Section Newsletters

Articles From Julia Jensen Smolka

Judgments in Illinois: What Attorneys Need To Know About Confession, Revival, and Enforcement By Julia Jensen Smolka Commercial Banking, Collections, and Bankruptcy, November 2025 Familiarize yourself with collection procedures to best serve your clients.  This article examines judgment collection, including confessions of judgment, vacating a judgment, reviving dormant judgments, bankruptcy, and pre-judgment attachment.
1 comment (Most recent November 19, 2025)
Beware AI “Hallucinations”: Bankruptcy Court Sanctions Counsel for Fake Citations in In re Martin By Julia Jensen Smolka Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, October 2025 Avoid the pitfalls of AI, and the sanctions that were imposed in In re Martin, by familiarizing yourself with 6 practical takeaways and recommendations for practitioners when employing AI usage in your practice. 
Representing Creditors in Bankruptcy: Key Considerations for Effective Representation By Julia Jensen Smolka Commercial Banking, Collections, and Bankruptcy, March 2025 This article examines prohibited activities under Section 362(a), including the nuances of filing mechanics liens, modifying the stay, the implications of preferences, and the motions creditors may file to protect their interests.
If the Dress Fits, You Must Acquit: A Trial Lawyer’s Tale By Julia Jensen Smolka Commercial Banking, Collections, and Bankruptcy, February 2023 A member of the section council shares a memorable case that went to trial.
Chair’s Corner By Julia Jensen Smolka Commercial Banking, Collections, and Bankruptcy, January 2021 A note from the chair, Julia Jensen Smolka.
Back to basics: How to revive a judgment By Julia Jensen Smolka Commercial Banking, Collections, and Bankruptcy, May 2018 A brief summary of how to revive a judgment.
Refresher in confessions of judgment By Julia Jensen Smolka Commercial Banking, Collections, and Bankruptcy, July 2017 This article is meant to be a refresher on how you bring a Confession of Judgment action. As any good lawyer will say, you need to start with the statute.
Understanding the Illinois Commercial Real Estate Broker Lien Act By Julia Jensen Smolka Real Estate Law, September 2015 A look at the basics of the Act works.
Cannot get satisfaction? Try Accord and Satisfaction… By Julia Jensen Smolka Commercial Banking, Collections, and Bankruptcy, August 2009 In these tough times, many clients are coming to the office with checks where either they, or their clients, are attempting to use accord and satisfaction as an inexpensive way to settle disputes.

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