Local Government Law

Lunchtime FOIA Series: Overview and Compliance Tips

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 ISBA’s Standing Committee on Government Lawyers
Co-presented by the ISBA Local Government Law Section


1.0 hour MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­October 9, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


 Don’t miss Part 1 of this lunchtime series that offers you an in-depth overview of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), while also giving you the tips you need for staying in compliance. Administrative law attorneys, civil practice lawyers, general practitioners, and local government counsel with basic to intermediate practice experience who attend this online program will better understand:
  • The presumption concerning openness and why agencies are obligated to provide records to requesters;
  • The burden of proof that must be met when asserting requested information is exempt from disclosure;
  • The most commonly used FOIA exemptions;
  • The required response time for FOIA requests;
  • How to handle vague or burdensome requests; and
  • Much more.

Program Coordinators:
Bianca B. Brown, Pretzel & Stouffer, Chicago
Michele K. Niermann, Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins, Ltd., Chicago

Program Moderator:
Patrick Collins, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Chat Moderator:
Michele K. Niermann, Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins, Ltd., Chicago

Program Speakers:
Leilani A. Pino, General Counsel, Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, Chicago
Sarah Walsh, Staff Attorney, FOIA Specialist, City of Aurora, Aurora



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

Sciarrone v. Village of Island Lake

Sciarrone v. Village of Island Lake
Illinois Appellate Court
Civil Court
Whistleblower Act
Citation
Case Number: 
2025 IL App (2d) 240153
Decision Date: 
Thursday, September 18, 2025
District: 
2d Dist.
Division/County: 
Lake Co.
Holding: 
Affirmed in part, reversed in part, remanded.
Justice: 
MULLEN

Plaintiffs filed a lawsuit alleging that their former employer had violated the Whistleblower Act and engaged in retaliatory discharge after the plaintiffs, who were former police offers, allegedly found evidence of criminal wrongdoing and reported their findings to state and federal authorities. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of the defendants and plaintiffs appealed. The appellate court affirmed in part and reversed in part, finding that defendants’ motion for summary judgment failed to satisfy their initial burden of production but that the village enjoyed sovereign immunity from the retaliatory discharge claim. (HUTCHINSON and BIRKETT, concurring)

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and How Attorneys Can Combat Bias

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 hourProfessional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following category: Diversity & Inclusion credit


Original Program Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­September 15, 2026 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


In 1920s Oklahoma, Native Americans were treated as second class citizens. In the book and movie, Killers of the Flower Moon, we learn the true story about how members of the Osage Tribe were cheated out of their wealth and murdered for their oil rights. Don’t miss this interactive presentation in which our speaker, Philip Bogdanoff, uses film clips from the movie to discuss the various laws that discriminated against the Osage Tribe and how William Hale schemed to murder members of the tribe and steal their wealth. Learn how attorneys today can help prevent bias and discrimination in the legal profession by examining what the attorneys in the 1920s did to fight the racial persecution of the Osage Tribe and aided in the conviction of Mr. Hale for murder.

About the Speaker: Philip Bogdanoff is a nationally recognized continuing legal education speaker. Previously, he served as an assistant prosecutor in Akron, Ohio for nearly thirty years. He worked closely with the police and often made charging decisions on long term investigations. Mr. Bogdanoff also argued cases before the Ohio Ninth District Court of Appeals and the Ohio Supreme Court before retiring as a senior assistant prosecutor. He still works as a special prosecutor and in 2022 argued three criminal cases before the Ohio Supreme Court. He has done over fifty presentations for prosecutor groups including the National District Attorneys Association. Attendees describe his presentations as informative, engaging, entertaining and dynamic. More information about Mr. Bogdanoff is available on his website at http://www.philipbogdanoff.com/.



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 $35is 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

Foolproof Generative Artificial Intelligence for Illinois Lawyers: Generating a Smarter, More Efficient 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: Professionalism, Civility, Legal Ethics, or Sexual Harassment Prevention


Original Program Date: June 25, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: August 14, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


As generative artificial intelligence reshapes the legal landscape, attorneys must understand its benefits, limitations, and ethical considerations to stay competitive and compliant. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from our speaker, Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, as he demystifies the role of AI in modern legal practice and offers strategic insights on its integration into research, drafting and client communications. Attorneys with intermediate practice experience who attend this online program will learn:
  • How artificial intelligence enhances efficiency by streamlining legal research, automating document drafting, and supporting data-driven decision-making;
  • How to address fabricated citations and misleading outputs;
  • Why human oversight and rigorous verification is so important (especially in light of the cases where attorneys were sanctioned for AI-related errors);
  • The latest ethical guidelines (including the ABA’s Formal Opinion 512 and the Illinois Supreme Court’s AI policy) that outlines the best practices for confidentiality, transparency, and responsible artificial intelligence use;
  • How to ensure accuracy and compliance when using artificial intelligence tools; and
  • Much more!
For those who wish to receive the presenter’s resources after the presentation, such as in-depth case studies with guidance on how to adopt Generative AI in a law firm and his book on Generative AI strategies, please visit: https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/event
About the Speaker: Dr. Gleb Tspiursky was named “Office Whisperer” by The New York Times for helping leaders overcome frustrations with Generative AI. He serves as the CEO of the future-of-work consultancy, Disaster Avoidance Experts. Dr. Gleb wrote seven bestselling books, including ChatGPT for Leaders and Content Creators: Unlocking the Potential of Generative AI . His cutting-edge thought leadership was featured in over 650 articles and 550 interview, including USA Today, CBS News, Fox News, Time, Business Insider, Fortune, and The New York Times. His writing was translated into Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Korean, French, Vietnamese, German, and more. His expertise comes from over 20 years of consulting, coaching, and speaking for Fortune 500 companies from Aflac to Xerox. It also comes from over 15 years in academia as a behavioral scientist, with 8 years as a lecturer at UNC-Chapel Hill, and 7 years as a professor at Ohio State.


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

Holmberg v. City of Kewanee

Holmberg v. City of Kewanee
Illinois Appellate Court
Civil Court
Temporary Restraining Order
Citation
Case Number: 
2025 IL App (4th) 250628
Decision Date: 
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
District: 
4th Dist.
Division/County: 
Henry Co.
Holding: 
Reversed and remanded.
Justice: 
ZENOFF

Plaintiff filed a motion for a temporary restraining order against the defendant seeking an order requiring the city to restore his water service. The trial court denied the motion and plaintiff appealed. The appellate court reversed and remanded with instructions to enter a TRO, finding that the trial court incorrectly denied the TRO on the basis that plaintiff had an adequate remedy at law because the “adequate remedy” was not as clear, complete, or as practical and efficient as restoring the water service while the parties litigated the underlying merits of the case. (STEIGMANN and CAVANAGH, concurring)

Alarm Detection Systems, Inc. v. Village of Schaumburg

Federal 7th Circuit Court
Alarm Detection Systems, Inc. v. Village of Schaumburg
Civil Court
Municipal Law
Citation
Case Number: 
No. 24-3163
Decision Date: 
July 22, 2025
Federal District: 
N.D. Ill., Eastern Div.
Holding: 
Affirmed.
Judge: 
ST. EVE

Several fire alarm companies filed a lawsuit against the Village of Schaumburg seeking to enjoin an ordinance that required commercial and multi-family properties to route fire alarm signals directly to a regional emergency-dispatch center. Plaintiffs alleged that the ordinance violated the Contracts Clause and tortiously interfered with their contracts and prospective economic advantage. The district court granted summary judgment in favor of the defendant and plaintiffs appealed. The Seventh Circuit affirmed, finding that the plaintiffs failed to offer evidence that the ordinance caused their existing clients to breach their contracts or that the defendant intended to interfere with their business relationships. (SCUDDER and JACKSON-AKIWUMI, concurring)

DPH Aurora Properties, LLC v. City of Aurora

DPH Aurora Properties, LLC v. City of Aurora
Illinois Appellate Court
Civil Court
Municipal Law
Citation
Case Number: 
2025 IL App (2d) 240540
Decision Date: 
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
District: 
2d Dist.
Division/County: 
Kane Co.
Holding: 
Affirmed in part, reversed in part, remanded.
Justice: 
SCHOSTOK

Plaintiffs filed a four-count complaint against the defendants challenging the validity of the city’s ordinances related to rental properties. The trial court granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss the complaint and plaintiffs appealed. The appellate court affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded, finding that the trial court properly dismissed plaintiffs’ facial challenges to the ordinance but that the trial court erred when it dismissed the plaintiffs’ claim that the ordinance was unconstitutional as applied. The court additionally held that under the Tort Immunity Act, the plaintiffs were limited to seeking declaratory and injunctive relief. (JORGENSEN and BIRKETT, concurring)

It's Just a Plant, Man: Regulating Cannabis, Intoxicating Hemp, and CBD

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 Local Government Law Section
Co-presented by ISBA’s Standing Committee on Government Lawyers


1.0 hour MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­August 25, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Due to Farm Bill loopholes, Illinois has seen a rise in intoxicating hemp products. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the history behind the legislative attempts to regulate cannabis and industrial hemp at both the state and federal levels. Government lawyers, civil practice attorneys, agricultural law practitioners, and environmental law counsel with all levels of practice experience who attend this program will better understand:
  • The state and local regulatory responses to intoxicating hemp;
  • How the 2018 Federal Farm Bill created legal gray areas for the sale of industrial hemp;
  • The botanical, chemical, and legal differences between regulated substances;
  • The authority of local municipalities to impose regulations on intoxicating hemp products; and
  • The efforts that have been made to create clarifying regulations that cover both cannabis and intoxicating hemp.

Program Coordinator:
Patrick J. Collins, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Moderator:
Deborah Lang, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Chat Moderator:
Patrick J. Collins, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Speaker:
Stewart J. Weiss, Elrod Friedman, LLP, Chicago



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

Problem Properties and Effective Solutions

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 Local Government Law Section
Co-presented by ISBA’s Standing Committee on Government Lawyers


1.0 hour MCLE credit


Original Program Date: Friday, June 13, 2025
Accreditation Expiration Date: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­August 25, 2027 (You must certify completion and save your certificate before this date to get MCLE credit)


Get the information you need to advise your clients on municipal solutions to abandoned, dilapidated, horded, or nuisance properties. Government lawyers, real estate attorneys, general practitioners, and administrative law counsel with basic practice experience who attend this online program will learn the holistic and legal approaches to managing problem properties, review the state statutes and local municipal codes that may impact your case, and explore the injunctive relief options available to your client.

Program Coordinator:
Patrick J. Collins, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Moderator:
Deborah Lang, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Chat Moderator:
Patrick J. Collins, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora, Aurora

Program Speaker:
Kelley A. Gandurski, Elrod Friedman LLP, Chicago



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