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.

Adoption of the IHRA “Antisemitism” Definition Is an Unconstitutional Attack on Free Speech and a Black Hole for Rule of Law, Democracy, and Reason Itself By Michael Alkaraki April 2026 It is not “antisemitic” to recognize, understand and articulate loudly and repeatedly that the Israeli conflict is expressly and exactly anti-Christian, anti-Enlightenment, anti-Western Civilization, anti-any-Civilization, anti-Intellectual, anti-Democratic, anti-American, anti-Rule of Law and worse. It’s “might makes right,” which is the opposite of reason, justice and peace.

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?

Illinois HB 1312 Amends Public Higher Education Act, Requires Procedures of Public Universities By Jessica Galanos & Heather Clingerman April 2026 On December 9, 2025, the Illinois Public Higher Education Act was amended to include a new section titled, “Immigration Status and Immigration Enforcement," requiring all public colleges and universities in Illinois to take three actions by January 1, 2026: (1) develop procedures for reviewing and authorizing requests to enter a school’s campus; (2) post immigration enforcement resources to the school’s primary website; and (3) adopt procedures to determine if an immigration enforcement activity is occurring or has occurred on the campus.

ISBA General Assembly Adopts Resolutions To Protect Noncitizens’ Constitutional Rights By Cindy G. Buys February 2026 At the ISBA Midyear Meeting in December 2025, the International and Immigration Law Section Council sponsored, and the General Assembly adopted, a resolution in support of certain actions taken by the American Bar Association (ABA) to protect the constitutional rights of noncitizens in the United States.

Judicial Mentoring and the Future of the Illinois Bench: Building Transparent, Equitable, and Merit-Based Pathways to Judicial Service By Junaid M. Afeef February 2026 Attorney mentoring is long recognized as a valuable resource for aspiring attorneys or young attorneys; however, judicial mentoring is often overlooked. Judicial mentoring is not a luxury; it is an institutional necessity. In an era of declining public trust and increasing complexity in adjudication, Illinois cannot rely on informal pipelines and inherited privilege to staff its courts.

Letter From the Chair By Jill D. Leka February 2026 A note from the Chair of the Human & Civil Rights Section Council, reflecting on current events.

Professional Independence and the Rule of Law: A Summary of the ISBA Human and Civil Rights Section Council Webinar By Ronald S. Langacker April 2026 A recap of the webinar, “Attorneys’ Professional Independence Versus Executive Orders: Protecting the Rule of Law," hosted by the ISBA Human and Civil Rights Section Council on March 4, 2026.

Upcoming CLE: Defending Democracy and Safeguarding the Rule of Law By Junaid M. Afeef April 2026 The 2026 Rule of Law Symposium, Defending Democracy: Protecting the Rule of Law, will be hosted on May 8, 2026, in Chicago, from 9:00am to 5:00pm. This program will feature sitting and retired judges, legal scholars, civil rights advocates, nonprofit attorneys, and private practitioners. Register today!