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  • January 10, 2013 | Practice News
    Liability Minute: The Incredible Shrinking Limitations Period
    Claims involving special defendants, such as municipalities, mass transit companies, school and port districts, are subject to a special one year limitations period. Certain claimants, including policemen, firemen, and guardsmen, must make claims for death benefits within a year of death. In some cases, a special notice requirement is also imposed, as early as six months from the triggering event. This article reviews the main instances of these special limitations periods.By Joseph R. Marconi1One of the cardinal rules of malpractice avoidance is to always be cognizant of any statute of limitations that applies to your clients’ potential actions and to timely file their claims.
    1 comment (Most recent January 10, 2013)
  • January 10, 2013 | CLE | Member Services
    Free CLE now available — here's how to get started
    All eligible ISBA members can now earn 15 MCLE credit hours, including 6 PMCLE credit hours, per bar year via our online FastCLE "Free CLE Channel" at no additional cost.Find out how to get started with our user guide at www.isba.org/freecle/faqs#guide
  • January 9, 2013 | Practice News
    Best Practice: Focusing the law firm to improve profitability
    Asked and AnsweredBy John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMCQ. Our firm is a 9 attorney firm in Joplin, Missouri. We have our first partner meeting for the year this weekend and we are looking for ideas that we can implement this year to improve our practice and profitability. We would appreciate any ideas that you may have.
  • January 8, 2013 | Practice News
    ISBA Member Update - Practice Resource Center
    ISBA President John E. Thies discusses one of the best but often overlooked resources on the ISBA website — the Practice Resource Center. The Center houses articles, ethics opinions, and other tools to help inform members about practice-related issues. Visit it at www.isba.org/practiceresourcecenter Note: The E-filing video has been postponed due to the Supreme Court’s decision to delay the new rule on the treatment of personal information in e-filing.
  • January 8, 2013 | ISBA News | Member Services
    Illinois Lawyer Finder makes nearly 500 referrals in December
    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 December 2012 ISBA helped people in need of legal services find lawyers in the following areas:Administrative Law – 7Animal Law - 1Bankruptcy – 5Business Law - 11Civil Disputes - 46
  • January 8, 2013 | ISBA News
    Lawyers Feeding Illinois campaign starts soon — sign your team up now!
    Are you the competitive type? Do you like to win? The clock is ticking … sign up now for ISBA's friendly competition to support the food banks of Illinois. Register today at www.lawyersfeedingil.org At the ISBA, we like to win too – and we've got a tough challenge to raise one million meals. Of course, the true winners will be the 1.9 million children, seniors, and families that are helped by your generosity and support. Will you join us? We can't do it without your help. Register today!
  • January 7, 2013 | Practice News
    Sen. Kirk reconvenes non-partisan federal Judicial Review Commission
    U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) today reconvened his non-partisan, statewide Judicial Review Commission to recommend Federal District Court Judges for Illinois.Senator Kirk's Commission is responsible for the extensive review of applications, interviewing applicants, and providing informed recommendations to ensure a successful, efficient process for recommending the most qualified federal judicial candidates to the President. Senator Kirk will continue to work closely with Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), who has formed a similar committee. There are currently four judicial vacancies on the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. President Obama nominated Thomas Durkin of Mayer Brown LLP, at the recommendation of Senators Kirk and Durbin, to fill one of these vacancies. Durkin’s nomination currently awaits a confirmation vote by the full Senate.
  • January 7, 2013 | CLE
    CLE: Illinois Sentencing – Statutory and Case Law
    Are you a general practitioner or criminal law attorney with intermediate practice experience? Then you won’t want to miss this informative seminar in Bloomington on January 25, which offers an in-depth overview of Illinois sentencing – from preparing for the hearing and pleas of guilty, to mandatory sentences and additional financial assessments.
  • January 7, 2013 | Member Services | CLE
    Free CLE now available for ISBA members
    Free Online CLE…. It’s ISBA’s newest member benefit to help you practice more affordably and effectively.All eligible ISBA members can now earn 15 MCLE credit hours, including 6 PMCLE credit hours, per bar year via our online FastCLE "Free CLE Channel" at no additional cost.Choose from over 30 hours of programs available 24/7 on our online “Free CLE Channel” on FastCLE. Using a computer with internet access, you can access these programs whenever and wherever you’d like. (Live on-site programs are not included in Free CLE at this time.)Programs available on the “Free CLE Channel” have been chosen by a panel of ISBA members and cover a wide range of topics, and program content will change periodically.Our 6-hour accredited Basic Skills program is also available on the “Free CLE Channel” to help our new attorney members meet their newly admitted attorney MCLE requirements for free.For more information – including Benefit Eligibility, Programs, & a User Guide on How To Get Started – visit our Free Online CLE FAQs page.Visit our Member Benefits page to learn more about ISBA benefits.
  • January 4, 2013 | Practice News
    Flood, Tracy appointed associate judges in 16th Circuit
    Michael J. Tardy, Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, announced today that the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit judges voted to select Elizabeth K. Flood and Alice C. Tracy as associate judges of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit.Ms. Flood received her undergraduate degree in 1992 from the University of Illinois, Urbana, and her Juris Doctor in 1995 from the University of Illinois. Ms. Flood is currently affiliated with the Kane County State's Attorney's Office in St. Charles.Ms. Tracy received her undergraduate degree in 1982 from Boston College, and her Juris Doctor in 1986 from John Marshall Law. Ms. Tracy is currently affiliated with the Kane County State's Attorney's Office in St. Charles.