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.

Become an Illinois Bar Foundation Champion By Jessica R. Durkin February 2026 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 February 2026 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.

Editors’ Note By William J. Anaya March 2026 A note regarding the current issue and a reminder to register for the award winning Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section's Spring Conference!

Editors’ Note By William J. Anaya February 2026 A preview of the topics covered in this month's issue of the Environmental Law Newsletter.

Energy Is the New Currency: Powerful Tax Incentives in Data Center Site Selection By Eric & M. Anderson, Laura Moran, & Scott S. Nelson March 2026 For decades, the calculus behind data center site selection revolved around the familiar checklist: property tax abatements, sales tax exemptions, investment credits, and job creation incentives. But the new era of hyperscale computing and artificial intelligence has rewritten the playbook. In today’s landscape, megawatts matter just as much as marginal tax rates.

EPA and Corps of Engineers Release a Proposed New Definition of “Waters of the United States,” Limiting Federal Jurisdiction By Karl R. Heisler, Peter Hsiao, Douglas A. Henderson, Zaheer H. Tajani, Sydney Weiss, & Brittany Shaar February 2026 In the continuing battle to define “waters of the United States,” the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a pre-publication Proposed Rule on November 17 redefining WOTUS.

ISBA’s Environmental & Natural Resources Law Section Council Receives ABA Award for 2024 Annual Conference February 2026 Don't miss the 24th Annual Environmental and Natural Resources Law Spring Conference on May 21 and 22, 2026!

A Little Bit, on Little Bits of Microplastics By William J. Anaya March 2026 Microplastics have been making big waves in the headlines, but what are microplastics and how concerned should we be about the presence of microplastics in our environment? Sound science and high-quality toxicity data are essential to understanding the potential toxicity of microplastics. While the presence of microplastics may be concerning, the toxic effect of microplastics has yet to be determined.

Oil and Gas Law Ownership Rights and Surface Issues By David M. Foreman March 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.

Recent Rule Making Matters of Note February 2026 Learn more about recent rules regarding environmental law, including regulation of five phthalates and one dozen 1,3-butadiene uses, proposing "threshold" risk for fomaldehyde, and more.

“Rewilding” in Illinois: 20 ILCS 805/805-135 By William J. Anaya March 2026 Learn more about "rewilding," P.A. 104-62; effective January 1, 2026, a new statute that seems largely symbolic rather than regulatory in its current form.