Five Ways to Be a More Efficient Working MomBy Nicole SartoriRural Practice, June 2026At the end of each day, a working parent may feel exhausted from trying to balance the demands of their career and their responsibilities at home. Give them (and yourself) grace, accept the outside assistance in the ways of apps and people, and incorporate these five tips into your life to ease the mental load.
ISBA Rural Practice Section Council Attorney Profile: Elizabeth Eberspacher NohrenRural Practice, June 2026Meet Elizabeth Eberspacher Nohren, an attorney and member of the Rural Practice Section Council, who primarily serves white collar business owners, understands the importance of work-life balance, and is heavily involved within her personal and professional community.
Rural Law Practice in the NewsBy Sam Ellis & Cari Brett RinckerRural Practice, June 2026Learn more about Illinois' expansion of Access to Justice funding and the Court Navigator Network; Indiana's Rural Practice Academy; Kansas's plan to offer financial incentives to entice attorneys to work in legal deserts; and collaborative and technology-based models have gained traction in rural communities.
Turn On Your Video!By Judge James A. Shapiro & Thomas DeMouyAgricultural Law, June 2026Few things are more annoying to a judge than when we can't see the litigant or lawyer we are addressing (or who is addressing us). During the height of the pandemic, there were judges who were not turning on their video as well. Without naming names, my former presiding judge once had to remind everyone in the division to turn on their videos. For judges, attorneys, and litigants, the lesson is clear: Zoom court requires the same decorum as a physical courtroom.
What Happens When Your Client “Asks Claude”: United States v. Heppner and the AI Privilege ProblemBy William M. TaschRural Practice, June 2026A federal court's written opinion holding that a defendant's AI chats were unprivileged sends a clear signal to practitioners: clients must be counseled, early and explicitly, not to discuss their cases with AI tools—and the stakes may be higher than they first appear.
What Those People Selling Generic Prompts and Skills Aren’t Telling You About CopyrightBy Carolyn ElefantRural Practice, June 2026As a general rule, only work created by humans qualify for copyright protection. Prompts alone resulting in AI-generated product don’t give humans enough control over the output to claim copyright. In other words, you’re telling the AI what you want, but you’re not controlling how it expresses that idea. The AI is. Thus, if you are using AI for marketing content for your firm, it may not be protected.
CLE CornerRural Practice, May 2026Don't forget to check out CLE's that the Rural Practice Section has collaborated on, co-sponsored, or may be planning in the future.
The Illinois Supreme Court Wants Parents to Resolve Parenting DisputesBy Sandra Crawford, J.D.Rural Practice, May 2026Mediation is a requirement when parents are involved in a parenting allocation dispute. The sooner that you explain this requirement to clients, as well as the benefits of mediation, the less clients will feel defeated or caught off guard when a court inevitably orders the parties in a parental allocation matter to mediation.
ISBA Rural Practice Section Council Attorney Profile: Jennifer L. KincaidRural Practice, May 2026This month Jennifer L. Kincaid, a partner with the firm Pepping, Balk, Kincaid & Olson, in Silvis, Illinois, is featured, providing her reflections and perspectives on her career path, accomplishments, and contributions, and what advice she would provide to attorneys interested in rural practice.
Letter From the ChairBy Angel WawrzynekRural Practice, May 2026A note from the Chair of the Rural Practice Section Council, discussing the Rural Practice Fellowship Program, discounted posts on ISBA's job board, and free section membership for the next bar year.
AI in the Small Law Firm—The Need for a Formal Written PolicyBy Edward J. Jarot, Jr. & William D. LohrmanRural Practice, April 2026For all the power that AI offers, small firms are strongly encouraged to develop and refine an express and comprehensive policy for the use of chatbots, generative AI, and the other AI tools.
ISBA Rural Practice Section Council Member Profile: Casey ParkerRural Practice, April 2026Meet Casey Parker, an attorney with more than 20 years of legal experience, a member of the Rural Practice Section Council, and Director of Career Services at SIU Simmons Law School!
Rural Law Practice in the NewsBy Sam Ellis & Cari Brett RinckerRural Practice, April 2026News updates relating to rural legal practice, including judicial branch targeting rural access to justice, ARDC updates attorney registration to map rural shortages, continued development of Illinois Community Justice Worker Program, and more!
ISBA Rural Practice Section Council Member Profile: Elizabeth M. ReynoldsRural Practice, March 2026Learn more about Elizabeth M. Reynolds, a member of the Rural Practice Section Council, who is also involved in the Workers' Compensation Section, Justinian Society of Lawyers, the LaSalle County Bar Association, the Workers' Compensation Lawyers Association, and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.
Key Issues for Attorneys Reviewing Solar Leases in IllinoisBy Ean R. AlbersRural Practice, March 2026Rural practitioners, agricultural attorneys, and those practicing real estate law should be familiar with solar leases as part of sustained development advancements across Illinois. These leases can bind property for 30-50 years (or more), and be subject to various legal and economic considerations.
Tips for Handling Civil Cases Throughout the State of IllinoisBy Dennis M. LynchRural Practice, March 2026It is becoming more common for attorneys to expand their geographical footprint, necessitating becoming familiar with many different jurisdictions. Prior to expansion, be sure to check local rules and standing orders, talk to locals, observe the judge and the community, determine appropriateness of Zoom appearances, and, most importantly, always be kind.
The Ethical and Practical Realities of Maintaining Authorized Contacts for ClientsBy Matthew BensonRural Practice, February 2026A law firm policy regarding communications with a client's designated contact may raise ethical obligations. Creating a form and a policy by which to deal with this issue is a simple endeavor; dealing with the consequences of an ethical violation is not. Proceed accordingly.
My Experience Comparing Lexis and ChatGPT Deep ResearchBy Carolyn ElefantRural Practice, February 2026As artificial intelligence develops, classic legal tools, like Westlaw and Lexis, may become less useful. In comparison to Lexis, ChatGPT Deep Research has valuable tools that could improve efficiency in your legal practice.
My Rural Ag Law Practice: So What’s in My Tech Stack?By Cari Brett RinckerRural Practice, February 2026An in-depth review of different technology that can make your law practice run smoother, from office management to AI, and everything in between.
Phone Calls Ignored, Emails Unanswered: Fixing the First Impression Problem for Law FirmsBy Mark C. PalmerRural Practice, February 2026The legal technology company Clio played “secret shopper” for its 2024 Clio Legal Trends Report. Clio reported dismal results on how law firms are doing on first impressions. The purpose was to test how easy it is for prospective clients to get in touch with law firms through phone or email, and how effectively law firms answered their questions. See how Clio's research can help you and your firm make a positive first impression on prospective clients.
Turn On Your Video!By Judge James A. Shapiro & Thomas DeMouyRural Practice, January 2026Few things are more annoying to a judge than when we can't see the litigant or lawyer we are addressing (or who is addressing us). During the height of the pandemic, there were judges who were not turning on their video as well. Without naming names, my former presiding judge once had to remind everyone in the division to turn on their videos. For judges, attorneys, and litigants, the lesson is clear: Zoom court requires the same decorum as a physical courtroom.
The Benefits of the Rural Practice Program for a Small FirmBy Kaylan HuberRural Practice, December 2025The Rural Practice Fellowship Program not only offers invaluable experience to associates and clerks who are placed with law firms throughout the State of Illinois, but rural firms can also greatly benefit from receiving a fellow placement.
