Join ISBA members for a group admission on June 3, 2013

Only 50 spots are available so sign up now for the ISBA's biennial trip to the U.S. Supreme Court! For an application for admission and the event and hotel reservation form, contact Janet Sosin, jsosin@isba.org, or 800-678-4009 or 312-726-8775. Applicants will be placed on the list on a first-come basis. A special group hotel room rate is available at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel for the admittee, family and guests.

Planned Events:

• Reception Sunday, June 2, 2013:  5:30 p.m.–7 p.m. at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel for admittees and guests
• Group Admission to the U. S. Supreme Court: Monday, June 3, 2013
• Continental Breakfast at the U. S. Supreme Court for admittees and guests

To be eligible, you must be an active lawyer member of the ISBA, admitted to practice more than 3 years, and did not have any adverse disciplinary action pronounced or in effect during that 3-year period.

Click here to view photos from the ISBA trip in 2011.

(This event is sponsored by the Standing Committee on Bar Services and Activities)

ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews bills in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. In this episode he provides an overview of how to determine the application date for pending legislation. More information is available below the video.

ISBA President-elect Paula H. Holderman attended the Korean American Bar Association of Chicago's Banquet and Installation on Sept. 22 at the Union League Club. Pictured with Holderman are (from left) Judge Young Kim, Sam Park (KABA President 2010-2012) and Chief Judge James Holderman.

The Chicago Alumni Chapter of Phil Alpha Delta Law Fraternity will honor Michele M. Jochner and Hon. William H. Hooks with the 2012 Hon. Mary Ann G. McMorrow Service to the Profession Award. This ceremony will take place on Thursday, Oct. 25 at the Hotel InterContinental, 505 N. Michigan.

Join Justice Mary Ann G. McMorrow and the members of the Chicago Alumni Chapter to recognize those who will received this award named in her honor during a unique and festive evening including a light buffet, dessert and wine selection from the nationally-renowned Eno Wine Bar.

Questions? Contact Deidre Baumann at (312) 558-3119 or baumannesq@gmail.com

Reservations can be made online via PayPal at www.chicagopad.bbnow.org

The Illinois State Bar Association’s Diversity Leadership Council (DLC) welcomed six new Fellows at its meeting on Friday, Sept. 21. Four of the new Fellows were on hand for the meeting including (top photo, from left) Mehpara Suleman, Special Assistant Attorney General for the Illinois Department of Revenue, Chicago; Prof. Kim D. Chanbonpin, The John Marshall Law School, Chicago;  DLC Chair Ebony Huddleston, Farrell Hamilton & Julian PC in Godfrey; Junko Minami, Assistant Attorney General for the Illinois Attorney General, Chicago; Veronica Armouti, Sandberg Pheonix & von Gontard, Edwardsville; (back, from left) DLC Ex-officio William T. Eveland, Arnstein & Lehr, Chicago; DLC Secretary John Moore, John W Moore PC, Chicago; and DLC Vice-Chair Sandra Blake of Life Span, Des Plaines. Two new Fellows not on hand for the meeting were Carla Allen of the Allen Law Firm in St. Louis and Joslyn Anthony of Belleville.

How much is your practice worth? How can you maximize its value? How do you find buyers? Even if you aren't ready to sell, experts say the time to ask yourself these questions is now. Find out more in the October IBJ.

The Illinois State Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division is hosting a four-part series of Professional Development Lunches (PDLs) aimed at teaching law students and young attorneys practical steps in advancing their career. The next installment will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at noon at the Chicago Regional Office, 20 S. Clark Ste. 900.

This program is titled “Taking Charge of Your Legal Career.” It will feature the following panelists:

• Paula H. Holderman, ISBA President-elect, Chief Attorney Development Officer, Winston & Strawn
• Shaw Kasserman, Partner, Corboy & Demetrio
• Mary Sabatino, Partner, Wiedner & McCauliff

Cost: $10 includes lunch

Registration required at www.isba.org/sections/yld

No MCLE credit is available for this program.

For general inquiries, please contact Matt Coleman at mcoleman@ridgeassoc.com; Jessica Durkin at jessica@mdr-law.com; or Heather Pfeffer, at heather.pfeffer@gmail.com.

Asked and Answered

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

Q. We are a Toledo, Ohio law firm with 10 attorneys. We have four partners – all in their 60s and approaching retirement. While our six associates are great lawyers – none bring in business and they don’t appear to be interested in partnership. It seems that we hired a bunch of folks that just wanted jobs and have no interest in owning a law firm. I would be interested in your ideas and thoughts.

A. Years ago it seemed that all the associates working in law firms wanted to eventually become a partner in the law firm. This has changed as a result of the new mix of women and men graduating from law schools and entering the legal profession, changing attitudes toward work life balance, other opportunities outside law firms, and other variables. While partnership/ownership is still important to many – don't assume that all the associates that you hire will even want to be equity partners – especially if it means a hefty capital contribution and signing personal guarantees for a large amount of firm debt.

A question that I would ask – have you really discussed with your associates their interests in equity ownership? As a group? Recently an associate, whom the firm had written off, advised me that while he was not interested now due to his present situation in life, he would be in maybe five years – especially if others were brought in as well. He did not want to have the responsibility alone and be an equity owner by himself.

Join us in Chicago on October 10^th and/or October 11^th for an update on administrative law and rulemaking procedures. Day One (Wednesday) is devoted to issues in the rulemaking process, while Day Two (Thursday) covers administrative law proceedings.

Tailor this seminar to meet the needs of your private practice or legal work for administrative law agencies by attending one or both days!

Administrative law judges, attorneys representing clients in administrative law proceedings, and attorneys participating in the rulemaking process who attend this program will enhance their knowledge of the following intermediate topics: administrative rule and rulemaking procedures; the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules’ role; small Business Impact Statements; pre-trial procedures; administrative law cases and statutory changes; circuit court decisions and appeals; developing terms of consent orders and ensuring probation compliance; recovering attorney’s fees; and the ethical and professionalism issues an attorney must consider.

The program is presented by the ISBA Administrative Law Section and co-sponsored by the ISBA Civil Practice & Procedure Section, the ISBA Real Estate Law Section, and the ISBA Energy, Utilities, Transportation and Telecommunications Section.

 Click here for more information and to register.