2025 Articles

Ag Law in the News By Sam Ellis, Regan McGuill Booth, & Cari Brett Rincker December 2025 A summary of recent updates that impact the practice of agriculture law, including a resolution that reopened the federal government and extended the 2018 Farm Bill, launch of Screwworm.gov, an executive order eliminating tarrifs on certain imported agricultural products, and more!

Ag Law in the News By Sam Ellis, Regan McGuill Booth, & Cari Brett Rincker November 2025 A compilation of developments that may impact the practice of agricultural law, including USDA legal battles, land use, agroterrorism, antitrust, and more!

Ag Law in the News By Cari Brett Rincker, Sam Ellis, & Regan McGuill Booth September 2025 Updates regarding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, cattle and emissions regulations, USDA news, immigration, employment and labor, and antitrust that may impact your practice in the field of agricultural law.

Become an Illinois Bar Foundation Champion By Jessica R. Durkin December 2025 At least twice a year at ISBA Annual and Midyear Meetings, we are pitched by colleagues and the Illinois Bar Foundation to become a “Champion.” But what is a Champion really, and what’s in it for us?

Bock Food Law & Policy Conference Agrivoltaics Observations By Alan E. Stumpf December 2025 Esoteric subjects for most Illinois attorneys were presented in Carbondale, Illinois at the Simmons School of Law on September 19, 2025. However, after listening to the presentations (available online through ISBA) the information presented gives us a legal and policy background helpful to know when counselling our clients’ legal matters that relate to agricultural production.

Bock Food Law & Policy Conference Cell-Based Meat Observations By Alan E. Stumpf November 2025 While not directly related to agricultural law, the detailed presentation of the industrial and legal view of the cell-based meat industry presented at the Bock Food Law & Policy Conference mirrors the issues of federalism seen today in the egg production and pork industries.

Enforceability of Non-Compete Agreements in Illinois By Ariana Thao & Lawrence Stark September 2025 Non-compete agreements between employers and employees are enforceable in Illinois under the Illinois Freedom to Work Act (IFWA), but only under specific conditions. As of January 1, 2022, such agreements are restricted based on employee salary (minimum $75,000/year), employment conditions (e.g., not enforceable against those laid off due to COVID-19-like events unless certain payments are made), and employee categories (e.g., union members or most construction workers are excluded).

Events Corner By Andrew G. White September 2025 Learn more about events hosted by the Agricultural Law Section Council!

Formalities for Family Farm Estate Plan – The Promissory Note By Alan E. Stumpf April 2025 This article contains checklists for practitioners to use when drafting the family loan component of an operating agreement buyout or land sale.

Frequently Asked Questions and Suggested Best Practices Related to Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Legal Profession By Carolyn Elefant September 2025 AI in the practice of law is becoming unavoidable--familiarize yourself with obligations that may arise with usage of AI in your practice, including copyright, plagiarism, disclosure, privacy and confidentiality, duty to supervise, and legal ethics.

Get Credit for Your Research By Jeffrey Mollet & Cari Brett Rincker September 2025 Submit your articles to the Agricultural Law Section Newsletter for publication!

ISBA 2025 Solo and Small Firm Conference Photos November 2025 The Illinois State Bar Association hosted the 2025 Solo and Small Firm Conference: The Innovative Lawyer: Smart Strategies for Small Firms in the Age of AI on September 25–26 at the Embassy Suites in Naperville, IL.

Join Us at the ISBA & IJA Midyear Meeting—a Taste of What’s Ahead By Ted M. Niemann November 2025 The Joint Midyear Meeting, hosted by the Illinois State Bar Association and the Illinois Judges Association, is a can't-miss event, offering CLE programs on democracy preservation and the ethical use of AI; a Member Appreciation Reception featuring Glow Bingo and prizes; the Illinois Bar Foundation for the Champions Breakfast; the IJA/ISBA Joint Midyear Meeting Luncheon; and a Holiday Reception honoring the Supreme Court of Illinois. Register today!

LAWPAC Needs You! April 2025 The Illinois Lawyers’ Political Action Committee (LAWPAC) needs your help to fulfill its mission to support the legislative goals of the ISBA and Illinois’ legal community.

My Experience Comparing Lexis and ChatGPT Deep Research By Carolyn Elefant November 2025 As 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 Rincker December 2025 An in-depth review of different technology that can make your law practice run smoother, from office management to AI, and everything in between.

Pending Illinois Legislation on Foreign Ownership of Property By Angela Peters September 2025 A summary of pending legislation that may impact the legal framework of foreign land ownership in Illinois.

Profile Highlight of Ag Law Section Council Member Interview: Alan E. Stumpf By Cari Brett Rincker November 2025 Learn more about Alan E. Stumpf, who has been a member of the ISBA Agricultural Law Section Council for 9 years.

Profile of Ag Law Section Council Member: Christopher W. Byron December 2025 Learn more about Christopher W. Byron, an Agricultural Law Section Council Member and an attorney with 3 decades of experience!

Report From the Chair By Garrett Thalgott November 2025 A note from the Chair of the Agricultural Law Section Council, including a save the date for the 32nd Annual Agricultural Law Conference.

Report From the Chair By Garrett Thalgott September 2025 A note from the Chair of the Agricultural Law Section Council regarding the upcoming bar year.

Resource Corner By Nancy M. Handegan September 2025 A quick look at some guidance the Farm Service Agency has provided, which can serve as a valuable resource in your practice.

Rural Illinois Data Center Boom: Landowners, Are You Ready? By Ruth Robinson April 2025 Tech companies, including Meta, are pressing into unexpected parts of the country, on the hunt for huge swaths of flat land that have access to natural gas and transmission lines. Sleepy parts of Illinois, with large tracts of farmland that have nearby infrastructure to support the huge electricity demand that data centers require, are being shopped right now. The boom is on.

Rural Law Practice in the News By Regan McGuill Booth, Sam Ellis, & Cari Brett Rincker November 2025 Learn more about recent events that may be impacting the rural practice of law, including increasing legal deserts, incentives to bring attorneys to rural practice, and community-centered legal models.

Will There Be a Legislative Response to the Illinois Supreme Court’s Decision Addressing Riparian Rights Along Non-Navigable Streams? By John H. Henderson April 2025 This article provides an update on the fate of HB1568 and discusses a very similar bill introduced in the current legislative session.