ISBA Elder Law Section Council Business Meeting
Dial by your location: +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 811 5814 7275
Reimagining Lawyer Wellness: How Self-Care Sustains Us
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
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: Mental Health & Substance Abuse credit
Original Program Date: Monday, May 12, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: June 16, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)
Being a lawyer is one of the most stressful professions in the United States. Lawyers often have limited time for their own self-care, which greatly impacts their physical health, mental well-being, and work performance. This often leads to lawyers developing mental health concerns, chronic diseases, and burnout. Join us for an in-depth look at the strategies you can use to integrate self-care practices into your busy lives by creating daily routines that support your unique self-care needs. Learn how to set flexible boundaries that improve work life balance and develop avenues to integrate positive lifestyle habits into your demanding schedules in the areas of exercise, nutrition, mindfulness, sleep hygiene, and stress management.
Program Speaker:
Erin Clifford, Clifford Law Offices, Chicago
About the Speaker:
In addition to her development work at Clifford Law Offices and legal background, Erin Clifford is a Corporate Wellness Consultant and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Illinois and a National Certified Counselor. She works with professionals to help them create and maintain healthy lifestyles. She has a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Northwestern University. As an authority figure in the wellness industry, Erin gives speaking engagements in all areas of wellness – from nutrition, to exercise, to healthy lifestyle management. Her expertise in wellness has earned her media attention from publications such as Shape Magazine, US News and World Report, Prevention Magazine, and more.
Program 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.
- Non-Member Price $70
- New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
- Law Students – Free
Understanding ABLE: The Achieving a Better Life Experience Program
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 Elder Law Section
Co-presented by the ISBA Trusts & Estates Section and ISBA Rural Practice Section
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Elder Law Section
Co-presented by the ISBA Trusts & Estates Section and ISBA Rural Practice Section
1.0 hour MCLE credit
Original Program Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: June 9, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)
Gain a better understanding of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Accounts Program – including who is eligible, who can open an IL ABLE account, the investment options available with this program, the tax benefits for Illinois taxpayers contributing to an IL ABLE account, and more! Elder law attorneys, trusts and estates counsel, disability law practitioners, and rural practice lawyers with basic practice experience who attend this online program will also learn:
- The history behind the Steven H. Beck ABLE Account Program;
- The federal law requirements guiding the ABLE Act; and
- The procedures on death of an ABLE account owner.
Program Coordinators:
Mia O. Hernandez, Webber & Thies, P.C., Champaign
Dolores Wigman, Prairie State Legal Services, Woodstock
Program Moderator:
Dolores Wigman, Prairie State Legal Services, Woodstock
Program Chat Moderator:
Mia O. Hernandez, Webber & Thies, P.C., Champaign
Program Speaker:
Scott Nixon, Life’s Plan Inc., Lisle
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.
- Non-Member Price $70
- New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
- Law Students – Free
Online Evidence: Evidentiary Best Practices
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 Intellectual Property Section
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Intellectual Property Section
1.0 hour MCLE credit, including 1.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Professionalism, Civility, Legal Ethics, or Sexual Harassment Prevention credit
Original Program Date: Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: June 4, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)
Learn how to better secure, memorialize, and archive evidence from the internet with this informative online program! Intellectual property lawyers, federal civil practice attorneys, family law practitioners, and any other attorney with intermediate practice experience tasked with finding online evidence who attends this seminar will better understand how to ensure that secured evidence is evidentiarily competent and how to avoid the pitfalls associated with ad hoc screenshotting by clients, attorneys, and staff. Additional topics include:
- Where is the evidence? The internet is a treasure trove of evidence for all sorts of cases. Personal injury? The injured party has a Facebook photo doing a cannonball. Trademark infringement? The infringing good is being sold on Amazon. But now you must go get it and make sure you can use it. And maybe avoid relying on a digital archive from the world wide web (also known as the Wayback Machine).
- Applicable rules and case law. You found the evidence … but can you use it? This portion of the presentation discusses the applicable rules of evidence and caselaw that may impact your client and your case.
- Best practices for gathering and using online evidence. You’re staring at the smoking gun … now what? Take a screenshot? Have a paralegal do it? Hope the Wayback Machine archives it? Use an investigator? Get the best practice tips you need for gathering and preserving online evidence so you can use it in dispositive motions and at trial.
Program Coordinator/Chat Moderator:
Jonathan LA Phillips, Phillips & Bathke P.C., Peoria Heights
Program Speakers:
Alex Sappington, Page Vault Inc., Chicago
Jonathan M. Francis, Phillips & Bathke P.C., 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 $35 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit.
- Non-Member Price $70
- New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
- Law Students – Free
An Introduction to Pooled Special Needs Trusts
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 Elder Law Section
Co-presented by the ISBA Trusts & Estates Law Section and ISBA Rural Practice Section
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Elder Law Section
Co-presented by the ISBA Trusts & Estates Law Section and ISBA Rural Practice Section
1.0 hour MCLE credit
Original Program Date: Thursday, April 24, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: June 9, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)
Don’t miss this introductory look at pooled special needs trusts, including its different types and why we need them. Elder law attorneys, disability law practitioners, health care council, and trusts and estates lawyers with basic practice experience who attend this online seminar will better understand: what you need to know about special needs planning; the benefits in special needs planning to use a pooled trust; the disadvantages of using a pooled trust; how to administer a special needs trust; and much more.
Program Coordinators:
Mia O. Hernandez, Webber & Thies, P.C., Champaign
Dolores Wigman, Prairie State Legal Services, Woodstock
Program Moderator:
Dolores Wigman, Prairie State Legal Services, Woodstock
Program Chat Moderator:
Mia O. Hernandez, Webber & Thies, P.C., Champaign
Program Speaker:
Scott Nixon, Life’s Plan Inc., Lisle
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.
- Non-Member Price $70
- New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
- Law Students – Free
2025 Professionalism Bundle
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 Illinois State Bar Association
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the Illinois State Bar Association
6.0 hours MCLE credit, including 6.0 hours Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following categories:
- 4.0 hours Professionalism, Civility, Legal Ethics, or Sexual Harassment Prevention credit
- 1.0 hour Diversity and Inclusion credit
- 1.0 hour Mental Health and Substance Abuse credit
This bundle satisfies the 6 hour Professional Responsibility Requirement for a two-year reporting period under Supreme Court Rule 794(d).
Accreditation Expiration Date: May 28, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)
Satisfy all six hours of your Professional Responsibility requirement with this on-demand program that explores:
- How to manage a positive work-life balance and practice mindful stress management;
- How to work with witnesses, jurors, and experts who may differ from ourselves;
- How artificial intelligence is being used in the legal practice, as well as the ethical issues to be aware of when using this technology;
- How to identify problems that artificial intelligence can solve;
- The best practice tips you need to build and maintain successful client management;
- What you need to know about professional liability and cyber insurance; and
- Much more!
Mental Health 101: Strategies for Thriving, Not Just Surviving
Originally presented by the ISBA Young Lawyers Division
(1.0 hour Mental Health or Substance Abuse MCLE/PMCLE credit)
As attorneys, we work long hours, juggle multiple cases simultaneously, spend a large amount of time researching case law and preparing legal documents, and have strict deadlines that must be remembered (and met!) – all while staying up to date on the ever-changing laws and regulations that will impact our clients and practice. These mental demands can take its toll and leave us feeling deflated, burnt out, and running on fumes. Join us for this online seminar that teaches you how to create a better work-life balance, while still meeting your professional and personal goals. Topics include: positive strategies to enhance your self-care; how to practice mindful stress management; tactics for building your resilience and mental fitness; and how to find your perfect mental health space.
Program Moderator: Courtney A. Berlin, Clifford Law Offices, Chicago
Erin Clifford, Clifford Law Offices, Chicago
Pronouns on Trial
Originally presented by the ISBA Standing Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
(1.0 hours Diversity and Inclusion MCLE/PMCLE credit)
Transgender and non-binary individuals need the same respect and attentive representation as our other clients, but discomfort and implicit bias oftentimes get in our way. Join us online for this comprehensive discussion on how to work with witnesses, jurors, and experts who may differ from ourselves. Topics include: strategies for discovering honorifics and pronouns; how to address objections (both principled and vituperative); possible form changes (appearance/jury questionnaire); and the proposed changes to Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct 8.4 (Misconduct).
Program Coordinator/Moderator: John W. Moore, John W. Moore, P.C., Chicago
Hon. Mary Cay Marubio, Circuit Court of Cook County, Chicago
John W. Moore, John W. Moore, P.C., Chicago
Joanie Rae Wimmer, Law Offices of Joanie Rae Wimmer, Oak Park
The Dawning of the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Promise or Threat to the Practice of Law?
Originally presented by the ISBA Standing Committee on Artificial Intelligence & The Practice of Law
- Artificial Intelligence and the Law: Promise or Peril?
Don’t miss this in-depth look at how artificial intelligence is being used in the legal practice, as well as the ethical issues to be aware of when using this technology. Topics include: recent developments in AI, type of AI, the application of artificial intelligence in the practice of law; how artificial intelligence is being used in the courts; and how to recognize (and address) Deep Fakes.
Program Moderator: George (“Geo”) Bellas, Bellas & Wachowski, Park Ridge
Jonathan Nessler, Nessler & Associates Ltd., Springfield
Nelson Rosario, Rosario Tech Law, LLC, Chicago
- Practical Demonstration of Artificial Intelligence in the Practice
Learn how to identify problems that artificial intelligence can solve (and which AI tools to use in solving that problem) with this informative presentation. Examples of how artificial intelligence can assist with office tasks and market your law practice are also included.
Drew G. Vaughn, Deviant Marketing LLC, Chicago
Best Practices for Successful Client Management
Originally presented as part of the ISBA’s Solo & Small Firm Conference 2024
(1.0 hour Professionalism, Civility, Legal Ethics, or Sexual Harassment Prevention credit)
This segment offers the best practice tips you need to build and maintain successful client management. Topics include: intake, termination, and communication.
Program Moderator: Genevieve E. Miller, Singewald Law Firm, Chicago
Melissa Smart, Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission, Chicago
Safeguarding Your Practice: Navigating Insurance Coverage for Law Firms and Attorneys
Originally presented by the ISBA Standing Committee on Law Office Management and Economics
(1.0 hour Professionalism, Civility, Legal Ethics, or Sexual Harassment Prevention credit)
Join us for an in-depth look at how the right insurance coverage can safeguard you and your law practice, as well as the underwriting basics you need to know and the misconceptions regarding losses vs types of coverage. Solo and small firm attorneys, general practitioners, new lawyers, and insurance law attorneys with basic to intermediate practice experience who attend this seminar will better understand: What you need to know about professional liability and cyber insurance; the various types of insurance available to your practice; the importance of transparency in applying for coverage; the most common required underwriting information; business interruption coverage; commercial general liability and other coverage commonly required by landlords; key-person coverage and individual disability income coverage; and business overhead expenses.
Program Coordinator/Moderator: Jennifer Danish, Bryant Legal Group P.C. Chicago
Daniel Cotter, Dickinson Wright, Chicago
Adam Czerwinski, Sidebar Insurance Solutions, Orland Park
Jennifer Danish, Bryant Legal Group P.C. Chicago
Scott Dutton, ISBA Mutual Insurance Company, Chicago
Pricing Information
- Please Note: You must attend the entire program in order to earn MCLE credit for this seminar. Your certificate will be available after all segments have been completed and the Bundle evaluation completed.
- Fees:
- ISBA Member Price of $159 is displayed below when you login and program is eligible for Free CLE member benefit
- Non-Member Price $375
- New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $50
- Law Students - Free
Planning with Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts
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 Elder Law Section
Co-presented by the ISBA Trusts & Estates Law Section and ISBA Rural Practice Section
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Elder Law Section
Co-presented by the ISBA Trusts & Estates Law Section and ISBA Rural Practice Section
1.0 hour MCLE credit
Original Program Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: May 29, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)
Do you know what Medicaid asset protection trusts (MAPTs) are and in what circumstances they should be considered for use? Do you know how they should be administered after they are established? Get answers to these questions and more with this informative online seminar. Elder law attorneys, trusts and estate lawyers, health care counsel, and general practitioners with basic practice experience who attend this program will learn how to help clients plan for Medicaid and Medicaid asset protection trusts, how MAPTs should be structured to achieve their purpose, which provisions should be included (and excluded), and more!
Program Coordinators:
Mia O. Hernandez, Webber & Thies, P.C., Champaign
Dolores Wigman, Prairie State Legal Services, Woodstock
Program Moderator:
Dolores Wigman, Prairie State Legal Services, Woodstock
Program Chat Moderator:
Mia O. Hernandez, Webber & Thies, P.C., Champaign
Program Speaker:
Gina Salamone, Huck Bouma P.C., Wheaton
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.
- Non-Member Price $70
- New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
- Law Students – Free
Avoiding Games and Frustration with Probate Claims and Citations
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 Trusts & Estates Law Section
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Trusts & Estates Law Section
1.0 hour MCLE credit
Original Program Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: May 20, 2027(You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)
Many attorneys who practice in probate court want nothing to do with a case that involves hotly contested litigation, such as disputed claims and citations to discover or recover assets. Join us online for this program that’s designed to demystify probate claims and citations proceedings! Civil practice attorneys, elder law lawyers, and trusts and estates practitioners with basic to intermediate practice experience who attend this seminar will better understand:
- What constitutes a claim in Illinois;
- How to provide proper notice of probate to potential creditors;
- How to handle payments for litigation claims;
- How to address insolvent estates;
- How to protect an estate from a claim that is improperly submitted or barred;
- How to file, prosecute, and defend citations; and
- Much more!
Program Coordinator:
Colleen L. Sahlas, Law Offices of Hoy & Sahlas, LLC, Oak Brook
Program Chat Moderator:
Kerry R. Peck, Peck Ritchey, LLC, Chicago
Program Speakers:
David Feldman, Aronberg Goldgehn, Wheaton
David M. Gower, Lillig & Thorsness, Ltd., Oak Brook
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.
- Non-Member Price $70
- New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
- Law Students – Free
Navigating Artificial Intelligence with an Ethical Compass
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 Elder Law Section
Co-presented by the ISBA Standing Committee on Artificial Intelligence & the Practice of Law, ISBA Trusts & Estates Section, and ISBA Rural Practice Section
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Elder Law Section
Co-presented by the ISBA Standing Committee on Artificial Intelligence & the Practice of Law, ISBA Trusts & Estates Section, and ISBA Rural Practice Section
1.0 hour MCLE credit, including 1.0 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Professionalism, Civility, Legal Ethics, or Sexual Harassment Prevention credit
Original Program Date: Thursday, April 10, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: May 13, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)
Learn how the ethical challenges of using artificial intelligence play out in the elder law arena with this informative seminar! Elder law attorneys, trusts and estate lawyers, disability law practitioners, health care counsel, and general practitioners with basic practice experience who attend this online program will learn:
- How to identify which artificial intelligence technologies and tools can be incorporated ethically into an elder law practice;
- How using artificial intelligence can streamline your case management workflow and improve access to legal services for older adults; and
- How to address (or avoid) the ethical challenges that may arise when using artificial intelligence technologies.
- Hypothetical scenarios will be presented and discussed throughout the program to show when artificial intelligence can be ethically utilized in your elder law practice.
Program Coordinators:
Mia O. Hernandez, Webber & Thies, P.C., Champaign
Dolores Wigman, Prairie State Legal Services, Woodstock
Program Chat Moderator:
Megan Kinney, Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, East St. Louis
Program Speakers:
Brian Lambert, Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, East St. Louis
Susan M. Simone, Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, East St. Louis
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.
- Non-Member Price $70
- New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
- Law Students – Free
Probate Pitfalls
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 Trusts & Estates Law Section
just use the green button next to the “Add to Cart” button below!
Presented by the ISBA Trusts & Estates Law Section
1.0 hour MCLE credit
Original Program Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: April 10, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)
Probate “pitfalls” are inevitable, and no two cases are alike. Learn how to manage or avoid common pitfalls in Illinois probate proceedings for decedents’ estates with this informative online seminar. Estate administration practitioners, Civil practice attorneys, and elder law attorneys with basic to intermediate practice experience who attend this online program will also learn:
- Practical problem-solving solutions when unavoidable probate pitfalls arise;
- Filing requirements and procedures, and Cook County nuances;
- How to handle:
- When a named Executor Declines to Serve - Who can Serve Thereafter?
- Failure to Send Timely Notice
- Preservation of Assets
- Insolvent Estates and Abatement of Claims
- Distributing Unclaimed Property to the Illinois Treasurer
- Unknown Heirs and/or Legatees
- Post-deceased Estate Representative or Post-deceased Heirs/Legatees
- Nonresident Representatives
- When a Trust is a Legatee
- Family Dynamics and Conflicts
- Ademption
- Recalcitrant Heirs/Legatees
- The Caregiver Statute
- When to use a Notice of Probate and Release of Estate’s Interest in Real Estate
- When Beneficiaries want to Rearrange Who Inherits What
- When you Opened Probate by Mistake – Now What?
Program Coordinator:
Colleen L. Sahlas, Law Offices of Hoy & Sahlas, LLC, Oak Brook
Program Chat Moderator:
Melissa Johnson, Generation Law, Elmhust
Program Speakers:
Sarah M. LeRose, Leonard J. LeRose, Jr., Ltd., Chicago
Colleen L. Sahlas, Law Offices of Hoy & Sahlas, LLC, Oak Brook
Program 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.
- Non-Member Price $70
- New Attorney Member (within the first five years of practice) - $25
- Law Students – Free