Get the best practice tips and practical tools you need to run your law office efficiently and profitably with this full-day seminar in Fairview Heights on September 11, 2015! Gain a better understanding of: how to maintain your practice during an emergency; how to manage the financial side of your practice – from trust accounts and office expenses, to accounts receivable and payable; the human resources issues you need to be aware of; how document assembly can help you run your practice more efficiently; how to plan for the future given the current legal landscape; and much more!

The program – which is presented by the Illinois State Bar Association and sponsored by the ISBA Mutual Insurance Company – qualifies for 6.75 hours MCLE credit, including 6.75 hours Professional Responsibility MCLE credit (subject to approval).

Click here for more information and to register.

The Illinois Bar Foundation (IBF), the charitable arm of the Illinois State Bar Association, has awarded its 2015 Post Graduate Legal Fellowship Program grants to three 2015 law school graduates.

The Fellowships, which provide clinical support for three law school legal clinics, were awarded this summer to Calli Leigh Burnett, of Chicago; Bryan McIntyre, of Urbana, and Marishonta M. Wilkerson, of Milwaukee.

The foundation launched its Post Graduate Legal Fellowship Program in 2014 to fund public interest jobs for recent law graduates, according to Shawn Kasserman, IBF president. The foundation will award $25,000 to each of the three fellowships. The law schools will each contribute a stipend to help fund the positions.

Wilkerson will serve at NIU Law’s Zeke Giorgi Clinic in Rockford; McIntyre will work in the Civil Litigation Clinic at the University of Illinois; and Burnett will support the Community Law Center Clinic at Loyola University Chicago.

Join your peers for an afternoon of socializing and horse racing at this annual event! 

When: Saturday, September 12, 2015, Noon – 6 p.m.

Tickets will be available for pick up at 11:15 AM on race day at the will call window, Grandstand Entrance (east side off of Wilke Road entrance).

Where: Arlington Park Racecourse, Arlington Heights - ISBA will be at umbrella covered picnic tables located near the 1/8 mile pole.

Cost: $9.00 per adult, $2.00 per youth age 4-17. Tickets are complimentary for children 3 and under. General Admission cost includes admission to the park, a daily racing guide, and a fabulous day of Thoroughbred racing! Lunch is not included.

Deadline: Register by Wednesday, September 9, 2015. Ticket refunds are no longer available after Wednesday, September 9, 2015.

For information on permitted and prohibited items in the park, please visit: http://www.arlingtonpark.com/plan-your-visit/general-information/park-policies

Questions: Please email Melissa Burkholder at mburkholder@isba.org or Blake Howard at bhoward@isba.org.

ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers Lifetime driver’s license revocation (Public Act 99-290), Health Care Power of Attorney (Public Act 99-328), Disabled adults (Public Act 99-302), Trusts and Trustees Act (Public Act 99-337), Elder abuse (PA 99-272), Boundary-line agreements (Public Act 99-292), Municipal Code violations (Public Act 99-293). More information on each bill is available below the video.

In a case that has drawn national attention, the Illinois Supreme Court recently ruled that Comcast must release to the plaintiff identifying information about the till-then anonymous online defendant in a defamation lawsuit.

In Hadley v. Subscriber Doe, the court considered what a plaintiff must show to compel the release of an Internet subscriber's identifying information. The court's ruling focuses on the tension between the right of an individual to speak anonymously and the "necessity" component of Illinois Supreme Court Rule 224, which allows a plaintiff to conduct discovery to identify a responsible party. It ultimately held that if a defamation claim can survive a section 2-615 motion to dismiss, then a plaintiff has demonstrated necessity sufficient to trigger Rule 224. See the August Illinois Bar Journal for more on the ruling.

On August 3, On Monday, the attorney for the defendant filed a motion to stay with the U.S. Supreme Court to preserve his client's anonymity.

The Legislative Audit Commission will accept applications through August 19, 2015 for appointment as the Auditor General of the State of Illinois. The Auditor General is a constitutional officer charged with the audit of public funds of the State.

Applicants must be experienced and competent in governmental auditing, financial management, or government operation and knowledgeable of state government. The current salary is $154,127.  The present Auditor General will retire on December 31, 2015.  

Complete the Application for Auditor General (found at http://ilga.gov/commission/lac/lac_home.html and together with a cover letter and resume submit all materials to arrive no later than August 19, 2015 to:

AuditCommission@ilga.gov
or
Legislative Audit Commission
622 Stratton Building
Springfield, Illinois 62706

Asked and Answered

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

Q. I am the managing partner in an eight attorney general practice firm in Tulsa, Okla. A year and a half ago we hired our first legal administrator to run all business aspects of our practice. We decided that we wanted more than an office manager - we wanted an administrator to serve in the capacity of a COO. We hired an experienced administrator at a good salary, developed a well-conceived job description, and the work began. My partners and I are frustrated. We have to follow-up on projects and task assignments, do not see the leadership that we had hoped for, and have concerns that our administrator may not be up to the tasks. We just realized we have not had a performance review since he started. I would appreciate your suggestions.

A. Sounds like you did a good job clarifying the role and initially laying out your expectations. However, you cannot stop there. You have not conducted a performance review and I suspect that he has received little feedback regarding his performance. During the first year feedback needs to be ongoing with a mini review every 90 days and ongoing coaching and follow-up. You need to conduct a review with him ASAP, layout expectations and compare to actual performance, discuss gaps, and reach an agreement as to a plan with milestones and dates to resolve performance gaps. Then you will have a better picture as to whether your administrator was the right hire or not.

Click here for our blog on career management

Amendment to Supreme Court Rule 39 takes effect Sept. 1, 2015

The Illinois Supreme Court has announced a rule change that will allow associate judge applicants to submit their documents electronically.

The change does not require applicants to electronically submit their applications and supporting documents. The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) will continue to accept paper copies of applications.

“Allowing electronic applications for those seeking associate judgeships is the latest step in the Court’s continuing effort to utilize technology to make the entire judicial process more efficient and accessible," Chief Justice Rita B. Garman said.

"Recent applicants for vacant judgeships have told us that the current paper-based application system is cumbersome and costly, and this amendment to Rule 39 is responsive to their input. In addition, the electronic application process will benefit not only those individuals who apply for associate judgeships, but also the judges who review the applications.”

Prior to the amendment, those seeking to apply for appointment to an associate judge vacancy in Illinois had to go the Supreme Court's website, download a 16-page PDF application, fill in the blanks, sign it, print it and then mail or hand-deliver two signed, original applications to the AOIC.

Starting on Sept. 1, applicants will be able to electronically sign their applications and securely email them to the AOIC.

"By allowing an application to be electronically completed and emailed to the Administrative Office, it will streamline and improve the process for applicants; and in turn will greatly reduce the amount of paper used," AOIC Director Michael J. Tardy said.