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.

2026 ISBA High School Mock Trial Invitational February 2026 Sign up to volunteer for the 2026 ISBA High School Mock Trial Invitational by March 6, 2026!

Advocating for Yourself to Better Advocate for Your Clients: The Taboo Topic of Self-Care By Isabella Mazzanti February 2026 Next time you may feel guilty about taking time for yourself and away from work, remember that you cannot be an effective advocate without self-care. In other words, self-care doesn’t compete with hard work, it protects it.

The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me By Curt W. Ferguson February 2026 A reflection of a farmer's rags-to-riches story, and his hope for his children and grandchildren to reach success and happiness.

Black History Month February 2026 Chicago's rich history provides many landmarks that you can visit during Black History Month or any time of year: from the Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable Monument, to Douglass Park, to the Obama Kissing Rock, and so many other sites.

Call for Articles February 2026 Read about how you can submit your articles for the Elder Law Section Newsletter.

Elder Law Case Summaries: October 1, 2025, Through December 31, 2025 February 2026 A collection of case summaries that may be useful for an elder law practitioner, including developments relating to guardianships; wills, trusts, and estates; social security disability; and medical malpractice.

Mark Your Calendars… February 2026 A look ahead at March and upcoming awareness days and holidays.

My Rural Ag Law Practice: So What’s in My Tech Stack? By Cari Brett Rincker February 2026 An in-depth review of different technology that can make your law practice run smoother, from office management to AI, and everything in between.

Postal Changes February 2026 In December 2025, the U.S. Postal Service announced several changes regarding postal processes, including changes to postmark dating, making change for cash transactions, and increases in rates for certain shipping services.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program February 2026 The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has brought many changes to several areas of law and federal programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. These changes will alter eligibility requirements, potentially impacting a large swath of the nearly 2 million individuals who rely on this assistance in Illinois.

Unclaimed Property February 2026 February 1 was National Unclaimed Property Day. Unclaimed property includes forgotten or overlooked bank accounts; certificates of deposit; stocks and bonds; overpayments, refunds, and uncashed rebate checks; unpaid insurance claims; the contents of abandoned safe deposit boxes; and more.

When the Text Isn’t Clear: What Lawyers Should Know About the Canons of Construction By Jake A. Leahy February 2026 When interpreting a statute, regulation, constitutional provision, or ordinance, be sure you are familiar with how courts use canons (and when they don't), and how an argument regarding interpretation can either effectively persuade the court or stretch the law too far.