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  • June 28, 2018 | Events
    Special Olympics, Founded by Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, to Celebrate 50th Anniversary in Chicago
    In honor of its 50th anniversary, the Special Olympics will return to the city where it was founded in part by Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke. Burke launched the Special Olympics while working for the Chicago Park District on July 20, 1968. It was first held at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Now, the Special Olympics has grown into the largest sporting event for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, with nearly 5 million Special Olympians representing 172 countries.  
  • June 27, 2018 | Practice News
    Best Practice Tips: Elder Law Firm Expanding into Personal Injury and Other Areas
    Asked and Answered  By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC Q. I am a partner in a four-attorney law firm in a small town south of Waco, Texas. We have two partners and two associates. Our practice is limited to elder law, estate planning, and estate administration. The practice was formed 30 years ago by the two partners. The firm has built a strong brand, does a significant amount of business in several other counties, and is doing well financially. Our main problem is that we are overwhelmed with work and we need to hire an additional attorney. We have interviewed an attorney with some limited experience in small business corporate work and estate planning. However, most of his experience is in personal injury plaintiff, criminal, and family law. If he joins our firm, he wants to continue to develop these practice areas as well as bring his personal injury, criminal, and family law cases with him. Bringing him on board could solve our lawyer staffing issue as well as increase our business. Should we bring him on board?
  • June 27, 2018 | ISBA News
    ISBA Accepting Candidates for Board Vacancies
    The Illinois State Bar Association is seeking candidates for vacant seats on the Board of Governors. The election of Anna Krolikowska as ISBA third vice-president created a vacancy for the Under 37 Cook County seat. There is also a vacancy in Area 4 (Circuits 10, 14, and 15). The Board will fill the vacant positions at its July 20 meeting. Both terms will be for one year and begin immediately.
  • June 27, 2018 | ISBA News
    Historic Lincoln Portrait Arrives at Wayne County Courthouse
    A high-quality reproduction of a famous Abraham Lincoln photograph was unveiled June 25 at a ceremony at the Wayne County Courthouse. The photograph was taken in Springfield by well-known photographer Alexander Hesler for Lincoln’s 1860 presidential campaign. It is considered to be one of the best taken of Lincoln during his pre-presidential years. The permanent installation is made possible by donations from the Illinois Judges Association (IJA), the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) and their respective foundations – the Illinois Judges Foundation and the Illinois Bar Foundation. 
  • June 27, 2018 | Practice News
    New Illinois Supreme Court Rule Requires Specific Language for All Civil Summons
    Effective July 1, a new Illinois Supreme Court Rule requires the following language to be added to all civil summons: “E-filing is now mandatory for documents in civil cases with limited exemptions. To e-file, you must first create an account with an e-filing service provider. Visit https://efile.illinoiscourts.gov/service-providers.htm to learn more and to select a service provider. If you need additional help or have trouble e-filing, visit http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/FAQ/gethelp.asp.”
    3 comments (Most recent June 29, 2018)
  • June 26, 2018 | ISBA News
    ISBA Offices to Close July 4-5
    The ISBA Springfield and Chicago offices will be closed for the holiday beginning Wednesday, July 4. They will reopen on Friday, July 6. During this time, members can expect the following: E-Clips will not be delivered for the duration of this period. Illinois Lawyer Now Weekly will not be delivered on Thursday, July 5. Instead, it will be delivered on Friday, July 6. All business and e-newsletter distribution will resume as usual on Friday, July 6.
  • June 25, 2018 | Practice News
    Think Twice Before Responding to Negative Online Reviews
    More than nine out of every 10 consumers use reviews to make decisions. Nearly as many trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Regarding the legal profession, of the 58 million people who sought a lawyer in 2012, more than 75 percent used online resources in their search. Good online reviews can be a great thing for your firm; they essentially translate into cheap and effective advertising. But what happens when a negative review of your services lands online? How do you react? Should you react at all? 
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    June 22, 2018
    Minority Bar CLE Conference
    The ISBA hosted the 6th Annual Minority Bar CLE Conference and reception from June 20-21 in the Chicago Regional Office. Participating bar associations included Illinois State Bar Association, Filipino American Lawyers Association, Chinese American Bar Association, Cook County Bar Association, South Asian Bar Association, Korean American Bar Association, Asian American Bar Association, Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, and Black Women Lawyers' Association.
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    June 22, 2018 | Events
    2018 Annual Meeting Assembly Meeting and Awards Presentation
    The ISBA Assembly met on Saturday, June 16, during the Annual Meeting at The Abbey Resort in Fontana, Wisconsin. Several awards were presented during the meeting.
  • June 20, 2018 | ISBA News
    ISBA Wins Summary Judgment in Lawsuit against IDFPR
    The Cook County Circuit Court today issued an order finding that the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) cannot prosecute Illinois property tax attorneys on charges they offered appraisal services without a proper state license when they argue valuations before tax assessment appeal tribunals. The court found that “the comparison of properties or an income approach valuation presented by a licensed Illinois attorney on behalf of a client in real estate tax assessment proceedings does not entail the development or submission of an appraisal or constitute the unlicensed practice of real estate appraisal.”
    4 comments (Most recent June 21, 2018)