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  • May 7, 2015 | CLE
    Free CLE webcast: 15 Tips for an Ethical Law Practice
    You are invited to attend ISBA’s upcoming Free Live CLE Webcast as part of our Member Appreciation Month.Seating is limited so register today!Learn how to evaluate and address risk in your law practice with this one-hour live webcast!Join us as legal ethics lawyer, litigator and law firm practice professor, Michael Downey, shows you 15 areas of your practice that are in need of immediate assessment, including employee engagement and compensation, client intake, client communication, handling of client funds and property, marketing your practice and developing new business, dealing with unhappy and dangerous clients – and much more!Michael Downey of the Downey Law Group, LLC has represented lawyers on disciplinary and malpractice matters in Missouri and Illinois, and has taught legal ethics and law firm practice to thousands of lawyers, as well as to law students as an adjunct professor at both Washington University and St. Louis University.The program closes as a representative from ISBA Mutual Insurance Company provides a brief overview of the claims process and answers your questions.*Professional Responsibility MCLE credit subject to approvalPROGRAM SPEAKERS:Michael P. Downey, Downey Law Group LLC, St. LouisRepresentative, ISBA Mutual Insurance Company, Chicago
  • May 6, 2015
    The Illinois bar exam gets tougher
    While licensed Illinois attorneys no longer have to worry about passing the bar exam, future exam takers will face a tougher passing score, also known as the "cut score." Fortunately for them, it isn't as tough as the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar originally intended.The Board had not raised the bar exam's passing score since 1994, when it was increased to 264 out of a possible score of 400. After evaluating average scores across both the multiple choice and written portions of the exam, the Board found that an increase in the passing score was necessary.Regina Kwan Peterson, the Board's director of administration, compares the recalibration of the passing score to the recentering of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), which had remained unchanged since 1941. "These sorts of things don't happen often," she says.In July 2015, the minimum passing score will be raised to 266. Instead of the next increase taking effect in 2016, the new schedule increases the score for the July 2017 exam to 268. Find out more in the May Illinois Bar Journal.
    2 comments (Most recent May 12, 2015)
  • May 6, 2015 | ISBA News
    McCluskey wins 3rd VP and full results of the ISBA election
    James F. McCluskey of Lisle won the race for third vice-president of the Illinois State Bar Association, and Jessica A. O’Brien of Chicago, Kent A. Gaertner of Wheaton, Rory T. Weiler of St. Charles, and Dennis J. Orsey of Granite City won contested races for seats on the ISBA Board of Governors. Sonni Choi Williams of Peoria and Charles Davis of Springfield won uncontested Board seats.Here is the full Tellers report for the 2015 ISBA election:CONTESTED RACES (winners in bold)For Third Vice-President – 1 to be electedJames F. McCluskey, Lisle      2,366         Lisa M. Nyuli, South Elgin      1,444For Board of Governors – Cook County – 1 to be electedJohn W. Damisch, Chicago     643Jessica A. O’Brien, Chicago    838For Board of Governors – Area 1 (Circuit 18) – 1 to be electedKent A. Gaertner, Wheaton                        176Sharon R. Mulyk, Glen Ellyn                       103Keith E. (Chuck) Roberts, Jr., Wheaton      160Michael J. Scalzo, Wheaton                           70For Board of Governors – Area 3 (Circuits 12, 13 16, 21 and 23) – 1 to be electedJean A. Kenol, Joliet              153Rory T. Weiler, St. Charles    242For Board of Governors – Area 8 (Circuits 3 and 20) – 1 to be electedDennis J. Orsey, Granite City    179Tom Speedie, Nashville             117Kristi Vetri, Belleville                  49
  • May 6, 2015 | Practice News
    Over 600 new attorneys admitted throughout state
    Justices of the Illinois Supreme Court administered the attorney’s oath to 600 new attorneys on Thursday, May 7 at five separate locations across the state.The largest group, 403, were admitted in the First Judicial District during three ceremonies at the James R. Thompson Center Assembly Hall, 100 W. Randolph St. in Chicago. The ceremonies were held at 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.Justice Anne M. Burke presided over the 9 a.m. ceremony in the First District. Guests of the morning ceremony included Thomas A. Clancy, of the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar; Celestia L. Mays, president of the Cook County Bar Association; and Anita DeCarlo, president of the Justinian Society who moved for admission of the class.Justice Charles Freeman and Appellate Justice Cynthia Cobbs presided over the 11:30 a.m. ceremony. Guests of the second First District ceremony included: Sheila B. Kennedy, of the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar; Illinois State Bar Association President Richard D. Felice; and John Litchfield, president of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association.
  • May 6, 2015 | Practice News
    Job opening: Assistant U.S. Attorney for Rock Island Branch
    The United States Attorney for the Central District of Illinois is currently seeking qualified applicants for a position as Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in the Criminal Division for our Rock Island, IL location, which is one of four branch offices in the district. AUSAs in the Criminal Division supervise the investigation of and prosecute federal offenses involving among other things, financial fraud, hate crimes, identity theft, economic crimes, firearms trafficking, counterfeiting, program fraud, immigration violations, drug trafficking, violent crimes, domestic terrorism, bank robbery, human trafficking, child exploitation, transportation of stolen goods, and public corruption.Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least 1 year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience.United States citizenship is required.Preferred Qualifications: Applicants must demonstrate analytical ability, good judgment, and excellent communication and courtroom skills. Applicants must demonstrate superior oral and writing skills as well as strong research and interpersonal skills. Applicants should be proficient in the use of a computer. Applicants must exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and highly professional manner with other attorneys, professional support staff, client agency representatives, law enforcement officers / investigators, opposing counsel, and court staff.You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
  • May 6, 2015 | Practice News
    Best Practice: Surviving the cash crunch in a contingency fee practice
    Asked and AnsweredBy John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMCQ. Our firm is a six attorney personal injury plaintiff located in Kansas City. We have been in practice for 20 years and the firm has been very successful. However, in the last few years the cases are getting larger, more complex, and really putting a drain on our cash flow. We are always into our credit Line. Your thoughts would be appreciated.A. Cash flow has always been a challenge for contingency fee practices. However, times are getting harder. Insurance companies are refusing to settle personal injury cases, stretching out timelines for paying out cases they do settle, paying less, and becoming even harder to deal with. Other contingency fee practices are also facing similar challenges and everyone is finding it harder to find adequate lines of credit. Many firms that were once 100% contingency fee practices are looking for ways to improve cash flow implementing different fee arrangements or by adding non-contingency fee practice areas.I suggest that you evaluate ways that you might re-balance your case portfolio to say 60% contingency/time-bill mix. You might consider:
  • May 5, 2015 | Member Services | ISBA News
    Illinois Lawyer Finder makes nearly 800 referrals in April
    The Illinois State Bar Association’s Lawyer Finder Service provides referrals to local lawyers Mondays through Fridays. The Service makes referrals in a number of areas of law. For the month of April 2015, ISBA helped people in need of legal services find lawyers in the following areas:Here are the results for April 2015:775 phone referrals made by Lawyer Finder staffMost requested areas of law: Family (147), Personal Injury (107), Civil Disputes (86), Criminal Law (74), Employment Law (67), Real Estate (52), and Estate/Probate Law (30).20,372 visits to IllinoisLawyerFinder.com (18,077 unique visitors)Want to be part of the ISBA Lawyer Finder Service? Call (800) 252-8908 and ask for the Legal Department, or visit www.illinoislawyerfinder.comClients should call (800) 922-8757.
  • May 5, 2015 | Member Services
    Tweet to win an Apple Watch during ISBA Member Appreciation Month
    Tweet to us about your ISBA membership experience between May 5-29 for a chance to win an Apple iWatch Sport (Grand Prize) or a $100 Amazon Gift Card (3 Runner-Ups.) Winning tweets (and their tweeters) will also be featured in an upcoming issue of theIllinois Bar Journal.In 140 characters or less, tell us about how you’re using an ISBA member benefit in your practice. Our panel of judges will choose the winning tweets based on the following criteria: cleverness, relevancy and helpfulness.A few important tips:Be sure to use #isbabenefits in your tweet.Keep it clean (including your handle.)Inspire other ISBA members to think about using the benefit the way you do.
  • May 5, 2015
    ISBA Statehouse Review for May 5, 2016
    ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers Cannabis civil penalties (Senate Bill 2228), Limited Liability Company Act (House Bill 4361), Income shares and child support (House Bill 3982), IMDMA cleanup (House Bill 3898), and Land Trust Beneficiary Rights Act (House Bill 4697). More information on each bill is available below the video. Cannabis civil penalties. Senate Bill 2228 (Steans, D-Chicago; Cassidy, D-Chicago) makes several changes to the Code of Criminal Procedure. It replaces criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of cannabis (less than 10 grams) with a civil fine of $100-$200. The other change at issue replaces the current “zero-tolerance” prohibition of driving with any trace of cannabis in the driver’s bodily fluids with a per se standard of five nanograms/milliliter of whole blood or ten nanograms/milliliter in any other bodily substance. It’s passed the Senate and on second reading in the House.
  • May 5, 2015 | Practice News
    Tech Tip: How to use the Snipping Tool to take Screenshots for Attorneys
    Attorney Trent Bush demonstrates how to capture any part of your screen using the snipping tool in Microsoft Windows. Capture parts of documents to include in your briefs, and even share an error message with your IT staff through email.
    3 comments (Most recent September 1, 2016)