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.

Budget Updates March 2026 A summary of federal and state budget updates that may impact resources and programs that serve the aging population.

Call for Articles March 2026 Learn how you can submit an article for the Elder Law Newsletter!

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

Court News March 2026 Recent changes at the Illinois Supreme Court include new statewide forms and amendments to Supreme Court Rules 307, 10-101, and 9, while the United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit is seeking public comments on potential changes to Circuit Rule 40(e).

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.

Health Privacy March 2026 If a covered entity creates or maintains covered SUD records, its Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) must be updated to comply with the effective date of February 14, 2026. Learn more about what a new NPP must contain.

Housing Rulemaking March 2026 On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development filed a notice of proposed rulemaking to prohibit the Secretary from making financial assistance available to persons other than United States citizens or certain categories of eligible noncitizens under specified housing programs.

Illinois Medical Debt Relief Program March 2026 Last month, Governor Pritzker announced that the State of Illinois has erased over $1.1 billion in medical debt for more than half a million Illinoisans through the Illinois Medical Debt Relief Program.

Illinois Multisector Plan for Aging March 2026 The Department on Aging recently has released EngAging Illinois: A Comprehensive Plan for Living Well, establishing a decade-long blueprint to support healthy aging in the state, while also addressing issues related to healthcare, housing, transportation, and other social determinants of health.

Important Resources and Upcoming CLE Opportunities March 2026 A compilation of resources that may be helpful for your practice or your clients, and don't miss upcoming CLE programs sponsored by the Elder Law Section Council and the Standing Committee on Delivery of Legal Services.

Mark Your Calendars… March 2026 April brings several observatory months, including National Financial Literacy Month and National Volunteer Month; holidays, such as Easter; and celebratory days, including Denim Day and National Scrabble Day.

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.

News Corner March 2026 A roundup of recent news, including Senior Illinoisans Hall of Fame, scam alerts, and an update for the National Strategy for Financial Literacy.

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.

Reverse Mortgages, Medicaid, and Help To Remain in Your Home By Leonard F. Berg March 2026 An inquiry on the ISBA Central discussion group for Trusts and Estates asked whether a reverse mortgage would disqualify a person from receiving Medicaid benefits. The simple response is that Medicaid disqualification is not automatic; however, the larger issue is identifying resources to help a client to remain in their home.

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.