U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) today reconvened his non-partisan, statewide Judicial Review Commission to recommend Federal District Court Judges for Illinois.

Senator Kirk's Commission is responsible for the extensive review of applications, interviewing applicants, and providing informed recommendations to ensure a successful, efficient process for recommending the most qualified federal judicial candidates to the President. Senator Kirk will continue to work closely with Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), who has formed a similar committee. There are currently four judicial vacancies on the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. President Obama nominated Thomas Durkin of Mayer Brown LLP, at the recommendation of Senators Kirk and Durbin, to fill one of these vacancies. Durkin’s nomination currently awaits a confirmation vote by the full Senate.

Are you a general practitioner or criminal law attorney with intermediate practice experience? Then you won’t want to miss this informative seminar in Bloomington on January 25, which offers an in-depth overview of Illinois sentencing – from preparing for the hearing and pleas of guilty, to mandatory sentences and additional financial assessments.

Free Online CLE…. It’s ISBA’s newest member benefit to help you practice more affordably and effectively.

All eligible ISBA members can now earn 15 MCLE credit hours, including 6 PMCLE credit hours, per bar year via our online FastCLE "Free CLE Channel" at no additional cost.

Choose from over 30 hours of programs available 24/7 on our online “Free CLE Channel” on FastCLE. Using a computer with internet access, you can access these programs whenever and wherever you’d like. (Live on-site programs are not included in Free CLE at this time.)

Programs available on the “Free CLE Channel” have been chosen by a panel of ISBA members and cover a wide range of topics, and program content will change periodically.

Our 6-hour accredited Basic Skills program is also available on the “Free CLE Channel” to help our new attorney members meet their newly admitted attorney MCLE requirements for free.

For more information – including Benefit Eligibility, Programs, & a User Guide on How To Get Started – visit our Free Online CLE FAQs page.

Michael J. Tardy, Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, announced today that the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit judges voted to select Elizabeth K. Flood and Alice C. Tracy as associate judges of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit.

Ms. Flood received her undergraduate degree in 1992 from the University of Illinois, Urbana, and her Juris Doctor in 1995 from the University of Illinois. Ms. Flood is currently affiliated with the Kane County State's Attorney's Office in St. Charles.

Ms. Tracy received her undergraduate degree in 1982 from Boston College, and her Juris Doctor in 1986 from John Marshall Law. Ms. Tracy is currently affiliated with the Kane County State's Attorney's Office in St. Charles.

Thomas Q. Keefe, Jr., trial attorney and Interim Dean of the St. Louis University School of Law, will be honored at the Fourth Annual Joseph R. Bartylak Award Dinner on Friday, May 3, at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield.         

The Lawyers’ Assistance Program has been confidentially assisting Illinois lawyers, judges, law students and their families with alcohol, substance abuse and mental health issues since 1980. LAP created the Joseph R. Bartylak Award to be awarded annually to deserving ‘downstate’ volunteers. Joe Bartylak served LAP since its inception as an incorporator, volunteer, Board member and as the Associate Director from 2002-2007. Joe also served as Director of Land of Lincoln Legal Services for many years.

This year we will honor Dean Keefe for his continued support of LAP and its mission. Tom exemplifies the qualities that Joe brought to this important work.

Dinner tickets are $75 per person. Tables of 8 may be purchased for $600. If you are interested in attending, please contact Hon. James Radcliffe (ret.), Associate Director, so that we can include you on our mailing list.  He can be reached via mail at 2217 West Main Street, Belleville, IL 62226; via e-mail at jradcliffe@illinoislap.org.  and via phone at (618) 444-9706.

ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews bills in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. In this episode he covers Public Act 97-1093 (New probate fee), House Bill 5151 (Medical malpractice and tobacco litigation), House Bill 4963 (Marriage equality) and House Bill 30 (Medical marijuana). More information on the bill is available below the video.

New probate fee. Public Act 97-1093 (Silverstein, D-Chicago; Feigenholtz, D-Chicago) creates a $100 fee to open a decedent's estate to fund the State Guardianship and Advocacy Commission. It exempts indigents, the State Guardian, any state agency, local public guardian, and state's attorney. (2) It also allows the court to appoint a limited guardian for a disabled adult who lacks some but not all of the required capacity. If the court finds that the ward is totally without the required capacity, it may appoint a plenary guardian. (3) It adds criteria for the termination of the guardianship or modification of the guardian's duties. Effective January 1, 2013.

LinkedIn members know that "endorsements" are popping up everywhere. Is it OK for lawyers to make and accept them? Yes, but mind your ethical ps and qs, an authority warns in the January Illinois Bar Journal.

The Illinois Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission (“Commission”), created by the Illinois Supreme Court in June, 2012 to expand and improve access to justice in Illinois, is seeking an Executive Director.  The Executive Director is responsible for overseeing and coordinating all activities of the Commission. The Executive Director will report to the Commission Chair and be employed by The Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF). 

The Executive Director will work in close collaboration with the Chair, other members of the Commission and Commission committees, the Illinois Supreme Court, the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, volunteer staff from the CBF and other Commission partners, and any consultants retained by the Commission. The Executive Director will be based in Chicago, but periodic travel throughout the State of Illinois will be required.  The salary range is $80,000 to $90,000, based on experience, plus benefits.  Applicants should send their resumes and cover letters to Jeffrey D. Colman, Chair of the Commission, via e-mail to jcolman@jenner.com by January 11, 2013. No phone calls please.

The full job description is available here

The ISBA Election in the Spring of 2013 will elect 9 seats on the Board of Governors, 39 seats on the Assembly for Cook County and 88 seats on the Assembly for Downstate. Nominating petitions may be filed no earlier than Wednesday, January 2, 2013 and must be filed by 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 31, 2013 at either the Illinois Bar Center, 424 South 2nd Street, in Springfield or the ISBA Chicago Office at 20 S. Clark Street, 9th Floor, Chicago. Petitions must be physically submitted with original signatures. Petitions submitted via email or fax will not be accepted.

Find out more at www.isba.org/elections

Asked and Answered

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

Q. I am the chair of our firm's executive committee. Our firm - located in downtown Columbus, Ohio - has 20 attorneys. In an effort to expand our practice and talent base as well as our geographic reach we are currently considering a seasoned lateral. We have a person in mind that currently works for a very large law firm. What suggestions do you have concerning starting the discussion and process?