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  • September 18, 2023 | Practice News
    Hello, Goodbye … Planning for Retirement Success

     As James A. Rapp reminds us in his September Illinois Bar Journal article, “Hello, Goodbye … Planning for Retirement Success,” about one in eight lawyers is 65 years old or older, which means facing the challenge of succession planning is here for many lawyers and firms. Rapp suggests that lawyers and firms should consider what experiences—good and bad—they have had within the firm and with other lawyers or firms when lawyers retire and recommends that lawyers and firms develop a perspective consistent with the interests of the lawyer involved, the firm, and most importantly, the firm’s clients.

  • September 14, 2023 | Practice News | People
    Illinois Supreme Court Appoints Lea Gutierrez as ARDC Administrator

    The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Illinois attorney Lea S. Gutierrez to serve as the new Administrator of the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) effective October 23, 2023. 

    5 comments (Most recent September 15, 2023)
  • September 13, 2023 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court’s Comprehensive Preparations for the End of Cash Bail

    Illinois has a long history of pretrial reform efforts starting with the abolishment of bail bondsmen in 1963. Those efforts continue as Illinois becomes the first state to abolish cash bail on September 18, 2023.

    1 comment (Most recent September 14, 2023)
  • September 11, 2023 | Practice News
    Busting the Myth About Corporate Trustee Fees

     In his September Illinois Bar Journal article, “Busting the Myth About Corporate Trustee Fees,” Jay E. Harker notes that many Illinois attorneys—some regularly, some occasionally—draft revocable, living trusts, and that all of them know firsthand that clients overwhelmingly prefer to designate family members as their successor trustees. This very often this works out just fine for all concerned, Harker notes. But he suggests that some estate-planning scenarios scream for serious consideration of a corporate trustee.

  • September 7, 2023 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court to Host Grand Opening for Learning Center

    The Illinois Supreme Court has announced a grand opening for a new Learning Center on September 20, 2023, at the Supreme Court Building at 200 E. Capitol Avenue in Springfield. The grand opening program will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

  • September 5, 2023 | Practice News
    Saving Face in Cyberspace

     Security-related advice will be among the many topics covered during the “ISBA Solo and Small Firm Conference 2023: The Intersection of Technology and the Law” Sept. 28-29. Speakers for the security-related sessions spoke with the Illinois Bar Journal to summarize what they plan to discuss. For example, too many solo and small firms assume that their size protects them. But hackers know such firms have “fewer resources and less time, and they’re less attuned to cyberthreats because they’re just trying to run their businesses,” one presenter says.

  • August 30, 2023 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court Issues Order Allowing Pretrial Hearings Under the SAFE-T Act to Be Remote When Necessary

    Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis and the Illinois Supreme Court announced today an order entered to help the court system implement the pretrial release provisions of the SAFE-T Act, which goes into effect on September 18, 2023.

  • August 28, 2023 | Practice News
    Chat Not

     In his August Illinois Bar Journal Judging Your Writing column, “Chat Not,” First District Illinois Appellate Court Justice Michael B. Hyman experiments with ChatGPT and gauges its capability as a legal writing tool. He asks OpenAI’s free ChatGPT 3.5 to prepare memos on various legal topics and prods the tool when its answers lack substance. His conclusion—chatbots are not a viable option … yet.

  • August 24, 2023 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court Announces Creation of Committee on Pretrial Education

    The Illinois Supreme Court has announced the creation of the Illinois Judicial College Committee on Pretrial Education (CPTE) as a seventh Standing Committee of the Illinois Judicial College (Judicial College), elevating pretrial education from its current Pretrial Board Workgroup status in the Judicial College.

    1 comment (Most recent August 25, 2023)
  • August 21, 2023 | Practice News
    Trial Lessons From Comedians

     Understanding the facts of your case, learning how they fit together, and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of your narrative are crucial steps when preparing for trial, notes Benjamin Lawson in his August Illinois Bar Journal article, “Trial Lessons From Comedians.” But the more trials Lawson has participated in, the more he finds that the process feels incomplete. Just because a particular narrative best explains the facts doesn’t mean it will resonate well with the jury.