The Joint Midyear Meeting will kick off Thursday night with the opening reception and will be followed by "Pathways to the Academy: Becoming a Law Professor or Administrator." Two Master Series programs will be held on Friday and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel will be the luncheon speaker. New Chief Justice Rita Garman will speak at the Annual Supreme Court Dinner. Register at isba.org/events/midyear/13/reg See you at the Midyear!

The Illinois Supreme Court has announced that, for a limited time, Illinois-based corporate counsel who failed to obtain a required limited law license will now be able to obtain that limited license without the risk of discipline. The program is effective January 1, 2014 and will expire one year later.

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

Q. Our law firm is a New Orleans 14-attorney firm that focuses its practice on business representation in both litigation and transactional matters. We have four equity partners. The other ten attorneys are associates. We have been discussing implementing a non-equity partnership tier and how we should handle compensation and other perks. We would appreciate your thoughts and suggestions.

A. I believe that the non-equity partnership tier should be meaningful and distinctive - both internally and externally. Consider the following:

1. List non-equity partners as partners on the firm's website and other firm marketing collateral material. If you feel you must make a distinction list the equity members as managing partners.
2. Allow non-equity partners to attend some partner meetings and have input as non-voting partners into management decisions.
3. Allow one non-equity partner to be elected to the Executive Committee as a non-voting partner.
4. Allow non-equity partners to serve on firm committees.
5. Pay dues to a Country or other similar club for the non-equity partner.
6. Tie a portion of the non-equity partner's compensation to a bonus based upon firm performance.

While you want to create incentives - status and economic - for the non-equity partnership tier be careful that you don't diminish the desire for future equity partnership.

Click here for our partnership blog

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The Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar announced on Tuesday a fee increase to take the Illinois bar examination.

The fee to take the bar exam will increase from $400 to $500. A late filing fee will increase from $600 to $700. The fee for those applying late at the last possible deadline will remain at $1,000.

The fee increases are effective January 1, 2014, and will begin for those applying to take the bar examination in July 2014.

Refine your legal writing skills with this Master Series seminar that teaches you how to draft concise language, avoid ambiguous wording, and identify which information is essential for inclusion in your writing!

Gone are the long, flowing e-mail messages with pretty graphics and lots of attachments. Today’s communication – almost 100% electronic – is immediate, brief, clear, and powerful. Designed to boost your instant (or near-instant) message drafting skills, this program examines the ways in which lawyers’ traditional training in writing and communication ill-prepares them for this new age of “short and to the point.” Lawyers are communicating with clients and each other far differently than their mentors did – and far differently than how they were taught in law school – and many need help making the transition. Join nationally acclaimed speaker, Steven Stark, at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers on December 13^thas he teaches the principles of good legal writing in these areas: technical writing; memos; letters and e-mails; litigation writing; and contract drafting.

The program qualifies for 3.0 hours MCLE credit, including 3.0 hours approved Professional Responsibility MCLE credit.

Click here for more information and to register.

Our panel of leading appellate attorneys review Thursday's Illinois Supreme Court opinions in the civil cases Wells Fargo Bank v. McCluskey, Hartney Fuel Oil Company v. Hamer, The Board of Education of Roxana Community Unit School District No. 1 v. The Pollution Control Board, Schultz v. Performance Lighting, Inc., Rogers v. Imeri and the criminal cases People v. Radojcic and People v. Pikes.

Love it, hate it, or none of the above, the Affordable Care Act took center stage in October. What does it mean to law firms as employers and lawyers as consumers? Read about the law and how some lawyers are navigating it in the December Illinois Bar Journal.

The Supreme Court of Illinois announced the filing of lawyer disciplinary orders on November 20, 2013, during the September Term of Court. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.

ISBA President Paula H. Holderman interviews Marie Sarantakis, a law student at John Marshall Law School. They discuss online reputation management, volunteering and why it is important for young lawyers to get involved in the ISBA.

Don’t miss this opportunity to polish your presentation skills, while learning tried-and-true techniques for becoming a speaker your audience won’t forget!

As an attorney, it is imperative that you posses the skills necessary to effectively communicate with a multitude of audiences – from clients and juries, to opposing counsel, CLE classrooms, and the media. Join us at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers on December 13^thfor this fun-filled presentation by nationally-recognized speaker, Steven Stark, and improve the communication skills that you need when engaged in many of the varied and numerous tasks that comprise the practice of law! Learn how to capture your audience’s attention, exude confidence in front of a crowd, convey the right message as a lawyer, master your personal delivery style, and handle hostile questions without hesitation. Topics include: the key ingredients to outstanding oral prose; successfully conveying your message; presenting an oral argument before a judge; appearing on television and before the press; controlling your nerves; and much more!

The program qualifies for 3.0 hours MCLE credit, including 3.0 hours approved Professional Responsibility MCLE credit.

Click here for more information and to register.