2026 Articles

2025 Joint Midyear Meeting Photos February 2026 The Illinois State Bar Association and the Illinois Judges Association proudly co-hosted the 2025 Joint Midyear Meeting on December 11–12 at the JW Marriott Chicago, bringing members of the legal community together for two days of connection and collaboration.

Acquiring Battery and Energy Lease Expertise for Leasing and Real Estate Sales Agreements By Alan E. Stumpf March 2026 Energy storage contract offers related to real estate are becoming more common, whether in the contexts of wind energy leases, solar energy leases or specific negotiations to lease or purchase real estate for battery storage. We need to be thinking about contract responsibilities and technology related to energy storage on real estate.

Advance Your Practice at the 32nd Annual Agricultural Law Seminar By Ted M. Niemann January 2026 Illinois State Bar Association members are invited to attend the 32nd Annual Agricultural Law Seminar—a premier continuing legal education event designed for attorneys practicing in or interested in the dynamic field of agricultural law. This year’s seminar takes place on Friday, February 6, 2026, at the Doubletree by Hilton in Bloomington, IL, running from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Ag Law in the News By Sam Ellis & Cari Brett Rincker April 2026 Earlier this year, the Trump Administration accelerated efforts to reshape federal pesticide regulation and liability standards; the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continue to attempt to define "waters of the United States"; Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Agriculture hosted the annual Illinois Agriculture Legislative Day last month; and more!

Ag Law Section Council Member Profile: Kyle M. Tompkins April 2026 Learn more about Kyle M. Tompkins, a practicing attorney with over 12 years of experience, a member of the Agricultural Law Section Council for over five years, and a central Illinois native who understands agriculture law's importance to everyday life.

CLE Chair Report By Andrew G. White March 2026 A recap of the 32nd Annual Ag Law Seminar, held on February 6, 2026, in Bloomington, Illinois.

Custom ChatGPTs: Navigating Legal and Ethical Compliance for Public-Facing AI Tools By Carolyn Elefant April 2026 Custom versions of ChatGPT for public use can raise legal and ethical considerations, including applications of these tools, ethical AI disclosure, attorney-client relationship, confidentiality, the unauthorized practice of law, and attorney supervision. While it is necessary to consider these factors, there are practical solutions you can implement to ensure compliance and protect both users and legal practitioners.

FSA Information Corner By Nancy Metzker-Handegan April 2026 Limited liability companies can be utilized as an estate tool to reduce estate tax, centralize management of farmland, and prevent partitions; however, changes under the OBBBA could limit payments due to each member of the limited liability company or shareholder of a corporation. These changes may impact payments due and owing after October 1, 2026.

Key Issues for Attorneys Reviewing Solar Leases in Illinois By Ean R. Albers March 2026 Rural 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.

Multi-Factor Authentication Is No Longer Optional for Legal Professionals By Brandon P. Woudenberg January 2026 This article emphasizes that multi-factor authentication (MFA) is essential for legal professionals, not just a 'best practice.' It highlights the increasing cyber threats in the legal industry and the need for attorneys to protect clients' data. It offers simple MFA options and discusses the risks of not using this security feature. Ultimately, the minor inconvenience of setting up MFA is worthwhile for the protection it provides against data breaches, reputational damage, malpractice claims, and disciplinary issues.

The New Receivership Act: Claims Filing, Automatic Stays, and Receivership Sales of Real Estate By Paul Peterson January 2026 This article higlights some of the key sections of the Receivership Act that a real estate practitioner or mechanics lien claimant should consider, including purpose, scope, notice, status of receiver as lien creditor, sale of real estate, contracts, injunctions, claims bar date, and discharge of the receiver.

Oil and Gas Law Ownership Rights and Surface Issues By David M. Foreman February 2026 Historically, an owner of real estate, in fee simple absolute, was thought to own a pie shaped cubit, extending from the center of the Earth, all the way up to the heavens. This traditional rule of ownership is a gross over simplification which, as we shall see, does not truly apply in the case of oil and gas.

Profile of Ag Law Section Council Member: Cari Rincker By Sara Peska & Ean R. Albers February 2026 Get to know Cari Rincker, Agricultural Law Section Council Member and Editor of the Section Newsletter.

Profile of Ag Law Section Council Member: Garrett Thalgott By Cari Brett Rincker January 2026 This month's Agricultural Law Section Council highlight features Garrett Thalgott, an attorney with the Illinois Farm Bureau.

Report From the Chair By Garrett Thalgott March 2026 A note from the Chair of the Agricultural Law Section Council.

Top 5 Email Management/Organization Tips for Outlook By Kimberly A. Hilton February 2026 Managing email can be overwhelming, especially when you’re juggling multiple tasks or handling a high volume of messages. Fortunately, Microsoft Outlook offers several powerful features to help streamline your workflow, improve productivity, and ensure you never miss an important task or email. Here are my top five email management tips for Outlook to help you stay organized and efficient.

Unique Statutory Liens in Agriculture for Uncertain Times By Kyle Tompkins March 2026 In Illinois, the law provides for several unique protections for agricultural stakeholders during difficult times through agricultural liens, including Landlord Lien, Agister's Lien, Thresherman's Lien, and Warehouseman's Lien.

Unlocking the Potential of Generative AI for Lawyers: Red Flags and Best Practices By Carolyn Elefant February 2026 Seven common issues experienced when using Generative AI, and seven best practices for incorporating Generative AI into your legal practice.

What Is the Remote Practice of Law? By Stephen B. Cohen April 2026 In this article, the author emphasizes and describes how a major event affecting all aspects of society has changed many traditional aspects of the practice of law.