Pamela J. Kuzniar, a Deerfield resident and partner in the law firm of Kuzniar & Simons, P.C., with offices in Chicago and Waukegan will receive a 2014 Board of Governors Award from the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) at the organization’s 138th Annual Meeting on Friday, June 20, at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, Wis.

The award recognizes Kuzniar for her long-standing and exemplary contributions to the association and the legal profession.

For the past seven years, Kuzniar has been the volunteer coordinator of the Continuing Legal Education programs for the ISBA’s Family Law Section Council, one of the bar’s largest councils. She has taken the lead in selecting quality topics and speakers for each program. She also helped re-establish the ISBA’s “destination” CLE programs presented outside of Illinois.

This year, Kuzniar also played a crucial role in the analysis of proposed legislation that would significantly amend the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution Act. Under her guidance, the council provided an in-depth analysis and recommended positions regarding the legislation.

Marron A. Mahoney, of Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood, and Brian T. Monico, of Lake Forest, co-chairs of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Task Force on New Lawyers, will receive a 2014 Board of Governors Award from the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) at the organization’s 138th Annual Meeting on Friday, June 20, at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, Wis.

During the past year, Mahoney and Monico accepted the challenge from ISBA President Paula H. Holderman to address one of the most pressing issues facing young lawyers in the legal profession: staggering law school debt and reduced employment opportunities.

The Task Force developed a comprehensive report with concrete recommendations. They included the development of an ISBA microsite for new lawyers and a “speed mentoring” program for law student and veteran ISBA members.

The Illinois Supreme Court has announced the appointment of Associate Judge David L. Jeffrey as a Circuit Court Judge in the 15th Judicial Circuit. Judge Jeffrey was appointed to fill the Resident Circuit Court vacancy in Stephenson County created by the announced retirement of Judge Theresa L. Ursin effective August 31, 2014.

Professor Mark E. Wojcik of The John Marshall Law School will receive the 2014 Community Leadership Award from the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) at the organization’s 138th Annual Meeting on Friday, June 20, at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, Wis.

The award recognizes individuals for their efforts to foster understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and their issues of concern.

A former member of the ISBA Board of Governors, Wojcik has been a longtime force in the fight to achieve understanding of and equity for those in the LGBT community through his participation in local, state and national organizations. He founded the first gay rights organization at The John Marshall Law School and the first gay rights committee of the Chicago Bar Association. He served on the ISBA Standing Committee on Sexual Orientation Law, he was a Commissioner of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, he chaired the Association of American Law Schools Section on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues, and he is a Past President of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago. He was also inducted into the City of Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.

Daniel N. Hoffman, chief of police of the Campton Hills Police Department, received a 2014 ISBA Law on June 5, during a luncheon of the Kane County’s Mental Health Protocol Committee at the Kane County Judicial Center. ISBA 3rd Vice President Vincent F. Cornelius was on hand to present the award.

Chief Hoffman was nominated by Judith W. Brawka, chief judge of the 16th Judicial Circuit in Kane County.

The ISBA’s Law Enforcement Award was created to recognize sworn law enforcement officers for conduct that promotes justice and to distinguish those individuals whose service to the public brings honor and respect to the entire criminal justice system. It is given to recognize those who truly excel in the field of law enforcement. In addition to Chief Hoffman, four other law enforcement officers from judicial districts throughout Illinois will be honored.

Chief Hoffman was recognized for an entire career devoted to community safety and service, initially as a commander in the Aurora Police Department and more recently, in Campton Hills. As a member of the Kane County Mental Health Task Force, he helped develop Crises Intervention Team protocols and training, which give first responders the tools to calm persons in a mental health crisis.

The federal appeals courts based in Chicago and St. Louis are seeking an attorney to coordinate budgeting for private lawyers appointed under the Criminal Justice Act to represent indigent defendants.

The case-budgeting attorney will work with judges, defense counsel and court officials to recommend budgeting procedures and policies and to help draft forms used by CJA lawyers handling capital and other high-cost cases. The attorney also will develop case budgets and maintain a central database of the budgets and expenditures for CJA lawyers.

The attorney will be based in Chicago but will travel to locations within the 7th and 8th circuits. The 7th Circuit covers Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, while the 8th Circuit covers Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The case-budgeting attorney will be appointed to a three-year term, which could be extended. The salary is $100,690 to $157,000, depending on the attorney’s experience and qualifications.

An application form is available on the 7th Circuit’s website at ca7.uscourts.gov and the 8th circuit’s website at ca8.uscourts.gov. The form is due by June 12.

Applications should be sent to the 7th Circuit’s executive, Collins T. Fitzpatrick, 219 S. Dearborn St., Room 2780, Chicago, IL 60604.

108 PILI Interns & Fellows Serve at Legal Aid Organizations Across Illinois This Summer

The Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) has announced its Law Student Internship & Graduate Fellowship Class of 2014. PILI is funding 43 Law Student Interns representing 34 law schools from across the country to work at 23 legal aid organizations across Illinois. These PILI Interns have been selected out of over 350 law student applicants from over 70 law schools. Each PILI Intern will serve 400 hours over the summer, together contributing 17,200 hours of legal services on behalf of thousands of low-income individuals and families. PILI provides supplemental educational, networking and mentoring opportunities. See a full list of our 2014 Law Student Interns on our website at www.pili.org/internships/current-pili-interns.

Of these Interns, 13 hold Named or Honorary Internship positions, created by special funding commitments from individuals and groups dedicated to promoting public interest law. Many Named Internships support a specific cause. For example, the ISBA Young Lawyers Division has for years sponsored one PILI Intern through its Children’s Assistance Fund to address the legal welfare of children. Other PILI Interns are named in honor or memory of champions for service and philanthropy to our legal aid community, including Kimball & Karen Anderson of Winston & Strawn LLP and Jerome Gilson of Brinks Gilson & Lione.

Q. Can I charge a client for services such as making copies?

A. IRPC 1.5 addresses fees and expenses. Comment [1] states that “lawyer may seek reimbursement for the cost of services performed in-house, such as copying, or for other expenses incurred in-house, such as telephone charges, either by charging a reasonable amount to which the client has agreed in advance or by charging an amount that reasonably reflects the cost incurred by the lawyer.”  1.5(b) also notes that fees should be communicated to the client before representation. See the full text of 1.5 for further explanation.

ISBA members can browse past ISBA Ethics Opinions, access our Ethics Hotline, and other resources on the ISBA Ethics Page.

ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. In this episode he covers Administrative review and attorney’s fees (Senate Bill 2829), Condominium Property Act (House Bill 4783), Presumptively void transfers (Senate Bill 1048), FOIA (House Bill 3796), The Residential Real Property Disclosure Act (Senate Bill 2597), Common Interest Community Association Act (Senate Bill 3057) and Service of process. (Senate Bill 3286). More information on each bill is available below the video.