in operation and more in the planning stages.
Are you a senior attorney contemplating retirement….or a young lawyer looking to acquire a practice? Then don’t miss this one-hour online seminar on January 26, 2016 that shows you how to get started on the succession and transition process! Topics include: the approaches that other attorneys have taken to transition out of their practices, as well as what other firms are doing; the various opportunities available for young lawyers; where and when to get started, including goals, timeline, and basic valuation; how to find candidates and opportunities; the pros and cons of an internal succession or partnerships; Of-Counsel arrangements; the ethical considerations (Rule 1.17) that can arise; and much more!
For the first time in nearly a century, the fees to obtain an Illinois law license and to certify documents will increase next year.
The Illinois Supreme Court approved these fee increases and other amendments to Rule 313 during its November Term. The increases will take effect July 1, 2016.
‘Tis the Season for shopping with Lenovo! Give the gift you know they 
will open all year by shopping Lenovo’s entire portfolio of cutting edge Tablets, Laptop Convertibles, All-In-One Desktops, Accessories and more. Through the ISBA Member Savings Program, you get ongoing discounts of up to 30%, FREE shipping on all web orders, access to energy-efficient green technologies, award-winning service and limited-time special offers!
The Illinois State Bar Association’s Lawyer Finder Service provides referrals to local lawyers Mondays through Fridays. The Service makes referrals in a number of areas of law. For the month of November 2015, there were 656 referrals. ISBA helped people in need of legal services find lawyers in the following areas:
Here are the results for November 2015:
