The Bar News

Bar News Sections

ISBA members, sign up to receive The Bar News' biweekly e-newsletter by emailing emailpreferences@isba.org

  • July 22, 2014 | Events
    Young Lawyers to host Day at the Races on Sept. 13
    Join your peers for an afternoon of socializing and horse racing at this annual event! When: Saturday, September 13, 2014, Noon – 6:00 p.m. Tickets will be available for pick up at 11:15 AM on race day at the will call window, Grandstand Entrance (east side off of Wilke Road entrance).Where: Arlington Park Racecourse, Arlington Heights - ISBA will be at umbrella covered picnic tables located near the 1/8 mile pole.Cost: $9.00 per adult, $2.00 per youth age 4-17. Tickets are complimentary for children 3 and under. General Admission cost includes admission to the park, a daily racing guide, and a fabulous day of Thoroughbred racing! Lunch is not included.Deadline: Register by Wednesday, September 3, 2014 at www.isba.org/sections/younglawyersdivision/dayattheracesreg
  • July 21, 2014 | ISBA News
    New ISBA secretary, treasurer elected
    The Illinois State Bar Association's Board of Governors elected a new secretary and treasurer at its meeting Friday in Chicago.Lisa Nyuli (left), of South Elgin, was named treasurer. She is a partner with Ariano Hardy Ritt Nyuli Richmond Lytle & Goettel P.C. She has been on the Board of Governors since 2009. She served as Chair of the Solo and Small Firm Conference Committee in 2011 and 2012 and is a past president of the Kane County and Elgin bar associations.Karen Enright (right), of Chicago, will serve as secretary. Enright is a partner at McNabola Law Group where she practices personal injury cases. She has been a member of the Board of Governors since 2010 and served as treasurer from 2011-2012. She received the ISBA Board of Governors Award in 2009 and is a past president of the Women's Bar Association.The Board welcomed new members Hon. Russell Hartigan of Western Springs, Mark Karno of Chicago, Anna Krolikowska of Northbrook and Chantelle Porter of Lombard.
  • July 18, 2014
    IBF reception honoring Paula H. Holderman
    The Illinois Bar Foundation hosted a reception on July 17 at the Chicago Office honoring Paula H. Holderman for her successful year as ISBA president.
  • July 17, 2014
    ISBA President Richard D. Felice outlines his year
    ISBA President Richard D. Felice outlines his priorities for this year. At the top of the list is a task force to address the staggering law school debt and stifling job market facing new graduates. The second initiative is the 5 Solo & Small Firm Institutes being held around the state to help attorneys improve their practice. The third focus will target civics education for high school students by partnering with the Illinois Judges Association and its Courtroom in the Classroom project.
  • July 16, 2014
    Start a law practice on a $1,000 tech budget? You can, and here's how
    One area where practice-management costs are actually falling is technology. This is great news for fledgling solo practitioners, who face challenges enough as they hang out those shiny new shingles."As more and more attorneys, whether recent graduates or those leaving firms, open new solo offices, can they obtain the necessary technology on a reasonable budget?" So asks Nerino Petro of ISBA's Standing Committee on Legal Technology. "Can it be done for $1,000? What happens if you have a slightly larger budget of $2,500 or even $5,000?"To help find answers, he turned to fellow COLT member and Illinois lawyer Bryan Sims. The result? An article in the COLT newsletter that names product names and gives solos a blueprint for meeting their tech needs on a budget they can afford. Read their recommendations.
  • July 16, 2014 | Practice News
    Ethics Question of the Week: Can I serve on legal aid staff after selling private practice?
    Q. I just sold my private practice, but now a friend wants me to serve on the staff of a legal aid clinic actively representing clients in our area. Can I?
  • July 16, 2014 | Practice News
    Best Practice: Should personal injury firm consider TV advertising?
    Asked and AnsweredBy John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMCQ. We are a three attorney personal injury plaintiff firm located in Los Angeles. We started the firm 15 years ago. Two of the three attorneys are equity owners. Our firm is a high volume/low case value practice - we currently have 500 open cases. A high percentage of our cases are settled without a law suit ever being filed. We are an advertising driven practice. While over the years we have effectively used a variety of advertising vehicles, we have never ventured into TV advertising. We are considering venturing into TV and would appreciate your thoughts regarding TV advertising.
  • July 14, 2014 | Practice News
    Steadman appointed Resident Circuit Judge of Macon County
    Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Rita B. Garman announced Monday the appointment of longtime Associate Judge Timothy J. Steadman to Resident Circuit Judge of Macon County in the Sixth Judicial Circuit.
  • July 11, 2014 | Events
    ISBA, IBF, IJA and WBAI to team up for Race Judicata
    The Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois Bar Foundation, Illinois Judges Association and Women’s Bar Association of Illinois are teaming up for four times the fun at Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CVLS) 20th annual Race Judicata Sprint for Justice 5K Run/Walk. This fundraising event takes place on Sept. 4 in Chicago’s Grant Park.T-shirts will be provided for team members. All proceeds from Race Judicata go to the general operating costs of CVLS, which works to provide legal services to the poor and working poor of Chicago. The four organizations will host a tent that will serve as the main gathering point for ISBA, IBF, IJA and WBAI members. Food and water will be available at the tent. The entry fee is $34 through August 22nd. Register under the team name WBAI/ IJA/ ISBA/ IBF at http://www.cvls.org/judicata
  • July 11, 2014 | ISBA News
    IBF names first recipients of Post Graduate Legal Fellowship Program
    The Illinois Bar Foundation (IBF), the charitable arm of the Illinois State Bar Association, has awarded its inaugural Post Graduate Legal Fellowship Program grants to three 2014 law school graduates.Post graduate legal fellowships were awarded this summer to Alexis Simmons, Northern Illinois University College of Law; Juan Mejia, University of Illinois College of Law; and Emily Vaughan, Loyola University Chicago School of Law. The fellowships will provide clinical support for three law school legal clinics.The foundation launched its Post Graduate Legal Fellowship Program to fund public interest jobs for recent law graduates, according to James Lestikow, IBF president. The foundation will award $25,000 to each of the three fellowships. The law schools will each contribute a stipend to help fund the positions.“There is a growing need for more public interest lawyers to serve the underrepresented members of our community,” said David M. Anderson, IBF executive director. “The fellowship program was created to provide on-the-job training for new lawyers while simultaneously helping to fill the gap in legal aid services. We are extremely pleased to partner with these three top law schools on this inaugural fellowship program.”