Asked and Answered

By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC

Q. I am the managing partner of a 27 lawyer insurance defense firm in Orlando, Florida. In the last seven years we have grown from 10 lawyers to 27. Our firm is very dependent upon a handful of insurance companies and we are looking at ways to diversify our practice. Our rapid growth has caused us to outgrow our management structure. A few years ago we hired our first firm administrator to manage the business operations of the firm. We are now considering establishing a business development/marketing position to help focus our business development efforts. I would appreciate your thoughts.

By Susan Zielke, ISBA Standing Committee on Delivery of Legal Services

As we celebrate Veterans Day, it is time to remember and thank the men and women who have served our country. According to the U.S. Department of Justice Access to Justice Initiative, there are more than 22 million U.S. veterans and 1.4 million service members, many of whom face serious challenges dealing with unemployment, health problems, and homelessness. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Project CHALENG survey consistently finds that four of the top 10 unmet needs of homeless veterans involve legal assistance for eviction and foreclosure prevention, child support issues, driver’s license restoration, and outstanding warrants and fines. Other top 10 unmet needs also have a legal component such as family reconciliation assistance and financial guardianships.

The ISBA Board of Governors heard from the committees regarding important items to the legal community at its meeting on Nov. 13 at the Chicago Office. It received and approved the final report from the Task Force on the Impact of Law School Curriculum and Student Debt on the Legal Profession.  Task Force Chair Justice Ann Jorgensen presented the report to the Board.

The Special Committee on Supreme Court Rule 711 presented a proposed amendment to the Rule to allow law students with a 711 license to practice with private attorneys – not just not-for-profit or governmental agencies. Committee Chair Judge Michael Chmiel presented the report. Both items were approved by the Board and will go before the ISBA Assembly on Dec. 12.

Bryan Sims, of the Sims Law Firm in Naperville and Chair of the ISBA Standing Committee on Legal Technology, shows how to save time using iPad keyboard shortcuts.

Our panel of leading appellate attorneys review Thursday's Illinois Supreme Court opinions in the civil cases Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd., v. Heritage Bank of Central Illinois and In re A.A. and the criminal cases People v. Wiliams, People v. Guzman and People v. Castleberry.

CIVIL

Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd v. Heritage Bank of Central Illinois

By Karen Kies DeGrand, Donohue Brown Mathewson & Smith LLC

Limited scope representation, a legal arrangement blessed by the Illinois Supreme Court for transactional work in 2010 and for litigation in 2013, provides attorneys the ability to represent clients for only part of a matter. Limited scope gives clients help with just what they need, at a more affordable price, and potentially brings pieces of business to attorneys that would not otherwise have arrived at their doorstep.

So how have attorneys in Illinois put limited scope to work, and what are the potential advantages and drawbacks? Michael Brennan, a Grayslake-based sole practitioner who bills himself as The Virtual Attorney (see the October IBJ for more), sees an opportunity for lawyers to develop a completely different type of product.

"It offers new ways to do things and new ways to structure a practice," he says. Partly due to services like LegalZoom and Rocket Lawyer, "The consumer base is becoming knowledgeable before they even approach an attorney," he adds. "They're coming in with a rough draft [of a document].

"Embracing that new reality is key for attorneys in 2015. Realizing it's there is the first step to realizing that the way to stay ahead in the marketplace is to embrace what these folks are doing, saying, 'Great, I'm happy you're coming in with your contract. Let me figure out the pros and cons [of the client's own work to date].'" Find out more in the December Illinois Bar Journal.

The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday announced changes to a rule that will require attorneys to go online to report their compliance with Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) requirements.

Under Amended Supreme Court Rule 796, the agency that oversees the Court's MCLE program will also be able to send notices electronically. The amended rule takes effect February 1, 2016.

The changes mark the latest example of the Court's ongoing efforts to utilize technology to make the judicial process and legal profession more efficient.

Start your holiday shopping early with Lenovo in November! You won't even need to leave the comfort of your home for these great deals! Your ISBA member benefits program brings low prices on technology that adapts to you. Take advantage of INSTANT SAVINGS up to 41% off select systems, plus get FREE shipping on all web orders.

The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Frederick H. Bates as a Circuit Judge of Cook County, At Large. This vacancy was created by the retirement of the Hon. Marilyn F. Johnson. It is effective Dec. 14, 2015 and terminates on Dec. 5, 2016.