Child Law

Achieving Wellness, Work-Life Balance, and Long-Term Success in Your Law Practice

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Master Series presented by the Illinois State Bar Association


1.50 hours MCLE credit, including 1.50 hours Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Mental Health & Substance Abuse credit


Original Program Date: Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­May 14, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Are you feeling overwhelmed by the unrelenting demands of your legal career? If so, then you are not alone. Don’t miss this opportunity to listen as our renowned speaker, Doug Brown, addresses the unique challenges attorneys face in our modern world. Together, we'll explore transformative strategies to reduce stress, find balance, and rekindle your passion for law. Attorneys who attend this seminar will learn how to:
  • Balance high standards with realistic goals;
  • Establish firm work-life boundaries (while continuing to achieve your goals);
  • Navigate firm culture securely and confidently; and
  • Prioritize your physical and mental health.
About the Speaker:
Doug Brown, J.D., is the Chief Learning Officer at Summit Success, LLC. As an executive coach, law practice consultant, and growth strategist he shares practical strategies to promote sustainable law firm growth and lawyer well-being. An authority implementing positive change, his experience includes private and in-house legal practice and business marketing, sales, human resources, finance, and information technology. He also served as chief executive of the Connecticut Bar Association and chief operating officer for a chain of fine jewelry stores. As Program Chair and Professor in the MBA Program for The Malcolm Baldrige School of Business at Post University, he designed and delivered MBA programs in leadership, entrepreneurship, finance, and innovation specifically for experienced executives.

Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $52.50 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $105
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

The Nuts & Bolts of Parenting Coordinators

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Child Law Section
Co-sponsored by the ISBA Family Law Section


1.50 hours MCLE credit, including 1.50 hours Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Professionalism, Civility, Legal Ethics, or Sexual Harassment Prevention credit


Original Program Date: April 17, 2024
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­May 8, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Illinois’ new Parenting Coordinator Statute (Ill. Sup. Ct. Rule 909(b)) was designed to help uncooperative parents make parenting decisions, communicate effectively, comply with parenting agreements, and protect the children from parental conflicts; however, the rule has resulted in many counties adding their own local rules regarding coordination, which has been established and practiced in Cook County. Don’t miss this in-depth discussion on how parenting coordination works, how practitioners can utilize parenting coordinators for their case, and how parenting coordinators differ from Guardian ad Litems. Additional topics include:
  • How mental health practitioners (who serve as parenting coordinators) see their role;
  • How judges use the recommendations of parenting coordinators;
  • How the parenting coordinator is used in the courtroom; and
  • How practitioners and the judiciary view the role of the parenting coordinator.


Program Coordinator:
Kelly Thames Bennett , Greenberg & Sinkovits, LLC, Chicago
Deanna L. Hoyt , Strauss & Hoyt, LLC, Libertyville

Program Chat Moderator:
Tiffany M. Alexander, Alexander Law, LLC, Lake Forest

Program Speakers:
Hon. Pamela E. Loza , Circuit Court of Cook County, Chicago
Jamie D. Pellar , LCSAW, BCD, CYT, Chicago
Pamela Rak, Pamela Rak DCSW, LCSW, P.C., Chicago
Erin M. Wilson , The Law Office of Erin M. Wilson LLC, Chicago


Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $52.50 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • Non-Member Price $105
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

Baz v. Patterson

Federal 7th Circuit Court
Baz v. Patterson
Civil Court
International Child Abduction Remedies Act
Citation
Case Number: 
No. 23-3407
Decision Date: 
April 30, 2024
Federal District: 
N.D. Ill., Eastern Div.
Holding: 
Affirmed.
Judge: 
WOOD

Plaintiff filed a lawsuit under the International Child Abduction Remedies Act seeking to compel the defendant, a U.S. citizen, to return their six-year-old son from Illinois to Germany. The district court found that the child’s habitual residence was in Germany and that retention in Illinois violated the plaintiff’s rights of custody under German law and granted the plaintiff’s petition. The Seventh Circuit stayed the trial court's order pending appeal and affirmed, finding that the district court properly exercised its jurisdiction under the ICARA that the record supported its decision. (LEE, concurring and HAMILTON, dissenting)

In re Nr. R.

In re Nr. R.
Illinois Appellate Court
Civil Court
Foster Home Placement
Citation
Case Number: 
2024 IL App (1st) 231670
Decision Date: 
Friday, April 26, 2024
District: 
1st Dist.
Division/County: 
6th Div./Cook Co.
Holding: 
Vacated and remanded.
Justice: 
C.A. WALKER

Intervenors, who were foster parents, appealed from a trial court order finding that a foster home placement was not necessary and appropriate to the permanency goal of two minors. On appeal, intervenors argued that the circuit court denied them of the right to be heard at the permanency hearing, that the trial court’s placement finding was against the manifest weight of the evidence, and that the trial court’s denial of the motion to stay the change of placement was an abuse of discretion. The appellate court reversed the circuit court’s denial of the motion to vacate and to stay the change of placement, vacated the circuit court’s permanency findings, and remanded for a new hearing with direction that the court allow the foster parents to be heard. (ODEN JOHNSON and HYMAN, concurring)

The Nuts and Bolts of Juvenile Transfer Hearings: Kids in Adult Court

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Child Law Section
Co-Sponsored by the ISBA Mental Health Law Section and the ISBA Criminal Justice Section
2.0 hours MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Tuesday, June 14, 2022
MCLE Accreditation Extension Period: ­­­­­­­March 29, 2024 - March 28, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Don’t miss this introductory look at juvenile transfer hearings and how to best represent your adolescent client throughout the process. Child law attorneys, mental health lawyers, and criminal justice practitioners with basic practice experience who attend this online seminar will better understand:
  • The strategies to address adolescent brain development and the impact of trauma on youth;
  • The 2.0 hours MCLE credit statutory and case law surrounding transfer hearings;
  • How to advocate for youth to remain under juvenile court jurisdiction;
  • How to use experts when preparing and developing arguments regarding youth transfer; and
  • The judge’s perspective in evaluating transfer decisions.

Program Coordinators:
Josette C. Allen, Smart Law LLC, Lisle
Hallie M. Bezner, Bezner Law, Oak Park
Elizabeth (Betsy) Clarke, Juvenile Justice Initiative of Illinois, Evanston
Scott F. Main, Illinois Juvenile Defender Resource Center, Chicago
Bridgett L. Schott, Lee County State's Attorney's Office, Dixon


Program Moderator:
Scott F. Main, Illinois Juvenile Defender Resource Center, Chicago


Case Law, Statutes, and Issue Preservation: An Introduction
Salome N. Kiwara-Wilson, Office of the State Appellate Defender, Springfield

Adolescent Brain Development and Impact of Trauma on Youth
Dr. Eugene Griffin(ret.), Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago

Resources for Youth in the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice
Robert Vickery, Deputy Director of Programs, Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, Chicago

Perspectives from the Bench
Hon. Stuart P. Katz, Circuit Court of Cook County, Chicago


Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $70 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit
    • Non-Member Price $140
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students - Free

Time Management Series: Get Organized! Fight the Paper - Organize Your Digital Matter File

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Master Series presented by the Illinois State Bar Association


1.0 hour MCLE credit, including 1.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Professionalism, Civility or Legal Ethics credit


Original Program Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­April 2, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


To efficiently process daily tasks & emails, you must be organized! In modern times, that means you must have a digital matter/case file that is complete and organized. In other words, to find answers to questions and to solve problems for clients, we must be able to efficiently find answers and information. Emails can’t be stuck in users’ inboxes. Some documents can’t be in one place, and other documents in another place. We also need effective and secure remote access when working from the road or home. In this seminar, learn how to centralize & securely maintain paperless files!

Program Speaker:
Paul Unger, Affinity Consulting, Ohio
About the Speaker:
Paul is a national speaker and author. He coaches lawyers how to be more efficient with time management by offering customized workshops. When he isn’t speaking or writing, he is usually performing technology assessments throughout the United States and Canada. Paul began his career working for the Governor of Ohio, and then went on to law school. He practiced law for six years, specializing in litigation and bankruptcy, before starting a legal technology consulting company with partner Barron Henley in 2000. Paul’s superpowers are cleaning up messes and turning digital chaos into well-organized machines. His favorite part of his job is helping people get organized and focused so they can find more enjoyment in their lives and jobs.

Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $35 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

Time Management Series: Help! My Inbox is Exploding: Email Management

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Master Series presented by the Illinois State Bar Association


1.0 hour MCLE credit, including 1.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Professionalism, Civility or Legal Ethics credit


Original Program Date: Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­April 2, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


 Legal professionals today receive between 100-150+ emails or other electronic communication (via MS Teams channel, Slack, etc.) a day, much of which contains tasks that we must act upon. In this interactive session, you will learn how to efficiently process email and get your inbox under control. We will help you process those emails & tasks in a way that those items never get lost. We will get our hands dirty and learn how to use Microsoft Outlook and other tools that your organization uses to manage emails.

Program Speaker:
Paul Unger, Affinity Consulting, Ohio
About the Speaker:
Paul is a national speaker and author. He coaches lawyers how to be more efficient with time management by offering customized workshops. When he isn’t speaking or writing, he is usually performing technology assessments throughout the United States and Canada. Paul began his career working for the Governor of Ohio, and then went on to law school. He practiced law for six years, specializing in litigation and bankruptcy, before starting a legal technology consulting company with partner Barron Henley in 2000. Paul’s superpowers are cleaning up messes and turning digital chaos into well-organized machines. His favorite part of his job is helping people get organized and focused so they can find more enjoyment in their lives and jobs.

Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $35 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

Time Management Series: Time and Distraction Management + Digital Detox

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Master Series presented by the Illinois State Bar Association


1.0 hour MCLE credit, including 1.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Professionalism, Civility or Legal Ethics credit
Original Program Date: Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­March 2, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Professionals today are constantly distracted by technology, connectivity, and information overload. These physical and digital distractions cause very smart people to underperform and contribute to anxiety inability to focus. In this interactive session, you will learn how to build healthy boundaries with technology, how to better unplug/disconnect and take back control of technology instead of it controlling you. We will teach you distraction management techniques and a practical time management methodology that enables you regain control of your day. Be prepared to roll up your sleeves, get your hands dirty, and learn how Microsoft Outlook and other tools can help you achieve focus during the day.


Program Speaker:
Paul Unger, Affinity Consulting, Ohio


About the Speaker:
Paul is a national speaker and author. He coaches lawyers how to be more efficient with time management by offering customized workshops. When he isn’t speaking or writing, he is usually performing technology assessments throughout the United States and Canada. Paul began his career working for the Governor of Ohio, and then went on to law school. He practiced law for six years, specializing in litigation and bankruptcy, before starting a legal technology consulting company with partner Barron Henley in 2000. Paul’s superpowers are cleaning up messes and turning digital chaos into well-organized machines. His favorite part of his job is helping people get organized and focused so they can find more enjoyment in their lives and jobs.

Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $35 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students – Free

The Nuts & Bolts of Assisted Reproductive Technology Law: Collateral Partners in the ART Process

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Child Law Section
Co-sponsored by the ISBA Family Law Section and ISBA Trusts & Estates Section


1.50 hours MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Friday, April 22, 2022
MCLE Accreditation Extension Period: ­­­­­­­March 26, 2024 - March 25, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a surrogacy agency owner, a trusts and estates attorney, and an escrow manager to gain a better understanding of the journey your clients take during the assisted reproductive technology process. Child law attorneys, family law practitioners, health care lawyers, and new attorneys with basic to intermediate practice experience who attend this seminar will learn:
  • The path your client will take throughout the process – from agency to escrow distribution and beyond;
  • The roles and responsibilities of the attorney and the collaterals;
  • How to be a better partner for your client; and
  • How each party can protect their interests in the event of a death.

Program Coordinator:
Josette C. Allen, Smart Law LLC, Lisle

Program Moderator:
Tiffany Arrott Horstein, Family Forward Law, LLC, Chicago

Program Speakers:
Jennifer White, Bright Futures Families, LLC, Colorado
Denise Steele, SeedTrust Escrow, Florida
Jonathan D. Morton , Golan Christie Taglia LLP, Chicago


Pricing Information

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • ISBA sponsoring section members get a $10 registration discount (which is automatically calculated in your cart when you log in to register).
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $52.50 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit
    • Non-Member Price $105
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students - Free

Nuts & Bolts: Assisted Reproductive Technology Law

ISBA Members: Use your 15 hours of Free CLE credits to order this program –
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Child Law Section


1.50 hours MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Thursday, March 17, 2022
MCLE Accreditation Extension Period: ­­­­­­­March 26, 2024- March 25, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Gain a better understanding of assisted reproductive technology law and the guiding Illinois statutes and case law with this informative online program. Child law attorneys, family law practitioners, health care lawyers, and new attorneys with basic practice experience who attend this seminar will learn:
  • How to protect your clients when drafting reproductive agreements;
  • How to help your clients establish their legal parental rights;
  • The necessary components of both donor agreements (sperm, egg, and embryo) and gestational carrier agreements; and
  • Much more.

Program Coordinator/Moderator:
Josette C. Allen, Smart Law LLC, Lisle

Program Speakers:
Tiffany Arrott Horstein, Family Forward Law, LLC, Chicago

Pricing Information:

  • Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar.
  • Fees:
    • ISBA Member Price of $52.50 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit
    • Non-Member Price $105
    • New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
    • Law Students - Free